The verdict in three sentences
Excel is great for prototyping, catastrophic for running a business with several people: no permissions, no reliable history, invisible formula errors. A business app (20,000-60,000 EUR, 3-5 months) removes duplicates, locks down data and saves hours every week. The tipping signal: as soon as more than 3 people edit the same file or an Excel error has already cost you money.
What Excel really costs you
Excel's cost is invisible because it is diffuse: lost time, errors, risks. 2026 order of magnitude for a 25-person SME running its operations on spreadsheets:
| Excel risk / cost | Frequency | Estimated annual impact |
|---|---|---|
| Undetected formula errors | common | 5,000 - 25,000 EUR |
| Manual consolidation time | weekly | 200 - 400 h/yr |
| Conflicting versions | daily | 50 - 120 h/yr |
| File loss / corruption | rare but severe | 1 day to 2 weeks |
| No access permissions | permanent | GDPR risk |
| No reliable history | permanent | disputes, audits |
A classic study estimates that 88 % of spreadsheets contain at least one error. At SME scale, these errors are paid for in flawed decisions.
What the app costs, and what it returns
The business app replaces the spreadsheet with a database featuring permissions, validations and history. 2026 price and gains, order of magnitude:
| Scope | Price | Timeline | Main gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple app (1 process, CRUD + exports) | 20,000 - 30,000 EUR | 2 - 3 months | reliability, permissions |
| Business app (2-3 linked processes, roles) | 30,000 - 45,000 EUR | 3 - 4 months | auto consolidation |
| Advanced app (workflows, API, reporting) | 45,000 - 60,000 EUR | 4 - 5 months | real-time steering |
| Excel data migration | 3,000 - 10,000 EUR | included | zero re-keying |
| Team training | 2,000 - 6,000 EUR | included | adoption |
The return on investment comes mainly from eliminated consolidation time and avoided errors, two lines that add up fast.
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Mini case study
Sarah, COO of a 22-employee distribution SME in Dublin, runs orders and stock on 9 shared Excel files. Two people spend 6 h/week consolidating, i.e. 12 h x 46 weeks = 552 h/yr; at a loaded cost of 38 EUR/h, that is 20,976 EUR/yr in consolidation alone, not counting a stock error that cost her 14,000 EUR last year. A business app at 38,000 EUR, amortised on consolidation alone, pays back in under 22 months, then frees over 20,000 EUR/yr of recovered capacity.
FAQ
When should you really leave Excel? As soon as more than 3 people edit the same file, an error has already cost you money, or manual consolidation exceeds a few hours per week.
How much does Excel data migration cost? Between 3,000 and 10,000 EUR depending on file count and data quality. A cleaning step is often needed before import.
How long until it's live? From 2 to 5 months depending on scope. A simple app (single process) can ship in 8-10 weeks; a full business app takes 3 to 5 months.
Will we lose Excel's flexibility? No, if the app is well designed: on-demand Excel exports, configurable fields, filterable views. You keep the flexibility without the risks.
Must everything migrate at once? No, the recommended approach is gradual: start with the most painful process, validate, then extend. This limits risk and spreads the investment.
Let's scope your project. Send us your 3 most critical Excel files and the number of people editing them: we price the app (20-60k EUR) and the time recovered. Detailed quote within 48h. 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.
