The verdict in three sentences
For a records storage company tracking fewer than 300,000 boxes for clients with standard needs, a records management package is the most cost effective choice over three years. A custom platform pulls ahead above 700,000 boxes, or when the client portal becomes a sales argument with law firms and hospitals, because package licences usually scale with volume. In between, a package plus a custom client portal often gives the best balance between cost and differentiation.
The business: hundreds of thousands of boxes and demanding clients
The managing director of an Amsterdam company storing paper archives tracks barcoded boxes in barcoded racking across one or two warehouses near Schiphol and in Amsterdam Westpoort. Every day brings 60 to 350 retrieval requests: box returns, scan on demand, next day delivery to a law firm on the Zuidas. At the end of the retention period the company destroys the archives and issues a time stamped destruction certificate, ideally in line with EN 15713 on secure destruction, which clients use as evidence of GDPR compliant erasure.
Retention depends on the document type: the general seven year fiscal retention obligation of the Belastingdienst for business records, the 20 year term for medical records under the WGBO, and sector rules for law firms. The software must store these rules per client and category rather than hard code them.
| Required function | Typical volume (2026 ballpark) | Package | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcode box tracking | 250,000 to 700,000 boxes | Built in | To build |
| Locations and warehouses | 1 to 3 sites | Built in | To build |
| Retrieval requests | 60 to 350 a day | Built in, dated interface | Modern portal |
| Scan on demand | 10 to 50 files a day | Often an add on | Built into the portal |
| Destruction certificates | thousands of boxes a year | Standard template | Per client format |
| Storage and activity billing | monthly | Configurable | To build |
| Client portal with department rights | 150 to 1,200 accounts | Limited | Strong point |
Cost, lead time and lock in compared
Amounts are a 2026 market ballpark for 400,000 boxes and a portal used by about 500 client accounts.
| Criterion | Records package | Custom platform | Package plus custom portal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup | EUR 18,000 to 35,000 | EUR 80,000 to 230,000 | EUR 60,000 to 100,000 |
| Annual running cost | EUR 18,000 to 70,000 licence | 18 to 22% of build plus hosting | Licence plus 18 to 22% of portal |
| 3 year cost (400,000 box example) | about EUR 145,000 | about EUR 287,000 | about EUR 235,000 |
| 5 year cost | about EUR 225,000 | about EUR 377,000 | about EUR 343,000 |
| Time to go live | 2 to 4 months | 6 to 10 months | 4 to 6 months |
| Vendor lock in | High, data in vendor format | Low if code and docs are handed over | Medium |
| Ability to evolve | Vendor roadmap | Full | Full on the portal |
| Effect of volume on cost | Licence often tied to box count | Almost none | Licence tied, portal fixed |
The figures assume a EUR 40,000 annual licence, a EUR 190,000 custom platform or a EUR 60,000 portal, 20% annual maintenance from year two and around EUR 7,000 of hosting a year in an EU data centre for the platform. At 700,000 boxes, with a licence near EUR 70,000 a year, the gap closes over five years and custom becomes cheaper after that.
Which option for which profile
| Profile | Recommendation | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Under 250,000 boxes, SME clients | Package only | Lowest cost and fastest |
| 250,000 to 450,000 boxes, legal and healthcare clients | Package plus custom portal | The portal sells, the core stays standard |
| Over 450,000 boxes, growth through acquisitions | Custom platform | Volume licences too costly, acquired warehouses to merge |
| Strong scan on demand offer | Custom platform or portal | Digital flow at the heart of the service |
| No in house technical skills | Package only | Fewer decisions to manage |
For a client portal connected to your package, Kolonell's prices are 6,100 to 10,670 EUR (4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA) for a medium complexity application and 10,670 to 22,870 EUR and more (7,000,000 to 15,000,000 FCFA and more) for a complex platform, with Standard maintenance at 114 EUR (75,000 FCFA) a month.
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Illustrative example: Pieter, managing director of an Amsterdam firm storing 400,000 boxes and handling 140 requests a day, processes all of them by phone and email at about 8 minutes each. Moving 50% of requests to a client portal and saving 5 minutes on each gives 70 x 5 minutes x 250 days = about 1,460 hours a year, worth EUR 55,000 at EUR 38 an hour loaded. With a custom portal at EUR 60,000 on top of the package, the extra spend pays back in about 13 months, before counting new hospital contracts won thanks to online tracking.
FAQ
How much does a physical records management package cost in 2026?
The 2026 market ballpark is EUR 18,000 to 70,000 a year depending on box count and modules, plus EUR 18,000 to 35,000 for setup. Licences are often tied to stored volume.
At what volume does custom become cheaper?
In our comparison, above 700,000 boxes and over a horizon longer than five years, when the volume licence exceeds the maintenance of your own platform. Under 250,000 boxes the package almost always wins over five years.
Do destruction certificates need to follow a standard?
No single standard is mandatory for every business, but EN 15713 is the reference hospitals and law firms expect. The certificate should list every destroyed box, sometimes several thousand lines.
How long does data migration from an old system take?
Plan 4 to 8 weeks for 400,000 boxes, with a sample check on 1,000 locations. The quality of existing barcodes is the main driver of delay.
Can we keep our package and only add a portal?
Yes, if the package exposes a documented API. Expect 4 to 6 months and EUR 60,000 to 100,000 in total as a 2026 ballpark.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your box count, daily requests and current system, and we will compare both options with a budget and timeline. 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.
