Companies have much to consider when weighing the difference between ERP and CRM.

Which one is best for you? Do you need both? What even are the differences? 

These questions will get answered to ensure your confidence in choosing the best system for your business.

ERP vs. CRM: An Overview of Two Different Types of Software

What Is an ERP?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a type of software that combines critical business processes into one system. Using one streamlined system allows companies to have a bird’s eye view when managing everyday activities.

Companies switch to ERP to improve their productivity and efficiency. Automating and unifying different business parts under one database improve these improvements. Using one system allows employees to access pertinent data from other departments.

ERP software may include some or all of the following functions:

• Finance and accounting
• Inventory and order management
• Payroll and HR
• Supply chain management
• Automation

ERP Benefits

How can ERP help your business? A few benefits of ERP include:

• Integrating separate business systems and processes all into one program
• Product greater efficiency by up to 95%
• Create reports and data analysis automatically without manual data entry
• Standardized monitoring of supply and inventory

What Is a CRM?

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a system that focuses on improving the customer experience, managing customer interaction, improving communication between marketing and sales, and incorporating customer data into one unified system.

The impact of CRM on a business means increased sales, happier customers, and more accurate marketing tactics.

CRM software may include some or all of the following functions:

• Marketing automation
• Sales management
• Customer service
• Lead management

CRM Benefits

How can CRM help your business? A few benefits of CRM include:

• Integrating customer service systems and processes all into one program
• Customer segmentation to optimize marketing to leads
• Create better methods of communication between the company and the customer
• Automate sales reports to quickly evaluate progress

ERP and CRM Examples

Below are well-known ERP companies:

• NetSuite (Oracle) ERP
• Microsoft Dynamics ERP
• SAP ERP
• Odoo
• Epicor
• Workday
• Syspro
• Sage

Below are well-known CRM companies:

• NetSuite (Oracle) CRM
• Salesforce
• HubSpot
• Microsoft Dynamics CRM
• SAP CRM
• Zoho
• Zendesk

The Key Differences Between ERP and CRM Software

1. CRM Can Be Part of ERP But Not the Other Way Around

Depending on what ERP your business uses, CRM software is often included in ERP. Most ERP systems integrate easily with stand-alone CRM programs if it is not already included.

For instance, NetSuite ERP offers the NetSuite CRM module to unify the NetSuite CRM and ERP systems.

However, the reverse is not true — ERP cannot be part of CRM software. 

The reason is that CRM is solely related to sales and building customer relationships. The full scope of ERP software cannot be found in the smaller range that CRM systems provide.

Although ERP software can provide CRM services, the ERP system might not be as effective and may not offer as many features as a CRM specializing in customer relationships. The reason is that customer relations may just be one small element of what an ERP offers.

2. ERP Focuses on Finance, CRM Focuses on People 

A business chooses to implement ERP to manage its assets and finances. The company wants an easier way to streamline accounting processes, manage cash flow, and generate data analytics for future projections.

ERP is designed mainly to support the back office or the behind-the-scenes departments that come with running a business. These departments may be finance, human resources, and accounting.

In contrast, CRM focuses on the customer and improving this relationship. A good CRM makes it easier to communicate with the customer, ensures customer loyalty, and automates storing customer data for analysis and reports to boost future marketing efforts.

CRM gets used by the front office or departments that interact with customers. These departments may include customer support, marketing, or sales.

3. ERP Systems Prioritize Efficiency, CRM Systems Prioritize Sales

The ERP model incorporates varying business departments under one system. Doing this allows businesses to automate processes and phase out manual (and slow) systems. This improves a company’s ROI by becoming a more efficient company.

Both CRM and ERP automate and improve efficiency, but this is not the priority of a CRM. A CRM may make a business more efficient, but its primary goal is to benefit the customer and increase profits and sales.

4. CRM Gets Used by a Few Departments. The Whole Business Can Use ERP

A big difference between ERP and CRM is that for large enterprises, CRM software commonly gets used by departments that are directly related to customers. These departments include the sales team, marketing, and customer services.

Conversely, ERP software streamlines large-scale business operations that most (if not all) departments benefit from. From HR to inventory management, employees in entirely different departments can access ERP tools in some way to make their daily tasks easier.

Ultimately, ERP helps connect disjointed systems under one roof to make communication and analytics more accessible for the whole business. 

This is different from CRM, which is helpful mainly for sales — a significant part of a business but does not necessarily concern all departments.

One caveat:

For small businesses, all employees can use CRM because small businesses typically have less defined department roles. With fewer employees, there is more involvement among the whole team when looking at sales opportunities and communications with customers.

5. ERP Costs More Than CRM

Integrating ERP is an involved process that requires uprooting the entire current business system. Doing this is not cheap.

ERP software is also often customizable to the business. Although beneficial, this requires careful planning from multiple departments to ensure that the ERP is functional. This level of planning, rollout, and integration is expensive and can cost millions.

CRM software is not as expensive because of its more minor use case. Integrating CRM into your business does not require disrupting your entire business process. 

ERP systems are usually targeted at large enterprises, while CRM systems target large and small businesses. This allows for a wide range of CRM costs — from free to a few thousand every month.

FAQs

Do You Need Both a CRM & ERP Software?

Although both ERP and CRM may benefit your business, it’s costly to jump into both.

For most small businesses, it’s beneficial to get only CRM software for sales and customer relations. Mismanaging data and having poor customer service will negatively impact profit and the customer experience.

The benefits of ERP may not be worth the cost until the company becomes more prominent.

Incorporating ERP and CRM for large businesses will create a healthy business environment. With more moving parts, communication breakdowns are apparent, and manual inputs become more time-consuming. Having both combines a robust sales engine within an efficient system.

Is CRM part of an ERP?

CRM can be part of ERP, but it can also stand independently. Whether CRM is part of ERP depends on the ERP software type because not all have CRM elements. 

When CRM is part of ERP, it provides more advanced customer relations support and sales management to the business.

Do CRMs Integrate with ERPs?

CRM integration with ERP ensures that information between both CRM and ERP transmits efficiently and is standardized. This prevents your business from having two separate systems that don’t talk to each other.

Imagine if your customer support team gets repeat calls on the same technical issue. Without a proper CRM documenting these interactions, this information might never make its way for the development team to review.

Most CRMs integrate smoothly with ERP. Many companies opt for this route if they feel their current ERP system doesn’t offer enough CRM components. However, integration is an involved process that requires developers to use API, following tools provided by the ERP software, or using a third party to assist. 

To avoid integration failure, voice all concerns with your technical team and ERP contact.

Can ERP Replace CRM?

An ERP cannot replace a CRM since they address two different functions: ERP improves efficiency in your business while a CRM works to get you more customers.

If you are thinking about adding ERP to your business, you can either integrate your current CRM or find an ERP that also offers CRM capabilities that match or exceed your current CRM model.

When It Comes to ERP vs. CRM, Both Can Have Major Benefits to Your Business

A CRM system specializes in customer relations and sales. ERP specializes in automating business processes. 

Although they have differences, both approaches help your business improve its efficiency and profit.

You cannot go wrong with an ERP, CRM, or both.

Deciding which one to go with depends on the size of your business, your sales numbers, and ultimately what works best for you.

The post ERP vs. CRM: Differences and Why They Matter appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

Anecdotally, you’ve probably heard an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system can be a silver bullet. True…but only if you make the right choice. 

You also aren’t quite sure they are worth all the fuss. So you’re out seeking answers yourself. And we get it. 

Investing in any enterprise software isn’t a minor decision, especially when said software will be the focal point of your business operations.

Not to mention the stakeholders that may need convincing. You need to justify the amount required to adopt the software and the changes within the business that this new tech will demand. 

Although you’re curious, you don’t need a post that only spotlights the benefits of ERPs.

What will serve you just fine is a balanced presentation of the positives and negatives of ERPs so that you can decide if an ERP is suitable for you.

And this article is precisely that.

What Does ERP Stand For & What Is an ERP System?

ERP stands for enterprise resource planning. An enterprise resource planning system is an application that enables organizations to manage their day-to-day activities using several connected tools. 

Let’s unpack this.

Typically, businesses have core departments that keep them running:

• From accounting 
• To customer relationship management
• Inventory management
• And human resource management 

Several departments need to operate seamlessly for your business to function at the highest level as a well-oiled machine.

At its core, an ERP system helps you keep an eye on all these departments from one platform, get accurate data from their operations and automate specific processes. 

You can think of ERP systems as central command centers and data hubs for businesses.

With a well-deployed ERP software, departments can access the data they need from other sections of your business anytime from a centralized database.

This eliminates tedious paperwork, repetitive data entry, and even crippling bureaucracy. 

Instead, it facilitates swift collaboration and data sharing between departments, more accurate resource and operation planning and forecasting, and greater efficiency.

If you’re wondering how ERPs function, here’s a simple explanation without delving into the core mechanics.

Since ERPs are designed to help manage different business operations, they include modules dedicated to each business aspect.

For example, you’d have a financial management module, supply chain management module, etc.

The individual modules not only coordinate their corresponding business sector but also communicate with each other and send data to a single platform. 

Standard ERP modules include:

• Supply chain management 
• Inventory management
• Financial management and accounting
• Customer relationship management
• Manufacturing
• Human resources management
• Professional services automation
• Reporting and analytics

The Evolution of ERPs

Although ERPs are now available to companies across several industries, their functionalities weren’t this broad. 

ERPs slowly crept onto the scene in the 1960s as material requirements planning (MRP) systems.

Around this time, J.I. Case, a tractor manufacturer, partnered with IBM to develop what industry commentators widely regard as the first MRP system.

This paved the way for more manufacturers to build similar MRP solutions.

The key functionalities of early ERPs served manufacturing companies majorly.

They helped them track inventory and production and manage raw materials, among other things. But these MRPs were expensive, bulky, and required expert technicians to manage them.

By the ‘80s, when MRPs had become mainstream, the technology powering them improved with the introduction of MRP II.

These new systems had more extensive functionalities that catered to operations beyond inventory and raw materials management.

The core functionalities of the MRP were primarily focused on manufacturing businesses but now enabled these organizations to connect and manage the critical departments involved in manufacturing.

As more industries realized the potential of MRPs, more comprehensive solutions began to crop up.

Gartner coined the term for the emerging solutions, “enterprise resource planning,” in 1990, leading to the creation of ERPs.

Businesses of all sizes and industries could sync and access data and manage operations from one platform.

Beyond the broadening of the features offered, ERPs have also seen an evolution of their deployment options.

From being strictly on-premises systems, leading ERP manufacturers began offering cloud solutions.

These options enabled companies to access data and perform select operations on any internet-enabled device anywhere and anytime. 

Not only did cloud-based ERPs improve the efficiency of business teams, but they also paved the way for smaller companies without the resources to host on-premises systems to leverage cloud-hosted ERPs for business growth.  

Beyond more nimble deployment options, modern ERPs are now applying the latest technologies to deliver better experiences.

They use artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide smarter business insights, intelligent predictions, analysis, high-end process automation, etc. 

Plus, many of these ERPs can connect businesses with their subsidiaries and partners around the globe for better coordination and management.

Main Benefits of ERPs in Organizations

By taking even a cursory glance at the capabilities of ERPs, it’s easy to see how they can help businesses thrive and perform optimally. But let’s take an in-depth look at some of these benefits.

1. Serves as a One-stop Shop for Reliable Data Across the Organization

Data is one of the most invaluable assets that businesses can leverage.

It gives insights into the current state of things, offers glimpses of what the future holds, and informs decisions that will help create or avert that future. 

With ERPs, you get access to critical insights from various business segments, all in one place.

This removes the need to use separate databases that will require constant synchronization and cleaning to ensure accuracy.

Plus, this also provides you with both an overview and a microscopic view of critical business data across the board needed to plan processes, allocate resources and make adjustments intelligently.

For example, it becomes easier for you to maximize available resources by deploying to areas where there will yield the most results.

This centralized database also profits decision-makers at the departmental levels and fosters faster and easier collaboration between departments. 

2. Boosts Productivity and Efficiency

Getting the most from the resources at your disposal is vital if your business will thrive.

An ERP system helps with this by automating simple repetitive tasks and freeing up employees to focus on more dynamic activities that are also mission-critical.

This way, you’ll have your employees using their time in the best way possible, and all this adds up to greater output for the business.

An ERP’s automation capabilities also ensure you don’t overlook essential steps in specific business processes.

The system adheres to the workflows once you set the workflows, so nothing slips through the cracks. You cut down on execution errors and can seamlessly and consistently adhere to regulatory demands and industry standards.

And with superior computing, ERPs drive faster execution and provide intelligent and reliable recommendations that can speed up decision-making and improve efficiency. 

3. Delivers Comprehensive Reports and Analytics

Apart from giving you access to raw operational data across the organization, modern ERP systems can generate standard and custom reports and analytics on demand. 

You often require high-level reporting for purposes ranging from in-house record-keeping and decision-making.

