The verdict in three sentences
When the CRM and ERP don't talk to each other, your sales team and accounting re-enter the same customers twice and discrepancies pile up. A connector costs 10,000 to 40,000 EUR excl. VAT custom or 150 to 800 EUR/month in iPaaS, and deploys in 6 to 12 weeks. The challenge isn't technical but organizational: defining the source of truth for each data point and the conflict handling avoids 90 % of problems.
Three approaches, three budgets
Native connector, iPaaS platform or custom development: the right choice depends on the complexity of your flows and the number of systems.
| Criterion | Native connector | iPaaS (Make, Zapier, Workato) | Custom |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | 0 – 3,000 EUR | 2,000 – 6,000 EUR (setup) | 10,000 – 40,000 EUR excl. VAT |
| Recurring cost | 0 – 50 EUR/month | 150 – 800 EUR/month | 2,000 – 6,000 EUR/yr |
| Customizable flows | Limited | Medium | Unlimited |
| Conflict handling | Basic | Decent | Fine-grained |
| Timeline | 1-2 wks | 3-6 wks | 6-12 wks |
| Best for | Standard cases | Medium flows | Complex business logic |
Many SMEs start with iPaaS then switch to custom when volumes or business rules exceed what low-code orchestration can handle.
What synchronization eliminates
ROI comes from the disappearance of low-value tasks and costly errors. Here are the 2026 gains per synced flow.
| Synced flow | Before | After | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer creation | Double entry CRM+ERP | Once, propagated | 100 % |
| Order → invoice | Manual re-entry | Automatic | 3-5 h/wk |
| Stock update | Delayed, errors | Real time | -80 % errors |
| Payment status | Invisible to sales | Pushed to CRM | Targeted reminders |
| 360° customer history | Fragmented | Unified | Fast decisions |
Mini case study
Sophie, sales director of a 30-person trading SME in Lille (revenue 9M EUR), connects HubSpot to her ERP for 24,000 EUR excl. VAT. Three salespeople and an assistant stop double entry: ~11 h/week combined, i.e. ~500 h/year at 30 EUR = 15,000 EUR/year. Stock sync also removes 4 to 5 stockouts/wrong promises per month, avoiding disputes estimated at 9,000 EUR/year. ROI reached in 12 months, with a finally reliable pipeline.
FAQ
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
iPaaS or custom: how to decide?
Below 3 systems and simple rules, iPaaS is enough and starts fast. As soon as business logic gets complex (pricing rules, multi-entity, high volumes), custom becomes more reliable and cheaper over 3 years.
What happens if two systems edit the same record?
We define a source of truth per field and a resolution rule (last wins, ERP priority, manual validation). This is the heart of scoping, done before any code.
How long to deploy?
From 1-2 weeks for a native connector to 12 weeks for a custom build with several flows. A pilot on one critical flow is often delivered in 3-4 weeks.
Do we need to halt operations during the switch?
No. We proceed flow by flow, with a dual-run and control phase before cutting manual entry. The risk is controlled.
Does the connector break if the vendor updates its API?
Major APIs (HubSpot, Salesforce) are versioned and stable. The maintenance contract (2,000 to 6,000 EUR/year) precisely covers adaptation to changes.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your CRM, your ERP and the flows to sync: we'll arbitrate between iPaaS and custom with a budget between 10,000 and 40,000 EUR excl. VAT and a zero-downtime switch. 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.
