The verdict in three sentences
A radio, TV and digital group selling 3,000 spots a month on Excel loses inventory, proof of airing and weeks of collections. Custom media ad sales software costs 12,000,000 to 28,000,000 FCFA in Abidjan in 2026, and £75,000 to £170,000 for a comparable group in London, covering the inventory grid, insertion orders, proof of airing and invoicing. The reasonable target is +15% sell-through and average payment time cut from 75 to 45 days.
What Excel really costs an ad sales house
With 3,000 spots a month across radio, TV and web, a shared Excel file creates double bookings, half-sold ad breaks and disputed invoices for lack of proof. Here are the typical gaps observed, 2026 order of magnitude.
| Indicator | Ad sales on Excel | Ad sales with dedicated software |
|---|---|---|
| Ad break sell-through | 58 to 65% | 70 to 78% |
| Booking conflicts per month | 25 to 40 | Fewer than 3 |
| Time to issue an invoice | 10 to 15 days after airing | 24 to 48 h |
| Days sales outstanding (DSO) | 70 to 90 days | 40 to 50 days |
| Disputed invoices | 8 to 12% | 2% with proof of airing |
| Monthly reporting time | 4 days | 2 hours |
| Visibility of remaining inventory | Next day | Real time |
Modules and their price
The software must reflect how an ad sales house works: inventory by channel, daypart and programme, seasonal rate cards, agency discounts and sales commissions. Prices are given for Abidjan (FCFA) and London (GBP).
| Module | Functions | Abidjan 2026 | London 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inventory grid | Breaks by channel, daypart, programme, length in seconds | 2,500,000 to 5,000,000 FCFA | £15,000 to £30,000 |
| Rates and discounts | Seasonal rate cards, volume discounts, 15% agency commission | 1,200,000 to 2,500,000 FCFA | £7,000 to £15,000 |
| Insertion orders and media plans | Quotes, advertiser approval, e-signature | 2,000,000 to 4,500,000 FCFA | £12,000 to £27,000 |
| Playout log export | Export to radio automation and TV master control | 1,800,000 to 4,500,000 FCFA | £11,000 to £27,000 |
| Proof of airing | Timestamped logs, PDF certificates sent to advertisers | 1,500,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA | £9,000 to £21,000 |
| Invoicing and collections | VAT invoices, reminders, card or mobile money payment | 1,800,000 to 4,500,000 FCFA | £11,000 to £27,000 |
| Sales dashboard | Sell-through, revenue per rep, top advertisers | 1,200,000 to 3,500,000 FCFA | £7,000 to £21,000 |
A core "inventory, orders, invoicing" scope is delivered in 3 months for about 12,000,000 FCFA (about 18,300 EUR). Playout integration and certified proof of airing take the project to 20,000,000 to 28,000,000 FCFA over 5 to 6 months. Hosting and maintenance cost 250,000 to 500,000 FCFA per month in Abidjan, £1,500 to £3,000 in London.
Custom or imported ad traffic software
European ad traffic solutions are billed 1,500 to 4,000 EUR per month and often ignore local specifics: mobile payment, FCFA invoicing, discounts negotiated per advertiser. Over three years, the subscription reaches 36,000,000 to 94,000,000 FCFA, versus 21,000,000 to 46,000,000 FCFA for custom software including maintenance. In London the logic is similar: enterprise suites cost £3,000 to £8,000 per month for a mid-size group.
Mini case study
Yao, sales director of a media group in Abidjan (two radio stations, a TV channel, a news site), sells 3,000 spots a month for monthly ad revenue of 180,000,000 FCFA, at 62% sell-through. With the software he targets 71%, i.e. +15% relative sell-through.
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Calculation: 180,000,000 x 0.15 = 27,000,000 FCFA in extra revenue per month at the same average price. Keeping only half to be cautious, 13,500,000 FCFA per month, software at 22,000,000 FCFA pays back in under two months. Cutting DSO from 75 to 45 days also frees about 180,000,000 FCFA of cash.
FAQ
How much does media ad sales software cost?
In 2026, expect 12,000,000 to 28,000,000 FCFA in Abidjan and £75,000 to £170,000 in London, depending on the number of channels and playout integration. Maintenance is 250,000 to 500,000 FCFA or £1,500 to £3,000 per month.
Does it handle radio, TV and web together?
Yes, inventory is unified with formats specific to each channel: 15, 30 or 45 second spots, sponsorships, banners. One insertion order can cover all three, with a cross-media discount of 10 to 20%.
How does proof of airing work?
The software pulls timestamped logs from the playout system and generates a PDF certificate per campaign. Invoice disputes usually drop below 2%.
Can advertisers pay by Wave or Orange Money?
Yes in Abidjan, a mobile payment link is attached to each invoice for small advertisers, alongside bank transfer. Fees are around 1% depending on the operator; in London, card and direct debit replace mobile money.
What implementation timeline should we expect?
Three months for the core, 5 to 6 months for the full version. Switchover happens at the start of a month, after migrating ongoing annual contracts.
Let's scope your project. Send us your channels, spot volume and playout tools: we will price your ad sales software module by module, with a budget in FCFA or GBP and a 3 to 6 month plan. 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.