Such reporting may demand that you compare data from different departments or use planning models like scenario forecasting. 

These complex and otherwise tedious processes are simplified with model ERPs, and reliable results are available through button clicks.

Depending on your chosen solution, your ERP’s reports and analytics section may even be the only reporting tool you’ll need for your business, as many can communicate the trends and metrics required for high-level reporting and decision-making.

4. Bolsters Collaboration 

Departments across your organization need to be in sync to drive the business forward.

For them, being on the same page concerning the company’s goals is one thing. Being able to work together to achieve them effectively is another.

Although this collaboration process should be seamless, an absence of a hub that connects all the departments prevents this. But an ERP solves that problem.

One of the most significant benefits of an ERP system is its ability to level the walls between departments through seamless data sharing.

By creating a centralized database, departments can access relevant data from other sectors on demand and execute based on the insights gleaned. 

Progress reports that inform the company’s next moves are also readily available. So each sector within the organization knows exactly when to step in without dealing with the monotony of manually demanding updates from other departments.

As such, decision-making can be more proactive, timely, and effective. 

5. Standardizes Business Operations and Ensures Regulatory Compliance

It’s not enough to know how to satisfy your customers. You also have to weave in standard industry hacks and strategies into your processes to stay competitive.

An ERP system is the best tool for organizing these strategies and embedding them in your operation. 

ERPs enable you to create and manage custom workflows that reflect industry best practices.

Some industry-specific ERPs even come with these optimized workflows, which you can simply start implementing. Such processes also foster top-notch quality control as they are structured to deliver consistent results.

Beyond facilitating industry best practices, ERPs enable your business to comply with standard stipulations and requirements efficiently.

For instance, many come with built-in financial functionalities and reports that comply with tax laws and various financial reporting standards.

This way, you can deliver automated reports knowing that you’re in full compliance, avoid legal infringements, and save time that goes into repetitive bookkeeping and accounts balancing, tax remittance and reporting, etc.

6. Improves Customer Service and Interactions

Satisfying and retaining your customers requires you to be on top of your game.

The sales department, for example, needs to be able to effectively manage and use customer information to deliver the best experience.

And a modern ERP system can facilitate this process by centralizing and streamlining accurate customer information with other business data. Plus, it provides a central database that makes customer information readily available to whatever department needs it.

This creates an agile work environment where the absence of restrictive silos improves service delivery to customers.  

Using an ERP to track and manage customer activity can also power effective marketing campaigns.

From creating automated lead qualification metrics to setting upselling and cross-selling parameters, several modern ERPs better empower marketing and sales teams to take advantage of sales opportunities.  

Disadvantages of ERPs

Seeing all the advantages of ERPs might make installing one for your business seems like a no-brainer. But we all know it’s not that simple.

The essence of good decisions is in weighing the pros and cons of your choices and seeing which tips the scales based on your needs and context.

We’ve seen the positives of ERPs, so let’s see some of their major drawbacks you should be aware of.

1. Cost

Installing ERP software doesn’t come cheap.

Traditional ERPs that require on-premises deployment attract various expenses ranging from the upfront cost of the software to installation and maintenance fees and the cost of upgrading your hardware where applicable.

Businesses just starting may find all this too pricey.

Although opting for solutions that offer software as a service and require monthly or annual subscription fees may be cheaper in the short term, the long-term cost may be daunting. Plus, you may find hidden charges creeping in along the line, such as payments for the quality support, training, etc.

An ERP system is definitely worth its weight in gold. But it’s possible that forking out a hefty sum for one would do more harm than good to your business, depending on your situation.

2. Complexity and Training Requirements

As you’d expect with anything that offers the functionalities that ERPs do, complexity might be an issue.

Even though several solutions claim to be intuitive, they are still head-scratchers for users (especially first-timers). This means a tool you chose to simplify and streamline your operations may create confusion.

The solution? Training, but this also comes with its hitches.

Differing learning capabilities among employees might create an uneven understanding of the platform, which could slow down business operations and defeat the reason you got the system in the first place.

3. Implementation Time

There’s no standard timeline for deploying your ERP as the implementation duration varies based on company size, software complexity, and more.

That said, this process can take anywhere from six months to two years. You read that right. 

Although cloud-based ERPs are faster to deploy, setting them up also takes time.

There’s also the time it takes to customize the system to suit your business. This is important if you’re getting a generic system and prefer to modify it to your taste. 

So you have to approach this with the knowledge that what you’ve invested a ton of cash in may not begin to function in months.

These ERP Advantages Could Be Too Good to Pass Up

Research processes like this usually end in two ways: you come in as a skeptic and leave as a believer. Or you arrive as a skeptic and leave as an ardent unbeliever.

Either way, something has happened here – you’ve broadened your understanding of the value and drawbacks of ERPs.

But before you make a decision, reflect on these advantages and disadvantages in the context of your business.

For you, having a centralized database or one source of truth for your records may just be worth shelling out decent cash for. 

Getting better visibility into your business processes and improving efficiency by automating manual tasks may just be worth the time it takes to implement the system. 

The point is, no one knows your business like you.

And all the benefits ERPs bring might just be what your business needs to get to that next level. If you see any or all of these signs, we recommend that you consider adopting an ERP system:

• Poor decision-making due to insufficient internal data
• Relevant data and reports aren’t available on demand and take too long to compile 
• Overworked teams that are spread too thin by repetitive tasks that can be automated
• Constant technical issues from disparate systems
• Customer service issues due to inaccurate data like inventory numbers.

Apart from negative signs, positive events can also make adopting an ERP system critical.

For instance, if your business is growing rapidly, you may not be able to keep up using manual methods or separate systems. Plus, an ERP might be well placed to help you scale even faster.

Also, you should know that the highlighted drawbacks vary in intensity based on the ERP solution you opt for. Top players in the industry, such as NetSuite ERP, typically come with milder hiccups.

The post What Does ERP Stand For and What Is an ERP System? All You Need To Know appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

As statistics go, about 60% of ERP projects fail, so it takes a well-equipped team to ensure your company falls within the thriving 40%.

While this stat above may be concerning, choosing NetSuite as your ERP is already a plus. And the last thing you need to worry about is bad implementation.

You need the right NetSuite implementation partner to do better, work faster, and achieve more with your NetSuite software.

NetSuite Implementation partners are experts dedicated to helping you configure your NetSuite software to suit your business needs.

They are highly knowledgeable and will give you first-row answers to all the questions you may have.

These implementation partners have the experience and expertise to help you cut costs, save time, and intimate your business processes with the NetSuite software to get you the best ROI for your purchase.

While it can be tempting to settle for any implementation partner, don’t. 

The burden of a lousy implementation doesn’t fall on the software alone. You’ll be relying on your implementation partner for guidance and training throughout the process. 

So how can you tell which vendors are the best at implementing NetSuite and which ones you should avoid?

This guide will explore the factors to consider when selecting your NetSuite implementation partner.

Let’s jump right in!

How to Choose the Right NetSuite Implementation Partner (And Avoid Disaster)

1. Technical expertise 

Your implementation partner should have deep knowledge of NetSuite technology and industry best practices for data management and reporting systems. 

Your NetSuite partner should be able to explain how it has implemented NetSuite for other clients, including any challenges and successes it has encountered. 

If you consider an Application Service Provider (ASP) or Independent Software Vendor (ISV) solution, make sure that its technical team has experience with NetSuite’s software-as-a-service (SaaS) architecture.

You want someone who has helped other companies implement NetSuite solutions similar to yours and will be able to make recommendations based on their experience.

2. Transparency and communication

The best NetSuite implementation partners can do two things for their clients: 

• Ensure that they meet the client’s unique needs and goals
• Ensure that the client is comfortable throughout the process and provide a sense of stability. That all starts with communication.

Communication is a crucial component of achieving any vital goal.

If your implementation partner isn’t responsive and available to answer your questions or address your concerns, your project may prove to be more complex and costly than it needs to be.

It’s also vital to ensure they have the bandwidth and resources to improve communication and collaboration, such as project and task management tools.

3. Cost

The cost of NetSuite implementation varies from one partner to another. 

Some partners may charge for travel expenses or other costs associated with the project, while some may not. However, the cost depends on business size, platform requirements, and other factors such as customization requirements. 

Naturally, you would want to find the lowest cost option. But that shouldn’t be your first call.

Finding an experienced NetSuite consultant with a clear understanding of your needs is equally important. So, finding the right balance between quality and cost is vital.

Before finalizing, be sure to get an estimate of the total cost for your project, including all phases of development and maintenance.

This can help you determine whether the vendor can provide a solution that meets your needs within budget.

4. Industry knowledge

To implement your software, your NetSuite consulting partner should ensure that your selection of modules (and even customizations) are appropriate for your industry.

Your partner should be able to review your current processes and suggest improvements that make sense for your business.

Some partners have only a small number of clients in specific industries when it comes to industry knowledge.

In comparison, others may have worked with dozens or even hundreds of companies in similar verticals.

NetSuite has a particular set of standard functionalities across all industries, such as sales, fulfillment, marketing, accounting, etc. 

The more experience your partner has in your industry, the better they’ll be able to understand your unique challenges and needs and offer appropriate suggestions and solutions. 

5. Ability to work with you as an extension of your team

Another critical consideration is how well the implementation partner will be able to work with your team. It’s important to work with someone who matches your business’ culture. 

A smooth relationship between you and your implementation partner will increase your company’s chances of a successful NetSuite implementation.

You should find someone who understands the nuances of your organization and will be able to tailor their efforts to your situation.

While many companies like yours use NetSuite as their ERP solution, using an implementation consultant partner is still slightly outside the typical scope of work. So, ensure that you feel confident in their abilities to work with your team without sacrificing quality or efficiency.

6. Long term support

In any business relationship, long-term support is vital.

The work doesn’t end with the initial implementation – you and your partner will be working together for years. 

You need to know that your partner will still be there for you as you continue to grow and learn about your new software.

While the actual implementation is an essential part of a successful system, it’s only one step to ensure that you get the return on investment (ROI) and the long-term value you expect.

If you are looking at several partners and long-term support is a deciding factor, here are some key questions to ask:

• Do they charge per user or seat? 
• How do they charge for additional support? 
• What percentage of their staff are NetSuite Certified Consultants (NCCs)? 
• Do they offer 24x7x365 support? 
• Do they offer phone support, only email, or both?

7. Proximity

Proximity to the customer is one of the factors to consider when selecting your NetSuite implementation partner.

Once you’ve determined that NetSuite is a suitable ERP for your company, it’s often challenging to change ERPs midway. So, choosing a geographically close implementation partner is better, especially if you plan to leverage these partners’ expertise in other areas of your business.

Distance between your company and the implementation partner’s offices can affect how much time is spent on travel, creating unnecessary delays in the project and increased costs. 

When it comes to implementing an ERP system for a company, there’s no shortage of tasks that require attention.

There may be constant meetings with team members, consultants, and stakeholders. There may also be research on how best to deploy different software features or how to integrate them with 3rd party applications. 

8. Implementation methodologies

One of the most important factors to consider when selecting your NetSuite implementation partner is their methodology.

While this might seem like a minor detail, it could affect effective implementation, both in terms of time and money.

An implementation methodology is a specific process that an implementation partner uses when implementing a NetSuite solution.

There are many implementation methodologies. Some run their implementations in-house (self-implementation), while others use an outside team of consultants and dedicated on-site resources (outsourced implementation).

It’s essential to ensure that they have a proven methodology for implementation and that their approach is compatible with your business and IT goals.

9. Reputation

Reputation is one of the most important factors to consider when deciding which company to partner with for your NetSuite implementation.

The best way to assess reputation is to ask for references from companies that have used the vendor’s services. 

Call a few references and determine how their experiences went, if they’d recommend the vendor and if they’d use them again.

The answers will give you a better idea of whether or not this vendor is the best fit for your project.

A partner company with a strong reputation in its industry can guide you through the implementation process with confidence and assurance, helping you avoid unpleasant surprises. 

You want to feel confident that your NetSuite implementation will run smoothly.

10. Size of the company/specific needs

When choosing your NetSuite implementation partner, the company’s needs will determine what type of help you need from the NetSuite implementation consultant. 

You must have a clear understanding of your needs to make an informed decision about choosing the right implementation partner.

Here are some in-house questions to ask to determine what you need:

• Do you have a business case and a clear understanding of how implementation will increase your company’s bottom line? 
• Is your current IT department lacking the skills or experience necessary to implement NetSuite properly? 
• Is your IT department overworked, leaving them unable to provide adequate support or training after the initial rollout? 

Once you know what you want, it’s easier to find an implementation partner that can offer services in line with those needs. 

Benefits of Having A NetSuite Implementation Partner 

The first thing you should know about NetSuite implementation partners is that they’re not all alike. 

If you’re considering choosing an implementation partner, it’s essential to know the different types of expertise they can bring.

