I’ve lost count of how many millwork shops I’ve seen spend tens of thousands of dollars on software, only to leave it sitting unused.

Not because the software was “bad.” Not because they bought the wrong platform. But because implementation never actually happened.

The truth is, the most expensive mistake in software isn’t buying the wrong program. It’s buying the right one and never getting it off the shelf.

Most software implementations in our space fail.  Owners recognize they need better tools, they make the purchase, and then the real world hits: projects to finish, deadlines to meet, shops already stretched thin. So the new system gets pushed to “next month”… which quickly becomes never.

So how do you know whether the disruption is worth it? How do you avoid the failure?

That’s where a simple framework helps. Before signing a contract, any software change should meet at least one of these four criteria:

1. Sustainability: Is Your Current Platform Dying on the Vine?

Sometimes you don’t choose change, change chooses you.

If your shop is on deprecated or unsupported software, you’re sitting on a ticking time bomb. Updates stop coming. Hardware compatibility breaks. At some point, you’re one Windows update away from grinding to a halt.

That’s defensive, not offensive, but it’s still a valid reason to pull the trigger. Just be honest with yourself: if sustainability is the only reason, you’ll need to be extra disciplined in implementation to make sure you don’t swap one barely-used platform for another.

2.  Capabilities: Can This Unlock Things You Simply Can’t Do Today?

This is the fun one. New design tools, better integration, expanded file format support, real capabilities that change what’s possible in your business.

But don’t take the vendor demo at face value. Ask whether they’ve implemented those exact capabilities for shops with your machines, your workflows, your products. Ask for references. Then actually call those references.

And remember: the new features don’t mean anything if your team doesn’t have the bandwidth to learn and apply them. Which leads to the next point.

3. Efficiencies: Can You Prove It Will Save Time or Reduce Errors?

Efficiencies are where ROI lives. But only if you measure them.

Track your baseline before you implement. How long does it take to process a job? What’s your current error/rework rate? How much time is wasted on repetitive tasks the software should automate?

Without this data, you’re running on gut feel. With it, you can actually prove whether the investment is paying off. I’ve seen advanced shops cut setup time by 50%, and prove it, because they measured before and after.

But efficiencies don’t magically appear. They require an actual plan:

• Assign a champion whose job is to own implementation (not the owner already juggling 12 other things).
• Run old projects in the legacy system while starting all new ones in the new software.
• Budget for 6–9 months of overlap where you’re effectively running two systems.

That sounds heavy, and it is, but without that kind of intentional plan, efficiencies stay theoretical.

4. Lower Barriers: Does This Make Training and Hiring Easier?

This is the sleeper benefit most people overlook.

Sometimes the real ROI isn’t in faster drawings or prettier renderings, but in lowering the barrier to bring new talent on board. If a platform is widely used and easier to train on, your hiring pool just got bigger.

That matters. Our industry is facing a massive workforce challenge. Drafting and engineering talent is retiring faster than it’s being replaced. The easier you make it for new hires to learn your systems, the better positioned you are long-term.

The Hard Part Nobody Talks About

Notice what isn’t in this framework? Price.

Features and pricing matter, sure, but if a software change doesn’t clearly hit one or more of these four criteria, the cost doesn’t matter. You’re buying shelfware.

And if it does meet the criteria? Implementation is where the battle is won or lost. CAM integration, custom toolfiles and posts, SOPs, training, testing, dual systems, rework costs. These are the realities vendors rarely highlight but shops have to live through.

Plan for 1–3 months of setup, another 3–6 months of libraries and team transition, and at least one dedicated person driving it the whole way through. Anything less, and you’re betting against the odds.

Software selection isn’t about picking the “best” platform. Most of the top systems can do what you need them to do.

The question is: does this investment hit one or more of the four criteria? And if so, are you willing to commit the people, time, and process to implement it properly?

The shops that answer “yes” to both build a real competitive advantage. The ones that don’t? They end up with a very expensive icon collecting dust on the desktop.

Jacob Edmond

CEO