When choosing an ERP software, companies have countless options on the market today, both proprietary and open source. But the main ones that most people talk about are the big three: SAP, Oracle, and Microsoft Dynamics. Being unfamiliar with all three I decided to look into what the differences are amongst them.
SAP
For me, SAP is the face of ERP software. They are popular with large enterprises that are global and complex in organization levels. Since SAP primarily built its product from the ground up, the various software components are very much standardized and are known to function well together. However, enterprises will have to rely on third party vendors if they need significant customizations for their business needs. As a result, it can become rather expensive.
Oracle ERP
I actually didn’t know Oracle had an ERP product before looking more into this topic. That’s most likely because Oracle acquired other companies with ERP components rather than building one in-house. This approach lets Oracle reach niche markets by obtaining small software companies that cater to specialized needs. Oracle tends to be favored by mid-sized companies that want a more flexible implementation process (as compared to SAP) and have unique needs. It’s noted that Oracle is rated as the most expensive system.
Microsoft Dynamics ERP
Microsoft is somewhat of a hybrid between SAP and Oracle when it comes to their ERP software creation. Microsoft acquired an accounting system software back in 2000. Since then, they have built on it and turned it into a line of enterprise planning software. MS Dynamics works well for small and mid-sized companies due to its simple implementation and similarity to MS Windows. It also offers lots of customization abilities and integrates well with other MS products. Though, users have mentioned that it can take longer to install and tends to have issues integrating with non-MS products.