A high level of technical expertise

NetSuite is a compelling cloud software solution and can be overwhelming to learn and implement independently.

NetSuite offers plenty of resources for those new to its platform, but some elements require more of a learning curve than others. And your implementation partner can help you with everything from beginner training to advanced integration and customizations. 

Having a NetSuite implementation partner can help you use the software in the most effective way possible.

Devotion to your company’s success 

As a customer, you want someone who can help you understand how to get the most out of the platform and implement the right strategy for your specific business needs, including the provision of ongoing training and support after they’ve gone.

It’s always better to have a strong partnership before you need it than have it fall apart under pressure.

Experience with the different NetSuite versions

NetSuite Implementation partners often bring experience with the changes. So having a provider with experience working with the changes is invaluable.

They’ll help you figure out what new tools will help you on a personal level and which ones might not work. If they build the solution, they should show it well.

Consulting services

Your NetSuite implementation partner will provide consulting services beyond simply installing and configuring the software for you.

Consulting services include helping your business make sure that it optimally uses NetSuite and providing ongoing training for employees using the system regularly (such as sales reps).

Better value

You’ll get more for your money when you hire an experienced NetSuite professional.

Someone else may offer a one-size-fits-all package based on templates or canned solutions, which may not suit your organization’s needs. 

Finding the perfect NetSuite Partner

Given all of this, it’s clear that choosing a NetSuite partner is more than just a plug-and-play arrangement. But it’s a great way to ensure that your implementation goes as smoothly as possible.

If you’ve decided to partner with a NetSuite Implementation consultant, take steps to ensure that you’re getting the best deal.

In addition, choose a partner with experience, proven results, and the expertise necessary to implement NetSuite solutions effectively.

On the other hand, if you’re in the midst of a project and still looking for a top-tier NetSuite implementation partner, don’t get discouraged. 

Finding the perfect consulting partner is just like finding any other consultant.

You have to take your time to vet potential partners until you find the one. Not just for a successful implementation but years of continued software success.

To get started, book a call with a NetSuite expert today.

The post NetSuite Implementation Partners: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Yours appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

Are the benefits of ERP worth the switch?

Maybe you’ve started to notice the company is growing and products are selling…

…so the current systems you use are starting to lag behind, slowing down productivity.

So now it’s time to determine whether to leap to ERP software.

It’s a big decision that can lead to either supercharged growth or disastrous consequences. 

Read on to learn more about the advantages and disadvantages of ERP.

What Is an ERP System?

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) is a specific type of software that combines the main business functions into one system.

These functions may include operational activities such as inventory management, accounting, human resources, or e-commerce.

Integrating an ERP system means you are switching your business management processes to something else entirely.

As you can imagine, this integration will take up company time, money, and resources to fully implement.

The 10 Game-Changing Benefits of ERP Systems

1. Unify Disjointed Systems in a Business

Before smartphones, going on a road trip wasn’t as easy as it is now.

You couldn’t put an address into Google Maps and drive off. You had to print directions from Mapquest or even buy an Atlas. 

You’d have to wait for the radio to play your favorite song or bring a walkman with you.

Wondering how much this trip will cost you? Don’t forget to bring a calculator.

Good thing we don’t need to deal with that anymore. We now have maps, the radio, and a calculator all on one handy palm-sized device.

Just like our phones, the benefits of ERP include combining separate entities all into one.

Some advantages of ERP software include:

• Easier access to information
• Improved efficiency
• Fewer communication breakdowns

2. Transform Outdated Legacy Systems

Maybe, in the beginning, Excel successfully managed your inventory. But now the manufacturing team and available products have grown, yet you’re still using Excel.

Or maybe HR manually inputs employees’ hours from a system not connected to payroll — wasting hours of your day.

You get “used to” your current manual processes and just do it the way it has always been done. 

The issue is once you get used to it, it’s easy to get complacent.

ERP software updates these old systems so it’s no longer so manually driven.

3. Enhance Operational Productivity

Most ERP vendors advertise efficiency.

In fact, out of businesses that incorporated ERP software, 95% of respondents improved some or all of their business processes.

That’s pretty major.

The reason?

Because you’re not wasting time having to learn multiple systems or opening two different programs to check something. ERP also improves cash flow, resulting in more money.

Everyone likes getting their money quicker.

4. Scales With Your Business

Switching to an ERP system isn’t easy. After all, over 60% of ERP integrations fail.

So why do companies continue to take the risk?

It is because decision-makers have a growth mindset: 

They know how well ERP systems scale with a growing business.

Simply put, most ERP software offers modules specific to your business needs and the ability to add functions as the company grows.

This flexibility is advantageous regardless of whether you have 2,000 or 20,000 employees.

You don’t need to frequently accommodate ever-changing business needs. If implemented correctly, the benefits of ERP software can’t be understated.

5. Make Informed Decisions With Less Human Error

Technology and trends are constantly changing — it’s bad news if your company can’t keep up.

Since business decisions must be made quickly (and accurately), you need access to the most up-to-date data and analytics.

If you find yourself wasting hours or days manually creating reports, then it might be an indicator to switch to an ERP system.

Plus, manually inputting data into a report can’t be done mistake-free, 100% of the time.

We ARE all human.

But since ERP software pulls the data automatically, it greatly reduces the chances of errors.

It would be devastating to create a costly business decision based on inaccurate data.

6. Ensure Security and Regulatory Compliance

Maintaining data security is of utmost importance to companies. 

If there is a data breach, you’re not only dealing with the aftermath’s logistical nightmare, but also the betrayed trust of customers and clients.

With the nature of business functions, ERP systems contain large amounts of sensitive data. That sensitive data shouldn’t get stored in a spreadsheet in someone’s unlocked folder.

Benefits of ERP software in managing security include:

• Data backups and encryption
• Access is granted depending on the job function
• Continual audits for access necessity
• Transparency in tracking products

7. Advanced Management of Supply Chain and Inventory

Supply chain issues often result in a costly halt to business operations.

Maybe the manufacturer is short-staffed or the last piece of equipment you need is backlogged. Or you simply have too many buyers (nice) but didn’t project enough for it.

A major advantage of ERP is the variety of modules and tools that standardize keeping track of all the moving parts of the supply chain.

Since ERP systems can also be set up specifically to automate inventory management and projection, it reduces the time-consuming need to do these manually. 

8. Reduce Miscommunications Between Departments

Imagine you’re getting ready to present last quarter’s sales numbers.

But there’s an issue.

You find out that this important quarterly report is attached to an email sent to someone who is currently on vacation. And the person who made the report no longer works at the company.

Although unlikely (who doesn’t CC everyone?) it doesn’t negate the fact that situations like this are possible.

These scenarios are the exact situation that ERP software helps to avoid. 

There is a reason why one of the top benefits of ERP software includes increased collaboration (reduced process time and centralized data are the others).

Seemingly small communication breakdowns can lead to tension that creates large-scale employee dissatisfaction.

9. Larger ROI and Happier Customers

No customer wants to feel like just another number.

As a business, you want to make the barrier to entry easy so you can turn potential customers into lifelong fans.

To accomplish this, companies often use ERP software as a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tool.

In fact, according to Nucleus Research, incorporating a CRM provides companies with an average ROI of $8.71 per dollar spent.

CRM allows businesses to automate marketing and sales, follow the customer through their buying cycle, and provide personalized offers.

Plus, ERP systems offer solutions that contribute to the customer experience regardless of behind-the-scenes disruptions.

It is a powerful tool for any growing business.

10. Put Repetitive Functions on Autopilot

Manual processes are slow and cumbersome.

The only thing worse than manually doing something is having to do it twice. it. Every. Single. Time.

Automation is one of the biggest advantages of ERP specifically because it helps efficiency.

If one employee needs data manually inputted by another, then productivity is wasted for everyone.

Most ERP solutions automate and create real-time data, negating the necessity of manually transferring data.

The 6 Main Disadvantages of ERPs

1. You’ll Pay (Literally) If You Don’t Know What You Want

Two companies can use the same ERP software for completely different reasons. 

It’s like car shopping: all cars get you from point A to B but the ride differs depending on taste.

After all, you don’t purchase a new car without a few preferences in mind. Similarly, you wouldn’t get ERP software without knowing how it helps your business.

Going in without a plan all but guarantees an implementation failure.

Too many companies think that an ERP will fix all their system issues.

But time and effort are required to ensure the ERP software fits your needs. 

This might mean scheduling multiple meetings with departments so everyone is clear. This may require back and forth and discussion with multiple sales reps.

But going through and doing your due diligence on this will make the ERP integration much smoother.

2. ERP Implementation Is Notorious for Going Over Budget

Compared to the other disadvantages of ERP, price is a huge consideration.

The sticker price of ERP is already expensive but most companies aren’t fully prepared for just how expensive integration truly is.

No matter how thorough you budget for ERP integration, it is common to go over that budget.

Be prepared because you do NOT want to be one of the companies that spent millions of dollars on a failed integration.

3. Expect to Plan Around the ERP Software

If you are thinking about switching to an ERP, I wouldn’t get too attached to your current system.

Too many businesses try to force ERP features to fit with the current system instead of the other way around. 

In other words, implementation will be easier for everyone if you assess the good parts of your current system and determine if it’s able to integrate with the ERP.

Although it may sound counter-intuitive, ERP is designed with efficiency in mind. The software knows what it does well and already has a proven method in how it helps your business.

4. Implementation Takes Longer Than You Think

ERP implementation is not known for being quick and painless.

Actually quite the opposite.

A major disadvantage presents in the beginning: getting a company’s new ERP up and running.

The issue with slow implementation is how it affects doing required daily tasks.

Systems might frequently need updating or have downtime, causing frustration for the employee who has an upcoming product deadline.

As a company, you’ll need to be prepared that this frustration may drag on for months.

5. Requires Managers to Buy-in

Integrating ERP software ends up being a total revamp to your current system.

This is not something an IT person should decide on for the whole company.

To do this successfully, all departments must be willing to participate. 

Changing processes requires upper management to instigate the change. They are the ones who share insight with the employees that the growing pains will ultimately be beneficial.

If not everyone is on board, it can lead to increased turnover out of frustration.

6. Still Requires Human Interpretation

Many businesses add ERP software to have all their data in one system to make it easier to make future decisions based on the data.

Not a bad idea, right?

The issue is that the data is there but it still requires a human to interpret it.

You must ensure the quality of the data doesn’t become lax, otherwise poor decisions might be made that negatively hurt the future of the business. 

And this would not be the ERP system’s fault.

How to Decide if an ERP System Is Right for Your Business

There are a few major areas you’ll need clear answers on before switching:

• Business need: What specific functions will the ERP software accomplish? Is your industry a common area that uses ERP?
• Budget: Do you have the resources available for a long implementation process? Do you have the money available to account for going over the initial budget? Are you willing to go over budget?
• Company size: Is the company growing or do you have a manageable number of employees? Will a smaller, simpler upgrade work instead?
• Employee willingness: Are current employees willing to change their current processes and adjust to new ones? Or will they try to work their manual processes in, therefore reducing ROI?
• Integrating team: Do you have a consultant, firm, or in-house team to assist with integration? Who will provide ongoing support during updates or errors?

Do You Find the Benefits of ERP Worth It?

After weighing the pros and cons of ERP, you should have a better understanding of whether ERP software is right for you.

So, is it time for your company to switch?

If yes, congratulations! Make sure you get fully prepared by reading our ERP implementation guide before getting started.

If not, that’s reasonable too. There’s no need to rush the process. 

You can implement ERP when you’re ready.

The post Benefits of ERP: Advantages and Disadvantages to Consider appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

Their search for products or services that are the right fit leads them to you in the same way your quest for a fitting enterprise resource planning system prompts you to compare Workday vs. NetSuite ERP solutions.

While Workday and NetSuite are potential game-changers for your business, they will live up to their potential only when deployed in the spaces they were designed for.

As you wouldn’t thrust an outstanding basketballer into a soccer game and automatically expect a glowing performance, don’t reach for either of these ERPs without doing your due diligence.

In this case, due diligence is discovering how Workday and NetSuite compare and which is a better fit for your business.

We can help you with the first part, but the second is an inference you’ll draw on your own. Ready to get the information you need to draw that inference? Read on.

Workday vs. NetSuite: The Complete Comparison 

Workday provides cloud-based financial management, human capital management, and data analytics applications for medium-sized and large corporations in a single system.

Its functionalities include Workday Adaptive Planning, Spend Management, Talent Management, Payroll, Workforce Management, Professional Services Automation, etc.

While Workday is a more niche product, NetSuite is a cloud-based suite of integrated applications that help you manage all business operations.

From supply chain management to inventory monitoring, finance and accounting to HR management, Customer Relationships Management to omnichannel e-commerce, NetSuite is your go-to solution.

Let’s get into a more detailed comparison of NetSuite and Workday.

