Business Automation Services Ireland

Business automation services for Irish SMEs

GBA Solutions builds custom business automation software for small and medium businesses in Ireland and Northern Ireland, replacing re-keying, paper forms and spreadsheet juggling with a system that does the routine work for you. A first version typically costs from €3,000 to €8,000, and a simple system usually takes 4 to 8 weeks to build.

We're a technology company based in County Kildare. Every system we build starts with how your business already works, not with a product we're trying to sell you.

What is business process automation?

Business process automation means using software to carry out the repetitive steps in your work: copying data from one place to another, filling in the same details on several forms, calculating bills, sending reminders and producing reports. A good automation system lets your staff capture information once and reuses it everywhere else. Where your work doesn't fit off-the-shelf automation software, a custom system built around your own forms is usually simpler and cheaper over time than a stack of workarounds.

Measured results from our automation projects

Figures reported by the clients after go-live.

492 hrs

Saved every year

For AM Site Solutions, roughly three months of one person's working time, freed up by automating how GA1 certificates are processed. Read the case study

90%

Less manual work

For a Cork family business, with a custom web app for order processing and billing. Read the case study

15%

Saving in the working week

For Big H The Plumber, after moving site surveys and job records off paper. Read the case study

Automation software solutions we've built

Real systems for Irish and UK businesses, and what each changed.

GA1 certificates generated on site, with QR codes on every machine

AM Site Solutions, a health and safety consultancy, used to have engineers record inspection data on site and then finish the reports and certificates back at the office. We built software that lets engineers record the inspection digitally and generate the GA1 certificate there and then. Each certificate gets a unique QR code that's placed on the machine, so anyone on site can scan it and see the latest certificate on their phone.

The result is 312 hours a year saved in office admin and 180 hours a year saved for site engineers, which is 492 hours in total. A wider system for the same client sends renewal reminders automatically, cutting the time spent tracking certificate renewals by 80%. Read the GA1 audit case study and the compliance and certification app case study.

Monthly billing that runs itself for a Cork family business

Cork Office Machines and Supplies Ltd supplies printers and copiers to hundreds of businesses. Every month, usage data arrived as XML attachments in emails and had to be keyed into a spreadsheet to work out the billing. We built a web app on Google Cloud Platform that reads those emails, extracts the data, calculates the bills for different contract types and exports them to the external billing system. It also tracks toner levels and alerts the team to machines that haven't reported usage. Over 90% of monthly billing is now automated and the family has gained over 35 hours a week. Read the Cork billing case study.

Site surveys and job management for Big H The Plumber

Big H The Plumber works across Wexford and Wicklow. Their surveys were filled in on paper and then typed into Excel. We built a web app with a digital survey form for tablets, a quick way to red-flag items for the office, sketching and photos, and a dashboard for tracking and archiving jobs. They now save 8 hours of admin a week plus 4 hours per surveyor, which works out at 15% of the working week. Read the Big H case study.

Quotes, invoices and supplier orders from an iPhone

Tom O'Grady, who runs a team of plumbers working across Leinster, was spending several hours every night on quotes, invoices and supplier orders. We built an iPhone app that tracks every job, applies standard mark-ups to labour and materials automatically and issues quotes and invoices at the tap of a button. Materials "kits" turn a single job description into a full itemised order. Tom has won back about 10 to 15 hours a week. Read the Tom O'Grady case study.

Paper service forms replaced for a UK motorhome business

The Motorhome Man services motorhomes and caravans in Buckinghamshire, and used to record every check, damp reading and sign-off on paper. We built a web app with digital forms that save automatically, drawing tools for marking defects, and a PDF report emailed to the customer with a single click. Old jobs can now be searched by registration number or customer name. Read the motorhome forms case study.

Health and safety compliance for Instaspace Modular

Instaspace Modular builds modular buildings and used to hand out paper safety documents to subcontractors. We built a mobile app for Apple and Android where subcontractors read and acknowledge safety documents before arriving on site, complete quizzes and Toolbox Talks, and sign in and out of sites. An admin console reports on all of it for audits. Read the Instaspace case study.

View all case studies

Which tasks are worth automating first?

The best first candidate is a task that happens often, follows the same steps each time and costs you time or mistakes when things get busy. If you can point at a job and say "if this was quicker and more reliable, we'd feel it across the business", it's probably worth a look. Good candidates usually:

Happen every day or every week, rather than once a year.
Involve copying and pasting, or typing the same information into more than one place.
Depend on one key person who knows how it's done, and cause stress when that person is off.
Lead to delays, missed renewals or errors when the business is busy.

