The verdict in three sentences
A spreadsheet shared by 15 people becomes an operational risk as soon as two versions circulate at once. A custom internal web app costs EUR 10,000 to 30,000 excl. VAT in 2026 and ships in 6 to 10 weeks. With 6 to 10 hours saved per week, the investment usually pays back in under 18 months, before counting the errors avoided.
Why the shared spreadsheet hits its limits
The scenario is familiar in a 40 to 120 employee company, whether in Dublin or Bordeaux: an order, project or client tracking file, stored on a server or in Teams, edited by around fifteen people. It starts out flexible. Then come overwritten cells, broken formulas, columns added by one department without telling the others, and the recurring question: "who changed this row?".
| Symptom | Frequency seen in SMEs | Estimated cost (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Version conflicts or locked file | 2 to 5 times a week | 1 to 2 h lost per week |
| Double entry (spreadsheet then ERP or email) | Daily | 3 to 5 h per week across the team |
| Undetected broken formula | 1 to 3 times a month | Billing error of EUR 500 to 5,000 |
| Sensitive data visible to everyone | Permanent | GDPR exposure, regulator fines possible |
| No reliable history | Permanent | 1 h per incident to reconstruct |
| Manual month-end reporting | Monthly | 4 to 8 h for the controller |
The real problem is not the spreadsheet itself, which is an excellent analysis tool. It is using it as a collaborative database, a role it was never designed for.
What an internal app includes and what it costs
A replacement web app keeps the logic of the file (columns, statuses, calculations) and adds what spreadsheets do badly: role-based permissions (sales see their deals, accounting sees amounts, management sees everything), a change history timestamped per user, input validation and automatic dashboards.
| Scope | Included features | Budget excl. VAT 2026 | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Essential | 1 to 2 tables, 3 roles, history, Excel export | EUR 10,000 to 14,000 | 6 weeks |
| Standard | 3 to 5 tables, approval workflow, dashboard | EUR 15,000 to 22,000 | 8 weeks |
| Advanced | ERP or accounting integration, notifications, API | EUR 23,000 to 30,000 | 10 weeks |
| Data migration | Cleaning and importing spreadsheet history | EUR 1,500 to 4,000 | 1 to 2 weeks |
| Hosting and maintenance | EU server, backups, fixes | EUR 150 to 450 per month | Ongoing |
| User training | 2 sessions of 2 h | EUR 600 to 1,200 | 1 day |
For comparison, a no-code tool (Airtable, Notion) costs EUR 20 to 45 per user per month, so EUR 3,600 to 8,100 a year for 15 people, with limits on fine-grained permissions, data residency and integrations. For a core process used every day, custom software becomes cost-effective by the second or third year.
How to scope the project without overruns
The method that works best starts from the existing file. We list the tabs, the columns actually used, the business formulas and who edits each area. This mapping takes 2 to 3 half-day workshops and produces a short 8 to 15 page requirements document. Development then runs in two-week increments, with a demo at the end of each one in front of 2 or 3 key users. The switchover runs in parallel: the spreadsheet stays read-only for 2 to 4 weeks while the team finds its bearings.
Mini case study
Mark, finance and admin director of a 60-person distribution company, manages supplier order tracking in a file shared by 15 people. He estimates losses at 8 hours a week across the team (duplicates, searching, corrections) plus two ordering errors per quarter at EUR 1,500 each.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
- Time lost: 8 h × 45 weeks × EUR 38 loaded hourly cost = EUR 13,680 per year
- Errors avoided: 4 × EUR 1,500 = EUR 6,000 per year
- Total estimated gain: EUR 19,680 per year
- Investment: standard app EUR 19,000 + migration EUR 2,500 + maintenance EUR 3,600 per year
Payback comes in about 14 months. In year two, the net gain exceeds EUR 16,000.
FAQ
How much does a web app to replace a shared spreadsheet cost?
Budget EUR 10,000 to 30,000 excl. VAT depending on the number of tables, roles and integrations. A simple scope with 3 roles and history sits around EUR 12,000.
How long until it is live?
Development takes 6 to 10 weeks, plus 2 to 4 weeks running in parallel with the spreadsheet. Most SMEs switch over for good in under 3 months.
Can we still export to Excel?
Yes, Excel or CSV export is part of the essential scope. Ad hoc analysis remains possible without touching the reference data.
Where is the data hosted?
We recommend EU hosting for EUR 150 to 450 per month, daily backups included. Role-based permissions make GDPR compliance easier.
Do we need a detailed requirements document?
An 8 to 15 page document is enough, built from the existing file in 2 to 3 workshops. It sharply reduces gaps between quotes and change orders mid-project.
Let's scope your project. Send us your anonymised spreadsheet and the number of users: we will price a scope, an indicative budget between EUR 10,000 and 30,000 and a go-live date. 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.
