Questions, answered straight.
81 answers about how we work, what things involve and what to expect, written by the people who do the work. Can't find yours? Ask us.
What does Overslep do?
We build and look after the digital side of your business. That means your website or online shop, software made for the way you work, automation with n8n (a tool that connects your apps so routine tasks happen on their own), and the hosting, servers and email behind it all. One team does all of it, so nothing gets lost between suppliers.
Where is Overslep based?
In Portugal, with bases in Guarda and Lisbon. We work remotely with clients across Portugal and abroad, including the United Kingdom.
Who founded Overslep?
Pedro Brioso founded Overslep and still works on the projects. You talk directly to the people who build and look after your systems.
Do you work in English and Portuguese?
Yes, in both, in writing and in meetings. Use whichever suits you.
What kind of clients do you work with?
Small and medium businesses, and associations. Live projects you can visit include a fitness business in London, an animal welfare association, a literary tourism research project, a vehicle importer, a beauty and wellbeing centre, an interior design studio with an online shop and an electrical installation company.
What technology do you use?
Well-known, open tools that stay supported for years. WordPress and WooCommerce for websites and online shops, proven open-source building blocks for custom software, and n8n for automation. We pick what fits each project and write down why. We avoid closed products that would tie you to one supplier.
Do you offer website maintenance after launch?
Yes. We can host your site or system, keep it updated, back it up and keep watch, so a person is warned if something stops. It is a service of its own, run by the same team that built it.
Do you offer discounts for social projects?
Yes. Since March 2022, social projects get reduced rates and practical help from us. Tell us about yours in the contact form.
Will we own our website, code and accounts?
They should be yours. Your domain, hosting, analytics and Google Search Console accounts are best registered in your company's name, with the administrator login in your hands. Who owns the code and the design is written into the proposal. Under Portuguese law, software made to order generally belongs to the client who ordered it, unless the contract says otherwise. Themes, plugins and fonts made by others keep their own licences.
Is it better to use one company for the website, hosting and IT?
It is usually simpler. One company means one team is responsible, with fewer hand-offs between suppliers. Problems between systems get traced faster, like a website form whose messages never reach your customer list (your CRM). Separate specialists can go deeper in one area, but someone has to coordinate them. Either way, keep your accounts in your name and how everything is set up written down, so you are never locked in.
What happens after my website goes live?
The work changes rather than stops. Security updates are applied regularly. Copies of your data are kept somewhere else and tested, so they actually work. Your system is watched, and a person is warned if something stops. You also get small improvements and reports on how things are running. The team that built it can look after all of this.
How do you charge for a project?
It depends on the work, and you always get what is included and what it costs in writing before anything starts, with no obligation. When the work is clearly defined, we quote it phase by phase. When it will change as you learn more, we plan it in smaller steps.
Why work with an IT company in Portugal?
Portugal is in the EU, so the GDPR (the EU's data protection law) and EU contract law apply. It shares the time zone of the United Kingdom and Ireland, and its working hours overlap with the rest of Western Europe. English is widely spoken in business. For clients in Portugal we are local; for clients elsewhere in Europe, a short flight away.
Should I use WordPress or a custom-built website?
WordPress, if several people publish news, pages or posts every week. A custom build, if the site must connect to other systems in complex ways, meet strict speed requirements or work like an app. We recommend one once we understand what you need, and explain the trade-off in plain words.
Can you take over a website someone else built?
Yes. First we review how it is built: the code, the plugins (add-ons), the hosting and the security. Then we tell you what is worth keeping, what to fix first and what it would cost.
Do you write the text for the website?
Yes, if you want us to. Writing can be part of the project, or we work from material your team prepares. Either way, we plan every page and edit the text so it reads clearly and helps people find you on Google.
How much does a business website cost?
It depends more on what the site has to do than on how many pages it has. The main factors: how many different page layouts it needs, a custom design or an adapted ready-made theme, who writes the text and supplies the photos, how many languages, connections such as a CRM, bookings or payments, and moving content from an old site. After a short conversation, we send a written proposal with the cost of each phase. Running costs (domain, hosting, maintenance) are listed separately.
