The verdict in three sentences
For a 14-person architecture practice in Berlin, custom software tracking time per HOAI work stage (Leistungsphasen 1 to 9), fee progress and invoicing costs 30,000 to 60,000 EUR in 2026. Its main value is to warn at design development or detailed design that a project is burning more hours than its fee allows, which preserves 10 to 15 % of margin on drifting projects. For a practice billing 2.1 million EUR a year, payback falls between 9 and 18 months.
Why profitability shows up too late
In a 14-person practice, hours are often logged in a spreadsheet at the end of the week, if at all. Fees are split by work stage in the contract, from basic evaluation (LP1) to site supervision (LP8), but nobody continuously compares hours spent with each stage's budget. The result: a housing scheme that goes through three preliminary design iterations stays profitable on paper until site supervision, when a 400-hour overrun appears.
| Indicator (2026 estimate) | Spreadsheet and gut feel | With dedicated software | Effect |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time to detect an overrun | 4 to 9 months | 2 to 3 weeks | renegotiation possible |
| Projects delivered below target margin | 35 to 45 % | 15 to 20 % | 10 to 15 % margin preserved |
| Hours logged and allocated | 70 % | 95 % | true cost per stage |
| Lag between progress and invoice | 30 to 60 days | 5 to 10 days | better cash flow |
| Change orders won on design changes | 1 in 4 | 3 in 4 | fees recovered |
| Principal's monthly close time | 2 days | half a day | 18 days a year freed |
With an average internal cost rate of 70 to 85 EUR an hour in Berlin, 400 unplanned hours on one project means 28,000 to 34,000 EUR of margin gone.
2026 cost of fee tracking software in Berlin
The typical scope fits in five modules. Market practice management tools cover part of this for 40 to 80 EUR per user per month, but struggle with specific fee structures such as joint ventures with engineers, partial commissions or competitions.
| Module | Features included | Price (EUR) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Time entry | weekly or timer entry, per project and HOAI stage, mobile | 6,000 to 11,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Fee budget per stage | contractual split, consultants, change orders | 6,000 to 12,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Progress and alerts | percent complete, hours burned, alert thresholds | 6,000 to 12,000 | 2 weeks |
| Invoicing | stage invoices (Abschlagsrechnungen), reminders, DATEV export | 7,000 to 14,000 | 3 weeks |
| Margin dashboard | margin per project, stage and client, forecast | 5,000 to 11,000 | 2 weeks |
| Total | 30,000 to 60,000 | 3 to 4 months |
GDPR-compliant EU hosting and maintenance run 300 to 700 EUR per month. For 14 users, a market tool at 60 EUR a month costs about 10,000 EUR a year, without margin tracking per HOAI stage.
What to demand from the software
Three requirements prevent failure. First, time entry that takes under two minutes a day, or the team will not do it. Second, a clear split between design stages and site stages, because overruns have different causes. Third, usable history: after 18 months you will know that preliminary design for a school actually takes 1.4 times the planned hours, and you will price your next bids better.
Mini case study
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Jonas, managing architect of a 14-person practice in Berlin-Kreuzberg, bills 2.1 million EUR in fees a year across about twenty projects. He invests 45,000 EUR in time and fee tracking software. On the six projects that drift each year, worth 420,000 EUR in combined fees, he preserves 12 % of margin through early alerts and change orders, or 50,400 EUR a year. With 6,000 EUR of yearly maintenance, the investment pays back in about 12 months.
FAQ
Does the software handle partial commissions and competitions?
Yes, each project has its own structure, full commission, selected HOAI stages or competition with fee. The hour budget is derived from the fee and your internal cost rate, typically 70 to 85 EUR.
How are joint ventures with engineering firms handled?
The consultants' share is isolated in the fee budget so margin is tracked only on the practice's share. Invoices can be issued for the joint venture.
Will the team really log their hours?
If entry takes under two minutes a day, logging rates move from 70 % to over 95 % within two months. An automatic Friday reminder is usually enough.
Can the software connect to our accounting?
Yes, a DATEV export for your tax advisor is included in the invoicing module, for 7,000 to 14,000 EUR.
How long until the figures are reliable?
Plan 2 to 3 months of entries to steer live projects, and 12 to 18 months for history that helps price new bids.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your practice size, commission types and accounting setup: we will price a scope between 30,000 and 60,000 EUR, delivered in 3 to 4 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
