The verdict in three sentences
A CFO loses several days each month consolidating Excel exports that are wrong the moment they're printed. A decision dashboard that plugs accounting, sales and cash flow together in real time costs 18,000 to 55,000 EUR excl. VAT as a custom build, or 20 to 60 EUR/user/month in BI SaaS. The choice isn't about the sticker price but about data reliability and the ability to trigger cash alerts before the overdraft hits.
BI SaaS or custom dashboard?
Both approaches are legitimate. BI SaaS (Power BI, Metabase, Looker) is fast to start; a custom build matches your exact indicators and heterogeneous sources.
| Criterion | BI SaaS | Custom dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 3,000 – 10,000 EUR (setup) | 18,000 – 55,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Recurring cost | 20 – 60 EUR/user/month | 3,000 – 8,000 EUR/yr (hosting+updates) |
| Time to launch | 3-6 weeks | 2-4 months |
| Multi-source connectors | Standard | Unlimited, custom |
| KPI customization | Medium | Total |
| 5-year cost (10 users) | 45,000 – 90,000 EUR | 40,000 – 75,000 EUR |
Below 10 users, BI SaaS usually wins; beyond that, or with exotic sources, custom regains the economic edge.
The KPIs that change how you steer
A good dashboard doesn't show 200 figures: it shows the 8 to 12 that trigger a decision. Here are the indicators and the associated time gain in 2026.
| Indicator | Before (Excel) | After (dashboard) | Benefit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Consolidated cash | D+5 | Real time | Overdraft anticipation |
| DSO / receivables | Monthly | Daily | Targeted reminders |
| Margin per product/client | Quarterly | Weekly | Fast trade-offs |
| 13-week cash forecast | Rare | Automatic | Investment decision |
| Budget vs actual variance | D+10 | D+1 | Immediate correction |
| Cash threshold alerts | None | Email/Slack push | Zero surprises |
Mini case study
Mehdi, CFO of a 120-person distribution group in Nantes (revenue 22M EUR), replaces 4 Excel files maintained by 2 controllers. The custom dashboard costs 38,000 EUR excl. VAT. Each controller recovers 1.5 days/week, i.e. ~140 days/year at 350 EUR = 49,000 EUR/year of restored capacity. A cash alert also avoids two overdraft breaches billed at ~4,500 EUR. ROI reached in 9 months, with data finally reliable for the executive committee.
FAQ
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How many data sources can be connected?
In practice, 3 to 15: accounting, CRM, bank (aggregation), e-commerce, payroll. Each connector costs 2,000 to 6,000 EUR when custom; in SaaS, standard connectors are included.
Is real time really necessary?
For cash, yes — a D+5 alert is useless. For margin, a daily or weekly refresh is enough. We calibrate the frequency per indicator to control costs.
Can we start small?
Yes: a first cash + sales scope at 18,000 EUR excl. VAT, then extend. It's even recommended to prove value before expanding.
Who maintains the dashboard?
In SaaS, the vendor. In custom, a 3,000 to 8,000 EUR/year contract covers evolutions and hosting. KPIs evolve, the dashboard must follow.
Is it secure for financial data?
Yes, with EU hosting, encryption and fine-grained role-based access. We compartmentalize access: a salesperson doesn't see overall margin.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your data sources, the number of users and your 10 priority KPIs: we'll arbitrate between BI SaaS and a custom build with a budget between 18,000 and 55,000 EUR excl. VAT. 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.
