List of ERP Software Systems

From nearly any page of the Aptean website, you could find out what an ERP is. The software really is that important. At the risk of sounding like a broken record, we’ll define it one more time here to quickly reference. Don’t worry, we’ll be brief.

Before we can break down ERPs by systems, it’s important for you to know what it is. ERP stands for enterprise resource planning, and basically, it’s a software solution that helps make your business and employees more efficient and effective while also supporting your business goals. It does this through data analysis, forecasting, product quality and compliance, and scheduling… across your entire organization. That’s the best part: it touches every part of your business and unifies it into one single source of truth.

Now that we have that out of the way, let’s explore ERP systems.

Any accurate list of ERP system providers has to include SAP and Oracle, as well as Microsoft and Infor. These four companies make up a majority of the ERP systems installed and sold. Though their client bases tend to revolve around large scale-businesses, whereas Aptean, for example, tends to focus more on the small- to medium-sized enterprises.

Most ERP providers these days have to offer more than just a singular product, and so all four of these industry behemoths do exactly that. For example, Oracle has over four offerings, including PeopleSoft and JD Edwards Enterprise One. Much of the functionality, however, isn’t built-in and requires additional add-on software.  

Any sound ERP systems list will also include a significant number of additional suppliers, like Epicor, QAD, IF, Sage and Netsuite But to be truly useful, the list should specify how each ERP software product is best suited for specific vertical industry markets. The best ERP software for a given company or market may also be the most popular ERP software in that market. But it could also be further down the list in overall sales. If you’re really searching for an ERP, it’s important to do your homework before making that purchase, otherwise, you run the risk of buyer’s remorse, and nobody wants that.

Now that we’ve established that the best list of ERP software will be one that is industry-specific, understand that some products will show up on multiple lists. Let’s say a mid-size company that makes metal equipment cabinets is looking for a new ERP system. They put together a list of ERP systems with neat columns of pros and cons. That list may include Oracle JD Edwards Enterprise One, Infor Syteline, QAD MFGPro, and Made2Manage. As another example, let’s say a family-owned dairy manufacturer was looking for their first ERP system. Their list of ERP solutions would look a little different. While that list may include Microsoft, it would definitely include niche, industry-specific ERPs, such as JustFood, bcFood, ProcessPro or Ross.

ERP software suppliers often emphasize industry applicability in their marketing. A company searching the market should also look at the vendor’s history as well as clientele. ERP software that is widely used and successful in other companies in their industry should be good candidates for inclusion on their own shortlist of potential solutions.

When it comes to selecting an ERP, there’s no right, one-size-fits-all answer. We wish it were that simple. What we can say is that when you’re shopping for an ERP system, make sure you do your due diligence and can trust your vendor. You’re entering into a partnership with your ERP system provider, so you want to ensure it’s a good one. They need to know your business needs and challenges and provide the right ERP recommendation to help you manage and grow your business. If you’re interested in doing some research, we might suggest you head to softselect.com, technologyevaluation.com, softwareadvice.com, or even your friendly neighborhood Aptean blog.

If you’re looking for ERP system examples, we can easily clarify that for you. Or if you just want to talk some more about ERPs? There’s nothing we’d love more. Reach out today.