Having internal software developed: replacing Excel and digitalising processes
An internal web application that replaces an Excel solution that has grown over the years costs €5,990–15,000 with me and is usually in use within 6 to 10 weeks. It pays off as soon as several people work with the same data at the same time, mistakes creep in through copying, or nobody knows any more which file is the current one. This guide helps you decide whether your own software, a standard solution or simply a better spreadsheet is the right answer.
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- By Maurice de Felice, web developer in Augsburg, Germany
How can you tell that Excel is no longer enough?
- There are several versions of the same file, and before every meeting you have to establish which one counts.
- Two people cannot work at the same time without overwriting each other's changes.
- The same data is maintained in several spreadsheets – the customer list, the order list, the invoice list.
- The formulas are so deeply nested that only one person still understands them – and they are on holiday.
- Staff should only see part of the data, but the file has no concept of permissions.
- Reports are put together by hand, all over again every week.
Which solution fits: a spreadsheet, standard software or your own application?
| Solution | Fits when … | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| A better spreadsheet (shared, with templates) | one person maintains it and a few others read along | no permissions, no workflows |
| Standard software (CRM, ERP, industry software) | your process is standard for your industry | you adapt to the software |
| No-code tool | simple forms and lists | gets unwieldy with complex logic and many users |
| Your own web application | your workflow is unusual or gives you an edge | an investment from €5,990, plus maintenance |
Guide values, as of October 2026. All prices are final prices; as a small business under § 19 of the German VAT Act, I do not charge VAT.
How much does internal software cost?
An internal tool with login, data entry, lists and simple reports starts at €5,990 with me; with several roles, approvals and integrations with existing systems it costs more. A typical range is €5,990–15,000. The cost calculator shows the range that results from your requirements.
Weigh the investment against the time your team currently spends copying, reconciling and searching. If three people each spend two hours a week merging spreadsheets, that adds up to several hundred hours a year – plus the mistakes that creep in during copying and only come to light when the customer notices them.
How do you switch from Excel to your own software successfully?
- One process first: choose the workflow that costs the most time or produces the most mistakes. The rest follows later.
- The spreadsheet as a template: your existing Excel file is an excellent specification – columns become fields, tabs become sections, formulas become rules.
- Migrating the data: existing data is imported once and cleaned up along the way (duplicate customers, inconsistent spellings).
- Running both in parallel: for a short period the spreadsheet and the application run side by side until everyone feels confident.
- Keeping exports: anyone who wants to continue analysing in Excel gets an export – nobody has to give up the reports they are used to.
What technology is behind an internal web application?
I build internal applications as web apps: Laravel with PostgreSQL in the backend, React in the frontend. The advantage over installed software is that everyone on the team uses it in the browser – in the office, on a tablet in the workshop or on the road – without anything having to be installed or updated.
This includes roles and permissions (who may see and change what), a change history and regular backups. On the YachtBrokerBid platform, for example, every transaction in the credit system is stored as a separate row with its balance and can be traced permanently – exactly the traceability a spreadsheet lacks as soon as someone overwrites a cell.
What should you clarify before the project starts?
- Who works with the application, and who is allowed to see which data?
- Which workflow comes first, and how will you measure that it runs better?
- Which systems does the application need to exchange data with (accounting, inventory management, email)?
- Where is the data hosted, and who takes care of backups and updates?
- Is there funding available? For small businesses in Bavaria, the Digitalbonus Bayern – a Bavarian state grant for digitalisation – is worth a look.
How do you win your team over to the switch?
Even the best software fails if the team carries on working in the old spreadsheet. So involve the people who work with the Excel file the most today right from the start: they know the special cases that appear in no specification, and they become advocates once their wishes show up in the application.
A clear cut-off date after which work happens only in the application helps, as does a short introduction using each person's own examples instead of a long training session. Small improvements in the first few weeks – an extra field, a different sort order – show the team that the new solution adapts to them, not the other way round.
Who owns the software?
You do. Once the project is finished you receive the complete repository; the code and content belong to you. That means you are not tied to me – another developer can take over, because Laravel and React are widely used.
For maintenance and extensions I charge €95 per hour or offer a maintenance contract. Above all, it is important that security updates are installed regularly – that applies to any software that handles customer data.
What do clients often ask?
Planning a project?
In a free initial call you get an honest assessment of scope, timeline and a fixed price – by video, or in person in Augsburg and Munich. I usually reply within 24 hours.
About the author
Freelance web developer in Augsburg, Germany. By day a backend developer at one of Germany’s largest comparison portals; as a freelancer I build websites, web apps and SaaS platforms with Laravel and React – for example the SaaS platform YachtBrokerBid. More about me
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