Many Saudi businesses are best served by an off-the-shelf accounting or ERP system that already connects to ZATCA's Fatoora platform. A custom ERP makes sense when your branches, stock, projects or payroll don't fit a ready-made tool, or when you want several systems on one database you own. Q Studio builds ERPs in phases: one focused module from about SAR 5,600 ($1,500) in about 3 weeks, multi-module systems from about SAR 11,250 ($3,000), with e-invoicing usually handled through a ZATCA-compliant solution.
Most Saudi companies looking for ERP development aren't chasing a buzzword. They have invoices coming out of one program, stock tracked in spreadsheets, payroll in another file, and branch managers sending numbers over WhatsApp. Then a notice arrives about their Fatoora integration deadline, and "we should sort out our systems" becomes urgent.
This page covers what an ERP has to handle in Saudi Arabia, how to choose between off-the-shelf, custom and hybrid, what it costs in riyals, and when a remote studio like ours is the wrong choice.
What a Saudi business actually needs from an ERP
An ERP (enterprise resource planning system) puts sales, purchasing, stock, people and accounts on one database instead of separate tools that don't talk to each other. In Saudi Arabia, the same requirements come up again and again:
- Compliant tax invoices. VAT is 15%, and invoices must be issued from an electronic system that meets ZATCA's e-invoicing rules.
- Branches in several cities. A head office in Riyadh, a warehouse in Dammam, a showroom in Jeddah, each with its own stock and its own permissions.
- Payroll that fits Saudi rules. GOSI contributions that differ by nationality, and a monthly Wage Protection System file that matches the actual bank transfers.
- Arabic that works. Staff on the warehouse floor or at the counter should use the system in Arabic, while management or foreign shareholders may want English.
- Reports an owner can read without waiting for month-end: sales by branch, receivables, slow-moving items.
If only one of these is your problem, one well-built module may be enough.
Off-the-shelf, custom or hybrid?
| Option | Choose it when | The trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Off-the-shelf (cloud accounting or ERP) | Your processes are standard, you want to start this week, and you're willing to adapt | Per-user or per-module subscriptions, limits on customization |
| Custom ERP | Your process is unusual (project-based work, made-to-order production, field service), or you want everything in one database you own | Upfront build cost and time spent mapping processes properly |
| Hybrid | Your accounting system works well, but a piece is missing, such as multi-branch stock or a customer portal | Lower cost, provided the existing system offers an API on your plan |
Our honest view: a small business with one location should start with a cloud accounting system already integrated with Fatoora; Odoo, Zoho Books and several Saudi accounting apps offer this. Use it for a few months and note where it gets in the way. That list is the best brief if you later need something custom.
The hybrid route is what we see most often with mid-sized companies. The accountant keeps the system they know; we build the missing part around it, and the two exchange data automatically. Our ERP development overview explains the general approach.
Modules, and the Saudi details inside each
| Module | Covers | Saudi-specific details |
|---|---|---|
| Sales and CRM | Customers, quotes, orders, WhatsApp follow-ups | VAT numbers for business customers, Arabic quotes |
| Invoicing and accounts | Invoices, receipts, expenses, customer and supplier balances | 15% VAT, credit and debit notes instead of deleting invoices, Fatoora integration |
| Inventory and warehouses | Items, stock per branch, transfers, barcodes, low-stock alerts | Branches across cities with separate permissions |
| Purchasing | Suppliers, purchase requests, approvals, receiving | Input VAT on supplier invoices |
| Point of sale | Counter sales in shops and restaurants, tied to stock | mada payments, simplified invoices with QR codes |
| HR and payroll | Employees, attendance, leave, salaries, documents | GOSI settings, WPS file, Iqama and contract expiry alerts |
| Projects and field service | Work orders, technicians, site visits | Sites in different cities |
Everything runs on one database, with role- and branch-based permissions, an audit trail and Excel exports. Where your team works with Hijri dates on certain documents, we can show Hijri alongside Gregorian while storing dates in one consistent format underneath.
Compliance: what your developer must understand
This section explains what each rule means for your software. It isn't tax or legal advice. Requirements and deadlines change, so confirm them with the relevant authority and your adviser.
ZATCA e-invoicing (Fatoora)
Phase 1 (generation) has applied to every VAT-registered business since 4 December 2021: invoices must be issued and stored by an electronic system, with a QR code on simplified invoices. Phase 2 (integration with the Fatoora platform) is being rolled out in waves by revenue, and ZATCA notifies each wave at least six months ahead. Wave 25 covers taxpayers whose VAT-taxable revenue exceeded SAR 187,500 in any year from 2022 to 2025, with an integration deadline of 1 February 2027. Check your own wave and date with ZATCA or your tax adviser.
For the system, Phase 2 means invoices in a defined XML format, a cryptographic stamp on each one, real-time clearance of B2B tax invoices, and reporting of B2C simplified invoices within 24 hours. In most cases we recommend connecting your custom ERP to an established ZATCA-compliant e-invoicing solution or accounting platform through its API, rather than building and onboarding a direct integration for a single company. Our Arabic e-invoicing guide for stores and systems compares both routes.
