The verdict in three sentences
In a consulting firm with 110 consultants, 10 points of utilisation are worth about EUR 900,000 of annual revenue, which makes resource planning software pay for itself within months. A custom tool costs EUR 30,000 to 70,000 excl. VAT depending on scope, versus EUR 25 to 45 per user per month for an off-the-shelf PSA that often ignores internal rules. The key is linking skills, workload forecast, logged time and margin per engagement in a single database instead of three disconnected spreadsheets.
Why spreadsheets cap utilisation
The operations partner of a 110-consultant firm in Nantes, France, sees 68% utilisation against a 78% target. The causes are almost always the same: managers cannot see who frees up in three weeks, skills live in people's heads, bench time is spotted too late and timesheets are filled at month end, so margin per engagement only appears at closing.
With an average day rate of EUR 750 excl. VAT and around 120 potential billable days per utilisation point across the headcount, each point gained is worth roughly EUR 90,000 in revenue. The 10-point gap therefore weighs about EUR 900,000 per year (2026 order of magnitude).
| Indicator | Spreadsheet today | Target with software |
|---|---|---|
| Utilisation rate | 68% | 76 to 78% |
| Time to staff an engagement | 4 to 6 days | 1 to 2 days |
| Workload forecast horizon | 2 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Timesheets submitted by D+2 | 55% | 95% |
| Margin per engagement known | at closing | every week |
| Monthly manager reporting time | 6 h | 1 h |
Features and budget per module
Useful resource planning software is built module by module. The core (consultant directory, engagements, schedule) is essential; the rest depends on the firm's maturity.
| Module | Scope | 2026 budget (excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Directory and scheduling | consultants, engagements, assignments, Gantt view | EUR 9,000 to 16,000 |
| Skills matrix | levels, certifications, multi-criteria search | EUR 4,000 to 9,000 |
| Workload forecast | weighted sales pipeline, bench alerts | EUR 5,000 to 12,000 |
| Time tracking | weekly timesheets, manager approval, reminders | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 |
| Margin per engagement | loaded cost, day rate, budget variance, dashboard | EUR 5,000 to 13,000 |
| Integrations | CRM, payroll, accounting, Microsoft 365 SSO | EUR 3,000 to 12,000 |
| Total | EUR 30,000 to 70,000 |
Add EU hosting (EUR 80 to 250 per month) and ongoing maintenance at 12 to 18% of the initial cost per year. Delivery takes 10 to 18 weeks, with a first usable scheduling release from week six.
Custom build or off-the-shelf PSA?
Off-the-shelf PSA (Professional Services Automation) tools cost EUR 25 to 45 per user per month, i.e. EUR 33,000 to 59,000 per year for 110 consultants. They fit if the firm accepts their rules. A custom build makes sense when staffing rules are specific: priority to upskilling, training quotas, fixed-price engagements with milestones, or consolidation with a subsidiary.
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf PSA | Custom build |
|---|---|---|
| 3-year cost (110 users) | EUR 100,000 to 180,000 | EUR 55,000 to 110,000 |
| Fit with internal rules | partial | full |
| Ownership of data and code | no | yes |
| Time to go live | 4 to 8 weeks | 10 to 18 weeks |
| Change requests | vendor roadmap | on demand |
Mini case study
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Claire, operations partner of a 110-consultant firm in Nantes, launches resource planning software for EUR 52,000 excl. VAT plus EUR 9,000 of annual maintenance. Within nine months utilisation rises from 68% to 73%, i.e. 5 points. At about EUR 90,000 of revenue per point, the annualised gain reaches EUR 450,000. Even counting only a 30% margin on that additional revenue, i.e. EUR 135,000, the investment pays back in under six months. Managers also each save 5 hours of reporting per month.
FAQ
How much does custom resource planning software cost for a 100-consultant firm?
Budget EUR 30,000 to 70,000 excl. VAT depending on modules. A scheduling and skills core starts around EUR 15,000; margin tracking and integrations push the cost up.
What utilisation gain can we target?
A gain of 4 to 8 points in the first year is a realistic 2026 order of magnitude. It comes mainly from early bench detection and an 8-week forecast.
Should weekly time tracking be mandatory?
Yes, it is the condition for knowing margin per engagement every week. Automatic reminders raise D+2 submission from 55% to over 90%.
Can the software connect to our CRM?
Yes, a HubSpot or Salesforce integration costs EUR 3,000 to 6,000 and feeds the forecast with probability-weighted opportunities.
Where is the data hosted?
In France or the EU, for EUR 80 to 250 per month, with daily backups and GDPR compliance for consultant data.
Let's scope your project. Send us your headcount, staffing rules and current tools and we will price a scope between EUR 30,000 and 70,000 excl. VAT with a 10 to 18-week plan. 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.