How long does it take to build a website?
It depends more on how quickly the texts, photos and feedback come in than on the building itself. A project goes through understanding what you need, page structure, design, build, adding the content, testing on real phones and computers, and launch, with old addresses redirected to the new pages. We agree the schedule in the proposal. Having your texts and photos ready early is what keeps it short.
Can I update my website myself?
Yes. Your team can change text, images, pages and posts in an editor set up around how you publish. Layout and new features stay with us, so nobody breaks the design by accident.
What does a business website need by law in Portugal?
A privacy notice, consent before any non-essential cookies, and your company's identification details. If you sell to consumers, it also needs a visible link to the electronic complaints book (Livro de Reclamações) and information about alternative dispute resolution, the out-of-court ways to settle a complaint. We build all of this into the site. The legal wording itself should come from your lawyer or accountant.
Is WooCommerce or Shopify better for my online store?
It depends on what you need. Hosted platforms such as Shopify are a good fit for some stores, and we will say so when that is the case. WooCommerce or a custom build makes sense when you need full control of your data, connections or pricing rules, or want to avoid per-sale platform fees.
Can you fix my existing online store?
Usually, yes. We check the add-ons, theme, speed, security and connections, then fix the biggest risks first. Sometimes the honest answer is that rebuilding costs less than patching, and we will show you why.
Can my online store connect to my invoicing software?
Normally, yes, as long as the software offers a connection for other systems (an API) or a reliable import and export. We link them with n8n, a tool that connects your apps and does routine tasks automatically, or with custom code when reliability or order volume calls for it.
Can customers pay with MB WAY and Multibanco?
Yes. Portuguese payment providers offer WooCommerce add-ons for both, and Stripe supports them too. With Multibanco, the customer gets a reference to pay at an ATM or through online banking, so the store also needs rules for orders waiting for payment: stock set aside, an expiry date and a reminder. You sign the contract with the payment provider; we set up the connection and test it.
Do I need certified invoicing software for an online store in Portugal?
Generally, yes. Businesses in Portugal usually have to issue invoices through software certified by the Tax Authority, with the ATCUD code and QR code, and WooCommerce on its own is not certified invoicing software. So the store connects to certified software, such as Moloni or InvoiceXpress, and the invoice is issued automatically when the order is paid. Your accountant confirms which documents and VAT rules apply to you.
Can I sell to customers in other EU countries?
Yes. The store can show prices and work out VAT for each country, with delivery zones, languages and payment methods set for each market. Once your sales to consumers in other EU countries (distance sales) pass €10,000 a year in total, VAT is charged at the customer's rate, and you can declare it through the One-Stop Shop (OSS) instead of registering in every country. Check the VAT side with your accountant.
How long does it take to build an online store?
Much of the time goes into work outside the build itself: preparing product information and photos, the payment provider's approval and setting up invoicing. We plan those alongside design and build. Before launch, we place real test orders, from payment to invoice to shipping.
What technology do you use to build custom software?
Proven open-source building blocks with long-term support. That way, security fixes keep coming for years, and another capable team could take over the code. We choose for each project, based on how long the software must last and who will look after it, and explain the choice in the proposal.
How much does custom software cost?
It depends on what the software has to do, so we price it in phases. We start with a short, paid first phase that maps your processes, your data and the systems it must connect to. You then get a plan in phases, each with its own estimate, so you can stop or change direction between them.
Can you work with our own developers?
Yes. We can lead the overall design, take on specific parts, review code, or help your team adopt modern ways of building and releasing software.
Should we buy software or have it custom-built?
Buy when the way you work is standard and an existing product covers most of it. Build when the way you work is what sets you apart, or when your current tools cannot be made to work together. Often the answer sits in between: an existing product connected to your other systems, or a small custom layer on top. We compare the cost over several years, licences included, before recommending either.
Who owns the source code of custom software?
