In 1 minute
- The cost depends on the scope: processes, data, integrations, training and ongoing support.
- To compare quotes, check that they answer the same questions before looking at the total.
- A fixed price needs defined deliverables and an acceptance criterion.
- Your team’s time is also part of the planning.
The cost of an implementation depends on the work needed for the organization to operate with the system. To evaluate a proposal, it helps to separate its components and understand the expected result of each one.
Two quotes can show very different amounts because they include different scopes: processes, data, integrations, training or ongoing support. Comparing them starts by putting those differences on the table.
The components worth reviewing
| Component | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Licenses | Which plan is considered, for which users and under what current conditions |
| Hosting | Where the system will run and what each party is responsible for |
| Assessment and design | Which processes are reviewed and how the scope is documented |
| Configuration | Which features and workflows will be implemented |
| Migration | Which data is moved, who prepares it and how it is validated |
| Integrations | Which systems are connected and who maintains each connection |
| Development | What need justifies the adaptation and how it is maintained |
| Training | Which roles take part and which sessions are included |
| Go-live | How the launch is prepared and what support it includes |
| Support and evolution | What is contracted afterwards, through which channels and under what conditions |
Licenses and services have their own conditions. To check current license prices, see the official Odoo pricing page and confirm the plan that applies to your project.
What usually expands the work
Complexity is not explained only by the number of users. The number of different processes, the dependencies between areas and the quality of the available information also play a part.
For example, bringing over a reviewed customer list may need less preparation than rebuilding balances and transactions from several sources. A documented integration may need different work from one whose system offers no clear exchange mechanisms.
These are examples of scope, not an estimate for every project.
How to compare two proposals
Before looking at the total, check that both answer these questions:
- Which processes will be up and running at the end?
- What information will be migrated and who prepares it?
- What tests are carried out and who accepts the deliverables?
- What does the internal team need to contribute?
- How are scope changes handled?
- What happens if an unidentified dependency comes up?
- What support is included after go-live?
- Which costs or tasks are expressly excluded?
A fixed price needs an understandable scope
When a price per deliverable is agreed, those deliverables need a definition and an acceptance criterion. If the process is not yet known in enough detail, a prior assessment stage can help define the work.
The proposal should also explain how changes are approved. A new need may affect effort, timeline and dependencies; it is best to settle this before carrying it out.
Don’t forget the internal work
The organization needs to take part in decisions, information preparation, testing and training. Setting aside time from the right people is part of planning, even if it does not appear on the provider’s invoice.
A worksheet to prepare the conversation
Copy this list and fill it in with your team:
- Processes we need to implement:
- Main problem we want to solve:
- Systems we use today:
- Information we need to keep or migrate:
- Integrations needed:
- People who can validate each area:
- Target date and the reason for it:
- Scope we can leave for a second stage:
