Finding the right ERP software is more challenging than obtaining Taylor Swift tickets. However, investing in ERP alternatives can save time, money and effort. We’ve compiled a list of the best solutions for your CRM, accounting, HR and other departmental needs.

This article will also cover why you should invest in ERP alternatives, how to choose the right system for your company’s needs and a FAQs list.

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Table of Contents

• Best ERP Alternatives
  • Salesforce Sales Cloud – Best for CRM
  • QuickBooks Online – Best for Accounting
  • Oracle ERP Cloud – Best for Manufacturing
  • Fishbowl Inventory – Best for Inventory Management
  • UKG Pro – Best for HR Management
• Benefits
• How To Choose ERP Alternatives
• FAQs
• Next Steps

Best ERP Alternatives

Our data analysts compiled a thorough list of the best ERP alternatives for accounting, CRM, manufacturing, inventory management and HR practices. This list also includes top features, benefits, limitations and non-supported functions.

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Salesforce Sales Cloud – Best for CRM

Access sales and customer service capabilities for B2B and B2C domains with Salesforce Sales Cloud. Optimize productivity, pinpoint vital metrics and share business information through integrations.

Key features include sales performance management, dashboards and reports, and product management.

An example of Salesforce Sales Cloud’s interface.

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Sales Performance Management —100
• Workflows and Process Automation — 100
• Dashboards and Reports — 97
• Products Management — 96
• Quotes, Orders and Contracts Management — 96

Top Benefits

• Make Better Choices: Use Einstein AI to gain deep-dive data for better decision-making. Review historical sales channel information to develop improved estimates.
• Improve Client Assistance: Manage natural language processing (NLP) and information-based chatbots to answer customer questions for quicker help tactics.
• Align Processes with Company Workflows: Develop and modify customizable forecast and sale stages, dashboards, reports and more to meet industry and business-oriented standards.
• Strengthen Channels: Work with partner scorecards and workflow rules for better KPI tracking, lead attainment, training progress supervision and cross-channel interactions.
• Simplify Quoting Practices: Expedite quote developments with auto-populated data, verified PDF templates and in-solution emailing.

Primary Features

• Sales Campaigns: Develop numerous targeted sales campaigns, including emails, telephone calls, referrals, ads, social media and more. Examine performance with detailed datasheets and statistics.
• Workflow Rules: Establish personalized workflows to automate non-user interaction protocols. Develop automated action triggers when the solution meets pre-set conditions.
• Call Analytics: Gain visualizations and files to showcase phone data and gauge the sales team’s performance.
• Customizable Dashboard: Access a visual drag-and-drop editor to personalize charts, reports, analytics and more.
• Deal Reports: Develop in-depth reports, including monthly closed deals, daily revenue, sales stages and more.

Limitations

• Lacks an on-premise deployment option.
• Native pre-built email templates are only available through Salesforce Productivity.
• Has an outdated user interface.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Call Recording — Supported With Partner Integrations
• SMS Templates — Supported With Partner Integrations
• Automated Sharing — Supported With Additional Modules
• Partner Relationship Management — Supported With Additional Modules
• Portal Permissions — Supported With Additional Modules

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QuickBooks Online – Best for Accounting

This ERP alternative streamlines bookkeeping procedures and helps you gain real-time financial transparency. QuickBooks Online caters to nonprofits, product selling, professional and field services, and more.

Top modules include asset management, project accounting and tax management.

A preview of QuickBooks Online’s main interface.

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Asset Management — 100
• Financial Statements and Bookkeeping Services — 100
• Inventory Management — 100
• Project Accounting — 100
• Tax Management — 100

Top Benefits

• Reduce Mistakes: Supervise workflows to diminish obstacles, edit reminders and benchmarks, and set cash flow notifications to decrease common flaws.
• Expedited Accounting Tasks: Draft, modify and allocate invoices, fees, checks and more quickly with batch invoicing tools to increase efficiency.
• Boost Accuracy: Convert estimates into invoices, confirm mobile signatures, check statuses and alter quotes to ensure business requirement alignment and enhanced accuracy.
• Enhance Client Communication: Allocate credit notes for clients when they return products for better client communications.
• Increase Inventory Monitoring: Govern several financial stock techniques, such as FIFO, LIFO, standard, weighted average and more.