Payroll: GOSI and the Wage Protection System
Saudi payroll is more than gross minus deductions. GOSI contributions differ for Saudi and non-Saudi employees, and the new social insurance law raises rates gradually for Saudis who joined from July 2024 onwards. So we build rates as settings your accountant controls, not numbers buried in code.
Under the Wage Protection System, employers upload a payroll file every month through Mudad, listing each employee's ID or Iqama number, contracted salary, amount actually paid and deductions. A good payroll module generates that file straight from the payroll run, so it matches the bank transfers without retyping.
Saudization
Your Nitaqat band is calculated officially on the Qiwa platform, and your ERP shouldn't try to replace that. An HR module can still show Saudi and non-Saudi headcount per establishment, so managers see the effect of a hire before checking Qiwa.
Personal data (PDPL)
An ERP holds national IDs, salaries and phone numbers. Saudi Arabia's Personal Data Protection Law has been enforced since September 2024 under SDAIA. In practice: tight permissions (a sales rep shouldn't see salaries), collecting only what's needed, and knowing where each type of data is stored. We decide hosting with you at the scoping stage, based on your adviser's view. Our PDPL guide for app owners goes deeper.
Point of sale and mada
Most in-store payments in Saudi Arabia are made with mada cards and Apple Pay. Card terminals usually come from your bank or payment provider; the POS records the payment method and reconciles it with settlement. A direct link between till and terminal depends on what your provider exposes, and we confirm that before pricing.
How we work with Saudi clients remotely
Q Studio is a software studio in Giza, Egypt, working fully remotely over WhatsApp and video calls. Cairo time matches Riyadh in summer and is one hour behind in winter, so we're available during your working day.
- Map the real process first, exceptions included.
- Start with the module that hurts most, not everything at once.
- A working preview within 72 hours of the scope being approved, tested by your own staff.
- Import a sample of real data early, so duplicate items and mismatched balances surface in week one.
- Add modules in phases on the same database, each with its own written scope and fixed price.
Code, database and hosting are in your company's name from day one. Payments follow milestones (usually 30% / 40% / 30%), each released after you've seen that stage working.
Prices and timelines in SAR
We price in US dollars; riyal figures are approximate.
| Scope | Starts from | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Clickable prototype of your main screens | about SAR 1,900 ($500) | about 5 days |
| One focused system or module (stock, payroll, POS...) | about SAR 5,600 ($1,500) | about 3 weeks |
| Multi-module system with integrations and more roles | about SAR 11,250 ($3,000) | about 5–6 weeks |
| Full ERP | Built in phases, each phase quoted in the written scope | Depends on modules |
Third-party costs (hosting, an e-invoicing solution, messaging) are paid by you directly. Our guide to ERP development cost breaks these down.
What we can and can't show you
Our business systems so far were built for the Egyptian market, and you can open them: Dawawin HR (our own HR and payroll system), PharmaRiwaq (our own multi-module platform for pharma companies, with an offline field app and audit trail) and On Time Express (a courier operations system for a client, with settlements and a money ledger). For Saudi Arabia, the modules are the same; the rules change: ZATCA e-invoicing, Saudi payroll and GOSI, mada payments. In Saudi Arabia we also built the Verkan Stone company website in Arabic and English, which is a website, not a business system.
So we suggest starting with a prototype or a single module, to see how we work on your data before committing.
When we're not the right fit
- You require a Saudi-registered vendor or a team inside the Kingdom, as government tenders and many large companies do. We're remote and have no office or commercial registration in Saudi Arabia.
- You want consultants on site to run workshops and train staff in person.
- You want every system replaced in one big-bang launch. We build in phases because it's far less risky.
- An off-the-shelf system already does the job. We'll say so.
- The business isn't Sharia-compliant, such as interest-based lending or gambling.
If you need a customer-facing app rather than an internal system, see our page on app development in Saudi Arabia.
FAQ
Can a custom ERP be Phase 2 compliant without building the ZATCA integration ourselves?
Yes. The usual route is for the ERP to send each invoice to a ZATCA-compliant e-invoicing solution through its API, which handles the stamping, clearance and reporting and returns the QR code. We build the ERP side and the connection; you choose and subscribe to the provider.
We're a foreign company with a new Saudi entity. Is that different?
The rules apply to your Saudi entity like any other: VAT registration, e-invoicing once you're in scope, payroll through GOSI and Mudad for local staff. We often build bilingual systems where head office reads English and local staff work in Arabic.
Can the ERP run on our existing Odoo or Zoho setup?
Often, yes. If your current system has API access on your plan, we can build the missing module around it, such as multi-branch stock or work orders, and keep the accounting where it is.
How long does a full ERP take?
One module takes about 3 weeks; a multi-module system about 5–6 weeks; further modules follow in phases. You see a working preview within 72 hours of approving the scope.
How do we start?
Send us on WhatsApp the systems you use today, how many branches and users you have, and where things break. Within 24 hours you'll get a written scope, timeline and fixed price, free and without obligation. The project planner can help you put the brief together.
Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
Blog
Saudi Arabia
Services
Services