The verdict in three sentences
A custom supplier extranet for a distributor with 180 suppliers costs EUR 35,000 to 80,000 excl. tax, plus an ERP connector at EUR 8,000 to 20,000. The project ships in 4 to 6 months and application maintenance runs at about 12% of the initial cost per year. The most tangible gain: 3 person-days per week handed back to purchasing, which no longer re-keys acknowledgements or invoices.
The figures come from a reference project near Lyon; an Amsterdam distributor working with a nearshore francophone team would see similar costs, while a local Dutch agency typically quotes 30 to 50% higher day rates.
What the extranet does and what each module costs
Today, purchase orders go out as PDF emails, acknowledgements come back in mixed formats and invoices arrive through three different channels. Buyers re-key, chase and reconcile by hand. The extranet creates a single exchange point, synchronised with the ERP.
| Module | 2026 range (excl. tax) | Expected effect |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier accounts, roles and authentication | EUR 4,000 to 8,000 | Secure access for 180 suppliers and their contacts |
| Publishing POs from the ERP | EUR 6,000 to 14,000 | No more manual PDF sending |
| Online acknowledgements (dates, quantities, gaps) | EUR 7,000 to 16,000 | Structured confirmations, gap alerts |
| Invoice upload and matching | EUR 8,000 to 18,000 | Automated PO, receipt and invoice matching |
| Supplier catalogue and price lists | EUR 5,000 to 12,000 | Tracked price updates |
| Purchasing dashboard (service rate, delays) | EUR 5,000 to 12,000 | Supplier performance steering |
| ERP connector (Sage X3, Exact, SAP Business One, Dynamics) | EUR 8,000 to 20,000 | Two-way synchronisation |
The low end covers POs, acknowledgements and invoices with an ERP that has a clean API. The high end adds catalogue, dashboard and an older ERP that forces file-based exchanges.
Budget split and typical schedule
For a median project at EUR 55,000 excl. tax plus a EUR 14,000 connector, i.e. EUR 69,000 excl. tax:
| Phase | Duration | Budget share | Indicative amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scoping, workshops with buyers and 5 pilot suppliers | 3 weeks | 8% | EUR 5,500 |
| UX design and ERP flow specifications | 3 weeks | 10% | EUR 6,900 |
| Extranet development (sprints) | 9 weeks | 45% | EUR 31,000 |
| ERP connector and sync testing | 4 weeks in parallel | 20% | EUR 13,800 |
| Acceptance, security, performance | 3 weeks | 9% | EUR 6,200 |
| Pilot rollout then supplier waves | 4 weeks | 8% | EUR 5,600 |
| Total | about 22 weeks | 100% | EUR 69,000 |
Rollout happens in waves: 10 pilot suppliers, then the 50 that account for 80% of volume, then the rest. The smallest suppliers keep a simplified mode via a secure email link.
The operational gain, line by line
| Purchasing task | Hours/week before | Hours/week after | Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sending and chasing POs | 8 h | 2 h | 6 h |
| Keying acknowledgements into the ERP | 7 h | 1 h | 6 h |
| Invoice matching | 9 h | 3 h | 6 h |
| Handling price discrepancies | 4 h | 2 h | 2 h |
| Answering suppliers on payment status | 3 h | 0.5 h | 2.5 h |
| Total | 31 h | 8.5 h | 22.5 h, i.e. 3 person-days |
Mini case study
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Julien Bernard, purchasing director at an industrial supplies distributor near Lyon, approves the EUR 69,000 scenario, with 12% annual maintenance (EUR 6,600 on the extranet part) and EUR 300 per month hosting. First-year cost: 69,000 + 6,600 + 3,600 = EUR 79,200 excl. tax. Gain: 22.5 hours per week × 46 weeks × EUR 45 loaded cost = EUR 46,600 per year, plus about EUR 15,000 of avoided invoicing errors (0.1% on EUR 15 million of purchases). Payback in about 16 months, then a net annual gain close to EUR 51,000.
FAQ
Why not use the supplier portal bundled with the ERP?
Where it exists, it is often billed EUR 15 to 40 per supplier per month, i.e. EUR 32,000 to 86,000 per year for 180 suppliers, with a user experience smaller suppliers avoid. Custom becomes cost-effective from year two.
How do we handle mandatory e-invoicing?
The extranet can forward received invoices to your certified e-invoicing platform or Peppol access point, in line with the EU e-invoicing rollout. This flow adds EUR 3,000 to 6,000 excl. tax to the project.
Will suppliers actually use it?
With wave-based rollout and a 30-minute training, adoption typically reaches 70% in 3 months and 90% of volume in 6 months, because suppliers see their payments move faster.
What does 12% annual maintenance cover?
Fixes, security updates, adapting to ERP version upgrades and about 5 days of minor enhancements per year.
Can we start smaller?
Yes. A first release limited to POs and acknowledgements costs EUR 30,000 to 40,000 excl. tax including the connector and ships in 3 months.
Let's scope your project. A supplier extranet connected to your ERP for EUR 35,000 to 80,000 excl. tax plus connector, delivered in 4 to 6 months in waves. 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.
