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Business Central Implementation Estimate Worksheet (Excel)

A good Business Central estimate lists the work area by area, separates configuration from development, and keeps testing visible. This worksheet gives you that structure in a table you can edit and export to Excel for a quote or an internal business case.

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Functional area	Complexity	Configuration days (days)	Development days (days)	Test and training days (days)	Total days	Day rate	Cost
					15		$13,500
					13		$11,700
					13		$11,700
					23		$20,700
					28		$26,600
					23		$19,550
					19		$18,050
					13		$11,700

Total days

147

Total cost

$133,500

Contingency at 15%

$20,025

Budget with contingency

$153,525

Blended day rate

$908

Add one row per module, extension or integration. Typical splits put configuration, development and testing in similar proportions; high development share signals customisation risk. Example numbers are illustrative.

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How to use it

Replace the example rows with your scope. Create one row per functional area, per integration or per extension. Enter configuration, development and test days separately, since they are staffed and priced differently. Set a day rate per row if rates differ between functional consultants, developers and project managers. The sheet totals days and cost and adds a contingency allowance.

The method

Total days per row equal the three phases added together, and cost equals total days times day rate. The summary multiplies total cost by the contingency percentage and adds it to give the budget. The blended rate shows whether cost is dominated by expensive developer time. Keep project management and governance as their own row so it is not hidden inside other lines.

Include data migration, which is almost always underestimated
Add a row for each AL extension and integration
Plan user training and UAT explicitly
Add a hypercare period after go-live

Reading the result

If development exceeds configuration across most rows, the project is adapting the product heavily. That is a signal to revisit fit-gap decisions, because custom code adds upgrade and support cost every year. Compare your total against similar projects of the same user count and modules, and treat a number far below your partner's quote as a prompt to find the missing rows.

Common mistakes

Estimating only the happy path, leaving out data cleansing, forgetting customer-side time for decisions and testing, and applying contingency to development only. Another is quoting a fixed price without agreeing the scope baseline and change control. Clear exclusions protect both sides.

Frequently Asked Questions

What contingency should I use?

Ten to twenty percent is common for well-understood scope. Use more where requirements are unclear, customisation is heavy, or data quality is unknown. Record what the contingency covers so it is not spent silently.

Can I add rows?

Yes. Add as many rows as you need for modules, extensions, integrations and reports. Totals and the summary update automatically, and you can export the sheet to Excel.

How do I handle different rates per role?

Create separate rows for functional, technical and project management work, each with its own day rate, or use a blended rate if your quote does.

Does this replace a partner's quote?

No. It structures your thinking and helps you challenge a quote. A partner's estimate also reflects their method, risk allowance and assumptions about your data and people.

If you are modernising from NAV or another ERP, we can help review your estimate and identify migration and integration work that tends to be missed.

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