Pricing 

As is common practice with enterprise software providers, Workday doesn’t provide fixed pricing rates on its website. Instead, it requires companies to contact the sales team for custom quotes. 

Not many third-party websites offer in-depth Workday pricing details.  Outsail is one of the few that does. The website claims Workday charges an annual subscription fee of around $300k and a one-time implementation fee, usually 150%-200% of the subscription fee. 

You’ll also not find definite pricing details on NetSuite on its website, but there’s information on how NetSuite calculates each company’s unique quotation.

The four metrics used are the monthly licensing fee for the platform, the company’s preferred modules, the number of users, and a deployment fee. 

Further research on third-party websites yielded information on the cost of some of the pricing metrics.

Reports suggest that the monthly fee is around $999, modules can cost anything between $149 to $499 each, and the cost of adding new users is $99 per user.

The reviewed sites didn’t give information on the implementation fee but noted that further updates and maintenance are free.

Verdict: NetSuite takes the pricing trophy. Unlike Workday, which is typically regarded as one of the most expensive options on the market, NetSuite offers extensive capabilities at affordable prices.

That said, using pricing as a selection metric can be tricky because, depending on your situation, the pricier option may be the better one for you.

Features

Seeing as Workday is a niche solution focused mainly on financial management and human capital management solutions, there’s not much basis for comparison between it and NetSuite.

Let’s take a quick look at how some of the key features they have in common compare.

Financial Management 

Workday’s financial management module is a one-stop shop for accessing integrated data on all finance-related enterprise matters and maintaining tight control over financial and accounting processes.

With machine learning, it intelligently guides the automation of financial activities, points out anomalies in records, and makes recommendations. That way, the team can detect errors faster and get insights promptly.

Using these structures and more, Workday executes regular financial management operations, including:

• Financial accounting: general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, fixed assets management, cash management, financial reporting.
• Consolidation and close: global consolidation, account reconciliation, period close process, and dashboard for period-based reports.
• Revenue management: contract-cash processing, ASC 606/IFRS 15 compliance, reports on profitability, project costing, what-if scenarios, and more.
• Expense management: global receipt scanning and automatic expense item creation, insights and analytics, expense tracker and control, quick reimbursements, etc. 
• Grants management: automated grants management for regulatory and sponsor compliance, expenditure tracking, etc.
• Financial planning: budgeting and forecasting, scenario planning, etc.
• Analytics: reports from blended data sources, automated benchmarking, automated internal and external reports.

NetSuite’s financial management module performs similar functions to Workday’s solutions. The cloud-based package delivers real-time insights into a company’s financials and speeds up daily financial transactions, consolidation, and budgeting cycles. 

Plus, it integrates with other business applications to provide synced insights across the board. Its key capabilities include:

• Accounting: general ledger, accounts receivable and payable, fixed assets management, tax management, cash management, etc.
• Billing: recurring subscription management, automated rate creation, multiple pricing models, etc.
• Budgeting:  scenario planning and modeling, revenue planning, workforce planning, operational expense, reporting, etc. 
• Revenue recognition: ASC 606 and IFR5 15 compliance, automated revenue allocation, multiple revenue recognition methods, revenue plan management, etc.
• Consolidation: multi-book and multi-entity reporting, automated consolidation, and more.
• Reporting: US GAAP and IFRS-compliant prebuilt and custom reports, multidimensional analysis,  multi-book reporting, etc. 

Verdict: NetSuite nicks this round with its slightly broader financial functionalities for subsidiaries. But both options are top players in financial management,  as exemplified by their rating as “leaders” in Gartner’s Magic Quadrant for Cloud Core Financial Management Suites for Midsize, Large and Global Enterprises (2021).

Human Resource Management (HCM)

With human resource management being one of the two key areas Workday focuses on, its HCM module is understandably robust.

From ensuring you can view data about your global workforce to delivering hiring and payroll management functionalities, Workday gives you control over employee management, end to end.

Here’s an overview of what to expect: 

• Human capital management: global workforce management, employee and skills directory, compensation management, etc.
• Payroll and Workforce Management: payroll processing, audits, reporting, time and attendance tracking, automated leave approval and reminder, etc.
• Talent Management: Talent acquisition, learning recommendations for employees, and more.
• Employee experience: onboarding connects employees to third-party applications the company uses, personalized recommendations powered by machine learning, and more.
• Knowledge management provides answers to employee HR questions fast and in different workspaces.
• Workforce Planning: Workforce modeling, forecasting, and budgeting

NetSuite also integrates several workforce and human resource management tools in one place.

The HCM module removes the need for third-party integrations, creates a better experience for employees, and ensures you can make informed workforce-related decisions using accurate data. Its key submodules include:

• HR admin: employee directory, HR operation automation, database access control, etc.
• Payroll: payments processing and scheduling, integration with general ledger, tax, benefits deduction, etc.
• Performance management: goals and KPIs setting, progress monitoring, and commendation. 
• Workforce management: time-off management, benefits, compensation tracking, and workforce planning.
• Employee engagement: self-service feature for employees for simple tasks like updating personal info, onboarding and offboarding, etc.
• Analytics: employee headcount, expense, revenue and profit per active worker, etc. 

Verdict: This round ends in a stalemate. 

Project Management/Professional Services Automation (PSA)

Workday has a PSA module that helps you run your professional services business more efficiently and profitably.

Workday’s PSA software powers timely and cost-effective project completion by integrating HR, finance, and planning tools. Its key capabilities include:

• Project and resource management
• Insight on project financials
• Expense tracking and management
• Time tracking
• Project accounting and billing 

NetSuite’s PSA module is just as effective. The integrated cloud solution oversees project and resource management, project billing and accounting, time tracking, contractor tracking, and more. It also features a detailed reporting tool that delivers real-time data on project performance.

Verdict: This is a close call, but NetSuite just edges Workday in this category. Its PSA functionalities are more extensive and include NetSuite OpenAir, which among other things, helps businesses find potential clients.

User Experience

In terms of user experience, the word on the street is that NetSuite is user-friendly as long as the user goes through training first.

This suggests that new users may find navigating the platform a tad difficult. And speaking of navigation, some users also suggest that NetSuite’s user interface appears dated.

That said, they say it gets the job done pretty well.

NetSuite also offers iPhone and Android mobile apps for the on-the-go monitoring of critical operations and performing necessary business actions such as expense reporting. 

Workday boasts a modern user interface. Like NetSuite, it also provides mobile apps, and its design is mobile-friendly.

Although customers consider Workday to be pretty user-friendly, they report that some aspects like the goal-setting and reporting features are sometimes slow and unresponsive. Plus, some users believe there aren’t adequate search filters.

Verdict: NetSuite wins this round as most of its UX issues are peculiar to newbie users and can be avoided with proper training. Workday, on the other hand, has more systemic glitches.

Integrations

Workday provides impressive extensibility and integration features.

The former gives you access to Workday Extend, which allows you to develop new apps for your business needs using Workday protocols.

Workday Integration Cloud lets you connect Workday with several third-party apps using pre-built integrations or the industry-standard API framework.

NetSuite has its integration platform called SuiteCloud Integration which performs almost the same function as Workday’s Integration Cloud.

It supports industry-standard integration protocols such as ODBC/JDBC, REST, SOAP WEB services, custom REST endpoints, and CSV file import so that you can connect NetSuite to almost any third-party app or system for seamless data exchange.  

Verdict: Both solutions are pretty evenly matched in this category.

Customer Support

NetSuite’s customer support channels span email, phone support, chat, knowledge repository, and a forum. What’s more, the staff-provided support is available 24/7.

That said, apart from the essential support available to all customers, you can subscribe to premium or advanced packages that come with varying service options.

Workday also offers a wide array of support channels available 24/7.

You get a designated customer success manager for the preliminary stages of adoption; then, there’s email support, online resources, and a community of other customers called Workday Community.

Verdict: NetSuite wins this round because, according to users, connecting with its customer service reps is more straightforward. 

Reviews 

Unsurprisingly, when we visited user review aggregating sites, we discovered that customers were mainly split on both ERPs’ performance. But despite the minor glitches pointed out here and there, each group of users mostly had glowing reviews for their selected ERP. NetSuite and Workday’s ratings on different sites prove this. 

Capterra

• NetSuite – 4.1/5 stars (809 reviews)
• Workday – 4.4/5 stars (58 reviews)

G2

• NetSuite – 3.9/5 stars (1,844 reviews)
• Workday – 3.9/5 stars (88 reviews)

Verdict: NetSuite and Workday users believe each ERP meets their needs, so we’ll consider this a stalemate. 

NetSuite vs. Workday – Which is Best? 

Your best bet is to consider the features of each ERP in light of your preferences and needs. But in a straight-up feature-by-feature comparison between NetSuite and Workday, the former comes out tops. 

For one, it’s a complete business management platform that lets you take charge of all your critical business operations from one platform. On the other hand, Workday focuses on financial and human capital management.

Also, while NetSuite can serve businesses of all sizes, Workday is better suited to mid to large-sized enterprises. Plus, it’s easier to scale with NetSuite. 

Click here to read our NetSuite implementation guide if you’re interested in getting more information on NetSuite.

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To gain an edge and get value for money, you’d have to do a lot more than splash the cash on random technology.

You need to sift the chaff and select the right solutions for you. And that’s where comparing two ERP options like Epicor and NetSuite comes in.  

There is no need to draw up a chart; we’ve created a relatively detailed analysis of both ERPs, comparing their key features to help you make the right choice for your business.

Continue reading to learn how Epicor and NetSuite fare in a head-to-head battle.

Epicor vs. NetSuite – The Complete Comparison

NetSuite is a full-scale cloud-based ERP software for businesses of all sizes.

It is efficient in the distribution and manufacturing sectors and serves well in the services industries.

Its key modules include financial management, accounting software, customer relationship management, order management, inventory management, global business management, etc. 

Epicor Kinetic (formerly ERP) is a scalable ERP software that boasts robust functionalities for different sectors with more emphasis on manufacturing, distribution, and retail.

While Epicor offers multiple products, its Kinetic ERP focuses on supply chain management, HR and finance management, customer relationship management, sales management, and more. 

Let’s delve into deeper details that would pull the weight on which you decide to go for. 

Pricing

Let’s begin with NetSuite. Data on the details of NetSuite’s pricing system is sparse.

Prospective clients can only get information on a quote basis. This means that quotes are assigned to each company per its needs.

However, NetSuite’s pricing is based on these factors: the modules needed, the number of users, a base fee, and add-ons.

Additional information from third-party websites and users put the monthly fee around $999. Depending on application and specifications, modules cost between $149 to $499. And each newly added user costs $99.

These same sources suggest that NetSuite’s users are not charged maintenance and update fees.

Epicor has a service-oriented structure and is modular-based. This simply means that customers can acquire just the necessary modules without being obligated to buy other modules.

However, the complexity of each module impacts its costs. And its price per user starts at $175 per month. But this excludes the charges of additional modules, consultation fees, and the like.

Verdict: NetSuite seems the better in this aspect.

Combine the fact that its users are free of maintenance and update fees, and Epicor’s modules are complex, which incurs higher costs, and the additional charges for additional modules and consultation fees; you’d see the costs would be considerably higher than the base price quoted earlier. 

Features

Financial Management

NetSuite’s financial management module is a system of functionalities for managing enterprise financial operations end to end and getting financial data for making informed business decisions.

It provides near-perfect coverage of finances and tracks every transaction. Sub-modules included are: 

• Accounting functionalities: general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets management, cash management, etc.
• Budgeting and forecasting features: budgeting automation, revenue planning, scenario modeling, etc.
• Billing: recurring subscription, automated invoicing, billing based on multiple pricing models, etc.
•  Reporting and Analytics: prebuilt and custom financial reports compliant with industry standards, multi-book financial reporting, multidimensional analysis, etc.

Having been a player in the industry for several decades, it’s no surprise that Epicor’s financial management module is just as impressive and extensive.

It caters to all regular accounting operations and provides tools for advanced financial management, including:

• A general ledger with charts of accounts, multiple books, consolidation, and more.
• Accounts payable features that support AP invoicing and payments, petty cash, automated clearinghouse, etc. 
• Accounts receivable features that support AR invoicing and payments, multiple payments instruments, deferred revenue accounting, and more.
• Financial planning and analysis – machine learning-powered revenue forecasting, consolidation, financial statements, role-based analytics, etc.
• Tax automation 
• Global business management – multi-currency and multi-lingual systems, country-specific functionalities, etc.

Verdict: There’s no clear victor in this section.

Supply Chain Management

NetSuite’s supply chain management module lets you monitor and optimize the production and movement of goods through your supply chain.

The procurement functionalities ensure accurate product sourcing from suppliers.

Then inventory management and demand planning improve the production and delivery processes. You get:

• A real-time display of production, financial, and inventory data.
• Forecasting tools
• Capacity planning, production planning, and scheduling tools
• Automated procurement and production instructions.
• Centralized vendor management and more

The Supply chain management module in Epicor is every bit as impressive.

