The verdict in three sentences
A notary office with 20 staff in Dakar tracking 1,800 deeds a year in paper registers and spreadsheets cannot tell a client, in under an hour, where their formalities stand. Deed and formalities tracking software, with segregated client funds accounting and digital archiving, costs 12 to 30 million FCFA (about 18,300 to 45,700 EUR) and ships in 4 months. The first gain shows in lead times: a certified copy issued in 2 days instead of 10, and land registry formalities tracked step by step.
What slows a notary office down in 2026
In Dakar, a notary's work centres on property sales, company incorporations, estates and mortgage loans. Each deed triggers a chain of formalities: registration with the DGID tax services, publication at the land registry, RCCM filing for companies, mortgage releases. These steps take anywhere from a few days to several months, and every client calls to ask how their file is progressing.
Without a tool, the clerk hunts for the physical file, checks a hand-kept spreadsheet and calls the client back. Client funds go through a dedicated account, but their allocation per file is often kept in Excel, which complicates reconciliations and inspections by the Chamber of Notaries.
2026 budget for custom software
Here is the 2026 order of magnitude for an office with 20 staff and 1,800 deeds a year.
| Module | Scope | 2026 budget (FCFA excl. tax) |
|---|---|---|
| Scoping and deed mapping | Deed types, approval circuits, roles | 1,000,000 to 2,000,000 |
| File and deed management | Register, parties, documents, deed templates | 2,500,000 to 6,000,000 |
| Formalities tracking | Registration, land registry, RCCM, releases, alerts | 2,500,000 to 6,500,000 |
| Client funds accounting | Sub-accounts per file, bank reconciliation, statements | 2,500,000 to 6,000,000 |
| Digital archiving | Scanning, indexing, search, encrypted backups | 1,500,000 to 4,000,000 |
| Client portal and notifications | Online file tracking, SMS and WhatsApp | 1,000,000 to 3,000,000 |
| Acceptance, register migration, training | Import of open files, 3 sessions | 1,000,000 to 2,500,000 |
| Total | Timeline: 4 months | 12,000,000 to 30,000,000 |
Then budget 150,000 to 400,000 FCFA per month for secure hosting and maintenance. Scanning historical archives, if outsourced, is priced separately, often 50 to 150 FCFA per page.
Issue times before and after
The software does not shorten government processing times, but it removes internal dead time: lost files, forgotten follow-ups, missing documents discovered too late.
| Step | Before (registers and spreadsheets) | After (software) |
|---|---|---|
| Issuing a certified copy | 7 to 10 days | 1 to 2 days |
| Issuing an engrossment or extract | 5 days | Same day |
| Filing for registration after signing | 8 to 12 days | 2 to 4 days |
| Filing at the land registry | 15 to 25 days | 5 to 8 days |
| Answering a client about their file | 1 to 2 days | Instant, online |
| Monthly client funds reconciliation | 4 days | 1 day |
| Retrieving a deed archived over 5 years ago | 30 to 90 minutes | Under a minute |
Mini case study
Maître Ndiaye, head notary of a 20-person office in Dakar, employs 6 clerks and 2 accountants. He estimates each clerk spends 1.5 hours a day hunting for files, chasing formalities and answering status calls, i.e. 9 hours a day for the team. Over 220 working days, that is close to 2,000 hours a year. At a fully loaded hourly cost of 4,500 FCFA, the bill reaches 8.9 million FCFA a year.
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With 20 million FCFA software, that time falls by 70 %, recovering 6.2 million FCFA of capacity, plus 3 days of accounting saved every month. Above all, the office absorbs 300 more deeds a year without hiring. At average fees of 150,000 FCFA per deed, that extra activity represents 45 million FCFA of potential revenue, and the project pays back in under a year.
FAQ
Is client data protected?
Yes. The software encrypts data, logs every access and complies with Senegal's law 2008-12 on personal data, with a declaration to the CDP. Daily backups are kept for at least 30 days.
Does client funds accounting replace our accounting software?
No, it keeps the allocation per file and reconciles the deposit account, then exports entries to your general ledger. This module costs 2.5 to 6 million FCFA.
Can we digitise our old archives?
Yes, the archiving module indexes deeds by register number, parties and land title. Scanning usually costs 50 to 150 FCFA per page depending on the condition of the registers.
Can clients track their file online?
Yes, through a secure portal and SMS or WhatsApp notifications at each completed step. This module costs 1 to 3 million FCFA and sharply reduces status calls.
How long until we are operational?
The full project takes 4 months. Open files are migrated during the final month so the office starts with an up-to-date history.
Let's scope your project. Send us your deed volume, your formality types and your accounting setup: we will price software at 12 to 30 million FCFA, delivered in 4 months. 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.
