The verdict in three sentences
A case management web app with scanning, approval workflow, deadline alerts and archiving costs CAD 50,000 to 150,000 in Montreal in 2026, delivered in 10 to 16 weeks. For an organization tracking 2,000 to 20,000 files a year, the most visible gain is average processing time cut in half, because files no longer get lost between offices. The budget depends mainly on the number of approval steps, the volume of documents to scan and connections to your existing tools.
Why paper costs more than it seems
In a law firm, a public agency or a credit union in Montreal, a paper file goes through 4 to 7 desks on average. Each handoff adds 1 to 3 days, and roughly one file in twenty is misplaced at least once. Office moves and hybrid work make losses worse.
| Indicator (2026 order of magnitude) | Paper management | Web app |
|---|---|---|
| Average file processing time | 15 to 30 days | 7 to 12 days |
| Time to find an archived file | 20 min to 2 days | Under 30 seconds |
| Lost or incomplete files | 3 to 8% | Under 0.5% |
| Manager visibility on delays | None, except follow-ups | Real-time dashboard |
| Paper, printing, binders (5,000 files) | CAD 4,000 to 8,000 per year | CAD 800 to 1,500 per year |
| Traceability for an audit or inspection | Rebuilt by hand | Automatic timestamped history |
For a financial institution supervised by the AMF in Quebec, traceability of credit files is also a compliance matter: every decision must be justifiable during an inspection.
Price by project level
The ranges below reflect custom development in modern web technologies, hosted in the cloud or on premises, including user training.
| Level | Scope | Indicative 2026 price | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 1 file type, 3 approval steps, 20 users, attachments | CAD 50,000 to 70,000 | 10 weeks |
| Standard | 3 to 5 file types, deadline alerts, dashboards, 50 users | CAD 80,000 to 110,000 | 12 to 14 weeks |
| Advanced | Configurable workflows, e-signature, records retention, 150 users, SMS | CAD 120,000 to 150,000 | 14 to 16 weeks |
| Option: paper archive backfill | Scanning and indexing 10,000 files | CAD 15,000 to 35,000 | 4 to 8 weeks in parallel |
| Option: client portal | Online submission and tracking by clients or citizens | CAD 20,000 to 40,000 | +3 weeks |
| Hosting and maintenance | Servers, backups, fixes, support | CAD 1,200 to 3,500 per month | Ongoing |
Payment is usually split in three: 40% at order, 30% at intermediate acceptance, 30% at go-live.
The modules that make the difference
| Module | What it delivers | Share of budget |
|---|---|---|
| Approval workflow | Each file knows whose desk it is on and since when | 20 to 25% |
| Deadline alerts | SMS or email at D-3 and on overrun | 8 to 12% |
| Scanning at intake | Scan, automatic naming, full-text search | 10 to 15% |
| Archiving and search | Filing by year, type, client, status | 10 to 15% |
| Dashboards | Overdue files by department and by agent | 10 to 15% |
| Access rights | Each agent sees only their files | 8 to 10% |
Plan for bilingual French and English interfaces, required by Quebec's Charter of the French Language (Bill 96) for workplace software, and for Law 25 on personal information, which requires privacy impact assessments and Canadian or equivalent hosting safeguards.
Mini case study
Isabelle, general secretary of a credit union in Montreal, tracks 6,500 loan files a year. The average time from application to disbursement is 21 days, and the institution estimates it loses 15% of applicants to competitors during that wait.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
She orders a Standard-level app at CAD 95,000, with backfill of 8,000 archived files for CAD 25,000. After 4 months of use, lead time falls to 10 days. If half of the lost applicants stay, about 490 extra loans a year with average interest income of CAD 1,200, the gain reaches CAD 588,000 a year.
Even dividing this assumption by four, the CAD 120,000 project pays for itself in under 11 months, including maintenance of CAD 2,500 a month.
FAQ
How much does a case management app cost in Montreal?
Between CAD 50,000 and 150,000 depending on the number of file types, approval steps and users. Add CAD 1,200 to 3,500 a month for hosting and maintenance.
Do we need to scan the entire existing archive?
Not necessarily. Many organizations scan the last 2 to 3 years, often 5,000 to 15,000 files for CAD 15,000 to 35,000, and scan older files on demand.
Can the app work outside the office?
Yes if designed for it: lightweight pages, mobile access over 4G or 5G, offline entry with sync. A well-optimized file page weighs under 300 KB.
Where should the data be hosted?
Quebec's Law 25 governs personal information. Hosting in a Canadian cloud region with encryption and daily backups costs CAD 400 to 1,200 a month.
How long does staff training take?
Count 1 to 2 days of training per profile and 2 weeks of running in parallel with paper. Most teams of 20 to 50 agents are autonomous in under a month.
Let's scope your project. Describe your file types, annual volume and approval steps: we will price an app from CAD 50,000 to 150,000, delivered in 10 to 16 weeks, with staged payments. 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.