The suite of applications combines to help you improve supply chain velocity, increase profitability, and enhance customer experience by meeting expectations.

The module’s key capabilities include: 

• Purchase management
• Inventory management
• Supplier relationship management
• Warehouse management
• Advanced material management
• Advanced requisition management 

Verdict: Again, both ERPs perform excellently in this category, but NetSuite just edges Epicor as its breakdown of the module’s functionalities is less overwhelming. 

Customer Relationship Management

When thinking of NetSuite’s CRM module, imagine a centralized system for managing relationships with prospects, customers, partners, and suppliers, because that’s what it is. In this category, NetSuite pulls no punches as usual.

It provides all the tools you need to deliver excellent customer service, automate marketing and sales processes and manage quotes and commissions.

Here’s an overview of NetSuite CRM’s functionalities:

• Salesforce automation – integrated sales processes for the sales team
• Marketing automation – campaign management, automated lead qualification, integrated lead forms, etc.
• Customer service management – case creation and automation, customer self-service portal,  online knowledge base, etc.
• Partner relationship management – manage joint marketing campaigns, partner commissions, royalties, order processing, etc.
• Mobile – view and update customer data, create quotes, and more, on mobile devices.

Again, Epicor doesn’t disappoint. Its centralized CRM caters to the most critical customer relationship management tasks such as:

• Contact management – for customers, vendors, and suppliers
• Case management – customer interactions record, user-defined roles and workflows, and other tools for standardizing case resolution.
• Lead and opportunity management – customer life cycle management, revenue forecasts, etc.  
• Marketing management – campaign monitoring, targeted emails creation,
• Mobile access to the CRM suite.

Verdict: NetSuite wins this round because its CRM module includes more marketing and sales management functionalities.

User Experience

In terms of user experience, NetSuite stands out as being highly customizable, having detailed dashboards and robust reporting capabilities.

This attention to detail is also NetSuite’s weakness, as users say setting up the ERP and getting familiar with it can be tedious without the right help.

But they believe the system’s expansive automation capabilities once it’s up and running make up for the time spent setting it up.

Epicor also boasts a very customizable and flexible system. Reports also suggest that its implementation time is short, and the software includes easy-to-understand dashboards and menus.

However, some users found the system quite buggy and noted that it was difficult to find training materials to help get the hang of the software or onboard other users.

Navigating functionalities like deleting journal entries in the financial management module can be tedious.

Verdict: This round goes to NetSuite. But Epicor is set to catch up soon enough as it keeps improving the relatively new Kinetic platform. 

Integrations

Connecting your ERP to an existing ecosystem of applications you already use is key to running your business efficiently.

With NetSuite, this isn’t a problem. Its SuiteCloud Platform allows you to integrate NetSuite with just about any third-party app.

This is possible because SuiteCloud supports integration technologies from REST to SOAP web services, custom REST endpoints to CSV file imports, and ODBC/JDBC.

Epicor mimics NetSuite by having a specialized integration platform.

Tagged Epicor Integration Cloud, the module connects on-premises, cloud, and SaaS business applications to the ERP.

Jitterbit powers Epicor, which ensures you can integrate seamlessly with apps like Shopify, Marketo, and Hubspot, Oracle and SQL Server databases, and data formats like JSON and XML, using various protocols. 

Verdict: Both ERPs are neck and neck in terms of integration capabilities.

Customer Support

24/7 Standard support, including a knowledge base, is available on NetSuite to all customers, but you can subscribe to premium or advanced support packages depending on your needs.

Each package delivers assistance via different channels ranging from online case treatment to phone support. You can also get end-user training through NetSuite or one of its partners.

Epicor offers just as much support through EpicCare. It’s a specialized platform with self-help resources, case submission and tracking, and online communities 24/7.

You get access to EpicCare as part of your maintenance and support plan.

Verdict: It’s another tie between both ERPs. 

Reviews

What better way to learn more about ERP solutions than listening to what actual users have to say?

That’s precisely what we did. Here are aggregated scores of users awarded to NetSuite and Epicor:

Software advice

• NetSuite – 4.1/5 stars (809 reviews)
• Epicor – 3.8/5 stars (167 reviews)

G2

• NetSuite – 3.9/5 stars (1,844 reviews)
• Epicor – 3.6/5 stars (358 reviews)

Verdict: On average, both have close aggregated user ratings, but NetSuite typically gets slightly higher scores.

Our research noticed that ease of use, quality of features, and support were some of the subcategories where NetSuite scored higher than Epicor.

NetSuite vs. Epicor – Which is Best?

If you’re looking for a super niche solution, Epicor might catch your eye because it offers specialized ERPs for manufacturing, automotive, building supply, and distribution.

But NetSuite’s more extensive capabilities and flexible structure ensure it can adequately cater to the needs of several industries. 

NetSuite is your best bet for taking charge of your enterprise without leaving any loose ends as a fully integrated business management tool. Moreover, it maintains its quality across the board – from supply chain management to CRM, unlike Epicor, which is a little light in CRM features. 

Ready to move forward with NetSuite? Click here to read our implementation guide.  

The post Epicor vs. NetSuite – A Faceoff Between Two ERP Heavyweights  appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

You probably already know that ERP software helps increase productivity and simplify business processes.

You may also know that NetSuite is one of the leaders in ERP. 

Unfortunately, it’s also one of the most costly.

Making the jump to ERP software is a big decision. You have numerous options and multiple angles to consider.

And sadly, ERP implementation can be a long, daunting process.

Even if your current system isn’t perfect, it’s at least familiar — and you wouldn’t want to disrupt what’s working for something worse.

Because you know if the new system isn’t helpful to the company, that’s months (maybe even years) of frustration and thousands of dollars down the drain.

Definitely not an easy choice to make.

So why NetSuite? Will it work for your company’s needs?

Read on for the most standout Netsuite benefits companies need to weigh before making the switch.

The 10 Key Benefits of NetSuite

1. It’s Designed Specifically for Your Company

How does NetSuite differentiate itself from other ERP systems?

Through its ability for customization.

After all, companies are all unique. Different processes and niches require different approaches. 

Whether it’s a woodworking company looking for inventory management or a digital print business needing to manage finances and payroll, NetSuite can do it.

As a self-advertised all-in-one business management system, NetSuite can provide pretty much anything a business needs to operate.

That’s why growing companies eventually switch to NetSuite anyway.

NetSuite benefits companies by providing a wide array of modules for businesses to choose from:

You can customize NetSuite to only what you want. As a small example, some NetSuite features and benefits are:

• PayRoll: helps automate paying your employees and monitoring timesheets
• CRM: a complete CRM for your business
• Revenue Management: generates reports for audits and regulations

They have a list of many more modules to choose from depending on what you want NetSuite to do for you.

2. ERP That Scales With You

Companies wouldn’t switch to ERP if they thought the implementation would fail.

No one plans to spend thousands of dollars and devote hundreds of hours on software that doesn’t stay relevant as the business grows.

Companies want a system that will help the business: both now and 10 years from now.

That’s a headache that’s avoidable with NetSuite.

One huge benefit of NetSuite is that it scales with your business. 

NetSuite doesn’t cap the number of users it can handle. It’s not dependent on location. It’s not limited by how big (or small) your company gets.

And as the modules listed above show, NetSuite can be used for practically all aspects of running a business.

So you don’t have to worry: NetSuite will be there to assist your company no matter how it looks.

3. Revamps Your Current Processes

Take a good hard look at your current business operations.

Are they working? Or do they exist simply because “it’s always been that way”?

There’s no point in keeping an inefficient process. Luckily, NetSuite benefits companies in this area extremely well. 

Why NetSuite over other ERP systems? It streamlines operations by:

1. Automating systems and processes. This vastly saves time, frees up your resources, and improves the customer experience
2. Integrating data. Inefficiency comes from multiple systems that don’t talk to each other. This eliminates the need for manual data reconciliation and reduces delays
3. Providing API resources. Resources and user guides are readily available to help developers

4. User-Friendly Interface

Is NetSuite user-friendly?

It’s definitely an important consideration: IT users don’t want to get bombarded with constant, frustrating technical issues, and new hires getting on-boarded want to learn a clean, simple system.

How does NetSuite fare in this regard?

First, compared to other ERP software, NetSuite requires less coding to get it up and running. This is a big benefit of NetSuite.

This is an often overlooked area since many companies use consultants when first implementing ERP. However, as updates happen, it’s generally up to the internal team to fix errors if they occur. It makes their job easier if coding isn’t an additional barrier to figure out.

Second, NetSuite has a simple UI layout.

This is especially helpful for employees trying to learn a new system. The more intuitive a layout is, the more likely they will be willing to adopt the new processes.

5. Simpler (And Cheaper) Onboarding

Since NetSuite is an all-in-one ERP software, your order management processes, accounting, and human resources can all run under one roof.

If you’re currently using multiple systems for these different departments, learning to use these processes is a daunting (and costly) task.

In the end, the switch to NetSuite reduces training costs and saves time: new users only need to learn NetSuite as opposed to having to learn multiple systems. Experienced users don’t have to teach multiple processes and protocols.

Getting rid of redundant systems means you’re streamlining how you operate your business.

6. Gives You a Competitive Advantage

Nowadays, companies have to shift their business strategy often to stay relevant to current trends.

With thousands of companies vying for a customer’s attention, success or failure could hinge on how quickly your company keeps up. 

Don’t blindly throw things at the wall and just hope it sticks.

Instead, use NetSuite to easily access data and analytics to shape future business decisions.

Below is an example screenshot from NetSuite’s ERP system dashboard:

What if all this information was sitting in a system that other departments didn’t have access to? 

Spending weeks manually importing data into a slide deck to present to the team is a huge waste of time. 

By the time of the presentation, the data might not even be relevant anymore.

A benefit of NetSuite is the fact that real-time data is compiled into one system so all statistics are available to anyone who needs to know it. 

This greatly helps decision-making ability.

Plus, since NetSuite is highly customizable, each company chooses what analytics is relevant — this allows you the ability to gather data for both a high-level overview or specific data points.

7. Removes the Need for On-Premises Software

NetSuite is completely cloud-based.

Why is this a NetSuite benefit?

This removes the hassle of dealing with on-site servers or hardware that requires in-person IT management.

By having cloud-based software, your IT team can be remote or reside in multiple cities or countries.

Plus, managing updates with NetSuite save time and money because:

• NetSuite system upgrades are automatic
• You’re updating one system instead of multiple systems
• You don’t have to deal with local updates in each location

For any agile business, this is a must.

8. Flexible With Integrations

Switching to ERP software means changing things that haven’t been addressed for years. 

Normally, this is a good thing.

But what if you have a system you already love and don’t want to change?

That’s another benefit of NetSuite: the ability to integrate with other 3rd party platforms.

Instead of having multiple systems that stand alone from each other, you can integrate with NetSuite.

Some benefits of NetSuite integration include:

• Decreased errors from needing to manually transfer data
• Automatic data transfer, which saves time (and therefore, money)
• Data that are viewable in one place so you’re not paging through multiple systems to find what you need
• Integration that works with a variety of applications such as Quickbooks, Salesforce, Tableau, and WooCommerce

9. Ability to Pay for What You Need

Is NetSuite worth the money?

NetSuite isn’t the cheapest ERP around so most businesses want to make sure it’s worth the cost.

The benefits of NetSuite are even included in the price: you only pay for the modules you’ll use.

A business with 4 employees wouldn’t use the same system as a company of 3,000.

NetSuite provides tiered pricing, depending on the size of the company (small, mid-market, or enterprise).

As the company grows, you can add options such as maximum monthly transaction lines, file storage capacity, and the number of users, to name a few.

In order to use the NetSuite license, there is a cost of around $99/month per user. This could increase depending on any additional Netsuite features and benefits you want to add.

Don’t be alarmed though: NetSuite frequently offers discounts. If you commit to longer contracts, you can get 30-50% off their stated price.

After all, no one wants to pay more than what they need.

10. Works in Multiple Locations

The world is global. 

Regulations and business practices shouldn’t be limited to simply where you live.

NetSuite knows this. 

Their NetSuite OneWorld product allows your company to operate in almost any country, all on the same NetSuite ERP software.

An amazing benefit of NetSuite, OneWorld makes managing your global company easier: 

• Stays compliant with each country’s tax and regulation rules
• Over 27 languages and 190 currencies are available
• Cheaper than using multiple ERP systems in different languages
• Data consolidated into real-time reports that team members can access globally

Take a Free Assessment to Find Out If These Benefits of NetSuite Are Helpful to Your Business

NetSuite knows how to help your business. It is a true all-in-one ERP and it provides tools to help you with exactly that.

It mastered how to create more efficient order management systems, automate financials, and improve e-commerce processes.

But maybe you’re still not sure if your company needs NetSuite.

We’ll help you figure that out through our FREE NetSuite Assessment. 

