The verdict in three sentences
When a quarry sells 1,500 tonnes of aggregates a day, a 2% leak between weighing and invoicing costs far more than software. A weighbridge app wired to both scales, with a plate photo, numbered tickets and automatic invoicing, usually sits in the simple to medium band of Kolonell's grid, 2,500,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA, live in 2 to 3 months. The key is removing manual weight entry, which is where almost every fraud starts.
Where the leaks hide between weighing and invoice
At a quarry running on a weight indicator, a ticket book and spreadsheet invoicing, discrepancies rarely come from a single place. The most common patterns:
- Weight re-keyed by hand: the operator rounds or changes the displayed figure.
- Stale tare: a truck weighed empty 6 months ago is loaded against an overstated tare.
- Same plate weighed twice, or a truck leaving without an exit weighing.
- Unnumbered tickets or tickets voided without reason.
- Cash sales not reconciled with the till at day end.
- Account customers invoiced days late, with lost tickets.
| Control point | Manual process | With the app |
|---|---|---|
| Reading the weight | Read off the indicator, copied | Captured directly via serial or IP link |
| Truck identification | Plate written by hand | Automatic photo, optional plate recognition |
| Tare | Remembered value, rarely updated | Empty weighing on entry or dated tare |
| Ticket numbering | Paper book, free voids | Continuous numbering, voids justified and approved |
| Account invoicing | Spreadsheet, 3 to 7 days lag | Automatic daily or per-load invoice |
| Cash reconciliation | Month end | Every evening, discrepancies flagged |
Features and integrations
The app links the weighbridge and finance: a terminal at the scale, a management dashboard, access for account customers.
- Connection to both weight indicators: most recent indicators have a usable RS232 or Ethernet output.
- Cameras above each scale, capturing plate and load at every weighing, stored with the ticket.
- Customer accounts with credit limits, automatic block when exceeded, balance visible at the scale.
- Price list by product (0/5, 5/15, 15/25, all-in) and by customer.
- Invoicing and accounting export, plus card or mobile payment for cash buyers.
- Degraded mode during network outages: the scale terminal keeps working and syncs later.
Budget and timeline in 2026
For an operator in Dubai or London, the comparison is usually an off-the-shelf weighbridge package. As a 2026 order of magnitude, these cost $4,000 to $15,000 per terminal or £3,000 to £10,000 in the UK, plus integrator installation and often a yearly support fee, with limited customer invoicing. Kolonell's custom grid, quoted in FCFA and EUR:
| Level | Typical scope | Kolonell budget | Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | 1 to 2 connected scales, numbered tickets, photo, reports | 2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA (3,810 to 6,100 EUR) | 2 months |
| Medium | Customer accounts, auto invoicing, cash reconciliation, payments | 4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA (6,100 to 10,670 EUR) | 2 to 3 months |
| Complex | Multi-site, plate recognition, ERP, customer portal | 7,000,000 to 15,000,000+ FCFA (10,670 to 22,870+ EUR) | 3 to 5 months |
| Maintenance | Fixes, backups, support | 35,000 / 75,000 / 120,000 FCFA per month (53 / 114 / 183 EUR) | Ongoing |
Cameras, cabling and any indicator upgrades are quoted separately after a site survey. In the UK, scales used for trade must also remain compliant with weights and measures rules, which the app does not change.
Mini case study
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Khalid, operations director of a quarry group based in Dubai, runs a site selling 1,500 tonnes of aggregates a day at an average of $28 per tonne, a 2026 order of magnitude. Internal audit puts the gap between tonnes weighed and tonnes invoiced at 2%.
Calculation: 1,500 t x 2% = 30 tonnes a day. 30 x $28 = $840 a day, or $252,000 a year over 300 operating days. If the app brings the gap down to 0.3%, the quarry recovers about $214,000 a year. A medium-band project at 6,000,000 FCFA, about 9,150 EUR, pays back in under three weeks of recovered revenue.
FAQ
Are our current weight indicators compatible?
In most cases yes, if the indicator has an RS232, USB or Ethernet output. A one-day site survey confirms compatibility of both scales before the final quote.
What happens during a power or network outage?
The scale terminal runs locally on a UPS, tickets stay numbered and sync when the network returns. A 30 to 60 minute UPS autonomy is recommended.
Can manual weight entry be blocked completely?
Yes, manual entry is disabled by default and can only be unlocked by a supervisor, with a reason and an audit trail. This single control removes most discrepancies.
How long until go-live?
Allow 2 months for the simple level and 2 to 3 months with invoicing and customer accounts. One week running in parallel with the ticket book precedes the switch.
Can customers see their tickets?
Yes, through a customer portal or an SMS or WhatsApp ticket for every load, usually in the medium or complex band. Account customers see balances and invoices.
Let's scope your project. Tell us about your weighbridges, products and invoicing model, and we will propose a scope after a site survey with go-live in 2 to 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.