How to Choose the Right ERP for Your Company?
Use Our Interactive Tool
Whether you’re scaling beyond spreadsheets, replacing an aging legacy system, or migrating from on-prem to the cloud, choosing the right ERP is a high-impact decision—and an easy one to get wrong. Many teams assume they need a full system overhaul when the real bottlenecks sit in AP, approvals, consolidation, or reporting.
Before committing to an expensive and disruptive ERP migration, it’s worth exploring what add-ons already exist in your current ERP marketplace. In many cases, the pain points that push companies toward a new ERP can be solved far more efficiently by augmenting the system you already have. Platforms like DOKKA automate AP and financial close processes, reducing manual work and extending the life and capability of your ERP.
Use the interactive tool below to identify which ERP approach best fits your organization—and to understand when enhancing your current system may be a smarter path than replacing it.
Why your ERP fit depends on size, industry, processes, and internal capacity
ERP selection isn’t about finding a universally “best” system. It’s about matching a platform’s strengths to your operational reality: your size, your industry, your workflows, how complex your business is, your internal IT capacity, and your budget.
The calculator above uses these factors to score different ERP archetypes and explain why certain approaches are a stronger fit for your company than others.
Modern ERP systems fall into a handful of patterns. Each one solves a different type of problem, and each one requires its own level of investment, implementation effort, and ongoing maintenance
The main ERP categories compared
1. Lightweight Cloud Accounting Systems
Best for: small teams, early-stage scaling, simple operations, limited IT resources
Examples: Xero + add-ons, QuickBooks Online Advanced, Zoho Books, Odoo Online
Lightweight cloud systems offer speed, low cost, and flexibility. They are ideal for organizations that are upgrading from spreadsheets or basic accounting software but don’t yet need a full ERP suite.
They rely heavily on integrations and add-ons for inventory, project management, or billing, which keeps the core system simple and affordable.
Typical benefits:
Fast deployment (days or weeks)
Lower subscription costs
Easy for small finance teams to manage
Optional app ecosystem for extensions
Typical limitations:
Limited multi-entity features
Weaker operational modules (inventory, manufacturing, etc.)
Harder to scale past 50–80 employees
2. Mid-Market Cloud ERP Suites
Best for: companies with 50–1,000 employees, multi-department operations, more structured processes
Examples: NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Acumatica, Odoo Enterprise
These platforms offer a balance between depth and usability. They centralize finance, project management, inventory, procurement, and sometimes CRM into one unified system.
They are the most common fit for growing companies that have outgrown lightweight tools but don’t need enterprise-level complexity.
Typical benefits:
-
Strong financials and reporting
-
Multi-entity, multi-currency support
-
Broad operational modules
-
Large ecosystem and partner network
-
Scalable without being overwhelming
Typical limitations:
-
Higher implementation effort
-
Requires process standardization
-
Some modules may require customization
3. Manufacturing & Distribution-Focused ERP
Best for: production, inventory-heavy, or supply-chain driven companies
Examples: Epicor, Odoo Manufacturing, SAP Business One, Katana
This category supports deep operational requirements: MRP, BOMs, routings, maintenance, demand planning, and supply chain workflows.
Manufacturers and distributors almost always need an ERP from this category unless they are extremely small.
Typical benefits:
-
Strong physical operations support
-
Accurate production scheduling
-
Real-time visibility across supply chain
-
Tight connection between operations and finance
Typical limitations:
-
Heavier implementations
-
Requires stronger internal process discipline
4. Nonprofit, Healthcare, and Public Sector ERPs
Best for: organizations with fund restrictions, grant reporting requirements, or public accountability
Examples: Sage Intacct Nonprofit, Unit4, Blackbaud, NetSuite Social Impact
These systems focus on restrictions, reporting, donor/fund management, compliance frameworks, and audit readiness.
Typical benefits:
Purpose-built fund accounting
Grant, program, and donor tracking
Built-in controls and oversight
Detailed reporting requirements met out of the box
Typical limitations:
Narrower operational capabilities
Can be more expensive than general SMB solutions
5. Enterprise ERP Platforms
Best for: 1,000+ employees, multi-region operations, complex compliance, global governance
Examples: SAP S/4HANA, Oracle ERP Cloud, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations
These systems support deep customization, complex industry functionality, enterprise-level workflows, and large-scale governance.
Typical benefits:
Highly configurable
Advanced supply chain & manufacturing
Global operations management
Strong compliance frameworks
Typical limitations:
Long implementations
Requires strong IT and functional teams
Higher cost of ownership
How the scoring system works
Your recommendation is based on six core inputs:
1. Company size
-
Small companies favor tools that are simple and fast to deploy.
-
Mid-market and enterprise companies require stronger financial controls and deeper modules.
2. Industry
Industry is one of the strongest signals because different sectors require fundamentally different capabilities:
-
Manufacturing → MRP, BOMs, inventory
-
SaaS → subscription billing, revenue recognition
-
Nonprofit → fund accounting
-
Retail → omnichannel inventory
-
Distribution → procurement & logistics
3. Budget
Budget determines whether your organization should target lightweight, mid-market, or enterprise-grade systems.
A system too expensive or too cheap for your needs usually leads to poor adoption.
4. Internal IT resources
-
No IT → simpler systems
-
Small IT → cloud mid-market systems
-
Strong IT → enterprise or configurable systems
5. Deployment Preference
Cloud, on-premise, or flexible deployment can rule out entire categories.
6. Complexity Appetite
If a company prefers “simple and fast,” the scoring weights differently than if you select “highly configurable.”
The scoring engine evaluates each ERP archetype and gives you a ranked list (Top 3) with reasons—this creates transparency and builds trust with buyers.
ERP recommendations for each type of business
Best ERP for small businesses
Xero + add-ons
QuickBooks Online Advanced
Zoho Books
Odoo Online
Best when you need affordability, fast setup, and minimal maintenance.
Best ERP for mid-market companies
NetSuite
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Acumatica
Odoo Enterprise
Best when you need accurate financials, multi-entity support, and operational depth.
Best ERP for manufacturing and distribution
Epicor
Odoo Manufacturing
SAP Business One
Microsoft Dynamics Supply Chain
Best when you need MRP, BOMs, inventory accuracy, and supply chain visibility.
Best ERP for nonprofits, public sector, or education
Sage Intacct Nonprofit
Blackbaud Financial Edge
Unit4
NetSuite Social Impact
Best for fund restrictions, multi-program reporting, and accountability.
Best ERP for enterprises
SAP S/4HANA
Oracle ERP Cloud
Microsoft Dynamics 365 F&O
Best for large, multi-country organizations with complex processes and high compliance needs.
DOKKA augments your
ERP Workflows
Even the best ERPs don’t eliminate manual work. DOKKA does.
DOKKA augments
your ERP workflows
Even the best ERPs don’t eliminate manual work. DOKKA does.