You’ll know in just a few minutes whether it’s the right move for your business to make the switch to NetSuite.

And if it is, you can be confident that you’re making the right decision.

The post 10 Benefits of NetSuite ERP For Growing Companies appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

You’ve got hundreds of options. And you often have to painstakingly read through dozens of guides, thumb through hundreds of pricing pages, and run dozens of comparison checklists to find one perfect for your business needs. 

Throw in the fact that investing in ERP software is a big-money investment, and there’s even greater pressure from your stakeholders to make the best decision and get it right the first time. 

Perhaps you’ve whittled down your options to Acumatica and NetSuite — two of the topmost ERP software options — but still can’t decide which software is best for you.

In this post, we’ll provide a detailed analysis of Acumatica vs. NetSuite to decide for yourself which software is perfect for your needs. 

Acumatica vs. NetSuite: Quick Summary 

The NetSuite ERP 

NetSuite is a cloud-based, all-in-one business management solution. With NetSuite, you can manage inventory, operations, accounting, and perform several essential business functions from one online platform. 

Beyond housing your core business processes under one roof, NetSuite also (a) enables you to automate those processes and (b) provides you with real-time data that you can use to make timely and cost-saving decisions.

Consequently, your productivity increases and overall operating costs decrease.

From small businesses to Fortune 1000 companies, over 29,000 companies in 200+ countries (across various industries) use NetSuite to run their business operations. 

NetSuite is primarily considered the world’s #1 cloud ERP software. It’s popular partly because it was one of the pioneers of the SaaS (software as a service) solution. However, this ERP software isn’t riding solely on its first-mover advantage. 

Over the past two decades, NetSuite has proven to be a robust ERP solution for businesses of any size. It has also proven to be scalable—it can grow with your business, meeting different needs as your organization grows. In addition, NetSuite continues to push its competitive advantage through bi-annual software updates. 

Acumatica

Acumatica is a relatively new but fast-growing ERP provider. 

Like NetSuite, it’s an all-in-one solution for business management applications. But, unlike NetSuite, Acumatica gets a leg up by offering both on-premise and cloud deployment options for its ERP software.

Whereas NetSuite has a robust, flexible, and scalable factor for catering to businesses of any size, Acumatica works best for small and medium-sized companies, with a particular focus on manufacturing and distribution organization’s 

Acumatica has a unique pricing model that naturally makes it more attractive to specific niche markets (more on this in a minute). But price point aside, Acumatica is undoubtedly a functional and good-to-use cloud ERP software. Their growth and sales numbers prove it. 

As of 2020, they catered to the ERP needs of 6,500+ clients in 30 countries. And they support 12-15 languages through their partners.

Fun fact: NetSuite customers constitute 63% of technology companies that have IPO’d since 2011.

NetSuite vs. Acumatica: Everything You Need to Know About These ERPs

Pricing

NetSuite customers pay an annual subscription fee to access the NetSuite Platform. However, your annual payment will depend on your company’s needs. So, we’re unable to quote a universal subscription fee. However, we do have some insight into how the annual subscription fees are determined based on information from third-party NetSuite “partners.” 

You pay for the core NetSuite platform ($999 monthly). NetSuite also offers optional modules (some of which can reportedly cost anywhere from $199 to $499). And finally, you pay for the number of users you’ll have on the platform ($99 per month to register additional users). 

NetSuite also charges a one-time setup fee. 

On the other hand, Acumatica operates a unique and flexible pricing model that charges customers based on transaction volumes. Call it the pay-for-only-what-you-use pricing model. 

In other words, Acumatica doesn’t charge per user. Instead, it offers “unlimited users” and charges based on the number of resources a company consumes on commercial transactions, ERP transactions, and the amount of storage required. 

This flexible pricing structure lowers their entry fee and makes them more appealing to small and mid-market customers. 

Because of its per-user pricing model, NetSuite (and several ERP vendors) have come under fire for “punishing their customers for growing.” But how different is Acumatica’s pricing model?

A closer look reveals that you’re paying for additional users in a non-obvious and untraditional way. Think about it: as your business scales and orders increase, you consume more resources, and you’ll pay higher fees. 

That is, your cost-to-revenue ratio increases as your business grows. At least, with Acumatica, there’s a chance you can keep cost-to-revenue costs constant for specific periods during your company’s growth journey.

Acumatica’s transactional pricing model is cost-effective and generates high ROI for companies that trade in low-volume, high-margin products. But it may not be the best option for businesses that deal with high-volume and have low-margin type products.  

Verdict: Acumatica makes it easier for small to mid-market businesses to adopt cloud ERP solutions because its entry prices are lower. NetSuite’s entry prices are higher. But for upper mid-market companies, the chances are high that, in the long run, you’ll spend less money with NetSuite than you would with Acumatica.

Features 

Below is a comparison of Acumatica and NetSuite based on some essential features. 

Financial Management

Acumatica’s financial management module includes basic financial and accounting functionalities you need to keep a tight leash on your business’s financial operations. 

• The general ledger integrates with the rest of the modules. It allows you to track financial transactions such as fixed assets, inventory, accounts receivable, and accounts payable and generate critical financial statements.
• A cash management system for keeping tabs on all daily cash flow-related operations all in one place, including cash balances, bank account reconciliations, and funds transfers and tracking. Acumatica’s CMS also supports multiple currencies and works hand in hand with the currency management feature to ensure you can track gains and losses from changing currency values, amongst other things.
• A tax accounting software integrates with other financial management modules and allows tax calculations on transactions and tax report generation.

NetSuite’s financial management module is just as extensive. NetSuite’s financial module has you covered from facilitating daily transactions to budgeting operations and streamlining financial accounts with other business operations. Its key features include:

• Accounting tabs feature a general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, fixed assets management, cash management, tax management, and the works.
• Billing functionalities automate invoicing, support diverse subscription and multiple pricing models, and more.
• Budgeting and forecasting feature support budgeting automation for different departments, scenario modeling using factors including location and product.
• Financial report generation includes multi-dimensional analysis that delivers excellent insights, highly configurable reports to meet your unique needs, and more. 

While Acumatica and NetSuite share many similarities in finance and accounting features, there are also critical differentiating factors. For one, NetSuite allows multi-book accounting, which helps you run different sets of accounting stipulations on the same set of financial records. However, Acumatica doesn’t offer this. 

Also, NetSuite’s structure allows it to compute large transactions at a go. But Acumatica relies on batch processing which can prove tedious during report generation. Plus, NetSuite offers a highly customizable general ledger.

Verdict: while Acumatica rivals NetSuite in terms of general accounting features, NetSuite boasts broader functionalities well suited to fast-growing businesses or large enterprises with extensive operational demands.

Inventory Management

Acumatica’s inventory management module covers the essentials. You can manage inventory across multiple warehouses, including setting locations for specific operations such as receiving inventory, returns, shipping, and dropshipping. Another key feature is you can set parameters for stock replenishment using seasonality, maximum and minimum order quantities, forecasting models, and more. 

What’s more, you can specify several vendors for different items while setting a preferred vendor, plus minimum or maximum order requests by item for each vendor. Generally speaking, Acumatica has inventory management on lockdown.

NetSuite isn’t a slacker in this category either. Its inventory management module also supports inventory tracking across multiple warehouses and sales channels. Not to mention that you can fully automate the process. 

NetSuite also sets inventory replenishment rules to maintain adequate stock levels using relevant data such as seasonal sales records. It even goes a step further to create stock reorder tasks and alert the purchasing manager when reordering is due.

With NetSuite’s cycle counting feature, you are guaranteed accurate inventory figures at all times, plus scheduled periodic counts to keep records updated.

As with the other categories, NetSuite and Acumatica’s stock management modules share similarities, but some features also separate them. For instance, while both have various depreciation and costing methods tools, including standard costing, average cost, group average cost, and First-In-First-Out, only NetSuite supports the Last-In-First-Out method.  

Verdict: Again, NetSuite just edges Acumatica based on sheer features depth.

Customer Relationship Management

Acumatica’s CRM module is a comprehensive solution that empowers you to manage all customer-facing and customer-related assets, including leads, opportunities, contacts, customer accounts, marketing collaterals, customer service systems, etc.

With the sales automation functionality, your sales team will have all it needs to manage leads, shorten the sales cycle by leveraging detailed insights and improve close rates. 

The integrated marketing feature syncs sales, customer information, marketing collateral, and campaigns to create a powerful conversion machine. You can track leads from prospecting to up-selling, access tools to create customized landing pages, segment contact lists based on specific criteria, track campaign expenses, etc.

Beyond sales and marketing automation, Acumatica’s CRM module also supports customer self-service portals. You can set up these portals to allow customers access information that connects them to your business, such as contracts and financial statements.

NetSuite’s CRM module also offers traditional CRM functionalities ranging from sales force automation to marketing automation and customer service management. 

Your sales team can access an integrated sales process that connects different sales operations such as up-selling, sales forecasting, quote management, etc. For the marketing team, activities like lead qualification become more straightforward with the CRM’s lead qualification automation feature. And the customer service team has an easier job of managing inquiries and cases with NetSuite’s case management automation.

But NetSuite CRM goes one step further to include partner relationship management. This feature enables you to manage sales and marketing processes and other business operations that may consist of business affiliates and partners, such as joint marketing campaigns, lead management, commissions, etc.

Verdict: This round ends in a stalemate between NetSuite and Acumatica.

Reporting and Analytics

When it comes to delivering critical business insights that aren’t just your run-off-the-mill statistics, Acumatica performs well. 

It includes reporting tools, dashboards, data analysis toolkit, business intelligence, and analytics. With a reporting database that’s fully integrated with all other modules, you can get all the insights and trends you need to make intelligent business decisions in one place and at a glance.

Additional reporting functionalities on Acumatica include customizable reports, role-specific reporting, data exportation to external analysis tools including Power BI, and various reporting formats including Word, Excel, PDF, and HTML. 

NetSuite’s reporting and analytics feature also provides real-time data and insights across all business operations. Like Acumatica, it also includes prebuilt and customizable reports, self-service reporting, and even role-based reporting dashboards. 

Although both ERPs are almost evenly matched in this category, financial reporting on Acumatica’s end may be more tedious because of its sub-ledger architecture. This implies that while you can get all the information you need on, say, a particular customer on NetSuite at a glance because it stores data on a single database, you would have to open multiple tabs on Acumatica to get the same range of data on that customer. 

Verdict: It all comes down to the underlying database structure and how this impacts reporting. As you’ve seen with NetSuite, its database architecture allows single-view reporting for several data sets, which isn’t the case with Acumatica. So we’ll also give this category to NetSuite.

User Experience

ERPs are supposed to increase efficiency and remove the tedium of managing several operations on different channels, but they should also be simple. Thankfully, Acumatica favors this rule. It’s easy to implement, intuitive, customizable, user-friendly, and supports mobile devices and browsers.

NetSuite also shares all of Acumatica’s excellent user experience drivers. But the former’s reliance on a unified database, as opposed to Acumatica’s batch processing method of computing data, means with NetSuite, you get faster data analysis and reporting, which can improve productivity and reduce monotony.

Verdict: NetSuite is easier to use and offers a better user experience owing to its unified database.

Reviews

We jumped on two reliable third-party review sites to glean insights into unbiased perspectives of real-time Acumatica and NetSuite customers. Here’s what we found.

GetApp

1. Acumatica (50 reviews) – General Ratings: 4.4/5 stars.
2. NetSuite (809) – General Ratings: 4.1/5 stars.

Software Advice

1. Acumatica (50 reviews) – General Rating: 4.42/5 stars, Ease of use: 4.5/5 stars, Value for money: 4.5/5 stars, Customer support: 4/5 stars, Functionality: 4.5/5 stars.
2. NetSuite (809 reviews) – General Rating: 4.1/5 stars, Ease of use: 4/5 stars, Value for money: 3.5/5 stars, Customer support: 3.5/5 stars, Functionality: 4/5 stars.

Gartner Peer Insights 

1. Acumatica (66 reviews) – General rating: 4.3/5 stars
2. NetSuite (57 reviews) – General rating: 4.2/5 stars.

N.B: Although Acumatica has a slightly higher Gartner Peer rating, only 83% of reviewers would recommend it to someone else, while that number stands at 88% in NetSuite’s case.

Generally, people fancy Acumatica because it’s perfectly suited to small and midsize businesses, and it offers excellent round-the-clock support and free training. On the flip side, some users believe its dashboard could be better designed and more customizable on the flip side.

NetSuite also gets the nod from users for its extensive features, ability to process large data seamlessly, highly customizable features, and vast integration capabilities. That said, some users believe that its deployment could be faster and smoother.

Integrations

Acumatica is hosted on its xRP Cloud Platform that supports REST and SOAP-powered web services. Apart from its customizable nature, it integrates with popular applications you may already be working with, such as Salesforce, Shopify, Microsoft 365, Dropbox, etc.