Ownership is written into the proposal, so it is clear from the start. Portuguese law generally gives the rights in software made to order to the client who commissioned it, unless the contract says otherwise, but it is better to say so explicitly. Open-source parts keep their own licences, and the code should be documented so that another capable team could take over.
Can you take over software someone else built?
Yes. First we review the code, the components it relies on and their versions, the tests and the hosting. Then we modernise it step by step: automatic checks on the most important tasks first, then upgrades and replacements one part at a time, so your business keeps running throughout. Starting again from scratch is rarely the cheapest route.
What business tasks can be automated?
Any task that follows a clear rule and uses software that can connect to other systems or reliably import data. Decisions that need judgement can be assisted, for example with a suggested category, but should stay with a person.
What happens if an automation fails?
We plan for it from the start. A failed run is tried again when that is safe, recorded, and reported to a named person. Nothing should disappear quietly.
Do I need n8n to automate my business?
No. Sometimes a built-in feature of your CRM or a small script is simpler and cheaper. We choose the lightest tool that will be reliable.
Which business process should I automate first?
The one that happens often, follows clear rules and costs the most when it goes wrong. Count how many times a week it happens and how long it takes. Automate that one process, measure the time it saves, then move on to the next.
Can invoicing be automated in Portugal?
Yes, as long as the invoice is created inside certified invoicing software, through that software's own connection for other systems (its API). For example, when an order is paid or a deal is won in your CRM. The certified software keeps the numbering, the ATCUD and QR code and the tax reporting; the automation only feeds it. Agree document types and VAT treatment with your accountant.
Is business automation GDPR-compliant?
It can be, but it depends on every tool your data passes through. So we list which tools handle personal data, make each automation use only the data it needs, and make sure there is a data processing agreement with every provider. Running n8n on a server in the EU keeps the automation itself under your control.
Can AI help automate my business?
Yes, for clear, well-defined jobs: sorting incoming emails, pulling data out of documents, drafting a reply or a summary. A person approves anything that goes out, we keep an eye on what each AI request costs, and we never send personal data to an AI provider without an agreement in place.
Should I self-host n8n or use n8n Cloud?
Both work. Running n8n on your own server gives you control over where your data is processed, and predictable costs. But it needs security updates, backups and monitoring, and that is exactly what we take care of.
Is n8n free to self-host?
The self-hosted community edition is free for your own internal business processes; some advanced features need a paid n8n plan. n8n is "fair-code" software under its Sustainable Use License, not a classic open-source licence. The real running costs are the server, backups, monitoring and the time to keep it updated. We check what you need before you commit.
Can you fix n8n workflows someone else built?
Yes. We review them, write down what they do, fix the fragile parts and make sure failures are caught and reported, before we suggest rebuilding anything.
Can you host n8n for us?
It depends on who will use it, because n8n's licence draws a line here. Installing and looking after n8n on a server you own, in your cloud account or on your own hardware is fine. So is an agency running automations for you on its own n8n, as long as you do not use that n8n yourself. Hosting a separate n8n just for you, which you use yourself, is a different case and needs n8n's commercial terms. We tell you which set-up fits before you commit.
Is n8n secure?
It is as secure as it is kept. Like any web software, it needs updates, and n8n has fixed serious security flaws in recent releases. We keep the editing screen off the public internet or behind a strong login, open only the entry points your automations need, give each connection the least access possible, back up the encryption key and monitor the system.
Can I move from Zapier or Make to n8n?
Yes. We list your existing Zaps or Make scenarios, rebuild each one in n8n (not always one for one), reconnect your accounts, run old and new side by side, then switch over. It is also a good moment to retire automations nobody uses.
Should my business use the cloud or its own servers?
It depends on what you run, how sensitive your data is and the cost over time. We design for the cloud, your own hardware or a mix of both, and show you the trade-offs in numbers you can check.
Do you do penetration testing?
No. We design, secure, monitor and review your systems' settings. For a formal penetration test (a controlled, simulated attack), we recommend an independent specialist, and we will help you act on what they find.
Can you take over servers someone else set up?
