The verdict in three sentences
A records storage and archive custody company holding 120,000 boxes for 300 clients can no longer handle requests by phone and spreadsheet without losing margin and traceability. Custom software at 30,000 to 60,000 EUR excl. VAT brings together the client request portal, barcode tracking, scan-on-demand and billing per linear metre in a single tool. Delivered in 4 months, it cuts inbound calls by about 50% and recovers services forgotten at invoicing.
Off-the-shelf or custom: the 2026 comparison
Records management packages exist, often designed for large players or for a company's internal document management. For an independent provider, the difference lies in the client portal and in billing.
| Criterion | Records management package | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Entry cost | 8,000 to 20,000 EUR of licence and setup | 30,000 to 60,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Subscription or maintenance | 600 to 1,500 EUR excl. VAT per month | 400 to 900 EUR excl. VAT per month |
| Branded client portal | Generic, sometimes optional | Included, custom |
| Billing per linear metre and per service | Simple rate card | Rates per client, contract and urgency |
| Scan-on-demand with secure delivery | Third-party module | Built into the flow |
| Destruction management and certificates | Basic | Workflow with client approval |
| Code ownership | No | Yes |
| Go-live time | 2 to 3 months | 4 months |
Over 5 years, a package at 14,000 EUR plus 1,000 EUR a month costs about 74,000 EUR. A custom build at 45,000 EUR plus 600 EUR a month comes to 81,000 EUR, but it embeds the pricing rules that drive margin and remains the company's property.
Modules and their return
| Module | Indicative cost excl. VAT | Expected gain (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Box register, locations, barcodes | 6,000 to 10,000 EUR | Box located in under 30 seconds |
| Warehouse mobile app (scan in, out, return) | 5,000 to 10,000 EUR | Zero lost boxes over the year |
| Client portal: search, retrieval request, tracking | 7,000 to 14,000 EUR | 50% fewer calls |
| Scan-on-demand and secure delivery | 4,000 to 8,000 EUR | Document sent in 4 h instead of 2 days |
| Billing per linear metre and per service | 5,000 to 10,000 EUR | 3 to 5% of unbilled revenue recovered |
| Destruction, certificates and retention schedule | 3,000 to 8,000 EUR | Enforceable proof of destruction |
Barcode tracking is the foundation: every box, shelf and movement is scanned, time-stamped and linked to a user. When a banking client or a law firm runs an audit, the full history of a box comes out in seconds. Typical 2026 rates are around 2 to 4 EUR excl. VAT per linear metre per month for storage, 5 to 12 EUR per box retrieval and 0.10 to 0.30 EUR per scanned page: every forgotten service is a net loss.
A 4-month plan
| Phase | Duration | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|
| Audit of flows and rate cards | 3 weeks | Data model and billing rules |
| Portal and app mock-ups | 2 weeks | Journeys approved by 5 pilot clients |
| Development | 8 weeks | Software in acceptance testing |
| Migration of the 120,000 boxes | 2 weeks | Inventory checked by sampling |
| Portal opening to 300 clients | 2 weeks | Accounts created and user guide |
Mini case study
Thomas, director of a records storage company in Nantes, holds 120,000 boxes (about 12,000 linear metres) for 300 clients. His team receives 1,200 calls a month averaging 6 minutes, i.e. 120 hours. Annual revenue is 420,000 EUR.
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He invests 45,000 EUR excl. VAT in custom software, plus 600 EUR a month for maintenance. Calls drop by 50%: 60 hours saved per month, or 720 hours at 32 EUR worth 23,040 EUR a year. Automatic billing of urgent retrievals and scans recovers 3% of revenue, or 12,600 EUR. Annual gain: 35,640 EUR, and 28,440 EUR after maintenance. Payback: about 19 months.
FAQ
How much does management software for a records storage company cost?
Custom, between 30,000 and 60,000 EUR excl. VAT depending on modules, then 400 to 900 EUR excl. VAT a month for maintenance and hosting. A first phase limited to barcodes and the portal starts at around 20,000 EUR.
Do clients really use the portal?
Yes, when it lets them find a box and request a retrieval in under a minute. In 2026, 60 to 70% of requests go through the portal after 6 months, which explains the roughly 50% drop in calls.
How are the existing 120,000 boxes migrated?
Data from the spreadsheet or old tool is imported, then a sample check on 2 to 3% of locations validates the inventory. Budget 2 weeks and 2,000 to 5,000 EUR.
Does the software handle regulated destruction?
Yes. It calculates end-of-retention dates, requests client approval, then generates a time-stamped destruction certificate. Each destruction remains traceable for at least 10 years.
Are scanned documents secure?
Yes: hosting in France, time-limited download links, encryption and an access log. This part accounts for 4,000 to 8,000 EUR of the budget and meets clients' GDPR requirements.
Let's scope your project. Send us your box volume, client count and rate cards, and we will price software between 30,000 and 60,000 EUR excl. VAT, deliverable 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.
