The verdict in three sentences
A 40-person offset and digital print shop producing 2,500 quotes a year by hand spends about 25 minutes per estimate, more than 1,000 hours of skilled time, and still answers some requests too late. Estimating and production scheduling software prices paper, make-ready, run time and finishing in 3 minutes, then drops the won job onto the right press among the 6 on the floor. Against a market print MIS at 20,000 to 60,000 EUR plus 18 % annual maintenance, a custom tool at 3,810 to 22,870+ EUR depending on complexity, delivered in 4 to 6 months, deserves a proper calculation.
What goes into an offset estimate, and why it takes 25 minutes
A print estimate combines a dozen interacting parameters: the finished size drives imposition, imposition drives the press sheet size and sheet count, quantity decides between offset and digital, and finishing adds bindery passes. The experienced estimator juggles the paper merchant's price list, make-ready charts and an inherited spreadsheet. Every mistake costs margin.
| Estimate component | What the estimator does by hand | What the software calculates |
|---|---|---|
| Paper | Reads the merchant's list, guesses spoilage | Current price per thousand, make-ready and run spoilage per press |
| Imposition | Sketches or remembers the layout | Optimal number-up per press sheet size |
| CTP plates | Counts colours front and back | Plate count and unit cost |
| Make-ready and run | Applies an average per press | Actual time per press, sheets per hour, hourly rate |
| Inks and coatings | Flat allowance | Consumption based on coverage |
| Finishing | Adds up cutting, folding, stitching, perfect binding | Operation sequence and machine time |
| Outsourcing and delivery | Calls the partner | Partner rates built in, delivery by zone |
| Offset or digital | Based on experience | Automatic cost comparison by quantity |
The options: spreadsheet, market MIS or custom software
Print MIS suites cover estimating, scheduling, purchasing and invoicing. They are complete, but deployment often takes 6 to 12 months of configuration and annual costs never go down. A custom build focuses on the two real pain points: estimating and the press schedule.
| Criterion | Current spreadsheet | Market print MIS | Kolonell custom build |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | None | 20,000 to 60,000 EUR (2026 ballpark) | 3,810 to 22,870+ EUR (2.5 to 15M+ FCFA) depending on complexity |
| Recurring cost | Estimator time | 18 % maintenance a year, i.e. 3,600 to 10,800 EUR | Maintenance at 53, 114 or 183 EUR a month |
| Time per estimate | 25 minutes | 3 to 5 minutes once configured | 3 minutes on your own charts |
| Scheduling 6 presses | Whiteboard | Yes, often heavy to maintain | Drag-and-drop plan, grouping by stock and colours |
| Configuration | None | 6 to 12 months | Included in the 4 to 6 month project |
| Online quotes for clients | No | Optional module | Possible, quoted separately |
| 5-year cost (high case) | Not costed | 60,000 + 5 x 10,800 = 114,000 EUR | 22,870 + 60 x 183 = 33,850 EUR |
Scheduling is the second gain. Grouping jobs by paper size and colour set cuts the number of make-readies. With an average 30-minute make-ready on an offset press, 5 make-readies avoided per day recover 2.5 hours of production.
Which scope for which budget
| Level | Typical scope for a print shop | Kolonell budget | Indicative timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | Offset and digital estimating engine on your charts, PDF quotes, client history | 3,810 to 6,100 EUR (2.5 to 4M FCFA) | About 4 months |
| Medium | Simple, plus job ticket conversion, 6-press schedule, shop-floor tracking on tablets | 6,100 to 10,670 EUR (4 to 7M FCFA) | About 5 months |
| Complex | Medium, plus paper purchasing, online quotes for clients, accounting link, margin dashboards per job | 10,670 to 22,870+ EUR (7 to 15M+ FCFA) | About 6 months |
Migration of your charts, connectors to your prepress workflow and hosting are quoted separately.
Mini case study
Sophie, production director of a 40-person print shop in Nantes, runs 4 offset presses and 2 digital presses. Her two estimators produce 2,500 quotes a year at 25 minutes each. Average response time is 2 days.
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- Time saved: 2,500 x 22 minutes = 917 hours a year. At a 38 EUR loaded hourly cost: 34,846 EUR a year.
- Conversion: by answering the same day, Sophie targets a 3-point higher win rate. On 2,500 quotes averaging 1,800 EUR, that is 75 jobs and 135,000 EUR of extra revenue.
- Make-ready: 5 make-readies avoided per day over 220 days, i.e. 550 press hours recovered.
- Investment assumed: complex level at the top of the range, 22,870 EUR, plus 183 EUR monthly maintenance.
Estimating time alone repays the tool in about 8 months. The commercial gain, even halved, repays it in weeks.
FAQ
Can the software reuse our make-ready charts and paper price lists?
Yes, that is the core of the project. Charts are captured during the kick-off workshop, then paper prices are updated by import in minutes whenever the merchant changes its list.
How long does it take to train estimators?
Usually 1 day, because the screen follows their own logic. The test is to re-estimate 50 past quotes and compare the gaps, which must stay under 3 %.
Isn't a market MIS the safer choice?
For a multi-site printer with more than 150 staff, a full MIS often makes sense. For 40 staff, paying 20,000 to 60,000 EUR plus 18 % a year to use only estimating and scheduling is expensive.
Can we offer online quotes to clients?
Yes, for standard products such as flyers, brochures and business cards. Clients get an instant price, and complex requests go back to the estimator. This module is quoted separately.
What happens to our data if we change provider?
It belongs to you, as does the code, delivered with documentation. Full export of quotes and job tickets takes one click.
Let's scope your project. Show us your make-ready charts, your press fleet and 10 typical quotes, and we will define the scope and a 4 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.