Yes. We start by listing what is there and checking the risks, write it all down, then fix the most urgent problems first.
Is there an alternative to VMware?
Yes. Mature open-source platforms run virtual machines and containers, can spread them across several servers so one failure doesn't stop everything, and include backups, without per-core licences. Paid support plans are available when you want them. Many businesses reviewed their options after VMware's licensing changes in 2024. Whether a move suits you depends more on the design (what happens when a part fails, storage, backups) than on the product name.
What is the 3-2-1 backup rule, and is it enough against ransomware?
It means three copies of your data, on two different types of storage, with one copy kept off site. Against ransomware (software that locks your files and demands payment), it is not enough on its own. Add one copy that cannot be changed or deleted, protect the backup system with its own separate logins, and test restoring on a schedule: a backup that has never been restored is only a hope.
How can staff access company systems safely from outside the office?
Through a secure, private connection (a VPN or zero-trust access) with two-step login, never by opening remote desktop or admin pages directly to the internet. Give each person only the access they need, and keep a record of who connected and when.
Can you move my website to new hosting without downtime?
We plan the move to keep downtime to a minimum: we copy the site, test it on the new server, shorten how long the internet remembers the old address, then switch. For online stores, the final copy happens at a quiet hour.
Can you guarantee my website will always be online?
We don't publish an availability figure we can't back up with evidence. Instead, we monitor your site, respond to alerts and agree response times in your contract. That commitment is worth more than a percentage on a web page.
Can I keep my current email provider?
Yes. We can host your email, or you keep your provider and we fix your domain settings so your messages are delivered reliably.
Where are your servers? Do I need EU hosting for GDPR?
In European data centres. The GDPR does not strictly require EU hosting, but personal data sent outside the European Economic Area needs a legal basis, such as an adequacy decision (the EU confirming that a country protects data well enough) or standard contractual clauses. Hosting in Europe keeps it simple, with a data processing agreement between us, as the GDPR requires.
Why do my emails go to spam? What are SPF, DKIM and DMARC?
Usually because your domain does not prove who is allowed to send email for it. Three settings handle that: SPF lists the servers allowed to send your email, DKIM adds a digital signature to each message, and DMARC tells receiving mail services what to do when a check fails. Gmail, Yahoo and Outlook now require all three from bulk senders, and they help every sender reach the inbox. Your website's forms should send through a properly authenticated email service too.
What should I do if my website is hacked?
Isolate the site so the damage cannot spread, restore a clean backup, close the gap that let the attacker in, change every password and key, scan again and check Google Search Console for warnings. If personal data was exposed, your business must normally notify the data protection authority (CNPD) within 72 hours.
Do you guarantee first place on Google?
No, and be wary of anyone who does. We fix what holds your site back, publish content that deserves to rank, and report honestly on the results.
How long does SEO take to work?
Technical fixes can show within weeks, once search engines have visited the site again. Content and reputation take months. We agree what to measure at the start, so you can see the progress.
Do I need a cookie banner for website analytics?
It depends on the tool. Privacy-friendly statistics that use no cookies can often run without asking for consent, while Google Analytics normally needs consent in the EU. We set up whichever fits your obligations.
How do I get my business to show up on Google Maps?
What helps is a complete, verified Business Profile on Google (categories, hours, services, photos), genuine reviews with replies, the same name, address and phone number everywhere, and pages that are genuinely about the places you serve. Google ranks local results by relevance, distance and prominence, and nobody can pay for a better local position.
Can my business appear in Google's AI answers?
Google says there is nothing extra to do for its AI Overviews: a page needs to be in Google's index and eligible to show a snippet, the short text under a result. What helps, there and in other AI assistants, is clear text Google can read, good links between your own pages, a fast page, and information for Google that matches what is on the page.
Why is my website not showing on Google?
Usually because of something technical, or because the site is new: a setting that tells Google to stay away (a stray "noindex" tag or robots rule), the wrong preferred address set for a page, content that only appears after code runs in the browser, thin or duplicated content, or a site that is simply too new. The URL inspection tool in Google Search Console shows which, and it is the first thing we check.
