What is a 5 way tool?

In an internal tools context, a "5 way tool" describes a single application that serves five major functions for a team. For example, consider an operations hub that lets staff monitor live metrics, update records, manage approvals, trigger automations, and generate reports from one interface. Instead of maintaining five separate systems, the team uses this multi-purpose tool as a central command center. The trade-off is complexity: designers need to keep the interface intuitive and permissions tightly controlled. When done right, a multi-function internal tool can cut down on context switching and training overhead significantly.