The verdict in three sentences
A custom decision dashboard consolidating sales, cash and operations in real time costs 20,000 to 70,000 EUR in 2026, multi-source connectors included. It ships in 6 to 12 weeks and removes the manual re-keying that poisons Excel reporting. Against BI licences at 15 - 60 EUR/user/month, custom becomes worthwhile beyond 15 to 25 users or when needs exceed the standard catalogue.
Custom build or off-the-shelf tool?
The real question isn't "Power BI or not", but "how many users, how complex are the sources, how much customisation". Here is a 2026 comparison of the three approaches.
| Criterion | Power BI / Tableau | Metabase (open source) | Custom BI |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront cost | Low | Low (self-host) | 20,000 - 70,000 EUR |
| Recurring cost | 15 - 60 EUR/user/month | hosting ~50-300 EUR/month | maintenance 3,000-10,000 EUR/yr |
| Complex connectors | limited/paid | medium | unlimited (custom) |
| UX customisation | constrained | medium | total |
| Setup time | 2 - 6 weeks | 1 - 4 weeks | 6 - 12 weeks |
| Cost at 30 users over 3 yrs | ~40,000-65,000 EUR | ~12,000-25,000 EUR | ~30,000-80,000 EUR |
Under 15 users with standard sources, an off-the-shelf tool is often enough. Beyond that, or with specific business rules and heterogeneous sources (in-house ERP, e-commerce, bank), custom regains the edge over 3 years.
KPIs to track by function
A good dashboard doesn't show 200 metrics: it shows the 6 to 10 that trigger a decision. Here are the 2026 reference KPIs by function.
| Function | Key KPI | Frequency | Connected source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Executive | Net margin, cash available | Daily | Accounting, bank |
| Sales | Weighted pipeline, conversion rate | Real time | CRM |
| Finance | DSO, working capital, cash forecast | Daily | Accounting, bank |
| Operations | Service level, lead times, stock | Hourly | ERP |
| E-commerce | Revenue, average basket, return rate | Real time | E-commerce platform |
Automatic refresh and KPI alerts (cash threshold breached, conversion drop) are what turn reporting into a steering tool. That is exactly what manual Excel exports never do.
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Mini case study
Thomas, head of a 60-person B2B distribution SME in Nantes, consolidates 4 Excel exports every Monday (ERP, CRM, bank, e-commerce): 6 weekly hours for his controller, and already-stale numbers. He invests 38,000 EUR in a custom dashboard. Gain: 6 h/week freed (~9,000 EUR/year), real-time reordering decisions that cut stock-outs by 22 %, and a cash alert that spares him two overdrafts. The project pays back in about 14 months, excluding hard-to-quantify steering gains.
FAQ
How many sources can be connected? Technically as many as needed (ERP, CRM, e-commerce, bank via aggregator, spreadsheets). Each connector runs 2,000 to 6,000 EUR depending on API complexity.
How fast is the dashboard operational? A first useful version (2-3 sources, key KPIs) in 6 to 8 weeks; the full version with alerts and role-based access in 10 to 12 weeks.
Is custom really cheaper than Power BI? Not always. Under 15 users, Power BI or Metabase wins. Beyond that, or with specific needs, custom becomes competitive over 3 years (see table).
Who can edit dashboards after delivery? We ship an admin interface and documentation. Minor changes are self-service; new connectors go through a maintenance package (3,000 - 10,000 EUR/year).
Does data stay secure? Yes: EU hosting, encryption, role-based access control and access logging, GDPR-compliant.
Let's scope your project. Tell us your data sources, the number of users and the 6 to 10 priority KPIs; we'll price the core and connectors. 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.