Common examples in Irish small businesses

These are processes we've automated for clients using web apps, mobile apps and custom software:

Inspection and audit forms that produce a PDF certificate on the spot.
QR codes on equipment that link to the latest compliance records.
Training records, licences and certificates with automatic expiry reminders.
Monthly billing calculated from data that arrives by email.
Quotes and invoices built from a materials list with mark-ups applied automatically.
Job tracking, timesheets and safety document sign-off.

You don't need to automate everything at once. We usually recommend starting with one pain point, building a simple system that handles it, rolling it out with feedback from your staff and expanding once it has proven itself. Our article on 5 common myths about business automation explains why that phased approach takes most of the risk out of it.

Automating stock, orders, deliveries and supply chain work

If your business moves stock, places supplier orders or runs deliveries, much of the admin follows the same pattern every day, which makes it a good fit for automation. We can build a system that keeps stock, orders and deliveries in one place and connects to the accounting or e-commerce software you already use.

What we can automate

Stock tracking: barcode scanning, live stock levels and automatic alerts when stock runs low, so you're not overstocking one item and running out of another.
Supplier and purchase orders: orders raised from your own product or materials lists, with purchase orders tracked from order to delivery.
Delivery scheduling and updates: assigning drivers and jobs, and sending customers and your dispatch team automatic updates.
Vehicle and driver records: driver hours, vehicle inspections and maintenance schedules, with reports ready for compliance checks.
Order processing and invoicing: orders turned into invoices without anyone retyping them.

Where we've already done this

The Cork billing system tracks toner levels and the consumables issued to each customer, which helps the business manage the profitability of each contract. Tom O'Grady's app turns a single job description into a full list of materials and sends the order to his suppliers. For small food producers, our SmartTrace product records deliveries in, batches made and dispatches out, so any lot can be traced to its suppliers or customers in seconds.

For more on where to begin, read why supply chain management can be a good place to start digitalising.

AI agents and assistants for admin work

AI agents are software that can read an email or document, work out what needs to happen and then take action, such as updating a system, sending a reply or flagging something for a person to check. They suit admin that needs reading and judgement as well as typing.

Examples of AI agents we've built

Receipts to the finance system: staff photograph a receipt and the agent writes the supplier, amount, date and VAT into the finance system.
Support emails with a quality check: an agent drafts replies from the company's knowledge base, a second agent checks them, and anything uncertain goes to a person.
Chat that leads to action: a customer asks the website assistant for last month's invoice, and an agent finds it and emails it to them.

We work with the tools you already use, such as Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Xero, and we can build in human review for anything sensitive. Read how AI agents are helping Irish SMEs save time and money for more detail.

AI assistants for your website

An AI assistant answers customer questions on your website using your own business content, and collects enquiries while you're busy on a job or with a client. Our own assistant, NatterNinja, is built for Irish small businesses and is the chat assistant you can try on this site. Read why every small business should consider an AI assistant and how AI assistants actually work.

AI inside inspection and audit systems

Once your forms are digital, AI can pre-fill likely answers, spot recurring problems and suggest follow-up actions. Our guide on how to automate your business audits and inspections.

How a process automation project runs

A simple application usually takes 4 to 8 weeks. Bigger systems start the same way and then grow in stages, so you're using parts of it early.

Find the real problem

We pin down exactly where time is being lost or errors creep in. It's usually three or four steps.

Map the workflow

We look at who does what, what each step needs and what happens when a job isn't straightforward.

Choose the right kind of system

A web app, a mobile app or both, with whatever PDFs, QR codes and integrations it needs.

Build a first version

We build the smallest version that removes the biggest headache, showing you progress as we go.

Measure and improve

Once your team is using it, we look at the time saved and plan the next stage together.

Our article From spreadsheet to system walks through these steps with examples from four of the projects above.

What business automation costs

Most systems we build fall into one of three price bands. Cost depends on the number of user types, the reporting needed and how many other systems it connects to.

Type of build	Typical cost
A first version (MVP) that automates one main process	€3,000 to €8,000
A mid-sized system with more users, dashboards and integrations	€8,000 to €12,000, depending on complexity
A larger system, usually built once the first version has proven itself	€15,000 and up

If your system includes a mobile app in the app stores, Apple charges €99 a year for a developer account and Google Play charges a one-off €25.

It's worth weighing the cost against the time you're losing now. The Cork business above was facing a choice between hiring another person and automating. With a custom system you also own what's built, rather than paying monthly for a tool that only half fits. For a fuller breakdown of app costs, see how much it costs to develop an app in Ireland.

Why work with a small Irish automation developer

You deal directly with the person designing and building your system.

