The verdict in three sentences
Adapting a foreign SaaS is cheap up front but ignores the local accounting framework and complicates local billing. A custom tool at 8,000,000-25,000,000 FCFA (about USD 13k-41k) moulds engagement tracking, the client portal and billing onto your reality, with roughly 25 % saved on billing time. The right reflex: budget by module and start with a useful core in 4 to 7 months.
Adapted foreign SaaS or custom local build
International SaaS often ignore the local chart of accounts, local VAT and local billing customs. A custom build embeds these rules natively, with a client portal to share documents and engagement status.
| Criterion | Adapted foreign SaaS | Custom local build |
|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 1,000,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA | 8,000,000 to 25,000,000 FCFA |
| Local accounting framework | Partial or absent | Native |
| Local billing / VAT | Worked around | Built in |
| Client portal | Rare | Included |
| Timeline | 1 to 2 months | 4 to 7 months |
| Maintenance | Currency subscription | 200,000 to 600,000 FCFA/month |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
Budget by module
Splitting the project by module lets you start useful and spread the investment. Here is a 2026 order of magnitude for a mid-sized firm.
| Module | FCFA range | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|
| Engagement and deadline tracking | 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 | 6 to 8 weeks |
| Time capture and profitability | 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Client billing + VAT | 2,000,000 to 4,500,000 | 5 to 7 weeks |
| Secure client portal | 1,500,000 to 4,000,000 | 4 to 6 weeks |
| Management dashboard | 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 | 3 to 5 weeks |
| Data migration + training | 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 | 2 to 4 weeks |
An engagements + time + billing core around 8,000,000-12,000,000 FCFA is often enough to launch, with portal and dashboard in phase 2.
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Mini case study
Mr Rahman, principal of a 9-person bookkeeping firm in Dubai, bills 210,000,000 FCFA/yr equivalent and loses significant time on manual follow-ups and billing. A custom build at 13,000,000 FCFA, maintenance 350,000 FCFA/month (4,200,000 FCFA/yr), cuts billing time by 25 %. If billing ties up 2 staff at 40 % of their time (loaded cost ~700,000 FCFA/month each), a 25 % gain recovers ~4,200,000 FCFA/yr, matching the annual maintenance in year one, before cash-flow acceleration.
FAQ
Why not just adapt a foreign SaaS? Because it often ignores the local accounting framework, local VAT and local billing customs, generating costly manual workarounds and errors. Custom embeds these rules from the start.
How much is monthly maintenance? Maintenance of 200,000 to 600,000 FCFA/month by scope covers fixes, evolutions, backups and supervised hosting.
Is the client portal really useful? Yes: it cuts email back-and-forth, secures document sharing and projects professionalism. It also speeds document collection at closing.
What timeline for a first version? Plan 4 to 7 months for the whole, but an engagements + billing core can ship in 2 to 3 months iteratively.
Can we pay in phases? Yes. The module split enables staged payment aligned to deliveries, protecting cash flow and lowering risk.
Let's scope your project. Give us your headcount, annual engagement volume and your two biggest pain points: we cost a quote by module. 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.
