Software providers? cost effective? Code or buy?

I'll just jump into this and try to keep it simple. I have a small yard in Ohio that approached me for hardware upgrades, and upgrade we did. Lets just say I gave them options and they went with the good stuff no issues with that. Not long ago with new Ohio scrap laws they also asked if I could help with the "process" required now. I can program a setup that would get them where they need to be and make processing tickets and sending state required info less of an issue, however I can't provide them 24 -7 support, real job does not allow that. With that being said I began to look for software providers :& Best I have found is $5000 for hardware ..... this yard does need an upgraded ID scanner, that's all.... and $300 a month for support and hosting services. (I upgraded all of the yards computers (5 in total) with systems that would make hardcore games cry, wanting the systems)

So is it better to attempt writing software for this yard, or going with something else. I don't see much issue with $300 a month for support/hosting but a flat $5000+ fee for hardware if you need it or not??????

Need some help here, just an IT guy trying to take care of a local yard.

Update... I was really hoping for some feedback on this, however I did end up going with a scanner and just writing a program to capture photo and text ID data that would auto-fill the forms the yard needs. Easy to see not one solution for ever yard would be the same. A good learning experience for someone that has never interacted with the community outside of the hardware arena.

I am interested in how you captured the text from the ID. Did the employee have to type it in or did the program capture it for them? If it captured it for them did yu write the code or get it off the web? I Have a program I made for my yard and I have thought about setting it up to do this as well.