An ERP (enterprise resource planning) system connects sales, purchasing, stock, production and finance. Companies often wonder whether to buy a standard product or build their own.
Standard ERP
Examples: SAP Business One, SAP S/4HANA Cloud, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Odoo.
Pros
- Proven processes and best practices
- Faster start for standard requirements
- Regular updates and legal changes (taxes, e-invoicing) included
- Large partner ecosystems
Cons
- Licence and subscription costs
- Your processes adapt to the software
- Heavy customisation makes upgrades expensive
Custom ERP
Pros
- Fits your exact processes and terminology
- No per-user licences
- You own the system and roadmap
- Can include unique features that differentiate you
Cons
- Higher initial development effort
- You are responsible for updates and legal changes
- Requires a reliable development partner
Decision criteria
| Question | Points towards |
|---|---|
| Are your processes mostly standard? | Standard ERP |
| Is a core process unique to your business? | Custom or hybrid |
| Do you need certified finance/tax functions? | Standard ERP |
| Do you have many users with simple tasks? | Custom may save licence costs |
| Do you expect strong growth or international expansion? | Scalable standard ERP |
The hybrid approach
Often the best answer: a standard ERP for finance and core logistics, plus custom applications for the unique parts (for example a production planning tool or a customer portal), connected via APIs. This keeps the ERP core clean and upgradeable.
Typical project steps
- Process analysis and requirements
- Fit-gap analysis against standard products
- Decision and architecture
- Implementation or development in phases
- Data migration and testing
- Training, go-live and support
We are independent: we implement and integrate SAP solutions, and we build custom systems – so our recommendation follows your requirements.
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