From BOQ to Billing: Why Construction Companies Still Using Excel Lose Money

Edraky Global
Oct 30
3 min read

Upgrade To SAP Business One.

In today’s construction market in Egypt, project success isn’t just about pouring concrete, it’s about controlling costs, tracking progress, and ensuring fast billing.

But many construction companies in Egypt still rely heavily on Excel, WhatsApp messages, and disconnected systems.

And that leads to:

Manual Bill of Quantities (BOQs)
Delayed supplier requests
Unknown project profitability
Billing disputes with clients
Zero real-time visibility for finance

If your site and your finance department aren’t connected… your costs WILL overrun.

The Modern Construction ERP:

SAP Business One brings a unified ERP foundation. The Construction Module adds industry-specific controls such as:

Digitized Contract & BOQ Management

Replace spreadsheets with structured BOQ items
Track quantities, variations, and changes in real-time
Ensure contract value and cost control remain aligned

Automated Material Requests From Site

Engineers submit MRNs digitally
Avoid delays, phone calls, and material shortages
Gain complete visibility into material consumption

Progress Tracking vs. Project Plan

Monitor actual progress against planned milestones
Trigger progress-based billing automatically
Identify delays early and take corrective action

Faster Billing. Less Dispute. Better Cash Flow.

Bill based on verified progress and BOQ line items
Improve collection through accurate documentation
Reduce financial leakage and margin erosion

From tendering to handover, everything connected in one system.

Why Bbeter:

Digital transformation in construction doesn’t succeed by installing software, it succeeds when a technology partner understands projects, cost control, and on-site reality.

That’s exactly where Bbeter stands out.

With deep experience in the Egyptian construction and contracting sector, Bbeter delivers more than just SAP Business One, we deliver industry-proven construction workflows that help you run every project profitably.

Conclusion:

Construction margins are thin. Deadlines are tight. Cash flow is critical. Relying on Excel and scattered communication isn’t just inefficient it’s a direct risk to profitability.

SAP Business One with the Construction Module brings the control that Egypt’s contractors urgently need:

Real-time cost visibility
Faster billing and better cash flow
Digital BOQs and accurate progress tracking
A single connected system from site to finance

But the right software alone isn’t enough.

With Bbeter, you gain a partner that understands how construction truly works from variation orders and subcontracting, to material requests and progress billing.

Together, SAP Business One + Bbeter give you a system designed not only to build projects but to build profit and growth.

Start your transformation with Bbeter and take full control of every project.

Why are my construction projects always delayed and over budget?

Because your data lives in Excel and WhatsApp… not in a controlled system.

➡ Bbeter implements SAP Business One so you track progress vs. budget in real time and fix issues before they become disasters.

How do I stop material theft and waste on site?

Paper MRNs = magic disappearing stock.

➡ Bbeter gives you digital material requests and consumption tracking — zero guesswork.

Why is billing always delayed and disputed?

Because progress isn’t measured properly and BOQs aren’t updated accurately.

➡ With Bbeter, billing is based on verified progress faster invoices, fewer arguments, better cash flow.

How do I know if a project is profitable BEFORE it’s too late?

Excel won’t warn you. It waits for mistakes to happen.

➡ Bbeter gives site teams and finance one version of the truth live cost control.

Is SAP Business One really worth it for construction companies in Egypt?

Yes , when implemented by experts who understand BOQs, subcontracting, retentions, and variations.

➡ Bbeter specializes in construction workflows, not generic ERP setups.