Primary Features

• Depreciation Calculator: Perform fixed asset depreciation computations by diminishing balances, straight-line or customizable approaches.
• 1099 Reports: Streamline 1099 report creation.
• Billable Expenses: Simplify billed fee deliveries for invoice clients.
• Tax Adjustment: Modify owed taxes for credits, discounts, fines, penalties and more to diminish errors.
• Budget Creations: Generate budgets from scratch or pre-filled templates based on other estimates.

Limitations

• Too pricy for small business owners and limited users.
• Lacks budgetary control framework capabilities.
• Can’t document payments in one subsidiary on behalf of other subsidiaries.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Budgetary Control Framework — Not Supported
• Scenario Modeling — Supported With Partner Integrations
• Direct Deposit — Supported With Additional Modules
• Record Payments in One Subsidiary on Behalf of Other Subsidiaries — Not Supported
• Wire Transfer Automation — Supported With Partner Integrations

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Oracle ERP Cloud – Best for Manufacturing

Manage a centralized source to oversee all manufacturing workflows with Oracle ERP Cloud. Leverage real-time dashboards and advanced financial management tools to accelerate productivity and earn more revenue.

Top features include HR management, BOM, engineering change control, MRP and more.

A preview of Oracle ERP Cloud’s financial reporting tools.

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• BOM — 100
• Engineering Change Control — 100
• Governance, Risk and Compliance — 100
• HR Management — 100
• Inventory Management — 100

Top Benefits

• Centralize Duties: Consolidate numerous procedures, from procurement and risk management to reporting and more, for better communication and visualization.
• Enhance Company Visibility: Gain internal task transparency with real-time dashboards and alerts to maintain account balances, profits and more to make better choices.
• Increase Efficiency: Automate tasks — forecasting, managing BOMs, governing BOMs and more — to free up more time for high-priority jobs.
• Boost Compliance Adherence: Upkeep adherence to Sarbanes Oxley (SOX), FDA, ISO and more to avoid fines, lawsuits and recalls.
• Strengthen Scalability: Add new users, machinery and other vital resources in one system to avoid company growing pains.

Primary Features

• Production Steps: Chronicle all workflows with thorough instructions and standard note capabilities for all steps. Establish work centers, machinery, processing times and more.
• Engineering Change Requests: Access a description of encountered problems, reasons for needed changes, affected part numbers, submission dates and other vital information.
• Risk Management: Use table and field-level audit capabilities to track changes. Manage data governance, protection tactics and compliances.
• Energy Monitoring: Evaluate energy consumption according to machine, job, finished product and more. Input estimated data like expected production or energy consumption and compare prospects with current information.
• Project Manufacturing Planning: Input demand, supervise planning cycles, pinpoint shared or project-specific components and more.

Limitations

• Has bugs and system downtime.
• Can’t complete customizations without IT team intervention.
• Lacks dimensional capabilities.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Dimensional Capability — Not Supported
• Formula Validation — Not Supported
• 3D Design and Modeling — Supported with Partner Integrations
• Design Libraries — Supported with Partner Integrations
• Machine Learning and AI— Not Supported

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Fishbowl Inventory – Best for Inventory Management

Fishbowl Inventory supervises all manufacturing, warehouse inventory and asset needs. This system serves mid-sized and large companies and offers cloud and on-premise deployment.

Top modules include dashboards and reports, mobile and order fulfillment.

An example of Fishbowl Inventory’s stock control capabilities.

