| name | skill-estimation |
| description | AL project estimation for Business Central. Use when estimating development effort, creating cost models, SWOT analysis, or structuring project proposals. |
Skill: AL Project Estimation
Purpose
Estimate AL/Business Central projects: complexity scoring, PERT 3-point estimation, SWOT/DAFO risk analysis, cost breakdown by phase, resource allocation, and structured presales documentation.
When to Load
This skill should be loaded when:
- A new BC/AL project needs time and cost estimation
- A feasibility assessment or SWOT analysis is required before commitment
- A presales proposal or technical assessment document is being created
- Resource allocation and team composition need to be defined
- A project plan with milestones and payment schedule is needed
Core Patterns
Pattern 1: Intake Questions (Mandatory)
Before any estimation, gather these parameters:
## Project Intake — Required Information
### 1. Project Identity
- Project name (will be used for folder structure)
- Brief description: What problem does it solve?
### 2. Cost Parameters (MANDATORY)
- Hourly rate (e.g., €75/hour, $100/hour)
- Currency (EUR, USD, GBP)
- Contingency buffer: Yes/No (default 15-20%)
- Risk buffer: Low (10%), Medium (20%), High (30%)
### 3. Technical Context
- Target BC version: SaaS, On-Premise, or both?
- Target delivery date
- Existing codebase? (repository URL or workspace path)
- Reference repositories for similar functionality?
### 4. Team (optional)
- Available developers: Junior, Mid, Senior?
- BC experience level: New, Experienced, Expert?
PAUSE — do NOT proceed without cost parameters. Estimation without rates is meaningless.
Pattern 2: Complexity Scoring
Score each dimension 1-10 to derive overall project complexity:
## Complexity Assessment
| Dimension | Score (1-10) | Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Data Model | /10 | Tables, relations, migration needs |
| Business Logic | /10 | Codeunits, validations, calculations |
| UI Complexity | /10 | Pages, customizations, RoleCenter |
| Integrations | /10 | External APIs, events, webhooks |
| Reporting | /10 | Reports, queries, analytics |
| Security | /10 | Permissions, data sensitivity, audit |
| Testing | /10 | Test coverage needed, edge cases |
| Migration/Upgrade | /10 | Data migration, version compatibility |
**Overall Complexity**: (sum / 80) × 10 = X/10
Object count estimation:
| Object Type | Low Complexity | Medium | High |
|---|
| Table | 2-4 hrs | 4-8 hrs | 8-16 hrs |
| Page (Card/List) | 2-4 hrs | 4-8 hrs | 8-16 hrs |
| Page (Document) | 4-8 hrs | 8-16 hrs | 16-32 hrs |
| Codeunit | 2-8 hrs | 8-16 hrs | 16-40 hrs |
| Report | 4-8 hrs | 8-16 hrs | 16-32 hrs |
| Integration | 8-16 hrs | 16-32 hrs | 32-80 hrs |
Pattern 3: PERT 3-Point Estimation
Use the Program Evaluation and Review Technique for each task:
## PERT Formula
E = (O + 4M + P) / 6
Where:
- O = Optimistic (best case, everything goes right)
- M = Most Likely (normal case, typical obstacles)
- P = Pessimistic (worst case, major obstacles)
- E = Expected duration
Apply per development phase:
## Phase Breakdown
### Phase 1: Analysis & Design
| Task | O (hrs) | M (hrs) | P (hrs) | E (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Requirements analysis | 8 | 16 | 24 | 16 |
| Technical design | 8 | 12 | 20 | 13 |
| Architecture review | 4 | 8 | 12 | 8 |
| **Subtotal** | **20** | **36** | **56** | **37** |
### Phase 2: Development
| Task | O (hrs) | M (hrs) | P (hrs) | E (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tables & data model | X | X | X | X |
| Pages & UI | X | X | X | X |
| Business logic | X | X | X | X |
| Integrations | X | X | X | X |
| **Subtotal** | **X** | **X** | **X** | **X** |
### Phase 3: Testing & QA
| Task | O (hrs) | M (hrs) | P (hrs) | E (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unit tests | X | X | X | X |
| Integration tests | X | X | X | X |
| UAT support | X | X | X | X |
| Bug fixes | X | X | X | X |
| **Subtotal** | **X** | **X** | **X** | **X** |
### Phase 4: Deployment & Documentation
| Task | O (hrs) | M (hrs) | P (hrs) | E (hrs) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technical documentation | X | X | X | X |
| Training materials | X | X | X | X |
| Deployment | X | X | X | X |
| Post-go-live support | X | X | X | X |
