buchachon - Fotolia
Discover the best ERP software for your organization
Discover the best ERP software for your organization in this product roundup that covers features, user reviews and integration.
ERP software offers organizations a modular system to integrate the main functions of the organization's business processes into one centralized system. ERP systems use core software components, often called modules, each focusing on a separate area. A typical ERP system could include modules like finance and accounting, HR, production and materials management, CRM and supply chain management. Organizations can choose the modules they need and even integrate modules from other vendors, based on their business processes.
There are many ERP systems available, so it's important for organizations to examine them closely to determine which one will help them best meet their business goals. Because ERP is one of the most difficult systems to implement due to its companywide impact, choosing a system requires looking beyond just the features and benefits and examining what the organization needs, how easy the system is to use and how it will fit with existing business processes.
This roundup offers a quick look at some of the leading products in the market to help organizations find the best ERP software for their business.
Deltek Maconomy
Geared toward professional services firms, Deltek Maconomy provides finance, project management, human resources, operations and business development capabilities. Its features include time and expense management, client management and business intelligence (BI). Maconomy is browser-based and suitable for accounting and finance, marketing, IT and management consulting, academic research, clinical organizations and other firms that deal primarily in services.
User reviews on Software Advice said, while Maconomy gets the job done, it lacks integrations with other software. Its user interface feels outdated, and the application sometimes crashes without warning.
Epicor ERP
Targeting the manufacturing industry, Epicor ERP is on version 10, as of this writing. Epicor ERP offers CRM, planning and scheduling, enterprise content management, project management, HR, production management, supply chain management, and service and asset management, in addition to financial management capabilities. Companies can deploy Epicor in the cloud or on premises. The software also provides a mobile interface for use with tablets.
Gartner indicated that Epicor ERP is ideal for midsize companies, and its partnership with Microsoft Azure will allow it to provide better analytics and mobile capabilities in the future. Epicor also claimed to have strong globalization capabilities.
Editor's note: Using extensive research into the ERP market, TechTarget editors focused on the vendors that lead in market share, plus those that offer traditional and advanced functionality. Our research included data from TechTarget surveys, as well as reports from other respected research firms, including Gartner and Forrester.
IFS Applications ERP
IFS Applications is cloud-based ERP that offers modules for asset management, project management, supply chain management and other functions. It also offers financial, HR, CRM and BI functions, and it supports integration with Microsoft Office. This is the best ERP software for companies that use IFS Applications in the construction, engineering, manufacturing and aerospace industries.
Users said IFS Applications provides a lot of functionality and is fairly easy to use and customize. It offers good integration options and a lot of flexibility for various enterprises. While some users said they need to customize screens to get certain types of data, others said, if anything is missing, they can bring it up directly with IFS' R&D department for consideration in a future release.
Infor CloudSuite
Infor CloudSuite Financials is Infor's main ERP software, and it's a redevelopment of Infor Lawson Financials. It integrates financial capabilities with supply management capabilities. Infor claimed that receivable and billing, payables and matching, close management, asset accounting, lease accounting, project ledger, cash management and global general ledger are all fully integrated. CloudSuite Financials includes analytics from Birst and a consumer-inspired UI.
Reviews on Software Advice said CloudSuite Financials is ideal for midsize and large organizations in the healthcare, banking, nonprofit, oil and gas, and retail sectors. Customers indicated the lack of integration with the e-procurement suite is a hindrance, as CloudSuite Financials only has basic purchasing.
Infor also has several CloudSuite products for different verticals. CloudSuite Industrial is Infor's ERP offering for the manufacturing sector. The vendor is also currently working on migrating its SyteLine on-premises customers over to its cloud application. Infor LN is for the aerospace and defense, automotive and industrial manufacturing sectors. According to the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP for Product-Centric Midsize Enterprises, it is ideal for customers with complex global manufacturing operations. Infor M3 is designed for the food and beverage, equipment rental, fashion and distribution sectors.
Macola 10
Billed as an ERP product for the manufacturing industry, Macola 10 consists of three categories: core business functions, like project management, HR, CRM and accounting and finance; activity and process management, including workflows and automated processes; and personalized workspaces, or dashboards, based on roles, such as a sales workspace or an accounting workspace. It includes BI, inventory management and supply chain management.
Users indicated that while Macola 10 is both customizable and flexible, integrations are limited with Macola 10. Additionally, Macola announced it was cutting ties with resellers, which means users must get support directly through ECi, the company that owns Macola.
Microsoft Dynamics 365
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a cloud-based ERP system that includes modules for sales, customer service, marketing, finance and operations, and HR. This version of Dynamics lets organizations deploy the modules as needed. It offers supporting apps for iOS and Android, with offline capabilities. The software can use AI for sales, marketing, customer service, fraud protection and market trend insights. Organizations can integrate Dynamics 365 modules with existing systems or build on the Microsoft Power Platform. Pricing is per user, per month.
For small and midsize businesses, Microsoft Dynamics 365 offers a Business Central app, which rolls up finances, supply chain management, customer service and project management into one product. The pricing model is a per-user, per-month fee, based on whether the company chooses a basic or premium version. Microsoft claimed Business Central is ideal for companies that have outgrown basic accounting software.
