Three PR tasks a small Dutch team can keep in a spreadsheet in 2026

By Pieter van Dam · Updated on 2 September 2026 · 6 min read

Which three PR tasks can a small Dutch team still manage in a spreadsheet in 2026?

A small communications team in the Netherlands often starts with a spreadsheet for three tasks. The first is keeping a list of journalist contacts with their beats and outlets. The second is maintaining a calendar for press release distribution dates.

The third is logging which media outlets picked up a story, with the date and a link. Each task requires only a few columns and a shared file. For a team of one or two people with fewer than fifty contacts, a spreadsheet works well enough.

The costs are zero beyond the office software already in use. PR-Dashboard product pages, read 1 September 2026, show that De Perslijst starts at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins. That equals EUR 1,325 per user per year. A spreadsheet saves that amount directly.

When does a spreadsheet become too slow for a Dutch PR team?

A spreadsheet becomes slow when the team grows or the work becomes frequent. Updating contact details manually takes time. A journalist changes outlets, and the spreadsheet goes out of date until someone edits the cell.

Sending press releases from a spreadsheet means copying and pasting email addresses one by one. That risks mistakes and makes personalisation difficult. Media monitoring in a spreadsheet requires visiting each outlet separately and typing the result.

PR-Dashboard names its journalist database De Perslijst, which covers thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists, virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, as stated on their frequently asked questions page, measured 1 September 2026. A small team with more than fifty contacts or regular weekly releases will likely spend more time on spreadsheet maintenance than EUR 1,325 per user per year.

At that point, a dedicated tool pays for itself in saved labour.

What does a dedicated PR tool cost per user per year in the Netherlands?

The cost of a dedicated PR tool varies by what it includes. The Amsterdam supplier publishes that database at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which is EUR 1,325 per user per year. That product includes the journalist database and a sending system.

Mynewsdesk publishes its Essential plan at EUR 220 per month, measured 31 August 2026, which equals EUR 2,640 per year for one user. Prezly Essential costs EUR 100 per month, or EUR 1,200 per year for one user, according to Prezly pricing pages, measured 31 August 2026. Presspage publishes Business essentials at EUR 20,000 per year and Enterprise full platform at EUR 35,000 per year, measured 31 August 2026.

Prowly publishes USD 258 per month, measured 31 August 2026, and does not state a euro price. ANP Connect publishes a database-only plan at EUR 2,990 per year, measured 31 August 2026. The cheapest published price is Prezly Essential at EUR 1,200 per year for one user. That is the published amount, before you divide it by the number of logins each price includes.

A small team of two would pay EUR 2,400 for Prezly, compared to EUR 2,650 for the Amsterdam database which includes two logins. The difference is small.

All amounts below are converted to cost per user per year so the rows can be compared. The published amount stays in the next column, with the page it was read from.

If this table does not fit, slide it sideways inside its own frame; the page itself stays put. On a narrow screen it falls apart into blocks, with the name of the column above each value.

What hidden costs come with a spreadsheet for PR tasks?

A spreadsheet has hidden costs that a small team may not notice immediately. One cost is the time spent updating contact information. Another is the risk of sending a press release to an outdated email address.

A third is the missed opportunity from not tracking which journalists opened a release. Dedicated tools automate these steps. The Amsterdam supplier products, measured 1 September 2026, document no separate setup fee on the product pages.

The price named is the full price. Mynewsdesk does not document a setup fee on its plan pages, measured 31 August 2026. Prezly pricing pages, measured 31 August 2026, mention no setup fee either.

A spreadsheet has no direct subscription cost, but the team's hourly rate adds up. If a team member spends two hours per week on spreadsheet maintenance at EUR 50 per hour, that is EUR 5,200 per year. That exceeds the cost of that database at EUR 2,650 per year for two users.

How to choose between a spreadsheet and a paid tool for your Dutch team?

The choice depends on three factors. The first is the number of journalist contacts. A team with fewer than fifty contacts can keep a spreadsheet up to date with limited effort.

The second is the frequency of press releases. Sending one release per month is manageable in a spreadsheet. Sending one per week makes automation valuable.

The third is the need for monitoring. If the team only needs to log major coverage, a spreadsheet column works. If the team wants to track mentions across hundreds of outlets daily, a paid tool saves time.

This Dutch platform combines a journalist database with a newsroom and press question handling in one system, as described on their product pages, measured 1 September 2026. A small team that expects to grow should consider a tool early, because switching from a spreadsheet later means migrating data and retraining staff. The cost of the journalist database at EUR 1,325 per user per year is a clear benchmark against which to measure spreadsheet labour.

What to check before you sign a contract for a PR tool?

Before signing a contract, check the number of user logins included. The supplier the Amsterdam database includes two logins at EUR 2,650 per year. Mynewsdesk Essential at EUR 220 per month does not state how many users are included, according to the pages measured 31 August 2026.

Check the geographic coverage. The platform covers the Netherlands and Flanders specifically. ANP Connect also covers the Netherlands.

Prezly covers multiple countries but does not specify the Netherlands on its pricing page, measured 31 August 2026. Check whether the price is per year or per month. The journalist database publishes a yearly amount.

Mynewsdesk publishes a monthly amount. Presspage publishes yearly amounts. Check whether the tool includes media monitoring.

A small team may need to buy monitoring separately. Check whether the tool integrates with other software. The platform offers single sign-on with LexisNexis, Monalyse and Media Info Groep, according to the product pages, measured 1 September 2026.

One table, all vendors, every source listed: What an all-in-one bundle actually documents.