Hey folks, I'm looking to see how other small businesses manage their ERP systems. At my company, we keep it pretty basic—we're using Excel for tracking tasks, meetings, and projects, and Google Drive for sharing files. We do have a different platform for accounting and finance, which only holds copies of invoices and such. We're a small team, just under ten people, and we don't deal with inventory.
I'm curious: do any of you still rely on something like Excel and Google Sheets along with file sharing for ERP? Or have you shifted to dedicated ERP systems like SAP, Odoo, Oracle, or Zoho? Based on your experience, when does Excel and Drive start to fall short, and when is it worthwhile to invest in a proper ERP system? I'd love to hear how others are handling their setups. Thanks!
5 Answers
We switched to a dedicated ERP back in '96, and then upgraded in 2011. Before that, it was all paper and Excel. Trust me, you don't truly have an ERP right now; you're dealing with a 30-year-old problem.
If you’re even thinking about this, you might be past the point of using just Excel and Google Drive. But honestly, for under ten employees, it's not a necessity yet, especially if you're not managing a warehouse. You could consider adding a low-cost CRM that integrates with your current tools instead.
Exactly! ERP systems often target larger operations but a good CRM might just do the trick.
What's your business about? There are actually many free and open-source tools that could fit your workflow needs. Also, how do you handle invoicing? Maybe the finance tool you're using can do more than you think.
Looks like you might be missing the 'E' in 'ERP'. You've got some early-stage management going on, but it could benefit from an upgrade!
Using Odoo out-of-the-box could suit your needs really well since you're a service-based company. Just find someone to help configure it for you. You'll find having a simple ERP can help with quoting, task management, and invoicing a lot.
Totally agree! A basic CRM can handle a lot of those tasks too without complicating things.
Yeah, that's a fair point! It really depends on what needs you're trying to meet.