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Dashboards and Reports — 100
• Mobile — 100
• Order Fulfillment — 100
• Inventory Control — 90
• Purchasing — 89

Top Benefits

• Simplify Protocols: Streamline operations across multiple sectors, from manufacturing and distribution to goods and warehouse management.
• Enhance Transparency: Access in-depth manufacturing management and stock information for better visibility and decision-making.
• Gain Real-Time Accessibility: Manage the solution on Android and iOS devices for instant updates virtually anywhere instead of waiting until you return to the office.
• Govern Numerous Global Partners: Convert currencies for purchase orders and set default money to simplify overseas operations.
• Supervise Several Worksites: Review inventory quantities across several facilities. Administer data trends along all operations and move products to different locations to decrease shortages via one consolidated program.

Primary Features

• Low Stock Report: Craft low-stock documents to determine which items have insufficient amounts.
• Purchase Order Report: Develop purchase order files to showcase ordered, received and invoiced quantities, and other purchase order information.
• Inventory Analytics: Gain charts and graphs to display low inventory objects, expiring items, all inventory and more on Android and iOS devices.
• Backorder Management: Withhold non-available stock orders and allocate them upon replenishment.
• Order Splitting: Perform automatic or manual order splitting.

Limitations

• Lacks on-premise installation.
• Lacks eCommerce and native shipping tools.
• Has limited social media integration options.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Custom Rules to Determine Returns Eligibility — Not Supported
• Workflow-Based Automatic Return App — Not Supported
• Hazardous Product Management — Not Supported
• Gross Profit Method — Not Supported
• Manual Order Creation Once It Reaches Reorder Levels — Not Supported

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UKG Pro – Best for HR Management

Lastly, UKG Pro is a centralized, cloud-based site that manages global human capital and HR duties. This ERP alternative uses machine learning, AI, predictive analytics and BI to streamline practices.

Top features include document management, reporting and dashboards and succession management.

A preview of UKG Pro’s recruiting features.

Highest Rated Modules According to Our Data

• Document Management — 100
• Reporting and Dashboard — 100
• Succession Management — 100
• Performance Management — 99
• Benefits Management — 97

Top Benefits

• Make Data-Driven Employee Choices: Use AI-based predictions, suggested actions and more to review and understand worker performance, concerned areas, hiring needs, retention and more for more accurate decisions.
• Save Money: Diminish high turnover fees thanks to proactive employee engagement focus and improved risk factor comprehension.
• Maintain Employee Knowledge: Allow workers who will retire or switch positions to share their wisdom through newsfeeds and learning courses to retain unique voices.
• Consolidate Data: Merge and track all local and international employee and HR information in one place for better access instead of searching through disparate platforms.
• Perform Easy Storage: Upload and store business regulations and employee handbooks in one place for easy searching and access.

Primary Features

• Document Access Control: Restrict sensitive file access and let specific workers edit or review files according to team, title and document type.
• Document Updates and Printing: Organize, update, find, alter, print and export files as needed.
• Nine-Box Grid and Matrix: Assess employee performance against company growth potential.
• Pre-Built Competency Templates: Visit the pre-defined competencies library that you can alter as needed.
• Penalty Alerts: Obtain alerts for potential punishments workers may face according to their coverage.

Limitations

• Has a long learning curve.
• Has a clunky and confusing interface.
• Lacks compensation survey management tools.

Features Not Fully Supported According to Our Data

• Compensation Survey Management — Not Supported
• Task Management — Not Supported
• Assessments — Not Supported
• Automatic Assignment — Not Supported
• OSHA Compliant Courses — Not Supported

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Primary Benefits

ERP software sounds glamorous. Streamlining workflows with automation, centralizing departments and meeting your company needs are surefire traits that can reel anyone like a fish on a hook.

There are also advantages to investing in ERP alternatives that you may not have known about. Let’s review a few.

Save Money

ERP alternatives are typically cheaper than actual ERPs because they cater to one specific department or practice. Most ERP solutions offer an all-in-one approach with a suite of different capabilities.

