The verdict in three sentences
For a distribution group whose CEO waits 10 days for monthly figures, a dashboard fed automatically by the ERP and point-of-sale systems brings that down to next day. Power BI costs about EUR 14 per user per month (around FCFA 9,000) with EUR 4,600 to 12,200 of setup (FCFA 3 to 8 million) in a Dakar project, while a custom build runs EUR 12,200 to 27,400 (FCFA 8 to 18 million); expect 1.5 to 2 times these setup figures with an Amsterdam-based integrator. The real work is the same either way: making data sources reliable and connected, which accounts for 50 to 70% of the budget.
Why figures arrive 10 days late
In most distribution groups, the data exists but is scattered: an ERP at head office, different till systems across stores, Excel files for regional warehouses and mobile or card payments reconciled separately. The financial controller consolidates by hand, checks variances, then emails a file to the CEO.
| Month-end step | Current delay | Delay with automated feeds |
|---|---|---|
| Store sales upload | 3 days | Real time or next day |
| Till, mobile money and card reconciliation | 2 days | Automatic every night |
| Inventory valuation per warehouse | 2 days | Next day |
| Multi-entity consolidation | 2 days | Automatic, predefined rules |
| Formatting and sending to the CEO | 1 day | Online dashboard, alerts |
| Total | 10 days | Next day |
Power BI or custom build: the 2026 numbers
| Criterion | Power BI with an integrator | Custom dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Licence | About EUR 14 per user per month (Pro) | No per-user licence |
| Setup | EUR 4,600 to 12,200 | EUR 12,200 to 27,400 |
| Annual cost, 25 users | EUR 4,100 in licences and EUR 1,800 to 3,700 maintenance | EUR 2,700 to 5,500 hosting and maintenance |
| Time to go live | 6 to 10 weeks | 10 to 16 weeks |
| Mobile experience for the CEO | Decent, standard app | Designed around the CEO, WhatsApp alerts possible |
| Team autonomy | High if an analyst is trained | New metrics ordered from the vendor |
| Best fit | Under 50 users, data-literate finance team | Over 100 users or rollout to store managers |
Power BI wins when the group has a data-savvy controller and a limited number of readers. A custom build becomes attractive when 150 store managers need their figures: 150 licences at EUR 14 already amount to about EUR 24,700 a year.
The metrics to show in version one
A useful executive dashboard fits on one screen. The metrics below cover the essentials for a distribution group.
| Metric | Source | Frequency | Suggested alert |
|---|---|---|---|
| Revenue by store and product family | Tills, ERP | Daily | Variance over 15% vs prior week |
| Gross margin | ERP | Daily | Margin under 18% on a family |
| Stock turnover and dead stock | ERP, warehouses | Weekly | Item unsold for 60 days |
| Mobile and card payments | Provider APIs | Daily | Till vs payment variance over 0.5% |
| Wholesale receivables | ERP | Weekly | Over 45 days overdue |
| Consolidated cash | Banks, ERP | Daily | Minimum threshold set by the CEO |
Mini case study
Ousmane, CEO of a distribution group with 12 stores and 3 warehouses in Dakar, picks Power BI for 25 users with a FCFA 6,000,000 setup (about EUR 9,150). Annual licences: 25 x 9,000 x 12 = FCFA 2,700,000 (EUR 4,100). Two controllers spent 8 days a month consolidating; at a loaded monthly cost of FCFA 900,000 each, the time freed is worth 2 x 900,000 x 8/22 x 12 = FCFA 7,850,000 a year (EUR 12,000). Above all, the dead-stock alert cuts a FCFA 2 billion inventory by 1%, releasing FCFA 20,000,000 in cash (EUR 30,500). The project pays for itself within the year.
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FAQ
Is our ERP compatible with Power BI?
In 80 to 90% of cases yes, through a database connection or automated exports. Older till systems sometimes need a small connector costing EUR 760 to 2,300.
Can we include mobile money or card payments?
Yes, through merchant statements or provider APIs, with automatic matching against till receipts. Allow 2 to 4 weeks of work.
Is the data secure?
Power BI stores data in Microsoft's cloud, with per-user rights. A custom build can be hosted in Senegal or in Europe, as you prefer, with rights per store and per entity.
How long until a first dashboard?
A first version with sales, margin and stock is delivered in 4 to 6 weeks. Consolidated financial metrics follow in another 4 to 6 weeks.
Do we need to hire a data analyst?
Not necessarily. A financial controller trained for 3 to 5 days can evolve a Power BI dashboard.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your ERP, till systems, number of entities and users: we will price the scope, the indicative budget and the timeline to get next-day figures. 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.