On the other hand, NetSuite runs on JavaScript programming language and offers application programming interfaces (APIs) with which you can build more applications for the ERP. Apart from APIs, NetSuite also facilitates integration via its SuiteTalk program, which integrates cloud or on-premises applications directly to NetSuite. To cap it off, NetSuite integrates with several third-party applications such as Salesforce, QuickBooks, Microsoft Office, etc.

Verdict: We’ve hit another stalemate between NetSuite and Acumatica, as both ERPs have impressive integration capabilities and are pretty flexible on that end.

Customer Support

Acumatica and NetSuite are big on customer support. 

With the former, you get a three-pronged support system featuring a local Acumatica partner who’s attached to your business, direct 24/7 support from Acumatica via a call, chat, or email, and a ton of online resources and training.

NetSuite is also just as supportive. It has three customer support packages: basic, premium, and advanced customer support. 

While the basic offering is available to all customers, you can upgrade to premium or advanced, depending on your business needs. Each support level adopts varying channels, including 24/7 phone support and online case submissions. And just like Acumatica, NetSuite provides a wealth of helpful resources via an online knowledge base.

Acumatica vs. NetSuite—Which is King? 

Ultimately your choice will come down to the demands of your situation, budget, and preferences. That said, it wouldn’t hurt to draw a comparison chart featuring Acumatica and NetSuite.

If you did, here’s what you’d find: Acumatica has a slight edge in terms of deployment because it allows cloud on-premises hosting, whereas NetSuite is strictly cloud-based.

Acumatica also starts at a slightly lower price point. But on the other hand, its data processing and reporting capabilities are limited by its batch processing method, and the overall depth and breadth of its features do not match NetSuite’s. This makes NetSuite a more suitable option for rapidly growing enterprises and big businesses that need extensive functionalities to run efficiently.  

Your turn!

The post Acumatica vs. NetSuite:  Which One is Best for You? appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

It began with Ford Whitman Harris’ 1913 paper-based production scheduling system called the economic order quantity (EOQ) model, then evolved into Black and Decker’s computer-powered material requirements planning (MRP) product. 

Manufacturing resource planning (MRP II) followed an upgrade on MRP. This later morphed into the comprehensive suite of tools for core business processes integrated into one system we know today as ERP.

While the integrated system for business management may have evolved over the last century, one issue still lingers: choosing a suitable option. Unfortunately, there’s no hack for that. Plus, choosing is even more tedious nowadays due to the dozens of options on the market. 

Like us, you know you have to do your due diligence. And this quest has led you to compare NetSuite and SAP, two of the most famous names in the ERP game.

Widely regarded as the number one ERP software on the market, NetSuite includes modules for efficiently managing your most critical business operations and accessing their data for performance review and decision making. NetSuite helps you take charge of everything from accounting to manufacturing from one cloud-based system.

SAP also sets you up nicely with its cloud-hosted ERP applications spanning every critical department that keeps the lights on in your business, including accounting,  sourcing and procurement, supply chain management, etc. 

If both options seem the same, not to worry, we’ve done some of the heavy lifting for you by digging into the fine details that distinguish them so that you can make an informed choice. So if a detailed comparison is what you’re after, keep reading.

NetSuite vs. SAP: Quick Summary

Let’s go through a crash course on the scope of each platform,

NetSuite 

NetSuite ERP is a collection of cloud business management applications that helps organizations oversee their core business processes and get real-time, easily accessible data across the board, all in one place. It’s like Big Brother, but for your business.

From helping you automate your financial processes to ensuring you have an up-to-date inventory record. While giving you tighter control over order management and at the same time helping you optimize your supply chain, NetSuite’s scope is extensive and detailed. Here are some of the applications this powerhouse packs: 

• Accounting Software
• Financial Management
• Warehouse Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Order Management
• Inventory Management
• Global Business Management
• Human Resource Management 
• Analytics and Reporting

On top of its extensive feature list, NetSuite caters to businesses of all sizes operating in various industries, including digital marketing and advertising, consulting, energy, financial services, food, manufacturing (no brainer), software, and technology, transportation and logistics, and more. 

SAP ERP

SAP applies cloud-based and on-premise deployment options, depending on your preferred option, to deliver an intelligent and integrated suite of management tools for core business processes across different departments. The platform focuses on offering flexible and scalable management tools to help businesses cut costs, become more efficient, and safely leverage innovative technologies.

With its range of solutions tailored to small, medium-sized, and large enterprises, SAP has a suitable ERP system for every need. 

There’s the cloud or on-premise-supporting SAP Business One for small businesses and the SAP ByDesign designed for midsize, large, and global enterprises. Finally, you have the S/4HANA Cloud ERP, the latest cloud-only platform that harnesses machine learning and AI to automate all business operations. 

For this article, the focus will be on SAP Business One, which is the first SAP ERP software, the one with the most extensive features and the most amount of global deployment. Although SAP indicates that Business One is for small businesses, records show that it’s the most popular SAP ERP software among even midsize to large companies clocking up to $500 million in revenue.

Here are some of its capabilities: 

• Financial Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Customer Relationship Management
• Procurement 
• Project Management
• Human Resources
• Analytics 
• Industry-Specific Capabilities

Like NetSuite, SAP also supports diverse industries, including financial services, mining, media, transportation and logistics, retail, wholesale distribution,  government institutions, and more. 

NetSuite vs. SAP Business One: A Side-By-Side Comparison

Pricing

We’ll take a quick look at NetSuite’s pricing first. One of the few definite details on pricing on NetSuite’s website is that interested prospects have to request a quote based on their needs. Apart from that, details on pricing directly from NetSuite are few and far between. 

That said, third-party websites and other users have shared insights on NetSuite’s pricing model. For one, customers have to subscribe annually to use the software. And the price for each business is determined based on four factors: the flat fee for the core NetSuite platform, the selected modules, the number of users, and the implementation cost. 

Reports suggest that the flat fee is around $999, additional modules can cost between $149 to $499, and each other user costs $99 per month, but we couldn’t get details on the setup fee. Although, we did find out that NetSuite users aren’t charged for maintenance and updates. 

With SAP, you’d also have to contact the sales team for a quote based on your preferred hosting option (cloud, on-premise, co-located), database type, customization, implementation, and add-ons. But reports on its basic pricing structure per several of SAP’s partners say that the company licenses the software to businesses through various licensing options:

• Professional licenses offer complete access to all the SAP models. And you can acquire one via a one-time payment or monthly subscription. The one-time fee stands at $3,213 per user minus a yearly maintenance fee, while the monthly subscription pricing comes in at $108 per user with no extra annual maintenance charge.
• Limited Licenses come in three packages from which you can choose: CRM, Financials, and Logistics. And each gives you a mix of full, partial, or no access to some functionalities under each package. For example, the Limited CRM license gives you full access to the CRM module, partial access to the business management module, and no access to the project management functionality. 

You can obtain limited licenses for a one-time fee of $1,666 per user plus an extra yearly maintenance fee or a monthly subscription fee of $56 per user with no annual maintenance charge.

Verdict: If we applied only the basic pricing information for both ERPs in a hypothetical situation of six users, you’d pay $6,939 per year for a NetSuite subscription (minus maintenance fee and additional modules), while SAP’s monthly professional license fee for six users for a year will set you back $7,777. But chances are including NetSuite’s maintenance fee will take its price very close to SAP’s cost. 

On another level, opting for a one-time payment of $3,213 per user for SAP’s professional license for six users will cost $19,278 (without the yearly maintenance fee), which you will incur in about 2.7 years of purchasing NetSuite for the same number of users.

We’d call it a tie between NetSuite and SAP, as both options have very flexible pricing structures. And while NetSuite could be more expensive in the long run, you may not have the lump sum required to purchase SAP’s cheaper one-time professional license at the time of need. So ultimately, the option you’ll consider affordable will be down to your immediate business needs and budget.

Features

Concerning features, NetSuite and SAP offer similar functionalities. But there are fine margins here and there that give each an advantage over the other in some cases.

Financial Management

NetSuite is a powerhouse in the financial management scene. Its comprehensive solutions integrate with other business applications and present consolidated financial reports and granular details about individual transactions. For example, under NetSuite’s financial management module, you’ll find: 

• Accounting functions cover tax management, accounts receivable, accounts payable, a general ledger, fixed asset management, and cash and payment management.
• A robust billing feature allows end-to-end management of billing operations such as recurring subscriptions, invoicing, and multiple pricing models.
•  A planning and budgeting feature that automates both processes facilitates revenue planning, accurate scenario modeling, and other operations.
• An excellent financial reporting feature that provides real-time insights, customizable report formats 

SAP’s financial management module is similar to NetSuite’s in that you can automate critical accounting processes such as accounts receivable, accounts payable, and journal entries. You also get to manage fixed assets with a function that removes the tediousness of the job. 

SAP also allows you to handle reconciliations and process bank statements and payments easily. And like with NetSuite, standard and configurable reports based on real-time insights are available on SAP.

Verdict: NetSuite wins this round by a mile. While SAP’s financial management features lean more towards basic accounting operations, NetSuite’s features have more length and depth. An example of the former is NetSuite’s subscription billing absent in SAP. And as regards depth of functionality, while SAP enables revenue recognition, its functions are limited compared to its NetSuite counterpart.

Sales and Customer Management

As with its other features, NetSuite’s Customer Relationship Management module is also expansive. It includes functionalities that help with the end-to-end management of leads, from spotting a sales opportunity to offering support and everything that makes up the customer lifecycle, including customer order, fulfillment, renewal, upsells, cross-sell, etc.

NetSuite CRM’s key features include: 

• Its sales force automation allows teams to manage the sales process from one platform
• The marketing automation function powers targeted campaigns and measurements to deliver insights into customer readiness based on predefined criteria.
• A partner relationship management feature coordinates the sales process with partners and affiliates and manages moving parts like joint marketing campaigns and partner commissions.   
• Mobile and tablet access for specific tasks
• Customer Service Management feature for creating and automating case management processes, amongst other things. 

SAP’s sales and customer management module deliver similar value to NetSuite CRM. 

• It tracks customer and lead activity all through the sales cycle
• Manages and analyzes marketing campaigns
• Stores customer data in one place, including synchronizing Microsoft Outlook contacts
• Facilitates effective service management through easy documentation and service call response
• Delivers detailed reports on the sales process
• Enables sales process and customer information management on the go via mobile.

Verdict: We’ll put this down as a tie, although for you, having to purchase NetSuite CRM separately might tilt the scale in SAP’s favor. And for others, the extra expense may not matter if, for instance, there’s a genuine need for NetSuite’s partner relationship management feature, which is absent in SAP.

Purchase and Inventory Management

NetSuite’s inventory management module is a one-stop shop for real-time insights on company-wide inventory. It aggregates stock across all channels and locations to ensure you get an accurate bird’s-eye-view of what’s available and can make informed decisions. 

The sophisticated software also supports intelligent stock replenishment using historical sales data and other factors to determine when to automatically notify the purchase manager to reorder an item and what stock levels are appropriate for that item. Other functionalities include scheduling periodic counts and assigning them to warehouse staff, facilitating cycle counting, and enabling stock traceability using serial or lot numbers.

With SAP Business One, you also get real-time records of warehouse inventory across different warehouses and locations. Using serial and batch numbers, following the trail of goods through your inventory cycle also becomes easy. There’s also a handy feature that synchronizes inventory level with accounting operations to enable seamless purchase planning and auto-generated accounts payable invoices for purchases or orders.

And if you’re also handling production, the materials requirements planning feature allows you to predict material requirements, create bills of materials, and issue production orders.

Verdict: For businesses just starting, SAP Business One could match NetSuite in terms of the value delivered in inventory management. But NetSuite is better positioned to remain relevant to the inventory control needs of the business as it grows.

Customization

Customization can be critical, especially when adjusting certain ERP features to suit emerging business needs. With NetSuite, shaping your ERP interface is straightforward as the platform employs a point-and-click feature that enables you to customize dashboards, menu bars, and forms. This means you don’t have to interact with code to make slight changes. 

NetSuite also includes permission and access controls that allow you to determine who within the organization has access to what data.

SAP also offers customization to a reasonable length; however, navigating the process could prove tricky for non-technical users because it requires you to do some coding. You’d also need MS Visual Studio,  a separate customization tool.

Verdict: NetSuite simplifies customization for users and, as such, edges SAP in this category. 

Reporting and Analytics

NetSuite and SAP Business One offer detailed business analytics using interactive dashboards and key performance indicators. 

However, NetSuite’s Suite Analytics, its analytics module, is arguably more accessible and user-friendly than SAP’s data reporting tool. It also delivers insights into every area of your business using functionalities that are either absent or limited in SAP’s analytics tool, such as continuous revenue recognition tracking.

Some of SAP’s advanced analytics features also require separate licenses, which can significantly raise the cost of the software.

Verdict: NetSuite also takes this round.