Users said Microsoft Dynamics 365 is easy to deploy and provides accurate access to data. They cautioned that the mobile application needs work, and the UI can feel a little clunky at times. Because it's a Microsoft product, Dynamics naturally integrates with other Microsoft applications, including SharePoint, Outlook, Word, OneNote, LinkedIn, Azure and others.
Oracle ERP Cloud
Oracle ERP Cloud is a full suite of financial management products, including accounting, revenue management, project management, procurement, supply chain and risk management capabilities. It is ideal ERP software for upper-midsize, large and global companies in a variety of industries.
According to Gartner, Oracle's customer satisfaction scores are just below the midpoint, likely due to most of the advanced functionality being new and not yet deployed. However, Oracle has a strong roadmap for AI and machine learning and a strong vision for its financial functionality. While Oracle ERP Cloud has a basic version, many implementations are more complicated due to the need for complex process support.
Oracle offers a free trial of Oracle ERP Cloud and a pay-as-you-go or monthly flex pricing model.
Oracle NetSuite
Oracle purchased NetSuite in 2016 and has since integrated its R&D efforts into developing the product. NetSuite is an all-in-one business software suite that includes financials, customer service and e-commerce capabilities. Oracle advertises NetSuite as a cloud-based suite ideal for businesses of any size. It is delivered on the NetSuite cloud platform, which provides the ability to extend, customize and integrate other applications, as needed. It is the best ERP software option for companies that want a customizable system.
According to the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud Core Financial Management Suites for Midsize, Large and Global Enterprises, NetSuite has strong customer references for product evaluation and contract negotiation, as well as deployment and integration. It's rated as having strong financial management capabilities and a strong roadmap for AI and machine learning -- although capabilities are limited at this time.
SAP S/4HANA
Companies can deploy SAP S/4HANA on premises, in the cloud with S/4HANA Cloud or in a hybrid model. S/4HANA replaces SAP ERP, formerly SAP's flagship ERP system, which the vendor said will no longer be available as of 2025. S/4HANA includes modules for finance, supply chain, manufacturing-specific and R&D-specific functions, sales, professional services, procurement and other functionality. S/4HANA integrates with other SAP products, like Qualtrics and SuccessFactors, and is billed as intelligent ERP due to AI and machine learning capabilities, automated processes and analytics.
According to the Magic Quadrant report, Gartner considers S/4HANA's AI and machine learning capabilities among the most advanced. S/4HANA Cloud software has strong reporting capabilities that companies can extend with SAP Analytics Cloud. Gartner noted that customers are confused about the roadmap, however, particularly for S/4HANA Cloud, and are receiving conflicting messages from SAP and its partners.
SAP Business ByDesign
Promoted as cloud ERP for the midmarket, SAP Business ByDesign is a full-fledged, cloud-based ERP suite that includes financials, CRM, HR, project management, procurement and supply chain management capabilities. The subscription fee includes access to all the modules, which allows customers to roll them out at their own pace or all at once.
SAP claimed Business ByDesign is quick to implement, can be configured to meet the needs of specific business processes and includes analytics built into every process. According to users on the Software Advice review site, however, the tradeoff for an all-in-one ERP suite is limited functionality in some areas. Many companies implement the product and use it for several months before adding customizations.
SAP Business One
SAP Business One is SAP's best ERP software for small and midsize businesses. It includes financial management, sales and customer management, purchasing and inventory control, and analytics and reporting capabilities. Business One can be customized for different industries using add-ons, the software development kit or SAP Business One Studio. It also offers mobile access and can deploy either on premises or in the cloud.
Users on the Software Advice review site indicated that Business One is a more stripped-down version of SAP S/4HANA, but could easily be used in a larger enterprise if the organization was willing to accept limitations, like not interacting with some APIs or automating basic tasks. However, they said the modules that come with Business One provide good visibility throughout the organization.
Sage Business Cloud Enterprise Management
Sage's ERP product for large enterprises, Sage Business Cloud Enterprise Management, includes financial, supply chain and product management capabilities. Sage claimed the product is ready for a variety of industries, including distribution, process manufacturing, discrete manufacturing, food and beverage, chemicals and services. Organizations can extend Business Cloud Enterprise Management through partner integrations for data analytics, CRM, reporting and forecasting, and other functions.
Sage Business Cloud Enterprise Management is web-based and available on mobile devices, and it can deploy on premises or as a service in the AWS cloud. Users indicated it is easy to view pricing, supplier, inventory and raw material information in one space.
Sage Intacct
Sage Intacct is Sage's product for midsize businesses, and it offers core financial management capabilities, including contract subscription billing and revenue management. Intacct is aimed at small and midsize enterprises. But, according to Gartner, it is suitable for some larger enterprises that do not have complex accounting functions.
Gartner noted that Intacct has good flexibility and general ledger and analytics capabilities. It offers a wide range of APIs to connect other systems and extend its functionality, and it has scored high with reference customers for product functionality.
Syspro ERP
Syspro designed Syspro ERP specifically for the manufacturing and distribution industries. It includes accounting, inventory management, order management, planning and scheduling, supply chain management, warehouse management, production management, CRM, manufacturing operations management and BI capabilities. It can deploy on premises, in the cloud or in a hybrid model. Organizations can be licensed perpetually or on a subscription pricing model.
According to users on the review site, Syspro ERP integrates well with SharePoint, and it is easy to export data into Excel for reporting. However, it does have a steep learning curve, and users reported that programming for additional reports requires extra training and support.
