The verdict in three sentences
For a staffing agency above 150 weekly assignments, the bottleneck is not payroll but timesheet collection, still on paper or PDF at half of clients. Custom software that has clients approve hours on mobile, then generates the assignment contract, payroll inputs and invoice in a single flow cuts billing from D+12 to D+2. 2026 budget: 35,000 to 65,000 EUR excl. VAT, delivered in 14 to 20 weeks.
The figures below come from a Marseille agency under French rules (DSN payroll reporting). A Dublin agency follows the same logic with Revenue PAYE real-time reporting and the Agency Workers Act instead.
Functional scope and price
Market staffing ERPs are powerful but designed for national networks: per-branch licences, add-ons billed separately, little flexibility on client portals. An independent agency, often specialised in construction, port logistics or industry, mainly needs a fast flow from the hour worked to the euro invoiced.
| Module | Key features | Indicative 2026 cost (EUR excl. VAT) | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Assignment contracts | Generation, e-signature, legal grounds, cooling-off periods | 6,000 to 10,000 | 3 weeks |
| Mobile timesheets | Worker entry, client approval, overtime and premiums | 8,000 to 14,000 | 3 to 4 weeks |
| Payroll preparation | Variables, end-of-assignment and holiday allowances (10% + 10% in France), export | 6,000 to 12,000 | 3 weeks |
| Payroll and statutory reporting interface | Connector to Silae, Sage or Cegid, pre-filing checks (DSN, or PAYE in Ireland) | 5,000 to 10,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Client invoicing | Per-client mark-ups, automatic invoices, reminders, accounting export | 6,000 to 11,000 | 2 to 3 weeks |
| Client portal | Assignment orders, hour approval, invoices, documents | 4,000 to 8,000 | 2 weeks |
| Total | 35,000 to 65,000 | 14 to 20 weeks |
The payroll module does not replace your payroll software: it makes upstream variables reliable, which removes most statutory filing corrections.
Market ERP or custom build: 5-year comparison
| Criterion | Market staffing ERP | Custom software |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 8,000 to 15,000 EUR (setup, migration) | 35,000 to 65,000 EUR |
| Annual cost (1 branch, 8 users) | 14,000 to 24,000 EUR in licences | 5,000 to 9,000 EUR (maintenance, hosting) |
| 5-year cost | 78,000 to 135,000 EUR | 55,000 to 101,000 EUR |
| Client hour approval | Optional module, often paid | Included, on mobile |
| Observed billing delay | D+5 to D+8 | D+1 to D+3 |
| Business changes | Vendor roadmap | Prioritised by the agency |
Custom software makes sense above 150 workers a week. Below that, a well-configured standard ERP is often the best choice, and we say so plainly.
Compliance: what the software must lock down
In France, the assignment contract must be sent within 2 working days of placement, with legal grounds and a precise end date. The software blocks incomplete contracts, automatically calculates the cooling-off period between two assignments on the same role and keeps proof of signature. On payroll, it checks the hourly rate against the equivalent permanent employee's pay and the 2026 minimum wage before export. In Ireland, the same checks apply to equal treatment on pay under the Agency Workers Act and the 2026 national minimum wage.
Mini case study
Mr Giraud runs a temp staffing agency in Marseille: 250 workers on assignment each week, 35 hours on average, average billing rate of 25 EUR per hour. Monthly revenue is around 950,000 EUR.
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- Billing before: D+12. After: D+2. A 10-day gain.
- Cash released: about 316,000 EUR (950,000 EUR x 10 / 30).
- Financing cost avoided (factoring or overdraft at 5%): nearly 15,800 EUR per year.
- Admin time: three assistants spent 40% of their time re-keying hours. Estimated gain: 1.2 full-time equivalents, about 45,000 EUR fully loaded per year.
With a 50,000 EUR project, payback arrives in about 10 months, before counting fewer client disputes over hours.
FAQ
How much does custom staffing agency software cost in 2026?
Budget 35,000 to 65,000 EUR excl. VAT for an agency with 150 to 500 weekly workers. Annual maintenance is 12 to 15% of the initial cost.
Does the software file statutory payroll returns itself?
No, it prepares reliable variables and passes them to your payroll software, which files the DSN or PAYE submission. Corrections usually fall by 70 to 80%.
Do clients need to install an app?
No, hours are approved through a secure web link on mobile in under 30 seconds per timesheet. An automatic reminder goes out if a timesheet is not approved within 24 h.
How long until we are operational?
The timeline is 14 to 20 weeks, including 2 weeks of testing alongside the old system. The ideal start is at the beginning of a payroll month.
Can we manage several branches?
Yes, with per-branch separation and a consolidated dashboard. Adding a branch costs 3,000 to 6,000 EUR excl. VAT.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your weekly volume, your payroll software and your main clients: we will price a scope between 35,000 and 65,000 EUR excl. VAT with a rollout plan. 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.