What should I ask before hiring an SEO agency or consultant?
Google's own advice makes a good checklist: ask for examples of previous work, whether they follow Google Search Essentials (Google's guidelines for websites), what results they expect and by when, how they measure success, what experience they have in your industry and country, and whether they will share every change they make.
Is IT consulting only for big projects?
No. Many engagements take just a few days: a review, a written recommendation or help choosing between two suppliers.
Do you sell hardware and software licences?
We can supply equipment and licences when that is the sensible route. But we are not tied to any manufacturer, and our advice does not depend on what you buy from us.
Do you offer IT support for staff?
Yes. We provide IT support for your staff, with how quickly we respond agreed in the contract rather than promised on a web page.
What does an IT consultant do for a small business?
An IT consultant looks at your systems, risks and costs, recommends what to change and in which order, helps you choose suppliers and checks their work. It can be a one-off review, or ongoing advice alongside your projects.
What is an IT audit, and what do we get from it?
It is a check of your whole IT set-up: a list of your hardware, software, licences and accounts; a look at security (two-step login, updates, backups), the network and any single part whose failure would stop everything; and what all of it costs. You get a list of risks in order of priority and a plan for what to do next.
What cybersecurity basics should every small business have?
Two-step login everywhere, updates on a schedule, backups kept offline or impossible to alter, each person with only the access they need, a password manager, encrypted laptops, staff who can spot fake emails (phishing), and a one-page plan for what to do if something goes wrong.
Does NIS2 apply to my business?
It depends on your sector and the size of your business. Portugal has brought the EU's NIS2 directive into national law. It covers organisations classed as "essential" or "important", and those in scope register with the National Cybersecurity Centre (CNCS), manage their risks and report incidents. Their suppliers often receive security requirements through contracts, too. A lawyer confirms whether you are in scope; we put the technical measures in place.
What happens after I send the form?
One of us reads it and replies by email. Usually we ask a few questions or suggest a time for a short call. If we are not the right people for the job, we will tell you.
How much will my project cost?
It depends on what you need, what it has to connect to and what you already have. After a short conversation, we send you a written proposal with the phases and the costs, with no obligation. The project range on the form only helps us suggest the right size of project.
Do you work with small businesses and associations?
Yes. Small teams are exactly who we build for. Our clients include a fitness business in London, an animal welfare association in Paredes, a vehicle importer in Alcabideche, a beauty and wellbeing centre in Sintra, an interior design studio in Meda and an electrical installation company in the Algarve.
Do you work with clients outside Portugal?
Yes. We work from Guarda and Lisbon with clients in Portugal and abroad, such as GE Fitness in London. Everything can be done remotely, in English or Portuguese.
Can you take over a website or server someone else set up?
Yes. First we check how it was built, the add-ons it uses, where it is hosted and how secure it is. Then we tell you what is worth keeping, what to fix first and what it would cost.
What do you do with the details I send?
We use them only to reply to you and to manage any project that follows. The form travels over a secure, encrypted connection to our own server, and this website sets no cookies. The privacy notice has the details.
What should we prepare before getting in touch?
Nothing formal. A few lines are enough: what you want to achieve, what you use today, any deadline and, if you know it, a budget range. Links to your current site, or to sites you like, help too.
Do we need to know our budget before contacting you?
No. A rough range helps us suggest the right size of project, which is why the form asks for one. But "Not sure yet" is a perfectly good answer.
Do you work remotely or on site?
Mostly remotely, by video call, and on site where it helps. You follow the work through links we share with you as it progresses. We are based in Guarda and Lisbon and work in English or Portuguese.
Have something to build, automate or fix? Let's talk.
A few lines are enough. We reply personally, usually with a couple of questions or a time to talk. No obligation, no automated sales sequence.
- Get a quote
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Call +351 967 113 552
(call to a national mobile network) · or +351 275 032 349 (call to a national landline network)
- comercial@overslep.pt