From workshop to go-live: how a custom SaaS project actually runs.

"How long does it take?" comes up in every first conversation. The honest answer: between six weeks and six months – depending on scope, complexity and how much preparation you bring. What many underestimate: development itself is not the biggest time factor. Workshop, concept, tests, data migration and training together often take more than half of the project time.

This article shows how a typical Klarspur project runs – with concrete timings, tasks and the pitfalls we know from practice.

Phase 1: first call (30 minutes, free)

Before anything happens we get to know each other. In 30 minutes we clarify four questions:

• What do you specifically want to achieve?
• What do you use today and where does it hurt most?
• What ballpark do you have in mind (budget, users, time)?
• Does a custom solution fit – or should off-the-shelf be checked first?

Common outcome: 70% of enquiries lead to a workshop. 20% get the honest recommendation to evaluate off-the-shelf first. 10% need something we are not (e.g. a hardware solution) – we then point to fitting partners.

Phase 2: workshop (1–2 days, €1,500–3,500)

The workshop is the only paid pre-work – but it is credited against the later fixed price if the project goes ahead. This is where the real detail work happens. Typical schedule for a 2-day on-site workshop:

Day 1 morning: as-is analysis

We look together at how you work today. Which Excel files are floating around? Which tools are in use? Which workflows happen where? We talk to the people who work with this every day – not just management.

Day 1 afternoon: pain points and wishes

What works today? What is painful? What would the dream state look like? In workshop rounds we collect problems and wishes – and prioritise them as "must", "should" and "nice to have".

Day 2 morning: modular architecture

From this comes the first sketch: which modules are needed? How do they connect? Which interfaces are required (DATEV, ERP, inventory, web shop, etc.)? Which roles and permissions?

Day 2 afternoon: roadmap

We clarify the order: what goes into the MVP (minimum viable product)? What comes in stages 2 and 3? This avoids the classic IT-project mistake of having nothing in production after six months.

Phase 3: concept and fixed price (1–2 weeks)

In this phase we work out the workshop. You receive three documents:

1. Specification with all modules, features and interfaces (typically 20–40 pages)
2. Click prototype you can navigate in the browser
3. Fixed-price proposal with a payment plan and timeline

Important: at this point you can still walk away freely. If the proposal doesn't fit or the risk feels too high, you leave without further obligation. The workshop effort is calculated in – it is part of the trust-building phase.

Phase 4: development (4–16 weeks, depending on scope)

Now the most exciting part begins. We develop in two-week sprints. At the end of each sprint you see a working slice of software – and can give feedback that flows into the next sprint.

What you do in this phase

• Every 2 weeks a 30–60-minute meeting (sprint review)
• Use test access and give feedback
• Prepare data from legacy systems (we help)
• Be available for detail questions

What we do in this phase

• Build modules and ship a little more in each sprint
• Build interfaces (DATEV, mail, inventory, etc.)
• Run security and performance tests automatically
• Send brief weekly status updates by email

Typical pitfalls in this phase:

• Scope creep: new wishes appear during development. We manage this transparently: small ones flow in, larger ones go to "stage 2"
• Interface surprises: external systems often behave differently than documented. We plan buffer in
• Legacy data quality: the migration test often reveals how many duplicates and gaps the old data has

Phase 5: data migration and tests (1–2 weeks)

Before going live we move all data from the legacy systems (Excel, CRM, accounting) into the new one. This happens in several runs:

1. Trial migration with real data into a test environment
2. Data check: are all records present? Are the relationships correct?
3. Data cleaning: duplicates, typos, missing fields
4. Final migration shortly before go-live

In parallel acceptance tests run: you and your team go through every important workflow and report what doesn't fit. We fix issues within a day.

Phase 6: go-live (1 day)

The actual go-live is mostly unspectacular – if the prep work was right. We recommend a soft launch on a Wednesday or Thursday. Benefits:

• Everyone is rested (no weekend stress)
• You have two working days to settle in
• If something does jam, everyone is reachable

We are present at the go-live either on site or by video – usually both. In the first 24 hours we are especially attentive and respond within minutes.

Phase 7: training (parallel to go-live)

Training doesn't happen in a 4-hour marathon, but spread out: short module introductions (30–60 minutes), written quick-start guides for the most common tasks, video recordings for later. That makes it stick, and new employees can review later themselves.

Phase 8: operations and evolution (ongoing)

From go-live we take over hosting, backups, security updates and support. You have a fixed contact who knows your system. Evolutions are agreed in monthly calls and shipped in small releases – usually an update every 4–6 weeks.

Sample timeline: 6-month project

Phase	Duration	What happens
First call	30 min	Get to know each other, rough estimate
Workshop	2 days	As-is analysis, roadmap
Concept & proposal	2 weeks	Specification, prototype, fixed price
Development	16 weeks	8 sprints of 2 weeks
Migration & tests	2 weeks	Trial, cleanup, acceptance
Go-live & training	1 week	Soft launch, training, stabilisation

Total: about 6 months from first call to productive operation – on a mid-size project with 4–6 modules.

What you need to contribute as the customer

1. Availability for the workshop and sprint reviews
2. A main contact in your team who can make decisions
3. Access to legacy data and existing systems
4. Willingness to test the new solution together with your team
5. Patience – good software takes time, you'll feel it in the result

Conclusion

A custom SaaS project is no mystery and no endless construction site. With clear methodology, fixed timings, visible interim results and honest communication even large projects can be delivered predictably. The workshop at the start is the most important lever – clean work here makes the rest of the project much calmer.