Weighing Your Options Between Building or Buying an ERP Software (2024)

The build vs buy dilemma often haunts businesses who are in urgent need of an ERP software. At Oodles ERP, we often handle queries from our customers along the same lines. Budgetary constraints, time, short-term and long-term objectives, and in-house IT talent are typical considerations that make procuring an ERP software a challenging decision.

In this article, we have listed the pros and cons of both custom ERP development and out-of-the-box ERP implementation for the benefit of our readers.

As open-source enthusiasts, we look forward to maximizing the benefits of ERP platforms like Odoo, Offbiz, and OpenTap for our clients. The key value open-source development brings to the table is the scalability your organization needs as it grows. Let’s take a closer look at what lies ahead.

Weighing Your Options Between Building or Buying an ERP Software (1)

Building or Buying an ERP Software

Pros | Build an ERP System

Meet Customized Demands: An off-the-shelf software cannot meet every business requirement. To meet specific business requirements, it is better to build your own customized ERP system. The main benefit of choosing an ERP custom software is that it gives businesses total control of their development processes. The detail requirements and business peculiarities can be easily discussed with the developers.

Weighing Your Options Between Building or Buying an ERP Software (2)

The build vs buy dilemma often haunts businesses who are in urgent need of an ERP software. Explore the pros and cons of building and buying ERP software.

We have a skilled development team that provides customization services using open-source ERP platforms like Odoo, OpenTaps, and Ofbiz. Businesses can use Odoo for developing ERP custom software because it provides free licensing which means at least 40 to 60% of functions are already available. In addition, Odoo customization services provide a personalized experience in an application and focus on the client’s requirements and ideas.

High Flexibility: ERP custom software is built with the scope of future modifications and enhancements. It can easily be scaled as the business grows. In addition, custom ERP can also be integrated with other software packages like CRM, accounting, inventory, and human resources to drive growth and revenue.

Oodles ERP has a powerful stack of 10,000+ supported Odoo applications to provide a fully customizable and flexible ERP software development to meet business requirements. You can start your business with basic modules and can integrate new modules as per the requirement.

High Compatibility:ERP custom software is highly compatible and you can integrate it with a wider set of APIs from different software and data partners.

Explore our customized ERP services in detail.

Cons | Build an ERP System

Long Development Time: Internal staffing limitations may result in long periods of configuration, development, and testing. In addition, custom software can only be tested once development is done completely. If in case there are modifications or improvements to be done, more time will be required.

Limited Training and Support: Lack of specialized training to employees working on the new ERP system can be challenging for businesses.

Risk of Software Incompetency: Even with a good internal knowledge of the organization, the developers that building the custom software may lack the industry experience and hands-on experience. In addition, their exposure to the latest technologies is limited. They can be unaware of recently developed technologies that could empower specific solutions.

Apart from building an ERP custom software from scratch, we provide ERP integration and implementation services to enhance the existing capabilities of your ERP system. However, the decision to buy an ERP software raises concerns around compatibility as well as implementation cost and duration. Let’s take a closer look at the pros and cons of buying ERP software.

Pros | Buy an ERP Software

Lack of Technical Proficiency: If you do not have a skilled technical team to build customized software, it will be wise to buy a fully-built ERP software.

Limited Budget: The cost of customized software is higher in comparison to readily available canned solutions because they make more financial sense for an organization with a small budget.

Easy Availability: Canned solutions that have already been proven effective for specific business functions are easily available in the market. At Oodles, we provide implementation services for already built-in ERP software like Zoho, HubSpot, and Salesforce.

Cons | Buy an ERP Software

Less Control: Software vendors hold the right of the implementation code and hence businesses always need to rely on external technical support.

High Upfront Cost: ERP development acquisition is more costly in terms of upfront money than in-house ERP custom software development.

Making a decision whether to buy ERP software or build an ERP software from scratch is not easy. Both off-the-shelf software and canned solutions have their own pros and cons. Evaluate your decisions on the basis of a long-term approach and business requirements.

Still unsure about what is good for your business? Drop us a line and we will get in touch with you shortly.

To Read Next:Choosing Right ERP Implementation Partner for Business Efficiency

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Weighing Your Options Between Building or Buying an ERP Software (2024)

FAQs

Weighing Your Options Between Building or Buying an ERP Software? ›

While building in-house software can offer greater control and customization, it may be more expensive and time-consuming. On the other hand, purchasing software from a vendor can be faster and cost-effective, but may not fully meet the organization's specific needs.

What to consider when buying an ERP system? ›

  • Your ERP selection should deliver platform scalability and flexibility. Your current list of requirements and needs should not be the only thing that guides a purchasing decision. ...
  • Select an ERP with support for mobile users. ...
  • Customer recommendations or testimonials. ...
  • Ease of use and contextualization. ...
  • Long-term costs.

Which is better developing your own ERP system or buying an ERP system? ›

In general, out-of-the-box ERP software is likely to be the optimal choice for businesses with: Standardized processes and straightforward operations. Time and budget constraints.

