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Glossary

Internal tool

Software built for your own people to do work, not a public product for customers.

Definition

An internal tool is software your organisation uses to get work done: a cash-flow tracker, an approval checklist, a client portal for staff, a scheduling board, or a report builder. It is not a public product. Access is usually limited to employees or trusted partners. The value is fitting how your team actually works, not looking like a polished consumer app.

Why it matters

Spreadsheets and shared drives stretch until someone vibe-codes a better tool. That is progress, but an internal tool still needs hosting, sharing, and guardrails. If anyone on the internet can open the URL, or if only one laptop has the only copy, the tool is not ready for real accounts work. Private deploy, company login, and clear access control are what make an internal tool safe to rely on.

How Croft fits

Croft hosts internal tools your team builds with AI on a private server. Share the app with the people who need it, keep strangers out with company login, and keep data with backups and rollback. Built for SMEs and finance/accounts teams who want private tools without hiring a platform team.

Related terms

  • MVP The smallest useful version of an app you can put in real hands and learn from.
  • AI-built app An app whose code was written by an AI assistant from your prompts, then run as real software.
  • Private app hosting Hosting where only invited people can open the app, not the open internet.
  • SSO Company login. People sign in once with your organisation's identity to use your apps.
  • Access control Rules for who can open which apps and what they can do once they are signed in.

Keep reading

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

What is an internal tool?

An app your own team uses to run the business, not something you sell to the public. Think trackers, portals, dashboards, and checklists.

Can non-developers build internal tools now?

Yes. With vibe coding and AI assistants, many teams describe the tool and iterate until it fits. They still need somewhere private to host and share it.

How do I share an internal tool with only my team?

Deploy it behind company login and invite people by name or role. That is private app hosting with access control, which Croft provides.

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