xTuple

Xtuple

Kommentare: Like any software there is no perfect system, but overall we are very happy with our choice. If I had to go back and make the decision again I would still go with this software.

Vorteile:

I love that this is an open system allowing us to customize it to our needs. I always hear about other companies who use the big name system and how they are doing something that actually hurts their business but they have no choice because that is how the system works. With Xtuple we can do anything!

Nachteile:

I wish they had more integration such as with receipt management systems to allow for easy entry direct into the software.

Open source ERP that delivers

Kommentare: As a software developer and open source solutions specialist we don't manufacture items and our own product as well as the product from our vendor partners is rather ethereal and so isn't stocked. But once we had attached a "physical" presence to electronically transmitted support contracts and longer term consulting engagements, receiving in, shipping and invoicing became second nature and remarkably accurate. Financials are solid but do spend time getting your head around VAT processes.

Vorteile:

There are many ERP solutions and there is plenty of open source software. xTuple is different because it is an open source ERP solution that does actually work. ERP does require quite an amount of configuration and management and xTuple is no different. Understanding how ERP works if pretty core to making any ERP solution work but once you have that, once you have committed the effort to properly configure it, xTuple provides the sort of solution that suppliers of vastly more expensive alternatives would argue is out of reach of open source software. xTuple does have a knowledgeable and helpful community and plenty of plugings and add-ons to ensure that it provides the solution that you need. If it doesn't, then the PostgreSQL background and QT foreground make it sufficiently simple for you to make your own modifications.

Nachteile:

As open source solutions go, there are remarkably few quirkinesses but those that do exist do require some thinking around. Like most ERP solutions, it demands that it follows it's processes so deviate and you are in for some pain. The key to a successful implementation is learning how it works. If you have never implemented ERP before then you are strongly advised to either dedicate quite some time to getting it wrong and starting again or bringing in someone with the expertise and experience. Fortunately, xTuple will help you there!

Xtuple is complex and very powerful if you know how to use it otherwise it can be difficult to use.

Vorteile:

I like the date and user stamping for each transaction which really helps with auditing. I also like the way transactions are connected like from PO, to receiving document, to invoice and from SO, to invoice, to cash receipt, you can search back to the start of a transaction.

Nachteile:

Sometimes the software lacks flexibility for instance the Purchase Order auto fills the vendor terms and there is not a way to override the due date when entering the invoice. The reconciliation tool could be more user friendly for instance the deposit amounts sort alphabetically instead of numerically and when you view notes in the checks area it makes all the transactions several lines deep and you are not able to view very many transactions at a time. Also the reconciliation reports are entirely useless since all JE transactions are considered "Adjustments" and deposits and expenditures are combined without showing if the value is positive (went in to the account) or negative (came out of the account).

Overall the xTuple software has been wonderful. Easy to use and presents very professionally.

Kommentare: Functionality for our very unique type of business, and website integration are the top two benefits.

Vorteile:

You can begin with a free version and if that version fulfills all of your needs you can continue with that, however for added functionality there are licencing fees for that functionality. It is easy to use (once the beginning numbers are in) and it makes a small company look larger due to the look and design of their forms (you can design your own as well). The functionality is incredible. The type of business we are in requires things that most software does not provide for which has made running our business quite a bit easier. We are a modification center and xTuple allows us to use different parts to make the same end product by using substitutions, this has been a tremendous help to us. It was nice to be able to start with the free version and see just what this amazing piece of software could do. They also have an "online university" where users can communicate with each other and xTuple themselves, that has proven to be extremely valuable. Many times the issue or question we have has already been dealt with through another customer and the answer sits right there accessible to us. Overall xTuple has been great for us. They also are now hosting our website and although there have been some rough patches, I don't think we would go anywhere else as they allow it to integrate with our software, a big help.

Nachteile:

Their customer service is probably their weakest link. Although they make an appreciable effort to respond to the issues we bring up, from our end sometimes it doesn't seem to be taken care of as quickly as we would like, and we have to follow-up for resolve. The website integration has some bugs, but eventually the bugs get worked out. We have two very capable IT employees who sometimes can figure out the bugs before they do, which is a big plus for us, as we can correct the issues then pass on the fix to xTuple. We all agree that the issues with customer service are worth the extreme value that the software has brought to our company.

xTuple ERP

Kommentare: We have put all of our ordering/manufacturing/accounting/finance functions on xTuple, including some company-specific functions that we built ourselves without consulting. We've been running the system for 7 years with great success.

Vorteile:

Cost-benefit is off the charts. A full, highly complex, highly customized install of xTuple can be achieved at about 1/3 the cost of other proprietary systems. The open-source environment allows a technically-inclined administrator with some programming experience to extend the software in business-specific ways without the use of high-cost consulting. Tech support is great, and bug fixes often arrive in a couple of days after reporting.

Nachteile:

The documentation provided for scripting is too heavily geared towards an experienced C/Qt programmer rather than a SQL programmer. There aren't enough specific scripting examples, and too many references to class libraries which don't make much sense to someone with no C/Qt background.