The verdict in three sentences
A certified translation agency loses most of its admin time in email threads: unreadable scans, quotes to redo, payment reminders, questions about shipping the original. A custom client portal at EUR 18,000 to 40,000 centralises secure upload, instant quotes per word or per page, payment and tracking, on in-region hosting compliant with GDPR or local privacy law. For 3,000 files a year, the realistic gain is 5 to 8 hours a week and upfront payment that removes almost all bad debt.
The features that really matter
An agency's clients mix individuals (civil status documents for immigration or marriage), international students, lawyers and companies (contracts, articles of incorporation, patents). The portal must serve both audiences without friction.
| Feature | Concrete use | Indicative cost (EUR, excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Secure document upload | Scan or photo, legibility check | 3,000 to 6,000 |
| Instant quote | Per-page (certificate) or per-word (contract) rate, language, urgency | 3,000 to 7,000 |
| Online payment | Card, bank transfer, deposit for companies | 1,500 to 3,000 |
| File tracking | Received, in translation, proofread, shipped | 2,000 to 4,000 |
| Certified original shipping | Pickup, tracked mail or courier, tracking number | 1,000 to 2,500 |
| Translator workspace | Assignment, deadlines, upload of signed translation | 3,000 to 7,000 |
| Invoicing and accounting export | Automatic invoices, export to the accountant | 1,500 to 3,500 |
| Company accounts | Multiple users, history, negotiated rates | 2,000 to 4,500 |
A core portal (upload, quote, payment, tracking) sits around EUR 18,000 to 22,000. The translator workspace and company accounts push the project to EUR 30,000 to 40,000.
Security, hosting and privacy
Civil status documents and contracts contain personal, sometimes sensitive data (parentage, nationality). The portal must be built for confidentiality from day one.
| Requirement | Recommended implementation | 2026 monthly cost |
|---|---|---|
| In-region hosting | UK or Canadian region (or Scaleway, OVHcloud in the EU) | EUR 60 to 250 |
| Document encryption | Encrypted object storage, download links expiring in 24 to 72 h | Included |
| Retention period | Scans deleted automatically after 6 to 12 months, invoices kept 6 to 10 years | One-off setup |
| Authentication | Magic link or password + two-factor for company accounts | Included |
| Access log | Trace of who opened which document | Included |
| Backups | Daily, encrypted, on a second site | EUR 20 to 60 |
| Maintenance and security | Updates, monitoring, support | EUR 300 to 700 |
The record of processing and the retention policy should be drafted with the agency. A clear rule, for example deleting documents 12 months after delivery, reassures lawyers and companies sharing confidential files.
Typical timeline
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and pricing grid | 2 weeks | User journeys, quote rules, mock-ups |
| Build, release 1 | 6 to 8 weeks | Upload, quote, payment, tracking |
| Build, release 2 | 4 to 6 weeks | Translator workspace, company accounts |
| Acceptance and migration | 2 weeks | Client import, tests, training |
| Total | 14 to 18 weeks | Portal in production |
Mini case study
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Emma manages a certified translation agency in Montreal handling 3,000 files a year with two assistants. Each file takes on average 12 minutes of admin exchanges (quote, reminder, payment, shipping address), 600 hours a year. The portal brings that down to 4 minutes, saving 400 hours, about 7.7 hours a week. At EUR 32 per loaded hour, that is EUR 12,800 a year. Bad debt, around 2% of EUR 240,000 revenue, nearly disappears thanks to payment before translation: EUR 4,800 recovered. For a EUR 28,000 portal and EUR 450 a month of maintenance, payback comes in just over two years, faster if instant quotes lift the acceptance rate.
FAQ
Is an instant quote reliable for a contract?
For standard certificates (birth, marriage, criminal record), yes in 95% of cases. For a contract, the portal counts the words in the file and applies the rate, with human validation within 2 hours for documents over 3,000 words.
Can we keep the certified translator's signature and stamp?
The portal handles the signed digital translation and shipping of the stamped paper original. Tracked mail costs about EUR 5 to 9, chosen by the client at quote time.
Why keep hosting in-region?
To limit cross-border data transfers and simplify privacy compliance. In-region hosting costs EUR 60 to 250 a month for this volume.
Do we need a mobile app?
No. A responsive web portal with smartphone photo capture covers over 90% of use cases and avoids EUR 15,000 to 30,000 of native development.
How long until we are live?
Allow 14 to 18 weeks from scoping to production, with a first usable release from week ten.
Let's scope your project. Share your pricing grid and file volume and we will price the portal in releases, with an indicative budget and go-live date. 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.
