The verdict in three sentences
In 2026, a custom decision dashboard for a New York mid-market firm costs 12,000 to 45,000 EUR depending on the number of sources and modelling depth. It connects ERP, CRM and accounting into a single data warehouse, with automation that cuts reporting time by 80%. Plan for 6 to 12 weeks of delivery and 10 to 70 EUR/user/month in BI licences.
The data sources to consolidate
A reliable CFO dashboard crosses several systems. The hard part isn't the visuals but the clean reconciliation of data.
| Source | Key data | Refresh frequency | Integration complexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERP / operations | Sales, purchases, stock | Daily | Medium |
| Accounting | General ledger, margins | Daily | Medium |
| CRM | Pipeline, forecasts | Real-time | Low |
| Bank / treasury | Balances, forecast | Daily | High |
| Payroll / HR | Wage bill | Monthly | Medium |
| Business spreadsheets | Specific KPIs | Variable | Low |
Reconciling accounting with operations is the line that eats the most person-days.
Custom or Power BI / Looker
Two routes. Off-the-shelf tools (Power BI, Looker, Tableau) are excellent for visualisation but leave modelling and connectors on your plate; custom integrates everything but costs more upfront.
| Criterion | Power BI / Looker | Custom dashboard |
|---|---|---|
| Setup cost | 12,000 to 22,000 EUR | 25,000 to 45,000 EUR |
| Licences | 10 to 70 EUR/user/month | Included (hosting) |
| Specific connectors | To be built | Included |
| UX customisation | Medium | Total |
| Timeline | 6 to 8 weeks | 8 to 12 weeks |
| Long-term autonomy | Vendor-dependent | High |
Many CFOs combine both: a custom data warehouse as foundation, Power BI reporting on top.
The ROI on reporting time
Manual monthly reporting often takes 2 to 4 days per close. Automation brings it down to a few hours.
| Before (manual) | After (automated) | Time saved/month | Annual saving (at 45 EUR/h) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16 h | 4 h | 12 h | 6,480 EUR |
| 24 h | 5 h | 19 h | 10,260 EUR |
| 32 h | 6 h | 26 h | 14,040 EUR |
| 40 h | 8 h | 32 h | 17,280 EUR |
The biggest gain stays qualitative: reliable, dated figures available on day +1 rather than day +10.
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Mini case study
Claire, CFO of a 60-employee industrial firm in New York, spent 3 days a month consolidating Excel between the ERP and accounting. Chosen project: custom data warehouse plus Power BI reporting (18 licences), 28,000 EUR, delivered in 9 weeks, licences ~450 EUR/month. Reporting fell from 24 h to 5 h per close, i.e. ~10,000 EUR/year saved, plus a reliable cash forecast on day +1. Payback in ~14 months, excluding the value of better-informed decisions.
FAQ
Can we start from our existing Excel files?
Yes, they often serve as the starting point to frame the KPIs. The goal is then to replace them with automated, reliable flows.
What is a realistic timeline for the first version?
A usable first version usually ships in 6 to 8 weeks; refinements and secondary sources follow over 4 additional weeks.
Do we need a data warehouse?
As soon as you cross 3 or more sources, yes: it's what guarantees reconciled figures and automatic refresh.
How much do BI licences cost?
Between 10 and 70 EUR/user/month in 2026 depending on the tool and features; a custom foundation can remove them in favour of a fixed hosting cost.
Who maintains the dashboard afterwards?
A maintenance contract covers evolutions and new sources; plan a monthly fee proportional to the foundation's complexity.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your data sources (ERP, CRM, accounting) and the number of users, for a quote between 12,000 and 45,000 EUR and a first deliverable within 8 weeks. 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.
