With so many different ERP options on the market, it can be hard to make a decision. Some have functions unavailable in others or some options are better suited for a certain industry than another. We’ve created this blog series to help you better understand what is available on the ERP market, although our list simply covers some of the major players and there are many more choices available. In our first post, we covered all the major players of entry-level ERP solutions. Today, our post will cover all the major ERP players catering to small businesses.

Traditional ERP

We’re defining traditional ERP as those that were created as on-premise systems, but are now also available as a hosted solution in the cloud, as well. There are quite a few options available in this space, but the leaders that we have identified are Sage 100, Sage 300, Microsoft Dynamics GP and Microsoft Dynamics NAV. The nice part about these products are they are all very similar, so your decision is based mostly off personal preference and what functions you are looking for.

All four ERP solutions are available either on-premise or hosted in the cloud. They also have a large network of add-ons to allow for the systems to extend their functionality. Price is also very comparable for all the products. The main thing that stands out between the products is that Sage 100 and Microsoft Dynamics GP are primarily available for North America, while Sage 300 and Microsoft Dynamics NAV are global solutions. So how would you make a decision between these four ERP options? Take a look at the small details, which is where the difference will lie.

Cloud Leaders

We have pegged these ERP options as the “cloud leaders” because they are available exclusively in the cloud and were created for the cloud.

Netsuite

Netsuite is one of the largest SaaS ERP options. It is available as a hosted subscription only through a VAR partner or directly through Netsuite. There are a few add-on options available and the network is growing, however, there are not as many out there compared to our traditional leaders. Netsuite’s strengths lie in its solution for CRM and e-commerce and automation for those in the professional services industries. Although it has strong capabilities for distribution, it has limited capabilities for manufacturing, especially those that may have a complicated manufacturing process.

Intacct

Similar to Netsuite, Intaact is also only available as a hosted subscription. This solution is also only available through VAR partners and cannot be purchased through Intacct directly. This can have both benefits and weaknesses, although most VARS can offer more attention and options. The Intacct community of add-ons is not quite as large as the traditional leaders or Netsuite. Intacct’s strengths lie in strong accounting features, not-for-profit capabilities, and professional services. Unlike Netsuite, its distribution and manufacturing functions are limited.

Acumatica

Again, Acumatica is a hosted subscription only available through a VAR partner only. They also still have limited options in their add-on community. Acumatica offers strong accounting and professional services functions, as well as strong distribution. There are manufacturing functions available, however it is available as a third party add-on. Acumatica differentiates itself from the rest of the ERP community because it has unlimited users available, you’re not paying for licenses per user.

So far, we’ve covered quite a few players in the ERP market, but there are even more. We have yet to cover those that cater to small to medium enterprises or the tier one market, made for the largest enterprises. Stay tuned to find out which ERP options are the top players in these markets.

We’ve developed these 8 tips to help navigate the many choices for ERP selection.Learn More Here