Oracle NetSuite

The original cloud ERP, still the default pick for fast-growing mid-market companies.

Go-live time: 4-9 months
Best for: Fast-growing mid-market, multi-subsidiary

Overview

NetSuite started life as NetLedger in 1998, one of the first true cloud-native ERPs, and has been owned by Oracle since 2016. It runs financials, CRM, inventory, order management, and ecommerce on one shared database, which is why it's usually the first “real ERP” a company moves to once spreadsheets and QuickBooks stop working. Tens of thousands of companies run on it today, most commonly mid-market businesses with more than one legal entity.

Best for: Fast-growing mid-market companies that need one system to consolidate multiple subsidiaries.

Pros & cons

Pros

True multi-tenant cloud with automatic twice-yearly upgrades
OneWorld gives real multi-subsidiary consolidation with automatic intercompany eliminations
Strong native ecommerce (SuiteCommerce) sharing records with inventory and financials
Large partner and customisation ecosystem (SuiteScript, SuiteFlow)

Cons

Pricing climbs as you add modules and users
Reporting (saved searches) has a real learning curve
Manufacturing capability is lighter than a dedicated MRP system
Multi-year contracts with limited flexibility

Modules

Finance & Accounting
CRM & Sales
Inventory & Warehouse
Supply Chain
Manufacturing (basic)
Ecommerce
Professional Services Automation
HR (SuitePeople)
Reporting & Analytics

Implementation timeline

1
Scope and edition selection, 2-4 weeks.
2
Configure and migrate data, core phase.
3
Integrate other systems.
4
Test and go live, 2-4 weeks.
5
Ongoing operation, two automatic feature releases a year.

FAQ

How it stacks up against Light

NetSuite is a strong, proven system, but it was built as a traditional ERP first and a multi-entity tool second. Light was built multi-entity and multi-currency from day one, with an 8-week implementation guarantee instead of NetSuite's typical 4 to 9 months.

Read the Light profile