Alternatives to Boond: which compass should you use to steer the growth of your service business?

When an IT services company switches to scale-up mode, it almost always encounters the same obstacle:

too complex for Excel (multiple files, different definitions, overwritten data);
too agile for “heavy” ERP systems (rigid processes, endless configuration, difficult adoption).

The result: a glass ceiling. Not due to a lack of customers or talent, but due to a lack of reliable visibility on workload, inter-contract periods, project profitability, and cash flow.

1. The “silent chaos” that slows growth

At first, the manager’s intuition is enough. Then, as the business grows, the company finds itself with:

inter-contract management that is done “by feel” (benchmarking that is endured rather than controlled);
recruitment triggered too late (or too early) due to a lack of solid forecasting;
profitability that is discovered… when it is already too late (end of month/closing/audit).

The real question is not “which ERP to choose?”
It is: which system gives you an actionable reading of reality, every week?

2. The clash of IS philosophies: “integrated suite” vs. “core system”

There are two very different visions of what an IT services company’s management tool should be.

Option A — The integrated suite (e.g., Boond)

Boond (formerly BoondManager) is positioned as a SaaS ERP/CRM designed for digital services companies, centralizing several components (sales, staffing, projects, etc.).

What it offers

An “all-in-one” experience: fewer tools to manage, often more straightforward to get started.
A single data logic (when everything is kept on the same platform).

The point to watch out for in scale-ups

Once you are already equipped with best-in-class tools (Jira, BI, ATS, CRM, etc.), the question becomes: interoperability.
Boond also offers connections/automations via Zapier, which may be suitable for certain scenarios.

Option B — The orchestrating “central core” (AlibeeZ)

AlibeeZ takes a different approach: a central core that connects, unifies, and orchestrates flows (time, staffing, finance, etc.), with a logic of integrations and connectors.

What this changes

You keep your powerful business tools (e.g., Jira on the delivery side) while consolidating management.
You limit the friction of double entry and “multiple truths.”

3. The real judge of peace: management vs. flat rate (and the ETC/“work remaining” logic)

Profitability is managed differently depending on the model:

In cost-plus contracts, the main risk is activity (occupancy rate) and billing.
In fixed-price contracts, the risk is the gap between the forecast and the actual (cost overruns, shrinking margins).

The key indicator for fixed-price contracts is ETC (Estimate To Complete), in other words, the “work remaining”:

Without a live estimate of the work remaining, you can track the time spent… without seeing the actual margin.

Check your tool (whatever it may be)

Is the “work remaining” easy to update?
Is there a history (to identify deviations)?
Does the data trigger alerts (margins slipping, budget consumed too quickly, etc.)?

4. From time spent to cash: reducing time-to-cash (and protecting working capital)

When a business is growing, cash flow is not a “finance” issue: it is a matter of survival.

The number one lever is often time-to-cash: the time between:

the work actually produced,
validation,
invoicing,
and payment.

And this becomes even more important with the widespread use of electronic invoicing:

September 1, 2026: all companies must be able to receive electronic invoices; large companies and mid-sized companies must also issue them.
September 1, 2027: obligation to issue invoices extended to SMEs and micro-enterprises.

Operational translation: your CRA/validation/invoicing workflows must be fluid, otherwise your working capital requirements will automatically increase.

5. The “caution” indicator: Loss at Termination (LAT)

For long-term contracts, management must not only “reassure” but also be cautious.

When the estimated result at completion becomes negative, the PCG provides for monitoring and reporting requirements, particularly regarding provisions for losses at completion.

In concrete terms, PAT is used to:

detect the loss as soon as it becomes probable (not at the end),
make provisions and arbitrate earlier (scope, staffing, renegotiation, governance).

6. Syntec and international scalability: compliance + expansion

Syntec / Fixed daily rate

A very concrete issue for many digital services companies: managing fixed daily rates and Syntec rules.
Since 2024, access to fixed daily rates has been opened up to position 2.3, subject to certain conditions (particularly regarding remuneration).

International

If you have (or are aiming for) subsidiaries, multi-currency/multi-tax/multi-entity management becomes non-negotiable.
AlibeeZ is used in more than 20 countries and highlights these international modules.

Conclusion: manage by data, not by instinct

The growth of a service company is no longer managed by intuition: it is managed using indicators such as “cleaned” holiday activity (e.g., TACE – Activity Rate Excluding Holidays).

Mini checklist to help you decide (AlibeeZ, Boond, etc.)

Is my IS designed as a single suite or as an orchestrated system?
Can I manage the package with a real backlog (simple, historical, usable)?
Do I have an optimized time-to-cash (CRA → validation → invoice → collection)?
Am I ready for the 2026–2027 electronic invoicing deadlines?
Can I secure PAT on long-term contracts?
Are the integrations (Jira/BI/ATS/CRM) native, robust, and maintainable?
Does the tool keep pace with growth (multi-entity/international)?