The verdict in three sentences
A consulting firm or PSA company steering staffing on spreadsheets only sees its per-project margin after invoicing, often too late to correct. A custom PSA — staffing, timesheet, margin, billing, accounting integration — costs between 55,000 and 140,000 EUR and ships in 6 to 10 months. The gain: a higher billing rate and per-project margin steered in real time.
Custom PSA vs off-the-shelf solutions
Generic PSA suites bill per user and impose their workflows. For a firm, the granularity of the margin model and accounting integration often justify custom software.
| Criterion | Custom PSA | SaaS solution (per user/mo) |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 55,000 - 140,000 EUR | Low but recurring |
| Recurring cost 50 users | Maintenance ~15 %/yr | 25 - 70 EUR/user = 15,000-42,000 EUR/yr |
| Margin model | Custom per project | Standard |
| Accounting integration | Native | Depends on connectors |
| Data ownership | Full | Vendor |
| Scalability | Unlimited | Bound to product |
Modules and margin gain
| Module | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR) | Margin steering | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Staffing & capacity plan | 12,000 - 28,000 | Utilisation rate | +billing rate |
| Timesheet & time tracking | 8,000 - 18,000 | Real time | -unbilled time |
| Margin/project dashboard | 10,000 - 24,000 | Per-project margin | +margin |
| Billing & credit notes | 9,000 - 22,000 | Billing delay | -collection delay |
| Accounting/payroll integration | 8,000 - 22,000 | Consolidation | -re-keying |
| Client portal & CRM | 8,000 - 18,000 | Pipeline | +conversion |
Mini case study
Sarah, managing partner of a consulting firm in New York (45 consultants), sees an average billing rate of 72 % and learns her margins a month late. She invests 98,000 EUR in a custom PSA delivered in 8 months. Real-time staffing steering lifts the billing rate to 78 %, i.e. 6 points on a base of 45 consultants each generating about 150,000 EUR of annual revenue: +405,000 EUR of potential billable revenue. Even capturing only a third of that gain, the return far exceeds the investment in year one, before counting credit notes avoided through reliable billing.
FAQ
How much does a custom PSA for a consulting firm cost?
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Between 55,000 and 140,000 EUR in 2026 depending on modules. A staffing + timesheet + billing scope sits around 90,000 EUR.
Custom or SaaS: which is more profitable?
Beyond 40-50 consultants, a SaaS subscription (25 to 70 EUR/user/mo) often exceeds 15,000 to 42,000 EUR/yr, an amount that amortises a custom build in 3 to 5 years, plus data ownership.
How does the software improve margin?
By making utilisation and per-project margin visible in real time, it lets you rebalance staffing before a project drifts.
Is integration with our accounting possible?
Yes. Exports and connections to accounting software are native, removing re-keying and making billing reliable.
What delivery timeline should we expect?
6 to 10 months. A staffing + timesheet core can ship in 4-5 months, with billing and margin dashboards added later.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your consultant count, current tools and target budget (55,000 to 140,000 EUR) and we will map a margin-steering core first. 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.
