The verdict in three sentences
Since France's ELAN law, mandatory G1 studies in medium or high clay shrink-swell zones have pushed volumes up, and a firm of 18 engineers now handles about 700 missions a year. The usual patchwork (Excel for boreholes, separate calculation software, Word for the report) costs 1.5 days of re-entry per G2 preliminary design report. Custom software at 35,000 to 65,000 EUR centralises boreholes, lab tests and sections, and generates the report: it pays back in under a year beyond 300 G2 missions.
The production chain of a geotechnical report
Missions defined by the French NF P94-500 standard (G1 preliminary study, G2 design in preliminary, detailed and tender phases, G3 and G4 during construction, G5 diagnosis) share the same base data: borehole locations, ground sections, in situ tests (pressuremeter, penetrometer), lab tests (water content, Atterberg limits, grading, methylene blue value). This data feeds foundation calculations and the report.
In most firms, each step lives in a different file. The driller sends scanned field sheets, the lab enters results in a spreadsheet, the engineer re-enters values in calculation software, then copies tables and sections into Word. Each re-entry is a source of error, and an error on allowable bearing pressure has direct consequences on foundation design.
| Step of a G2 preliminary report | Excel + Word patchwork (hours) | Integrated software (hours) |
|---|---|---|
| Borehole planning and setting out | 3 | 1.5 |
| Collecting and entering field data | 5 | 1 (tablet entry by the driller) |
| Integrating lab tests | 4 | 1 (direct import) |
| Geotechnical sections and synthesis | 6 | 3.5 |
| Foundation calculations | 6 | 5 (calculation software kept, data injected) |
| Writing and formatting the report | 8 | 4 |
| Total | 32 h, i.e. 4 days | 16 to 20 h, i.e. 2.5 days |
Custom or existing patchwork: 2026 comparison
| Criterion | Excel, calculation software and Word | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | Low (licences already in place) | 35,000 to 65,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | Calculation licences, 1,500 to 4,000 EUR per seat per year | Calculation licences kept + 5,000 to 9,000 EUR maintenance and hosting |
| Re-entries per report | 3 to 5 | 0 to 1 |
| Field entry by the driller | Scanned paper sheet | Offline tablet, GPS coordinates |
| Historical borehole database | Scattered across folders | Searchable on a map, reusable |
| Lab test traceability | Spreadsheet per project | Sample, test, operator, date |
| Report generation | Manual | Automatic, pre-filled chapters |
| Mission tracking and invoicing | Separate tool | Integrated |
Custom software does not replace specialist foundation or stability calculation tools: it feeds them data and retrieves results. That is what keeps the budget at 35,000 to 65,000 EUR.
V1 scope
- Projects and missions: client, G1 to G5 mission type, phase, engineer, deadline.
- Borehole planning on a map, with nearby historical boreholes pulled in.
- Driller app on tablet: borehole log, water levels, core photos, offline mode.
- Lab module: sample reception, test entry, consistency checks.
- Sections and synthesis generated from the data, exportable to calculation software.
- Automated report in Word, with pre-filled chapters (context, investigations, results, recommendations for the engineer to complete).
Realistic timeline: 4 to 5 months, with a pilot on the more standardised ELAN G1 missions.
Mini case study
Thomas, technical director of a geotechnical consultancy in Rennes, leads 18 engineers. Of 700 missions a year, 280 are G2 preliminary designs. Each report takes 4 days; it would take 2.5 with an integrated tool.
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Gain: 280 × 1.5 days = 420 engineer-days a year. At a full cost of 500 EUR per day, the value of freed time reaches 210,000 EUR a year. Even counting a quarter of that gain as actually billed capacity (52,500 EUR), software at 55,000 EUR pays back in just over a year, not counting ELAN G1 missions, whose turnaround drops from 3 weeks to 10 days, a decisive argument with notaries and land sellers.
FAQ
Do we have to drop our foundation calculation software?
No, the custom software exports data in the format your calculation tools expect and retrieves the results. You keep existing licences and skills.
Can subcontracted drillers use the app?
Yes, with an account limited to their boreholes. Allow half a day of training per drilling crew.
Can we use our boreholes from the last 20 years?
Yes, if they are in structured files or spreadsheets. Migrating 5,000 to 10,000 historical boreholes takes 3 to 6 weeks and creates a map-searchable database, useful for G1 studies.
Is the generated report compliant with NF P94-500?
The template follows the structure expected for each mission and phase. The engineer remains responsible for analysis and recommendations, which the tool does not write for them.
What minimum volume makes custom software worthwhile?
As a 2026 order of magnitude, from 250 to 300 G2 missions or 8 engineers. Below that, a well-structured Word template and a shared spreadsheet are often enough.
Let's scope your project. Send us your mission volume by type, your calculation software and an anonymised report: we will price the V1, indicative budget and timeline. 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.