What are the key considerations when selecting an ERP? ›

Top 10 ERP selection criteria:
  • Business requirements.
  • Upper management support.
  • User support.
  • Functional requirements.
  • Integration with existing systems.
  • Budget and resources.
  • Technology and future scalability.
  • Total cost of ownership and ROI.
Feb 28, 2024

How do you choose the right ERP system for your business? ›

How to choose the right enterprise resource planning system for your business
  1. Identify your business needs and goals. ...
  2. Research and compare different ERP systems. ...
  3. Evaluate the system's fit with your business. ...
  4. Consider the implementation process. ...
  5. Look for long-term support and maintenance.

How much should you spend on an ERP? ›

You can plan to spend between 1% and 2% of your annual revenue on an ERP project. This includes the implementation services and the first year of software fees. If your business is under $3 million in revenue, you'll be closer to 2%. As your revenue scales up, you'll move into the range of 1% or less.

What are the three main ERP systems? ›

There are three main types of ERP systems that function with different deployment model options. The most common types of ERP systems include cloud ERP, on-premise ERP, and hybrid ERP.

Can I build my own ERP system? ›

To build your own ERP system you will need to have a team of professionals which consists of developers, designers, software testers, project managers. Besides, the ERP systems require a lot of space and computing power so the cloud solutions should be considered as well. Company adjustments.

How much does it cost to develop an ERP system? ›

Average Cost Of ERP Software In India – Exploring In 2024
PlansSmall Business ERP PlanMedium Business ERP Plan
PricesRs.8 Lakhs($10,000) to Rs.24 Lakhs($30,000)Rs.24 Lakhs($30,000) to Rs.72 Lakhs($90,000)
UsersUp to 50Up to 200
TurnoversBelow $50 million$200 million
Jan 10, 2024

Do I really need an ERP? ›

Financial management

Although an ERP system will manage all of your business accounting requirements, it can also help manage a wider range of financial tasks, like budgeting, recording transactions, dealing with expenses, overseeing assets and collections, and measuring cash flow.

What are two of the most critical factors for successful ERP implementation? ›

Primary Factor Consideration for a Successful Implementation of ERP
  • Crystal Clear Strategic Goal Understanding. ...
  • Project Scope Well-Defined. ...
  • A Solid Implementation Team. ...
  • On-Point Project Management. ...
  • Partner Who Knows Industry Insights. ...
  • Accuracy of Data. ...
  • Education & Training.
Jul 8, 2022

What is the most critical step in ERP implementation? ›

Before getting your implementation rolling, you need to prepare for the main project phases:
  • An ERP implementation schedule.
  • Data migration and integration process.
  • ERP user training.
  • Testing and go-live plan.
Feb 6, 2023

What are the most important prerequisites to ERP implementation? ›

10 Prerequisites for ERP Success
  1. Clear Business Objectives. ...
  2. Executive Sponsorship and Leadership. ...
  3. Cross-functional Team Collaboration. ...
  4. Comprehensive Business Process Review. ...
  5. Data Quality and Integrity. ...
  6. Scalable Infrastructure and IT Readiness. ...
  7. Change Management Strategy. ...
  8. Vendor Selection and Collaboration.
Apr 22, 2024

What are the main factors in choosing an ERP system for manufacturers? ›

How to Choose ERP Software for Manufacturing
  • Describe the ERP Requirements as per your Business. ...
  • Focus on Cost. ...
  • Cloud-Infrastructure. ...
  • Compatibility. ...
  • Access with any device. ...
  • Select an Industry-specific ERP Solution. ...
  • ERP vendor with a great knowledge & deep industry experience.

Do small businesses need an ERP system? ›

Although these business management systems have been historically considered a “must” for large firms looking to unite and simplify their operations, smaller, growing businesses can greatly benefit from an ERP — especially as more flexible ERP systems with features designed to meet the needs of SMBs enter the market.

Should every business buy an ERP package? ›

Implementing an ERP system to your business brings numerous benefits to your company, including streamlined operations and enhanced efficiency. By integrating various business processes into a centralized platform, an ERP system eliminates data silos, reduces manual tasks, and automates repetitive processes for you.

How hard is it to make an ERP? ›

The main difficulty of ERP is its implementation and customization. It's not easy to tailor the ERP to fit the needs of a specific company and combine a vast amount of information from various departments of the corporation, all IT processes in one comprehensible interface.

What is the best language to develop ERP system? ›

So, everything—such as the development speed, security level, and cost of development—begins with the programming language you choose. The best technologies for ERP development are Java, . Net, and Python.

Are ERP systems good for small business? ›

ERP systems geared towards small businesses are able to automate key business functions such as order processing, production, and finances, freeing up your staff to focus on more important tasks than data entry.

Should every business buy an ERP package Why? ›

ERP solution can bring many advantages to business operations; however, not every small or specialized industry needs one. Small operations may find more straightforward software solutions, comparatively cost-effective. Also, some industries have unique software requirements that ERPs cannot fully address.

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