In our previous match-up between Odoo Enterprise and SAP Business One, we compared the two leading ERP systems to find out who came out on top for the small to mid-sized business market. Odoo Enterprise was our pick for a range of reasons. So, let's look in a little more detail at this relative newcomer to the ERP scene and the business case for adopting it ti improve the performance of your SME.
Odoo is a leading enterprise management platform, designed to helpbusinesses improve their performance. It was 'born' around 2014 following years of development (during which it was known as TinyERP in 2007 morphing into OpenERP) and was always intended to take on the big players of the ERP market. These days we can see it's more than lived up to this intention—with over 3.7 million users, 1250 partners and a community of active developers who have helped it offer over 16000 applications. The advantages over other ERP vendors Odoo might be a relatively new player in the market, but it holds distinct advantages over other ERP vendors. The key one is its low total cost of ownership (see more, below), which makes it ideal for cost-conscious SMEs looking to improve performance without breaking the long-term budget. With Odoo Enterprise licences pitched at a very affordable level and a growing partner network it has been able to build up a large community of partners who actively develop new applications to meet developing customer needs. All of which has helped Odoo become a fully comprehensive ERP package to help any business evolve and grow.
Odoo Enterprise delivers a comprehensive package of applications that can immediately start helping your business improve its performance. Each different Odoo module can stand alone and perform independently subject to your requirements. Or you can combine all the modules into one complete solution, with integration straight out of the box, to meet all your business processes and requirements efficiently.
While ERP systems like SAP require far more (costly) customisation by third parties to address your needs, chances are Odoo already has what you're after at a base level—with applications covering everything from supply chains and manufacturing to maintenance, quality control and product lifecycle management. All of which can easily be customised to suit your processes by an Odoo approved partner at a fraction of the price of its competitors.
Having a modular structure means Odoo Enterprise suits those looking for a flexible (and scalable) solution for their ERP needs. With each application handling one business function or process, customers could, if they wished, install whatever apps they need, when they need them, avoiding handing over money for functionality they don't need. However, for more complex installations, users can choose from a growing partner base to customise the platform, whether they're pivoting strategy or growing their user base.
Not all ERPs can boast an elegant user interface, but the team at Odoo have worked hard on the upgraded version. Now it's both easy-to-use and easy on the eye, making it one of the more enjoyable platforms to operate on the market.
The Odoo development team pays keen attention as it scales according to the global trends of different ERP technologies. Odoo modules are flexible to customise and at the same time are adaptable to an existing framework. Many ERP software packages are built as a one-size-fits-all solution. The expectation is for the client to tailor its process to suit the platform. For companies like LIDLthis has proved a major and expensive flaw. The Odoo business management framework makes customer-oriented implementation easier.
Free trials are always useful to get a sense of what your investment entails. So Odoo is to be commended for making sure businesses can get started without any outlay whatsoever and get a true taste for the system they aim to purchase. With a pick and mix approach to module purchase, costs are generally reduced in the long run. Since the platform is so easily customisable, third party costs are lower overall, and users benefit from the installation quicker than say a SAP installation which typically takes months and months to implement. Since Odoo Enterprise is designed to bend to your processes, implementations are also much quicker.
Want to find out more about Odoo and how it can be tailored to give your business an immediate boost, cutting costs and improving performance?