Choosing the Right ERP: A Strategic Breakdown

The ERP landscape is vast, and selecting the right system can feel overwhelming. For many organizations, the challenge lies in balancing functionality with complexity while ensuring a solid return on investment. While SAP S/4HANA and Oracle ERP Cloud are dominant forces in the ERP space, many businesses with revenue between $100M and $1B are looking for alternatives that deliver speed to value without the overhead of a massive enterprise solution. Even the largest organizations in the world shouldn't feel beholden to SAP or Oracle for big-box ERP – there are other options. 

This article explores five leading ERP solutions that are often better fits, especially for organizations that can't break the bank—IFS, Microsoft Dynamics 365, NetSuite, Epicor, and Infor—highlighting their capabilities, limitations, and examples of ideal use cases. The goal isn't to find the 'best' system but rather the right one that aligns with your business strategy, industry needs, and growth trajectory.  

IFS: Powering Asset-Heavy Enterprises  

IFS stands out for its industry-specific capabilities, particularly in sectors like aerospace and defense, heavy manufacturing,  utilities, and field service management. Its flexible and customizable architecture allows businesses to tailor workflows to their needs while benefiting from robust global, multi-entity support. Additionally, IFS places a strong emphasis on customer experience, offering effective scheduling optimization and collaboration tools that streamline operations. With a cloud-native approach and a comprehensive suite covering finance, project management, and asset management, it's well-equipped for complex business structures.  

However, IFS comes with a steep learning curve, and its implementation can be complex, requiring significant investment in training and resources. Its limited presence in North America and a relatively lean partner ecosystem could make support and integration efforts more challenging. While excellent for asset-heavy industries, businesses with diverse models or those engaging in frequent M&A activities may find it less adaptable. Additionally, some users report that its UI is less intuitive compared to competitors, and its dashboard capabilities for financial reporting are lacking.  

Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance and Operations: The Integrated Powerhouse  

Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O provides a seamless integration of ERP and CRM functionalities, making it a comprehensive solution for businesses of various sizes. With tight connections to Office 365 and Azure, it enables strong collaboration and cloud-based accessibility. Its AI-powered insights enhance decision-making, while its modular architecture allows businesses to implement only the features they need, making it a scalable option. There are also a ton of industry-specific programs built on D365 that serve as accelerators for many product customers. 

Despite these strengths, implementing Dynamics 365 can be complex, often requiring certified partners for a successful rollout. Its vast array of features can be overwhelming, particularly for smaller teams, and the need to configure almost everything can be overwhelming. Costs can also add up quickly, including initial setup, licensing, and ongoing subscriptions. Implementation often requires expert developers, and a massive, inconsistent network of System Integrators can make navigating its offerings a challenge. Additionally, performance issues can arise with large datasets, and its licensing structure can be confusing for buyers.  

NetSuite: The Original Cloud ERP for SMB Growth  

NetSuite is a leading cloud-based ERP solution designed for SMBs. Its unified platform integrates finance, CRM, inventory, and HR, providing a real-time, 360-degree view of business operations. Scalability is a strong point, allowing companies to grow without switching platforms, and its SuiteCloud platform enables deep customization. NetSuite also boasts strong automation capabilities and robust third-party integrations, making it a powerful choice for fast-growing businesses. It can also be implemented incredibly fast and is currently the only program where a 100-day implementation is feasible – depending on the client. 

However, NetSuite's costs can be prohibitive for small businesses, and its implementation process can be lengthy for larger organizations. Customizations require dedicated expertise, and more complex implementations can feel like a vast array of bolt-on and IPAAS solutions. While it offers extensive modules, additional costs for premium support and advanced functionalities can drive up the total investment. It’s strictly cloud-based nature means there's no option for on-premise or hybrid deployments, and businesses in heavily regulated industries may find its compliance options limited.  

Epicor: Built for Manufacturing & Supply Chain Excellence  

Epicor is an ERP system designed for manufacturing, distribution, and retail businesses, offering deep industry-specific functionalities. Its customizable nature allows companies to tailor it to their needs, and its comprehensive suite covers finance, supply chain, and CRM. With strong mobile and cloud capabilities, Epicor provides real-time access to business data, and its cost-effectiveness compared to larger ERP systems makes it an attractive alternative, with especially deep functionality in manufacturing for its size on the market. Additionally, Epicor is investing heavily in growing its capabilities across a wide variety of areas. 

That said, Epicor's implementation process is often complex, requiring significant expertise to set up correctly. Performance issues can arise with large datasets, especially in reporting. Some users have reported challenges with customer support responsiveness, and while its operational capabilities are strong, its financial functionalities may not be as robust as other ERP solutions. Support for multi-national organizations is limited. For upper mid-market companies with highly complex financial hierarchies, Epicor may not be the best fit.  

Infor: Industry-Specific Strength with Global Reach  

Infor ERP delivers industry-specific solutions tailored to retail, manufacturing, and other sectors. Infor's Syteline, M3, and LN programs boast advanced analytics that provides deep insights into business operations, user-friendly interfaces that reduce training time, and strong integration capabilities, particularly with e-commerce platforms. Infor is incredibly capable of addressing the needs of just about any industry.  Its scalability makes it suitable for businesses looking to expand, and its global, multi-entity capabilities allow for seamless international operations. Infor offers a comprehensive suite, including financial management, supply chain, production, and HR, with strong support for complex global supply chains.  

However, implementation complexity can be a challenge, particularly for large or multifaceted organizations. Costs are relatively high compared to some alternatives, making it less accessible for smaller businesses. Additionally, customization options are somewhat limited for businesses with highly unique requirements, and certain versions of Infor suffer from outdated user interfaces and compatibility issues between different software releases. Some users have reported slow customer support response times, and additional costs for modules not included in the standard package can further inflate expenses. 

Choosing the Right ERP: Don't Go It Alone  

In today's fast-moving business environment, ERP is more than just a technology decision—it will either drive or hinder your growth. Any ERP you may choose will have strengths and weaknesses, and no ERP will be a perfect fit.  If you're facing challenges figuring out what your needs really are, planning and preparing for a potential implementation, or aligning leadership objectives, you don't have to settle for a quick decision based on internet feedback. At The Confluencial, we don't just have the expertise to tackle these challenges—we thrive on solving them. Our team is passionate about choosing the right ERP and implementing it well, with a focus on driving real business value and long-term success.  

Thank you for reading. Please comment with any insights, thoughts, and questions. If you have any questions you'd like to follow up on, please email us directly at info@theconfluencial.com. If you like what you see, follow us on LinkedIn and YouTube for more thought leadership weekly.