The verdict in three sentences
With 600 suppliers and 25,000 invoices a year, a distributor is too big to run onboarding by email and too small to justify a full procurement suite. A custom supplier portal at GBP 40,000-80,000 covers onboarding, compliance documents and disputes, while SAP Ariba or Ivalua cost GBP 35,000 to 105,000 a year. The expected 1.5 FTE saved in accounts payable makes the custom build profitable in just over a year.
What the portal needs to centralise
The procurement director of a London distribution group loses time on three flows: onboarding new suppliers (Companies House details, bank details, insurance, modern slavery statement, ISO certificates), tracking pending invoices, and disputes over quantities or prices. A portal brings them into one space where each supplier uploads documents, tracks payments and raises disputes without calling accounts.
| Module | Function | Build cost | Expected gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Onboarding | Form, documents, 2-step approval | GBP 10,500 to 17,500 | Onboarding time from 15 to 4 days |
| Compliance | Automatic reminders for insurance and certificate expiry | GBP 5,000 to 8,500 | Zero expired documents at audit |
| Invoice tracking | Status, expected payment date, PO matching | GBP 8,500 to 19,000 | -60% supplier calls |
| Disputes | Ticket, attachments, buyer and AP workflow | GBP 7,000 to 13,000 | Resolution time halved |
| ERP connector | Supplier and invoice sync (Sage X3, Dynamics, SAP) | GBP 6,000 to 15,500 | No more double entry |
| Procurement dashboard | Payment terms, disputes, compliance | GBP 2,000 to 4,500 | Weekly steering |
UK payment practices reporting already requires large companies to publish their payment times twice a year: the portal's dashboard gives you those figures without manual extraction. If you also trade with France, plan a connector for French mandatory e-invoicing, phased in from September 2026.
Custom build or procurement suite: 3-year comparison
The figures below are 2026 estimates for 600 suppliers and 25,000 invoices a year.
| Criterion | Custom portal | SAP Ariba | Ivalua | Spreadsheets and email |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upfront investment | GBP 40,000 to 80,000 | GBP 25,000 to 70,000 integration | GBP 35,000 to 85,000 integration | GBP 0 |
| Annual cost | GBP 7,000 to 12,000 maintenance | GBP 35,000 to 105,000 licences | GBP 43,000 to 95,000 licences | 1.5 extra FTE |
| 3-year total | GBP 61,000 to 116,000 | GBP 130,000 to 385,000 | GBP 165,000 to 370,000 | About GBP 171,000 |
| Time to go live | 4 to 6 months | 6 to 12 months | 6 to 12 months | Immediate |
| Fit with internal rules | Full | Limited configuration | Good | None |
| Code ownership | Yes | No | No | Not applicable |
Market suites make sense above 3,000 suppliers, with complex tenders and multi-country purchasing. Below that, you mostly pay for features you will not use.
Mini case study
Sarah, CFO of an electrical equipment distributor in London, has 5 people in accounts payable for 25,000 invoices a year. She commissions a custom portal at GBP 61,000 with a Sage X3 connector, plus GBP 8,700 a year of maintenance. The portal removes 60% of supplier calls and the double entry of compliance documents: 1.5 FTE moves to management control. At a fully loaded GBP 38,000 per FTE, the annual gain is GBP 57,000. Net gain after maintenance: GBP 48,300 a year. Break-even: 61,000 / 48,300, about 15 months. Over 3 years, cumulative net savings exceed GBP 83,000.
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FAQ
How long to onboard 600 suppliers?
Allow 8 to 12 weeks with an email invitation campaign and a reminder at day 10. Typically 70% of active suppliers register in the first month.
Does the portal handle e-invoicing?
It does not replace an accredited e-invoicing platform, but it connects to one to show invoice status to suppliers. That connector costs GBP 4,500 to 10,500 depending on the platform.
Can we start small?
Yes: phase 1 onboarding and compliance at GBP 21,000-30,000, delivered in 10 weeks, then invoice tracking and disputes in phase 2.
Where is supplier data hosted?
In the UK or EU, with daily backups and access logging, for GBP 130 to 350 a month depending on volume.
Who owns the code?
You do. Source code and documentation are handed over, so there is no vendor lock-in.
Let's scope your project. Send us your supplier count, your ERP and your current pain points: we will price a portal between GBP 40,000 and 80,000, delivered in 4 to 6 months in phases. 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.