User Experience

NetSuite’s user experience is decent, although there are claims that beginners may find navigating the platform a little taxing. It also doesn’t help that NetSuite’s search functionality sometimes fails to deliver, complicating information retrieval.

On the other hand, SAP is more intuitive, simple, and to the point. For example, users can easily access their most critical business data using SAP’s search feature. SAP’s short implementation time also gives it an edge over NetSuite as users can quickly get down to managing their business with SAP soon after purchase.

Verdict: SAP clinches the top spot in this category due to its more straightforward user interface, responsive search function, and shorter setup time.

Reviews

A quick trip online will show you varying user opinions about NetSuite and SAP. We scoured some software rating and user feedback aggregating sites to discover what experts and the market are saying about both ERPS.

Finance Online: 

• SAP: SmartScore – 8.7, User Satisfaction rating – 98% 
• Netsuite: SmartScore 9.6, User Satisfaction rating – 99%

G2

• NetSuite – 3.9/5 stars from 1,833 reviews
• SAP – 4.4/5 stars from 469 reviews 

Capterra 

• NetSuite – an overall rating of 4.1/5 stars from 809 reviews. Ease of use: 3.8 stars, Customer Service: 3.6 stars, Features: 4.1 stars, Value for Money: 3.7 stars.
• SAP – an overall rating of 4.2/5 stars from 185 reviews. Ease of use: 3.8 stars, Customer Service: 4.0 stars, Features: 4.3 stars, Value for Money: 4.0 stars.

Word on the street is that NetSuite is a robust ERP option that’s super flexible and excellent at integrating with third-party apps. But it can also prove overwhelming due to its comprehensive features.

For SAP, the consensus is that it’s a cost-effective, easy-to-use ERP well suited to the budgets of small and medium businesses yet delivers excellent value. However, some of its features, such as its accounting functionality, lack critical capabilities that may be dealbreakers.

Integration 

Seamless integration is NetSuite’s forte. It comes with NetSuite SuiteCloud Platform Integration, the bridge that connects NetSuite to almost any third-party application or external system for data exchange. NetSuite SuiteCloud is so versatile that it supports standard industry integration technologies such as CSV file import, ODBC/JDBC, REST, SOAP WEB services, and custom REST endpoints. 

NetSuite also integrates with popular third-party applications such as Shopify, Salesforce, HubSpot, etc.

Although SAP displays impressive integration capabilities, they aren’t as robust as NetSuite’s offerings. It delivers APIs for SQL-based integrations and add-ons like SAP Business One Integration Hub with pre-configured integration templates for applications like Shopify, Magento, Salesforce, Mailchimp, WooCommerce, DHL, FedEx, and others. 

Verdict: NetSuite comes out tops because it supports a broader range of integrations that may become critical as the business evolves.

Customer Support

Both ERPs are big on customer support. With NetSuite, essential support is accessible to every customer, but there is an opening for premium and advanced customer support available on a subscription basis. These options provide support through various methods, including online case submission and treatment and 24/7 phone support. NetSuite also has a ton of free valuable guides and resources such as blog posts. 

SAP also has a maintenance contract-based support structure on standby 24/7 to attend to critical issues and can also be reached through LaunchPad, a support platform for SAP Business One users. In addition, a wealth of handy support resources are also floating around SAP’s website.

Verdict: This battle ends in a stalemate owing to both ERPs’ extensive support capabilities. 

SAP Business One or NetSuite – Who Gets The Crown?

Now that’s not a question with an answer that’s true for everyone at all times. NetSuite and SAP Business One have individual peculiarities that appeal to different businesses based on their context. For instance, while NetSuite is strictly a cloud-based ERP, SAP offers cloud or on-premise deployment. In addition, SAP’s pricing model allows a one-time purchase; NetSuite’s doesn’t.

The list of differences goes on and on, but ultimately, you want value for your money, and it’s left to you to determine if value means NetSuite or SAP. Notwithstanding, it wouldn’t hurt to bear in mind that, on the whole, NetSuite offers a more extensive ERP feature list than SAP Business One and might be the best bet for a fast-growing business or one looking to expand its operations soon.

The post NetSuite vs. SAP – A Buyer’s Ultimate Guide appeared first on ERP Software Hub.

The right software can help a company operate more efficiently while increasing revenue and saving time. However, choosing the wrong ERP system for your business may mean upgrading and re-integrating all your data again. This is expensive and time-consuming.

So, which ERP software solution is right for your business?

It’s no secret that NetSuite Microsoft and Dynamics are two of the most popular ERP software companies.

Both NetSuite and Dynamics 365 have a lot more in common as both systems started as cloud-first software. However, while NetSuite is purely a cloud platform that offers you a user-friendly access point to your information, Dynamics 365 is a hosted solution.

The answer to that question starts with understanding the factors that play an integral part in selecting the best software. And the good news is, we’ll give you the information you need to sift through all the noise!

Let’s get right to it.

NetSuite vs. Dynamics: Quick Summary

Let’s dive in and see what each platform has to offer.

NetSuite is a cloud-based comprehensive business solution provider. It’s a suite of business management applications—ERP/Financials, CRM, and eCommerce—all under one virtual roof.

The platform delivers its solutions through a multi-tenant cloud subscription model. This model ensures that each customer has their little data tank, allowing customers’ data to be separate and secure. The subscription model also allows customers running on the same software version to receive updates automatically.

Small and medium-sized businesses from various industries use NetSuite for its numerous offerings. Some of its notable ERP features include:

• Warehouse and fulfillment
• Supply chain management
• Financial management
• Email marketing
• Inventory management
• Global business management
• And order management.

Microsoft Dynamics 365 has different products that offer ERP solutions to growing small and medium-sized businesses. With its Power Platform integration and cloud solution, you seamlessly connect sales, finance, and operations to deliver faster results.

Some of its notable ERP features include:

• Stock management
• Supply chain management
• Sales process management
• Customer service
• Financial management
• Effective forecasting
• Billing and accounting management.

Dynamics vs. NetSuite: Who Wins the Heavy-Weight Battle? 

Pricing 

Discussing pricing for the two brands may not be as straightforward as you imagine. NetSuite’s pricing details are not publicly available, while Dynamics pricing varies per business area. 

NetSuite requires customers to contact them for a quote based on their business needs. But you can get a sense of Netsuite’s pricing on third-party websites. These sites allow you to estimate your reasonable pricing. 

Note, this method isn’t accurate as it’s an estimation. And these vendors might include their service charges.

Typically, NetSuite’s prices begin at $45 per month and can go higher depending on the services you need. The licensing fee is usually about $990+ per month and can vary based on the products chosen, support level, number of users, and storage options.

On the other hand, Dynamics has all its pricing details on its website. But, as mentioned earlier, it offers prices based on the business area. So, to get a quote for their ERP services, users will need to pick what area – from sales to supply chain to project management – they need an ERP system to get an accurate quote. You can also contact a Microsoft Dynamics ERP partner to get a quote alongside implementation costs. 

Microsoft also has an option for SMEs called Dynamics 365 Business Central. And its pricing is as follows:

• Dynamics 365 Business Central Essentials – $70 per user per month
• Dynamics 365 Business Central Premium – $100 per user per month
• Dynamics 365 Business Central Team Members – $8 per user per month

The winner: Microsoft Dynamics vs. NetSuite’s pricing battle is quite tricky. They both have pricing systems that are not very straightforward. However, Dynamics wins the pricing round because of its transparency and affordability.

Features

Let’s see how NetSuite’s ERP features compare to Dynamics 365

With NetSuite’s ERP functions, users can automate processes and optimize their operational and financial efforts. Users can efficiently manage multiple subsidiaries through its financial and global business management offerings and ensure compliance.

On the other hand, Dynamics Business Central offers an easily adaptable system beyond accounting. The software connects a financial, sales, and project management connection that gives a holistic experience. It also integrates the Microsoft Office 365 features (duh!) to improve productivity.

Dynamics won this round because of its added feature – Office 365.

User Experience

To determine what platform is easier to use, we scoured through user experience’ reviews on both platforms – NetSuite and Dynamics. 

Here’s what users had to say about the ease of use:

“NetSuite is not a very newbie-friendly ERP system. It is easy to find yourself lost quickly without background knowledge on ERPs or someone to help train you. Thankfully there is a massive library of FAQs and support pages.”

“With NetSuite, multiple currencies, locations, and internationalization help you when you have to access different subsidiaries.”

“NetSuite is not particularly intuitive for first-time users. Because it is so customizable, it can be a drawback for businesses that become overwhelmed by too many options and decisions.”

“With Dynamics, if you are looking for something flexible, open, and relatively easy to use, it can be, but reseller partner network is arguably its biggest weakness.”

“Dynamics is broad and scalable enough for some of the world’s largest organizations, but it is at the same time flexible enough to meet the needs of higher growth mid-size organizations.”

“The user experience with Dynamics is more intuitive among employees that have used to using Microsoft Office 365, SharePoint, Teams, and other Microsoft productivity tools.”

While the NetSuite platform may not be very intuitive to use, it is functional and can connect with 3rd party tools. These tools offer the opportunity for users to optimize the platform to a level that they find most seamless. On the other hand, Microsoft Dynamics is relatively easy to use, flexible, and scalable such that small, medium, or large enterprises can use their platform. 

The winner: There’s neither a winner nor a runner-up in this round. Both platforms have their pros and cons. Where they are not up to standard, they compensate with other areas. We recommend considering other factors first, then gradually building usability skills for the chosen platform.

Reviews

Let’s see how users generally feel about NetSuite vs. Dynamics 365 in the market.

In the 800+ NetSuite reviews on GetApp and SoftwareAdvice, there were about 600+ with a 4/5 and 5/5 ratings. Users particularly enjoyed its complete view of financial performance and cash flow analysis. In addition, users also loved that they didn’t need installations or downloads to harness the software’s full features.

However, some users find it overpriced and believe that an overhaul is necessary for its onboarding and reporting as they feel outdated.

For Dynamics 365, in about 4000+ reviews, on GetApp and SoftwareAdvice, there were about 3,000 with a 4/5 and 5/5 ratings. Users love their robust offerings ranging from lead management to marketing to customer service to project automation. 

All these allow for a frictionless engagement with their customers. While it was relatively easy to use, some users found it needed in-depth knowledge to navigate, and data collection was a hassle when trying to switch.

The winner: In this segment, general reviews are too broad to pick a winner as users were talking based on particular features. In addition, both software had more positive sentiments than negative ones. And that’s always a good sign.

Integrations

NetSuite’s combination of ERP programs, CRM tools, and e-commerce capabilities allow users from different departments to access customer information through a single record. This multi-faceted setup allows seamless integration between ERP systems cutting across teams.

While there’s an option of hand-coded integration, NetSuite also offers SuiteCloud Connect. It is a packaged solution for integrating on-premises enterprise applications and cloud applications. It allows businesses to tailor NetSuite according to their growing business needs. 

There may be no need for third-party app integrations with NetSuite unless your business has specific use-cases that require a third-party integration. If that’s the case, you can use NetSuite with platforms like Salesforce.com, SAP, Google Apps, and more.  

As a Microsoft software, Dynamics easily integrates with Microsoft’s productivity tools. They include Microsoft Office, Microsoft SharePoint, and SQL server database. 

With this, users can have quicker data access, enhance data accuracy and improve productivity. Users can also integrate ERP in Dynamics 365 through the standard data services and common data model.

Some of the integration options available with Dynamics CRM and ERP include; Power BI, Yammer, One Note, Office 365 & LinkedIn Sales Navigator, Document Creation tools, Project Management tools, VOIP, SQL Server.

The winner: While NetSuite and Dynamics both offer unique, robust integration options, NetSuite offers unique options but fewer third-party integrations. On the other hand, Dynamics offers more Microsoft-focused integration options. NetSuite wins this round.

Customer Support

NetSuite offers a full range of customer support split into Basic, Premium, and Advanced customer support. Each option provides different services. However, eligibility for these support services is based on the user’s subscription.

NetSuite also has an advanced support option that allows users to experience premium hands-on support. It’s only available at an extra cost. And involves proactive monitoring to nip any potential troubles in the bud. 

Dynamics 365 offers a call and chat option for anyone from Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM Central Time. Bear in mind that time zones may vary depending on location, but you can request a Dynamics 365 expert to contact you.

Another way for users to access customer support is through communities. And both Dynamics and NetSuite offer that.

The winner: While NetSuite has more extensive options, they are not readily available to the general public. On the other hand, Microsoft Dynamics has options that most users can easily access.

Dynamics vs. Netsuite: Who wins the battle of ERPs?

For companies with disparate requirements and who might need a more all-encompassing solution, NetSuite is the better choice. While the NetSuite platform is pricier, the overall value and cost savings from efficiency, user experience, and seamless integration with the other pieces of your ERP puzzle more than makeup for the price.

This doesn’t mean we completely discount the value Microsoft Dynamics can bring to your organization. But this is some investment, no matter the platform you end up going with. And you must make every dollar count.  

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