The verdict in three sentences
A CFO loses 2 to 4 days a month manually consolidating Excel exports: a real-time dashboard removes 80 % of that work. Two routes exist: an off-the-shelf BI (Power BI, Metabase) at 8,000-25,000 EUR ex. VAT setup, or a custom dashboard at 20,000-50,000 EUR ex. VAT. Custom is justified when KPIs, granularity or UX exceed what the standard tool allows.
Off-the-shelf BI or custom dashboard
Both consolidate the same sources (ERP, CRM, bank, invoicing). The difference lies in flexibility, ownership of the data model and recurring license cost.
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf BI (Power BI/Metabase) | Custom dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Initial setup | 8,000-25,000 EUR ex. VAT | 20,000-50,000 EUR ex. VAT |
| License | 10-20 EUR/user/month | None (hosting only) |
| Timeline | 6-10 weeks | 8-14 weeks |
| UX flexibility | Limited to templates | Total |
| Data ownership | Inside vendor tool | 100 % yours |
| Scalability | Good | Excellent |
The finance KPIs to consolidate
A useful CFO dashboard goes beyond revenue. It cross-references cash, margin and customer risk in near real time.
| KPI | Source | Target frequency |
|---|---|---|
| Consolidated cash | Bank (API) | Real time |
| DSO / receivables | Invoicing | Daily |
| Margin by product/customer | ERP + CRM | Daily |
| Order book | CRM/ERP | Real time |
| Working capital | ERP + bank | Weekly |
| 90-day cash forecast | Bank + invoicing | Weekly |
License cost adds up fast: at 15 users, an off-the-shelf BI at 15 EUR/user/month costs 2,700 EUR/year, or 13,500 EUR over 5 years on top of setup.
Need a professional website?
Kolonell builds websites that attract clients, optimized for the Sénégalese market. Free quote in 2 minutes.
Mini case study
Claire, CFO of a 60-employee industrial SME in Lyon, spends 3 days/month consolidating ERP, CRM and bank statements. She opts for a custom dashboard at 32,000 EUR ex. VAT over an off-the-shelf BI: at 18 users, she avoids 3,888 EUR/year in licenses. Monthly reporting drops from 3 days to 4 hours, saving ~20 days/year (≈ 9,600 EUR at 60 EUR/h). Payback in ~2.5 years, licenses included.
FAQ
Is Power BI enough for a CFO? Often yes, up to a point: Power BI (10-20 EUR/user/month) covers 80 % of standard needs. Custom becomes relevant beyond 15-20 users or with very specific KPIs.
How long for a first dashboard? Expect 6 to 10 weeks for an off-the-shelf BI and 8 to 14 weeks for a custom dashboard, including scoping and source connections.
Is the data updated in real time? Yes for cash via banking API (PSD2 aggregators), and near real time (hourly or daily refresh) for ERP and CRM depending on connectors.
Who owns the data model in custom builds? You do, 100 %. Unlike an off-the-shelf BI where the model lives in the vendor tool, custom leaves you owning the code and database.
Can we start small then expand? Yes: we first deliver 4-5 critical KPIs (cash, DSO, margin) then add views in 2-3 week iterations.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your sources (ERP, CRM, bank), user count and priority KPIs: we'll quote between 8,000 and 50,000 EUR ex. VAT depending on approach. 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.
