Before approving an ERP proposal, you need two clear figures: the cost to go live and the cost to keep operating afterward. Then define what each phase delivers and when the business needs cash. The owner can then decide knowing what they will get, finance can explain every line and its renewal, and purchasing can compare offers that deliver the same operating workflow rather than totals that do not line up.
At ToDoOps we build this picture from a written scope of work. If you would like a general view of the solution first, start from the home page and then return to this guide for the numbers.
What makes up an Odoo budget?
It has three layers that any clear proposal shows. The first is the Odoo subscription, which depends on the number of users and the plan you choose; the app scope is part of the plan, not a separate charge for each app [2]. The second is implementation services: Odoo’s official consulting packs define their hours and activities, so each proposal should be read for what it actually covers, whether analysis, configuration, data or training. The third is operation: Odoo.sh hosting is a separate cost, while operational support, customisations and integrations follow the agreed scope. Anything covered by the product subscription stays within it and is not charged twice.
This reading helps in two ways. If the implementation scope includes training or help with data, count them once. And the first-year introductory price is shown separately from the renewal price, and you ask for the renewal price explicitly. The published pack hours explain how services are priced; they do not tell you how many hours a particular retail or manufacturing project needs, which depends on your processes and data.
That is why we tie the budget to the quoted scope rather than to a ready-made formula. For the dated price references, see the Odoo pricing guide for Saudi Arabia.
Does company size set the ERP cost?
Official classification gives useful context. The Monshaat SME Authority divides Saudi establishments into four categories: micro, small, medium and large. It uses full-time employee count and annual revenue together, and when the two place an establishment in different categories, the higher category applies [1].
The classification helps when you talk to support programmes and lenders, and it shows where you sit among Saudi establishments. But an Odoo project’s scope is set by other questions: how many business cycles will run in the system, what state your product, customer and opening-balance data is in, which interfaces cannot be dropped, and who needs training on what. Two companies in the same category can need very different projects, so we do not offer a price per category.
A worked example: year one and three years
The example is hypothetical and simplified. It is not a ToDoOps quotation or a market benchmark. It assumes a scope covering implementation, data and training, plus an annual subscription, hosting and support:
| Item | Type | Year 1 (SAR) | Each later year (SAR) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implementation, data and training | One-off | 40,000 | - |
| Annual subscription | Recurring | 12,000 | 12,000 |
| Hosting | Recurring | 3,000 | 3,000 |
| Support | Recurring | 6,000 | 6,000 |
| Total | 61,000 | 21,000 |
First-year cash cost is SAR 61,000. If the recurring amounts stay constant, the three-year total is SAR 103,000, that is 40,000 + 3 × (12,000 + 3,000 + 6,000). The example excludes VAT, financing, discounting and any other devices or integrations. Training is already inside the 40,000, so it is not charged twice.
This way the owner sees what to expect in year one and what remains afterward, and finance sees what recurs and what does not. If you would like a first estimate of Odoo implementation cost and potential savings before you gather proposals, try the ToDoOps calculators. Use them as a starting point, or contact us directly when your scope needs a discussion.
How do we scope a workable first phase?
We start with a complete business cycle rather than a set of loose screens: for example order, delivery, invoice and collection, or purchase, receipt and payment. For each cycle we write the exceptions, reports and interfaces it needs, and the person who owns each decision. The budget then carries clear lines for data, role-based training and acceptance testing. Anything outside the first phase is not left vague; it goes into a later development list, by agreement, with an owner and a decision point.
To see how processes connect, try Odoo interactively. It is a guided simulation with hypothetical data for a sales and inventory flow, showing how an order moves into stock and the invoice. It helps you see the work you will be budgeting for through a short practical path. This connected-cycle idea is also what makes proposals comparable: ask each provider where the cycle ends in its offer.
You can review the Odoo apps to see what your cycle needs, and the implementation cost factors to understand what moves project scope.
What happens when scope changes?
A new need may appear after approval: an extra report, an interface or a cycle that was not planned. It is recorded as a named decision, and its scope, budget and timing are updated before work begins. That keeps the approved amount known, and keeps the comparison of what is done against what remains possible.
Your team’s time on preparation and training is a capacity allocation. If paid overtime or temporary cover is actually needed, it is a separate cash cost recorded when it arises. Payment dates follow the contract and its milestones, not an assumed payment policy.
Frequently asked questions
Should I add a fixed contingency percentage to an ERP budget?
Tie any contingency to a known unknown, such as historical data not yet checked or an undocumented interface, and to the company’s own policy, then update the estimate once it is verified. We do not apply one percentage to every project.
Does the implementation amount repeat every year?
No, unless the same work genuinely recurs. Implementation is counted once; subscriptions, hosting and support recur as agreed.
How do I compare two proposals in different formats?
Turn them into the same list: the business cycles delivered, data, training and testing, what is included versus separate, and the renewal price. The real difference then becomes visible.
References
- Monshaat (Small and Medium Enterprises General Authority), SME definition: the official classification of establishment categories in Saudi Arabia.
- Odoo, official pricing page and consulting packs page (reviewed 27 October 2026): subscription basis by users and plan, and the hours and activities defined in each pack.
Discuss your scope with ToDoOps
Start by discussing the workflow you want to operate and the proposal items you need explained. We work with you to define implementation, data, training and recurring services under the agreed scope, making the decision clearer for management, finance and purchasing.
You can get to know the solution on the home page, try the calculators for an optional first estimate, and then contact ToDoOps to discuss your scope.