The verdict in three sentences
An architecture practice that does not track time spent per project phase finds out whether a project was profitable when it is too late to act. Custom business software linking time, work stages and progress-based fee billing costs between 18,000 and 32,000 EUR excl. VAT for a 20-person practice. With overrun alerts triggered at 80 % of a phase budget, equipped practices raise their average margin by around 4 points within a year.
Why spreadsheets break at 45 active projects
In Berlin, as in most mid-sized practices, tracking relies on three disconnected tools: a weekly timesheet, a fee table per project and the accounting software. Project architects log their hours on Friday, the partner consolidates at month end, and the gap between the design development budget and the hours actually burned only shows up at submission.
The problem grows with the number of projects. With 45 concurrent jobs, many of them structured along the HOAI work stages (Leistungsphasen 1 to 9, the German equivalent of the French MOP phases), a 15 % overrun on two stages is enough to wipe out the margin of an entire project. Change orders for additional services get forgotten, and progress billing falls behind, which hurts cash flow.
| Indicator | Practice on spreadsheets | Practice with business software |
|---|---|---|
| Time to detect an overrun | 4 to 8 weeks | 24 h (alert at 80 % of budget) |
| Time entry | Weekly, 60 % completeness | Daily, 95 % completeness |
| Progress billing | Monthly, often late | Suggested automatically at each milestone |
| Missed change orders | 3 to 6 per year | Flagged as soon as out-of-scope time is logged |
| Partner consolidation time | 2 days per month | 2 hours per month |
| Average margin per project | 8 to 12 % | 12 to 16 % |
What the software includes and what it costs in 2026
The functional core fits into five modules. The first splits each project into HOAI stages or custom private-client phases, with an hours budget and a fee amount per phase. The second handles time entry on mobile or browser, assigned to a phase. The third calculates real progress and proposes the matching invoice. The fourth triggers alerts. The fifth produces the profitability dashboard by project, by project lead and by client type.
| Module | Function | Indicative 2026 budget (EUR excl. VAT) |
|---|---|---|
| Projects and work stages | Hours and fee budget per stage, additional services | 3,500 to 6,000 |
| Time entry | Mobile and web, phase allocation, weekly approval | 3,000 to 5,000 |
| Progress billing | Percentage calculation, accounting export, e-invoicing | 4,000 to 7,500 |
| Overrun alerts | 80 % and 100 % thresholds, partner and lead notified | 2,000 to 3,500 |
| Profitability dashboard | Margin per project, real hourly rate, upcoming workload | 3,500 to 6,500 |
| Data migration and training | Import of 45 live projects, 2 sessions | 2,000 to 3,500 |
| Total | Delivered in 10 weeks | 18,000 to 32,000 |
Hosting and maintenance run 250 to 450 EUR excl. VAT per month. By comparison, an off-the-shelf tool billed at 35 to 55 EUR per user per month costs 8,400 to 13,200 EUR a year for 20 people, with no adaptation to the practice's own rules. Custom software pays off from year three, and sooner if the practice has specific billing rules (mixed fixed fees, site supervision missions, fees as a percentage of construction cost).
The 10-week schedule
Weeks 1 and 2 are the scoping workshop: list of phases, progress calculation rules, alert thresholds. Weeks 3 to 7 cover module development in two-week iterations, with a demo to the partner each time. Weeks 8 and 9 are dedicated to migrating live projects and running in parallel with the spreadsheets. Week 10 is go-live and training.
Mini case study
Jonas, partner in a 20-person practice in Berlin, bills 2.6 M EUR in fees a year. His average project margin is 10 %, or 260,000 EUR. The software costs him 26,000 EUR excl. VAT, plus 4,200 EUR of maintenance in year one.
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After six months, the alerts revealed four projects drifting in the detailed design stage and two unbilled change orders worth 38,000 EUR. Over the year, margin rises to 14 %, or 364,000 EUR: a gain of 104,000 EUR for an investment of 30,200 EUR. Payback comes in under four months.
FAQ
Does the software handle HOAI work stages and private projects?
Yes, stages 1 to 9 are preconfigured with their usual percentages, and each private project can get its own breakdown. A typical practice uses 9 standard stages and 4 to 6 custom phases.
Can it connect to our accounting software?
Export to the main accounting tools is included, by file or API depending on the tool. An API connector adds 1,500 to 3,000 EUR excl. VAT to the budget.
Is e-invoicing supported?
Yes, invoices are generated in the ZUGFeRD / Factur-X format required for B2B e-invoicing in Germany from 2025 to 2028. This is built into the progress billing module.
How long until the team adopts time entry?
With mobile entry taking under 2 minutes a day, completeness exceeds 90 % after 4 to 6 weeks. An automatic reminder on Thursday evening is enough in most practices.
Who owns the code and the data?
The practice owns the code and the data, hosted in the EU. Maintenance can be cancelled with 3 months' notice.
Let's scope your project. We price your fee and phase tracking software (modules, data migration, connectors) at 18,000 to 32,000 EUR excl. VAT, delivered in 10 weeks. 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.