| **Subtotal** | **X** | **X** | **X** | **X** |
Pattern 4: SWOT/DAFO Analysis
Structured risk and opportunity assessment:
## SWOT Analysis
### Strengths (Internal Positive)
| ID | Strength | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| S1 | [e.g., Team has BC experience] | High/Medium/Low |
### Opportunities (External Positive)
| ID | Opportunity | Impact |
|---|---|---|
| O1 | [e.g., Standard BC API available] | High/Medium/Low |
### Weaknesses (Internal Negative)
| ID | Weakness | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|
| W1 | [e.g., No existing test suite] | High | Implement TDD from start |
### Threats (External Negative)
| ID | Threat | Probability | Impact | Mitigation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T1 | [e.g., BC version upgrade mid-project] | Medium | High | Pin BC version |
## Feasibility Score
| Criterion | Score (1-10) |
|---|---|
| Technical Feasibility | /10 |
| Resource Feasibility | /10 |
| Timeline Feasibility | /10 |
| Economic Feasibility | /10 |
| **Overall** | **/10** |
### Recommendation
- [ ] **GO** — Project viable, proceed
- [ ] **CAUTION** — Viable with conditions
- [ ] **NO-GO** — Not recommended currently
Pattern 5: Cost Summary and Payment Milestones
Consolidate estimation into a financial summary:
## Cost Summary
| Concept | Hours | Rate | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analysis & Design | X | [RATE] | [TOTAL] |
| Development | X | [RATE] | [TOTAL] |
| Testing & QA | X | [RATE] | [TOTAL] |
| Deployment & Docs | X | [RATE] | [TOTAL] |
| **Subtotal** | **X** | | **[TOTAL]** |
| Contingency ([%]%) | X | | [TOTAL] |
| Risk Buffer ([%]%) | X | | [TOTAL] |
| **TOTAL** | **X** | | **[CURRENCY] [TOTAL]** |
## Payment Milestones
| Milestone | % | Amount | Deliverable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Project Start | 20% | [X] | SOW signed, project plan |
| Design Approved | 20% | [X] | Architecture approved |
| Development Complete | 30% | [X] | Code delivered, tests pass |
| UAT Approved | 20% | [X] | User acceptance sign-off |
| Go-Live | 10% | [X] | Production deployment |
Workflow
Step 1: Intake
- Ask mandatory intake questions (Pattern 1)
- Confirm cost parameters — do NOT skip this
- If reference repositories provided, analyze them for scope comparison
Step 2: Analyze
- Score complexity dimensions (Pattern 2)
- Count estimated objects (tables, pages, codeunits, reports)
- Identify integration points and external dependencies
- If existing codebase, use
al_search_objects to measure current scope
Step 3: Estimate
- Apply PERT 3-point estimation per phase (Pattern 3)
- Use complexity-based hour ranges for object estimation
- Apply standard ratios:
- Testing = 30-40% of development
- Documentation = 10-15% of total
- Integration = typically underestimated by 50% — adjust accordingly
- Data migration = 15-20% of total (if applicable)
- BC version testing = 5-10% for compatibility
Step 4: Risk Assessment
- Conduct SWOT analysis (Pattern 4)
- Calculate feasibility score
- Provide clear GO / CAUTION / NO-GO recommendation
Step 5: Deliver Proposal
- Create cost summary with payment milestones (Pattern 5)
- Define resource allocation (roles, FTE, duration)
- Compile all sections into presales documentation
- Store in
Technical_PreSales/{project-slug}/ folder structure
PAUSE — present proposal for stakeholder review before commitment.
Estimation Guidelines
| Rule | Guideline |
|---|
| Testing effort | Always 30-40% of development hours |
| Documentation | Never skip — 10-15% of total hours |
| Integration complexity | Usually underestimated — add 50% buffer |
| Data migration | Add if mentioned — 15-20% of total |
| BC version testing | Add 5-10% for compatibility verification |
| Training | 8-16 hours per user group |
| Contingency | 15-20% standard, 25-30% for high uncertainty |
References
Constraints
- This skill covers project estimation, risk analysis, and presales documentation
- Do NOT estimate without cost parameters (hourly rate, currency) — ask first
- Do NOT build, compile, or deploy code — estimation only
- Do NOT modify production source code — analysis and documentation only
- Do NOT skip the SWOT analysis for any project — risk awareness is mandatory
- Architecture design → al-architect agent | Technical specifications → al-spec.create workflow | Implementation → al-conductor agent
