The verdict in three sentences
A structural engineering firm with 28 engineers running 350 active projects on spreadsheets usually spots hour overruns when issuing the final invoice, when it is too late to renegotiate. Project and fee management software links weekly timesheets to the budget of each design stage, from concept to handover, and produces a reliable billable progress figure every month. Between a specialist ERP at EUR 50 to 90 per user per month and a custom tool in Kolonell's medium range of EUR 6,100 to 10,670, the choice depends mainly on your fee rules and accounting interfaces.
The problem: profitability known too late
In a structural practice, margin is made or lost on hours. A residential block sold for EUR 42,000 in fees can consume 25 % more hours than planned at technical design because of unpriced architect changes. Without stage tracking, the director finds out at the end of the job.
The French firm in our example works to the MOP stages (ESQ to AOR); a UK practice would map the same logic to RIBA Plan of Work stages, a US firm to schematic design through construction administration.
| Design stage | Typical share of structural fees | Frequent hour overrun | Usual cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Concept and outline (ESQ, APS / RIBA 2) | 8 to 12 % | Low | Grid options |
| Developed design (APD / RIBA 3) | 12 to 15 % | 10 to 20 % | Brief changes |
| Technical design (PRO / RIBA 4) | 20 to 25 % | 15 to 30 % | Unbilled architect changes |
| Tender (ACT) | 5 to 8 % | Low | Contractor queries |
| Shop drawing review and execution (VISA, EXE) | 20 to 30 % | 20 to 40 % | Execution drawings redone |
| Site supervision and handover (DET, AOR / RIBA 5 and 6) | 15 to 20 % | 10 to 25 % | Extra site visits |
Whatever the framework, the contract is defined by stage, so the software must think in stages, not just in projects.
What the software must actually do
- Timesheets weekly per project and stage, from desktop or phone, with an automatic Friday reminder.
- Hour budgets per stage taken from the fee proposal, with an alert when 80 % of the budget is used while the stage is only 60 % complete.
- Billable progress: monthly valuation per stage, percentage signed off by the project lead, generating interim invoices.
- Variations: tracking of extra work from request to invoice.
- Dashboard: margin by project, client and engineer, plus work remaining.
- Interfaces: export to the accountant's software, link to payroll for loaded hourly cost.
Specialist ERP or custom build: the figures
| Criterion | ERP for engineering firms | Kolonell custom build |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | EUR 3,000 to 10,000 setup and training | Medium application: EUR 6,100 to 10,670, final amount in the quote |
| Recurring cost for 28 users | EUR 16,800 to 30,240 a year (EUR 50 to 90 per user per month) | Standard maintenance EUR 114 a month, hosting in the quote |
| Modules | Projects, proposals, sometimes document management and planning | Only what the firm needs |
| Timeline | 2 to 3 months | 3 to 5 months, discovery included |
| Specific fee rules | Limited to the vendor's model | Stages, multipliers and variations your way |
| Headcount growth | Cost grows with users | Cost independent of user count |
| Main risk | Paying monthly for unused features | Weak discovery of billing rules |
A market ERP is a good choice if your practices are standard and you want to start fast. Custom takes the lead when the firm has its own rules (multipliers by structure type, coordination roles, subcontracted geotechnical studies) or plans to grow from 28 to 40 engineers, since cost does not track headcount.
Mini case study
Julien runs a structural engineering firm with EUR 2,500,000 in annual fees, 28 engineers and 350 active projects. He estimates that about 15 % of projects overrun their hour budget by 25 % on average, with no variation billed.
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- Fees affected: 15 % of EUR 2,500,000, or EUR 375,000. Overrun: 25 %, about EUR 93,750 of unbilled work a year.
- If stage tracking turns just 40 % of that overrun into variations or early corrections, the gain is EUR 37,500 a year.
- Custom cost, top of the medium range: EUR 10,670 plus EUR 114 a month maintenance, or EUR 12,038 in year one.
- ERP comparison: 28 users at EUR 70 a month, or EUR 23,520 a year, before setup.
Julien's payback comes in under four months on recovered variations alone, and recurring cost stays flat if he hires.
FAQ
How long does deployment take in a 28-engineer firm?
Allow 3 to 5 months, including 3 weeks of discovery to model your stages, multipliers and invoice templates. Timesheets can go live in month two, before the billing modules.
Can we migrate the 350 live projects?
Yes, migration covers projects, stage budgets and hours already used, from your spreadsheets. Plan 1 to 2 weeks of data cleaning, often the most underestimated item.
Will engineers really fill in timesheets?
Entry must take under 5 minutes a week, on desktop or phone, with each person's projects pre-filled. Firms that achieve this usually exceed 95 % of hours logged on time.
Does it connect to our accounting software?
Invoices and entries are exported in the format your accountant expects, or pushed by API where the software allows. The connector is part of the scope priced in the quote.
What does maintenance cost after delivery?
Kolonell offers three levels: EUR 53, 114 or 183 a month, covering fixes, backups and small changes. For a 28-person firm, the Standard level at EUR 114 is usually enough.
Let's scope your project. We model your stages, hour budgets and billing rules to define a scope and rollout timeline with no surprises. 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.
