We’ve compared over 70 options for ERP software, that cover finance and accounting, purchasing, HR management, sales/customer orders, and operations management…
Our independent review for ERP selected Oracle as one of the top 3 vendors because of its amazingly broad and rich offering, high customer satisfaction and strong industry presence. Oracle produce a range of ERP software including Oracle Fusion Applications, Oracle E-Business Suite, PeopleSoft Enterprise, Siebel, JD Edwards EnterpriseOne, JD Edwards World, Hyperion Financial Performance Management, and Primavera Enterprise Project Portfolio Management.
We’ve selected SAP as one of the top 3 ERP software vendors because of their comprehensive suite of software, highly customised industry-specific ERP offering, and excellent availability of implementation partners. SAP have a track record of successful ERP implementations. Their product offerings include SAP ECC, SAP Business One, SAP Business ByDesign, and SAP Business All-in-One.
We’ve selected Microsoft as the third of our top 3 ERP software vendors. Microsoft provide a comprehensive and cost-effective ERP software solution, a large number of partners to choose from, and a wide variety of different industries they support. Microsoft’s options include Microsoft Dynamics AX, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Microsoft Dynamics GP, Microsoft Dynamics NAV, Microsoft Dynamics POS, Microsoft Dynamics RMS, and Microsoft Dynamics SL.
We’ve reviewed dozens of different ERP software packages on the market, for medium and large enterprises. This shortlist is the best-of-the-best - enterprise-grade solutions that are proven, well-maintained, and being actively developed. Also, see the full list of ERP software…
ERP software is very closely tied to the unique way your business operates. What works for another organisation may not work for you, so it is important to ensure you document and understand your business requirements clearly. It’s also very likely that you will need to customise ERP software somewhat to meet your business needs. I recommend you aim for an ERP solution that meets 90-95% of your needs, and expect that some specialised configuration/customisation will be needed.
I recommend using the following features as a starting point to document your unique ERP software requirements.
Before speaking to ERP software vendors, I highly recommend that you are very clear on your organisation’s unique requirements.
Document your own business requirements, paying careful attention to your local and regulatory/legal needs. Many ERP vendors are global, and don’t necessarily cover the rules and regulations in your country.
I highly recommend you do this step independently - either do it yourself, or get the help of an independent 3rd party. Don’t rely on ERP software vendors or partners, as they may have a biased point-of-view which could take you in the wrong direction.
There are two main options when selecting ERP software:
Bigger vendors - such as SAP and Oracle - offer a flexible ERP solution with hundreds of different base configurations. You can select the right base configuration as a starting point, which will be geared towards your particular industry. They claim that these provide “best-practice” (although it doesn’t mean it’s the right way for your business to operate). While these do help you get your project completed faster, they can make the solution less flexible.
When selecting an ERP vendor, make sure you consider which partner you will be working with.
Most ERP vendors sell their products through local partners. The local partner will help with implementation, configuration and support.
Choosing the right ERP software partner is just as important as choosing the right ERP software vendor. Look for the following:
