The verdict in three sentences
In this illustrative case study, a 40-person Montreal wholesaler automates order entry, collections reminders, quote follow-ups and reporting for a CAD 30,000 project. The result is 18 hours saved a week, worth about CAD 45,000 a year at a loaded hourly cost of CAD 52, with payback in about 8 months. The number that matters most is the saving per process, because it tells you which automation to build first in your own company.
The starting point: where the hours went
This scenario is a composite example built from situations common among Quebec distributors, not the testimony of a real client. The wholesaler supplies janitorial and packaging products to 450 business customers across Greater Montreal. Inside sales and accounting spend a large part of their week on repetitive work: retyping emailed orders into Acomba, chasing overdue invoices, following up on unanswered quotes and building a sales report every Monday.
Before pricing anything, the team timed each process for two weeks. That baseline drives the table below, and it is the step most SMEs skip.
| Process | Hours before (per week) | Hours after (per week) | Hours saved |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entering emailed and PDF orders | 9 | 2 | 7 |
| Overdue invoice reminders | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| Quote follow-ups | 4 | 0.5 | 3.5 |
| Weekly sales reporting | 4 | 0.5 | 3.5 |
| Total | 22 | 4 | 18 |
What was built, and what it cost
Incoming orders are read automatically and created as drafts in Acomba, with a team member approving anything uncertain. Invoice reminders follow a schedule (day 5, day 15, day 30) in French or English according to the customer record, and stop as soon as payment is matched. Unanswered quotes trigger a nudge to the sales rep. The report lands in management inboxes every Monday at 7 a.m. The same design works with Sage 50, depending on the version and the import or connector options it offers.
| Work package | Budget (CAD, before taxes) | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery, time study, acceptance testing | 4,500 | 2 weeks |
| Order reading and Acomba creation | 11,500 | 4 weeks |
| Automated invoice reminders | 5,500 | 2 weeks |
| Quote follow-ups | 3,000 | 1 week |
| Automated reporting | 5,500 | 2 weeks |
| Total | 30,000 | 10 weeks, partly in parallel |
For context, a 2026 market ballpark for a multi-process automation project at a Quebec distribution SME is CAD 18,000 to 50,000 depending on the accounting system and number of flows. Kolonell's prices for custom applications are EUR 3,810 to 6,100 (2,500,000 to 4,000,000 FCFA) for simple builds and EUR 6,100 to 10,670 (4,000,000 to 7,000,000 FCFA) for medium ones, with Standard maintenance at EUR 114 a month (75,000 FCFA), and the team works in French and English.
Customer records include personal information, so Quebec's Law 25 applies: name a person in charge of personal information, document where data is hosted, and run a privacy impact assessment if data leaves Quebec.
The payback calculation
| Item | Value | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Hours saved per week | 18 h | Measured over 4 weeks after go-live |
| Average loaded hourly cost | CAD 52 | Salary, benefits, workstation |
| Working weeks per year | 48 | Excluding holidays |
| Annual saving | CAD 44,928 | 18 × 52 × 48 |
| Annual running cost | CAD 2,000 | Hosting and document reading |
| Payback | About 8 months | CAD 30,000 over net monthly saving |
No one was let go: inside sales used the freed time to call dormant accounts, which brings revenue not counted here.
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Mini case study
Illustrative example: Julie, VP Operations at an electrical supplies distributor in Laval with 25 staff, applies the same method. Her time study shows 14 recoverable hours a week, mostly in order entry and collections. At a loaded cost of CAD 48 over 48 weeks, the saving is CAD 32,256 a year. A project focused on those two processes is budgeted at CAD 24,000, for payback in about 9 months. She starts with order entry, the package with the best ratio, and leaves reporting for phase two.
FAQ
Do we need to replace Acomba or Sage 50?
Rarely. Most versions accept file imports or offer connectors, and the integration typically accounts for CAD 3,000 to 8,000 of the budget.
How do we measure time spent before the project?
Have each person time their tasks for two weeks in a shared sheet. Without that baseline, any payback figure is a guess.
Won't automated reminders annoy customers?
They stop once payment is matched and can exclude key accounts. In this example, 3 levels of tone were approved by sales management before launch.
Can we start small?
Yes: a single process such as order entry can go live in 4 to 5 weeks for CAD 10,000 to 14,000. It is often the best way to prove the saving before expanding.
What does maintenance cost afterwards?
As a 2026 estimate, plan CAD 150 to 400 a month for hosting and adjustments. Kolonell's Basic maintenance is EUR 53 a month (35,000 FCFA).
Let's scope your project. Send us your list of repetitive processes with estimated weekly hours, and we will scope the build, budget and expected payback. 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.
