The verdict in three sentences
A custom three-shift planning application for a 220-operator factory in Berlin costs 28,000 to 60,000 EUR in 2026, with a 3-month timeline including payroll integration. The return comes almost entirely from cutting avoidable overtime, which often reaches 8% of paid hours when planning lives in Excel. Off-the-shelf WFM software suits simple plants; once the skills matrix and works agreement rules are specific, custom software pays back in under a year.
What the app must handle in three shifts
A three-shift line (early 6:00-14:00, late 14:00-22:00, night 22:00-6:00) stacks constraints a spreadsheet cannot enforce. The app must block any assignment that breaches the Arbeitszeitgesetz (ArbZG) and the works agreement, propose a qualified replacement for absences and log every shift swap between operators.
| Constraint | 2026 rule (Germany) | What the app does |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum daily hours | 8 h, up to 10 h if averaged to 8 h over 6 months (ArbZG s.3) | Blocking alert on assignment |
| Night work | 8 h average, extension offset within 1 month (s.6) | Separate counter for night workers |
| Daily rest | 11 consecutive hours minimum (s.5) | Prevents a night shift followed by an early shift |
| Breaks | 30 min after 6 h, 45 min after 9 h (s.4) | Break slots inserted automatically |
| Sunday work | Only under exemptions, 15 free Sundays per year (s.11) | Sunday counter per operator |
| Qualifications | Forklift licence, electrical training, quality station | Skills matrix with expiry dates |
| Payroll export | Night, Sunday and overtime premiums | Variables file to DATEV, SAP or Personio |
The works council (Betriebsrat) has co-determination rights over working-time tools under s.87 BetrVG, so its approval must be built into the plan from month one.
Budget: three project levels
Price depends mainly on the number of business rules, the quality of existing HR data and the payroll connector. The ranges below are 2026 estimates for a German or nearshore vendor with a project manager.
| Level | Scope | Price | Timeline | Annual run cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core | Shift cycles, absences, legal checks, team lead view | 28,000 to 36,000 EUR | 8 to 10 weeks | 4,500 to 6,500 EUR |
| Standard | Core + skills, mobile swaps, payroll export | 38,000 to 50,000 EUR | 12 weeks | 6,500 to 9,000 EUR |
| Advanced | Standard + auto-optimisation, multi-site, time clocks | 50,000 to 60,000 EUR | 14 to 16 weeks | 9,000 to 12,000 EUR |
| Off-the-shelf WFM | Vendor configuration | 9 to 16 EUR per operator per month + 12,000 to 22,000 EUR setup | 2 to 4 months | 24,000 to 42,000 EUR for 220 operators |
Over 3 years, the custom Standard level comes to about 62,000 EUR, against 85,000 to 150,000 EUR for per-user software. The gap widens as the plant grows, since custom software is not priced per operator.
Points to lock in the specification
Three topics derail industrial planning projects. First, data migration: skills and contracts are rarely clean, so plan 5 to 8 days of cleanup. Second, works council approval, which can take 4 to 8 weeks. Third, mobile use: operators have no desk, so the app must run on personal smartphones or shop-floor kiosks, with a degraded mode when Wi-Fi is weak.
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Jonas, production manager at a components plant in Berlin, plans 220 operators in Excel. Overtime accounts for 8% of paid hours, about 28,000 hours a year, much of it caused by planning gaps discovered the day before. The Standard app, billed at 46,000 EUR, removes 30% of it, or 8,400 hours. With an average extra cost of 15 EUR per overtime hour (premiums and social charges), the saving reaches 126,000 EUR a year. Add 8,000 EUR of annual run cost: the project pays back in under 5 months, and each team lead gets back about 4 hours a week of manual replanning.
FAQ
How much does a custom shift planning app cost?
Between 28,000 and 60,000 EUR in 2026 for 150 to 300 operators, depending on business rules and the payroll connector. The most requested level sits around 45,000 EUR.
What timeline should I expect?
About 3 months for a Standard scope, including 2 to 3 weeks of scoping and data migration. A pilot on one line usually runs 4 weeks before rollout.
Can the app export to our payroll system?
Yes, via a variables file or API to DATEV, SAP, Personio or similar. The connector accounts for 3,500 to 7,000 EUR of the budget.
Does the works council need to approve it?
Yes, a tool that organises and monitors working time falls under co-determination. Allow 4 to 8 weeks in the project plan.
Can operators swap shifts themselves?
Yes, through a mobile swap board. The app checks the 11-hour rest and qualifications before sending the swap to the team lead, which cuts rejections by 60 to 80% by our estimates.
Let's scope your project. Share your headcount, shift cycles and payroll system: we will price a shift planning app, deliverable in 3 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.