For example, investing in manufacturing software offers numerous features, including quality management, PLM, supply chain management, engineering change control and more.

Your typical ERP may have manufacturing software with finite capabilities. Some features may not meet your work practices, or you could need software for job shops, food manufacturing or 3D printing.

Consider this question: If your car window has a crack, do you fix the window or replace the entire car? Most people opt to repair or replace the window because it’s cheaper than a new vehicle.

This principle also applies to business software. You can invest in add-on modules or solutions if you have an effective ERP but lack vital tools. This choice can save you more money in the long run than investing in a brand-new system.

Meet Business Needs With Ideal Customizations

If you own a small or mid-sized business, you’ll need a system that meets those requirements. Initially, developers made ERP programs to serve enterprises. Today, most ERP systems offer scalability.

However, investing in an ERP alternative that serves your industry and company size or offers customizations to align with your operations saves money and time.

Exclude Unnecessary Features

ERP systems can overwhelm you with an overabundance of capabilities. Most users complain that specific vendors have too many tools when they only need a few.

You wouldn’t invest in small business or freelancer solutions if you operate an enterprise.

If you’re a freelancer, you wouldn’t buy an enterprise-level solution, especially if you have limited resources.

ERP alternatives allow you to exclude unwanted tools and find what you need in one space.

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How To Choose ERP Alternatives

You may discover numerous software selection tips and protocols to find the best software for your company’s needs. At SelectHub, we offer Lean Selection, a nine-step methodology for choosing the right solution for any business or industry.

Here’s a brief overview of each step:

1. Establish: Review current processes and ask yourself why you need new software.
2. Collaborate: Create a software selection committee of internal and external stakeholders, company department heads, end users and more for better software requirement brainstorming.
3. Define: Compile a master list of much-needed software requirements with your software selection team.
4. Distribute: Review potential vendors and see how they align with your requirements list.
5. Justify: Take time to determine if you need a brand-new solution, add-on tools for your existing platform or to end the software selection process.
6. Prove: Ask potential software suppliers if they offer demos, use cases or other means of exhibiting their product’s capabilities.
7. Rank: Assess and prioritize vendors according to their demo scores and TCOs. You should have at least two to three potential products at the end of the review that align with your business practices.
8. Negotiate: Consult your number-one-rated vendor and discuss their terms and conditions. Seek additional legal counsel if a contract seems sketchy. Repeat this step with your next top-rated supplier if you can’t meet a compromise.
9. Sign: Make any last-minute contract reviews and sign with your vendor. Establish an implementation plan and post-go-live tasks.

In addition to Lean Selection, you can speak with colleagues, friends and others about their software selection journey for suggestions. You can also review online customer reviews for specific products for a better sense of the product’s pros and cons.

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FAQs

Here are some common questions that arise when searching for ERP alternatives.

What are ERP alternatives?

ERP alternatives are solutions you can invest in to meet your company’s objectives and specific areas, such as HR management, manufacturing, CRM, PLM and so on.

Why should I get ERP alternatives?

ERP alternatives can save money, offer customizations for unique business needs and exclude unwanted modules.

How do I choose ERP alternatives?

Performing our Lean Selection steps can streamline the software selection process and help you find the right system for your company’s needs.

What’s wrong with traditional ERP software?

ERP software isn’t the bad guy. Some people find ERP intimidating because of its costs and overwhelming features.

Lengthy implementation times and employee training sessions also frighten buyers, especially when shopping for their first system.

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Next Steps

ERP alternatives allow you to find the right system for a specific department or workflow instead of buying an all-in-one ERP. Our list covers the best solutions for inventory management, manufacturing, accounting, CRM and HR sectors.

Still unsure? Review our in-depth comparison report to find and compare more products.

What problems do you want ERP alternatives to solve? What are your ideal products and why? Let us know in the comments!