The verdict in three sentences
A radio and TV ad sales house selling 1,200 spots a week and managing insertion orders in Excel lets aired but unbilled spots slip through every month. Custom ad sales and scheduling software, covering the rate card, broadcast logs, proof of airing and advertiser invoicing, costs between 2,500,000 and 15,000,000+ FCFA (3,810 to 22,870+ EUR) with Kolonell depending on scope. Broadcasters that tie actual airing to invoicing typically recover 3 to 5 % of advertising revenue lost on unbilled spots.
Where an ad sales house loses revenue
The usual chain at a broadcaster, whether in Dakar, Lagos or a mid-sized European market, involves four hands: the sales rep signs an insertion order with the advertiser or media agency, an assistant enters the spots in a spreadsheet, the traffic team builds the daily broadcast log, then accounting invoices from the spreadsheet, rarely from what actually aired. Gaps appear at every hand-off.
| Revenue leak | Common cause | Estimated impact (2026 ballpark) |
|---|---|---|
| Aired spots not invoiced | Last-minute additions missing from the sheet | 2 to 3 % of revenue |
| Unauthorised discounts | Untracked sales negotiation | 1 to 2 % of revenue |
| Invoiced spots not aired | Advertiser dispute, credit note | 0.5 to 1 % of revenue |
| Missing proof of airing | Payment held by the media agency | 30 to 60 days delay |
| Undervalued premium slots | Prime-time news spot billed at standard rate | Lost margin on every campaign |
| Manual monthly invoicing | 4 to 6 days of work | Delayed cash collection |
The modules of ad sales software built for your market
The first module is the rate card: price per daypart and spot length (15, 30, 45 seconds), premiums for flagship shows and live sports, and seasonal peaks such as holidays or major tournaments. The second is insertion order scheduling, which checks break availability and blocks overbooking. The third automatically generates the broadcast log sent to master control. The fourth imports playout automation logs to produce time-stamped proof of airing. The last invoices advertisers from what actually aired, with discounts approved inside the tool.
| Option | Cost (2026 ballpark) | Fit for an African or mid-sized market | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Excel and email | Almost nil | Yes, but no control | 3 to 5 % leakage |
| International traffic system | USD 30,000 to 120,000 plus maintenance | Partial | Built for large groups |
| Generic ERP module | USD 13,000 to 33,000 with an integrator | Low | No broadcast log or proof of airing |
| Kolonell simple application | 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR) | Yes | Rate card, orders, invoicing |
| Kolonell medium application | 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) | Yes | Plus logs and proof of airing |
| Kolonell complex application | 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR) | Yes | Multi-channel radio and TV, advertiser portal |
What advertisers and media agencies expect
Large telecom, banking and consumer goods brands pay faster when the invoice comes with a precise certificate of airing: date, time, surrounding programme, length. An advertiser portal where the media agency downloads its proofs without chasing the sales house shortens collection time. It also helps sell larger campaigns, because the advertiser can follow its exposure almost in real time.
Mini case study
Aminata heads the ad sales house of a radio and TV group. She sells about 1,200 spots a week at an average of 60,000 FCFA (about 91 EUR), or 72,000,000 FCFA a week and close to 3,744,000,000 FCFA (about 5.7 million EUR) a year.
By reconciling playout logs with invoices every week, the sales house finds 3 % of aired spots never billed: 112,000,000 FCFA a year of recovered revenue. Even in a low scenario at 1 %, the gain is 37,000,000 FCFA. A complex Kolonell application at 15,000,000 FCFA (22,870 EUR), multi-channel with an advertiser portal, plus Premium maintenance at 120,000 FCFA (183 EUR) per month, pays for itself in under two months in the central scenario.
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FAQ
Does the software connect to our playout automation?
Yes, in most cases through a daily import of as-run logs (text or CSV files). Real-time integration depends on the playout system and is quoted separately.
Can we manage several radio and TV channels?
Yes, each channel has its own rate card and breaks. Cross-media campaigns are billed on a single invoice with a per-channel breakdown.
How are discounts and agency commissions handled?
Every discount follows an approval flow by threshold, for example sales director sign-off above 15 %. The media agency commission, often around 15 %, is calculated automatically.
How long does it take to go live?
Plan 8 to 10 weeks for a simple application and 12 to 16 weeks for the complex version. Migrating the rate card and active advertisers takes about 1 week.
What does maintenance cost?
Kolonell maintenance ranges from 35,000 to 120,000 FCFA (53 to 183 EUR) per month depending on service level. New features, such as competitive ad monitoring, are quoted separately.
Let's scope your project. We define the rate card, insertion orders, broadcast logs, proof of airing and invoicing, with a channel-by-channel rollout. 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.
