The verdict in three sentences
For a records storage company, margin depends on traceability: every box must be located, every retrieval billed and every certified destruction justifiable years later. Spreadsheets and old warehouse tools leak 3 to 5% of revenue through forgotten services and waste hours of searching. Custom software at EUR 45,000 to 90,000 excl. VAT, with barcode inventory, a client portal and automatic billing per linear metre, ships in 4 to 5 months and pays back in 2 to 4 years depending on the portal's commercial effect.
What the software must cover, and what it costs
The core business comes down to four flows: box intake, location in the warehouse, retrieval for consultation, end of life (return or destruction). Scan-on-demand and recurring billing sit around them.
| Module | Function | Indicative budget excl. VAT | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barcode inventory and location | Box labelling, racking, slot, scan at every movement | EUR 10,000 to 18,000 | 4 weeks |
| Client portal and retrieval requests | Search by reference, retrieval request, delivery tracking | EUR 8,000 to 16,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Retention periods and destruction | Rules per document type, expiry alerts, client approval, certificate | EUR 7,000 to 14,000 | 3 weeks |
| Automatic billing | Linear metres stored, movements, transport, scanning | EUR 8,000 to 16,000 | 3 weeks |
| Scan-on-demand | Order, tracking, secure PDF delivery | EUR 6,000 to 13,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Warehouse mobile app | Scanning, route preparation, proof of delivery | EUR 6,000 to 13,000 | 3 weeks |
Typical price list and billing leaks
French records storage pricing is built around storage per linear metre, plus movements. The table gives 2026 orders of magnitude and the associated leak risk when entry is manual.
| Service | Indicative 2026 price excl. VAT | Typical annual volume (120,000 boxes) | Risk of unbilled service |
|---|---|---|---|
| Storage | EUR 18 to 30 per linear metre per year | 12,000 linear metres | Low |
| Retrieval (box out + return) | EUR 8 to 15 per box | 9,000 retrievals | High (5 to 10%) |
| Round-trip transport | EUR 35 to 80 per run | 1,200 runs | Medium |
| Scan-on-demand | EUR 0.10 to 0.30 per page | 1,500,000 pages | Medium |
| Certified destruction | EUR 2 to 4 per box | 6,000 boxes | Medium |
| New box intake (pickup, indexing) | EUR 1.50 to 3 per box | 10,000 boxes | Low |
Destruction must follow a documented procedure (EN 15713 for secure destruction) and, for public records in France, the approval of the relevant archives service. A storage provider holding public records must also be accredited by the Ministry of Culture.
Mini case study
Thierry runs a records storage company near Rouen, holding 120,000 boxes for 300 clients with EUR 620,000 excl. VAT in revenue. His warehouse staff log retrievals on paper and then in a spreadsheet: he estimates 4% of services are never billed, EUR 24,800 a year, and 15 hours a week are lost searching for misplaced boxes, about EUR 19,000 in loaded salaries. He invests EUR 72,000 excl. VAT in custom software plus EUR 800 per month. Recovering just 75% of the leak and 60% of the lost time, he gains 18,600 + 11,400 - 9,600 = EUR 20,400 a year, before any commercial effect of the client portal. Payback is around 3.5 years on these items alone, and drops below 2 years if the portal helps win 6 to 8 extra clients.
FAQ
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Do we need to relabel every existing box?
If your boxes already carry a unique reference, no: we import the register and print barcode labels as boxes move. A full relabelling of 120,000 boxes takes about 400 to 600 hours.
How do we prove a destruction years later?
The software keeps the client's dated approval, the box list, the contractor's slip and the destruction certificate. These records stay available for at least 10 years.
Is the client portal secure enough for sensitive documents?
Yes: two-factor authentication, permissions per department on the client side, access logs kept at least 1 year. Scanned PDFs are encrypted at rest.
Can we manage several warehouses?
Yes, location is tracked by site, cell, aisle, shelf and level. A second site adds little cost, EUR 3,000 to 6,000 excl. VAT of configuration.
How long until we are operational?
Plan 4 to 5 months, data migration included. Automatic billing ideally starts at the beginning of a quarter to simplify reconciliation.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your box volume, client count and services: we will price records management software between EUR 45,000 and 90,000 excl. VAT, deliverable in 4 to 5 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.