We start with your business, not the code

We talk about your workflow before technology. We're a small business too.

You see progress early

You see working parts of the system as we build and can start using them early.

Plain English, no jargon

You don't need to be technical. Tell us what you need in your own words and we'll turn it into a working system.

Only the features you need

We build the important parts first and leave out what you won't use.

Works with what you have

We connect to your existing accounting, email and file storage where that makes sense.

We don't disappear after launch

We stay on to support and improve your system as your business changes.

What our customers are saying

We worked with GBA Solutions to develop our online food safety e-learning platform. Warren was excellent to work with throughout the entire process. Everything was delivered within the agreed time frame, demonstrating his reliability and professionalism. I highly recommend Warren and his services at GBA Solutions to anyone in need of top-notch development work.

Mark Long

Managing Director, Food Safety Management Solutions Ltd.

The end result surpassed what we could have hoped for, not only meeting all our criterion but also incorporating suggestions from Warren and resulting in a clean, user friendly App. From the first phone call to handover, we found that Warren listened and delivered and is a genuine pleasure to deal with, handling our questions and demands, efficiently and calmly. We have absolutely no hesitation in recommending GBA Solutions.

Harry Ryan

Director, Big H The Plumber

GBA Solutions helped us take a big step forward in how we manage Health and Safety compliance. Warren was attentive and really understood our needs, making the development process smooth and efficient. The app itself has made the management of Health and Safety compliance much easier, and we've seen tangible time savings and improvements in our processes.

Jason Torris

Instaspace Modular

How much does business automation cost in Ireland?

A first version of a custom automation system usually costs from €3,000 to €8,000. A mid-sized system with more users, reports and links to other software is typically €8,000 to €12,000, depending on complexity. Larger builds start at €15,000 and are usually done once the first version has proven itself.

What business processes should I automate first?

Start with a task that happens every day or every week, involves typing the same information twice, and causes delays or errors when you're busy. Inspection forms, certificates, billing, quotes and renewal reminders are common first choices. One well-chosen process automated properly usually teaches you more than a big plan on paper.

How long does it take to automate a business process?

A simple application usually takes 4 to 8 weeks to build. Bigger systems with several user types, integrations and customer portals start with a first version in that time and then grow in stages. We often release a first version early so you can start using it while the rest is built.

Is business automation worth it for a small business?

For many small businesses it is, because the savings come back every week. AM Site Solutions saves 492 hours a year on GA1 certificate processing, and a Cork family business cut its manual billing work by 90%. Even automating one admin-heavy task can free up a lot of time.

Will automation replace my staff?

Automation is there to take the repetitive work off your staff, not to replace them. It removes the typing, copying and chasing so your people can spend more time on customers and skilled work. In one of our projects it meant a growing business didn't need to hire an extra person just to keep up with admin.

Do I need to replace the software I already use?

Usually not. It often makes more sense to connect to the tools you already use, such as your accounting package, email or file storage, and automate the steps in between. The Cork billing system, for example, exports its billing figures to the business's existing billing system.

What's the difference between custom automation and off-the-shelf automation software?

Off-the-shelf automation software is built for everyone, so you often end up working around it or paying for features you don't use. Custom automation is built for your forms, your workflow and your customers. You also own the system rather than paying a monthly fee for a tool that only half fits.

Can AI automate admin work in my business?

Yes, for the right tasks. We build AI agents that read emails or documents, decide what needs to happen and take the next step, such as pulling the details from a receipt into your finance system or drafting a reply for checking. We can also add an AI assistant to your website to answer customer questions and capture enquiries.

Can you automate stock, orders and deliveries?

Yes. We can build systems that track stock levels, raise reorder alerts, manage supplier and purchase orders, schedule deliveries and send customers automatic updates. We've already built tracking of toner and consumables for a Cork office supplies business, and supplier ordering from materials kits for a plumbing and heating firm.

Do you work with businesses outside Kildare?

Yes. We're based in County Kildare and work with businesses across Ireland and Northern Ireland, with clients from Cork to Wexford and Wicklow. We've also built a system for a motorhome and caravan service business in the UK.

What if my team isn't very good with technology?

That's normal, and it's why we spend time watching how your team works before building anything. The best systems feel like the paper forms or spreadsheets people already know, just without the repetitive parts. The Motorhome Man's technicians, for example, moved to digital forms that look familiar but save automatically and produce PDFs on their own.

Tell us which job you'd like to stop doing by hand

Describe the task that eats your week and we'll tell you honestly whether it's worth automating, how we'd go about it and roughly what it would cost.

Get in touch +353 87 180 7873

Business Automation Services in Ireland