Executive dashboard for a multi-subsidiary holding company in Miami in 2026

The verdict in three sentences

When consolidation takes 12 days, executives decide on figures already six weeks old, which is costly in fast sectors such as distribution and transport. Power BI is the right answer if your 4 ERPs expose clean data and you have an analyst able to maintain the models. A custom consolidated web dashboard makes sense when charts of accounts diverge, multi-currency restatements get complicated and leadership wants a simple mobile tool.

Power BI or a custom platform

2026 orders of magnitude for a holding company with 7 subsidiaries (distribution, transport, real estate), excluding tax. Miami holdings with Latin American or African subsidiaries face the same multi-currency issue as a Kinshasa group handling USD and Congolese francs.

Power BI is not the main cost item: for 25 users at USD 14, licences stay below USD 4,200 per year. The real cost is data preparation. If two subsidiaries still run local software without an API, a Power BI project effectively turns into custom development.

What 2 to 3 day consolidation changes

Time savings matter, but the main stake is cash. In a group where transport and distribution handle a lot of cash and mobile payments, a daily view of collections per subsidiary reduces overdrafts and spots margin drift earlier.

Constraints to plan for

• Multiple currencies: revenue in local currency and dollars, costs often in dollars. The model must store both and a daily historised rate.
• Accounting frameworks: subsidiaries may apply US GAAP, IFRS or OHADA (SYSCOHADA) with local variations, to be harmonised in a mapping table.
• Connectivity: plan cloud hosting with deferred sync from sites that lose connection, and a light app usable on 3G.
• Access governance: each subsidiary director sees only their scope, executives see everything, with an access log.

Mini case study

Patrick, CFO of a 7-subsidiary holding company, ties up 4 financial controllers half-time for 12 days each month. At about USD 2,500 per month per loaded controller, this time represents nearly USD 60,000 per year spent on consolidation alone. The custom dashboard is priced at USD 70,000, with USD 6,000 per year for hosting and maintenance. Cutting consolidation to 3 days frees about 75% of that time, i.e. USD 45,000 per year redirected to analysis. Adding an estimated 0.5% reduction in working capital needs on USD 8 million of monthly revenue, cash released exceeds USD 40,000. Estimated payback between 12 and 18 months.

FAQ

Can we start with Power BI and move to custom later?

Yes, if the data warehouse is built properly from the start. It represents 40 to 60% of the work and remains reusable by a custom interface.

How long to connect 4 different ERPs?

Allow 3 to 6 weeks per ERP depending on export or API quality. Local software without an API needs a file-based connector, delivered in 2 to 3 weeks.

How do you handle multiple currencies?

Each amount is stored in its original currency and a historised daily rate is applied, for example the relevant central bank rate. Exchange differences then show as a separate line.

Does the dashboard work on a phone?

A mobile web app shows the 10 to 15 key indicators and sends alerts. It stays readable on 3G, with pages under 500 KB.

Who maintains the tool after delivery?

A maintenance contract covers ERP and indicator changes, usually 8 to 12% of the initial cost per year. Training an in-house champion reduces that need.

Let's scope your project. Describe your subsidiaries, your ERPs and the indicators leadership expects: we will price your consolidated dashboard with a first scope deliverable in 3 months. Detailed quote within 48 h. WhatsApp +221 77 596 93 33.