The verdict in three sentences
For a security company with 600 officers on 140 sites in London, custom scheduling software costs between 40,000 and 90,000 GBP in 2026. It covers shift rostering, QR code check-ins on site, a digital occurrence book, SIA licence tracking and per-client invoicing. The financial stake is cutting 5 to 8% of ghost hours, the hours paid to officers or billed to clients without verifiable presence.
Functional scope and cost
Many mid-sized security firms still run rosters in spreadsheets, confirm presence through supervisor phone calls and keep paper occurrence books. The software replaces these three tools and links them to payroll and invoicing.
| Module | Function | 2026 cost (GBP excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shift rostering | Day/night rotations, cover, unfilled shift alerts | 8,000 to 18,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| QR code check-in | Scan at start and end of shift, patrols with checkpoints, geolocation | 8,000 to 17,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Digital occurrence book | Incidents with photos, site instructions, client notification | 6,000 to 14,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| SIA compliance | Licence numbers, expiry alerts, blocking of unlicensed officers | 4,000 to 9,000 | 2 weeks |
| Payroll preparation | Standard, night, Sunday, bank holiday hours, National Living Wage checks | 7,000 to 16,000 | 3 weeks |
| Per-site invoicing and client portal | Actual hours per contract, penalties, accounting export, client reports | 7,000 to 16,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
The officer app runs on standard Android phones and handles signal loss: check-ins are stored and sent as soon as coverage returns. Unfilled shift alerts go to the duty manager by SMS or push notification. Budget 8,000 to 15,000 GBP a year for hosting, SMS and maintenance.
What ghost hours really cost
| Indicator | Without software | With QR check-in (2026 order of magnitude) |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly paid hours (600 officers) | 100,000 h | 100,000 h |
| Unverifiable hours | 6 to 9% | 1 to 2% |
| Average loaded hourly cost per officer | 15.50 GBP | 15.50 GBP |
| Monthly loss on ghost hours | 93,000 to 139,500 GBP | 15,500 to 31,000 GBP |
| Invoice disputes per month | 8 to 12 clients | 1 to 3 clients |
| Invoice issue time | Day 12 | Day 3 |
The 5 to 8 point gap represents 77,500 to 108,500 GBP a month of payroll or disputed billing. The client portal has a second effect: corporate clients, property managers and public bodies increasingly require proof of presence and patrol reports in their tenders.
Custom build, foreign SaaS or improved spreadsheets
| Option | Initial cost | Annual cost | Main limitation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spreadsheets and phone calls | 0 GBP | Losses of 1.1 to 1.7 million GBP/year | No proof of presence |
| Guarding SaaS platform | 1,500 GBP setup | 7 to 12 GBP per officer per month, i.e. 50,000 to 86,000 GBP/year | Rigid workflows, extra fees per module |
| Custom software by Kolonell | 40,000 to 90,000 GBP | 8,000 to 15,000 GBP | 3 to 4 month build |
| Biometric clocks only | 400 GBP per site, i.e. 56,000 GBP | Hardware maintenance | No rostering or invoicing |
Custom software pays off once you pass 150 to 200 officers. Below that, a simpler shared rostering tool is often enough.
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Mark, operations director of a private security company in London, manages 600 officers on 140 sites. His area managers estimate that 7% of paid hours cannot be verified, about 7,000 hours a month, or 108,500 GBP at 15.50 GBP an hour. With software at 70,000 GBP, the rate drops to 1.5%: the monthly saving reaches about 85,000 GBP. The investment pays back in under one month of operation, and the company can bid on tenders that require time-stamped patrol reports.
FAQ
What happens if an officer has no signal on site?
The QR check-in is stored on the phone and sent as soon as the connection returns, with the exact scan time. Across 140 sites, rarely more than 5% are in permanent dead zones, typically basements and car parks.
How do you stop an officer scanning for a colleague?
The scan is tied to the officer's phone, a photo taken at check-in and GPS position. Patrols require 4 to 8 checkpoints at set times, which makes fraud very visible.
Does the software handle SIA licensing?
Yes, each officer's licence number and expiry date are stored, with alerts 90, 60 and 30 days before expiry. An officer with an expired licence cannot be assigned to a shift.
How long to roll out across 140 sites?
Allow 3 to 4 months of development, then 4 to 6 weeks of rollout starting with 20 pilot sites. Printing and fitting durable QR tags costs around 4 GBP per checkpoint.
Can payment be staged?
Yes, a 3-instalment schedule (40%, 40%, 20%) is standard, tied to delivery milestones.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your number of officers, sites and pay rules: we will price a scope between 40,000 and 90,000 GBP with a 3 to 4 month rollout. 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.
