What is the Disadvantages of using free ERP in your startup or company ? with example

  What is the Disadvantages of using free ERP in your startup or company 

Let’s face it, enterprise-scale ERP platforms don’t exist because they’re impressive bits of software, but instead, exist to put more money on the user’s bottom line if properly utilized. 

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Nevertheless, regardless of how clever you are, and how simple a system may appear to be, there’s always going to be a higher-than-normal degree of risk relating to any freeware business technology.

This assertion applies in triplicate when it involves an ERP platform, since resources-based platforms not only alter operating processes but over time, they also alter the way that workforces behave. 

For example, a simple manual process such as creating an invoice becomes much more complex when it’s integrated within an ERP system.

Aside from dealing with sometimes clunky user interfaces (see more on this directly), there are also common issues relating to where data is either pushed to one database or pulled from another. If corruption occurs, either way, just putting a series of numbers on a series of lines with the goal of calculating a sales total can cause a real problem.

This, then, represents an enhanced risk of lost time, or worse than that if the electronic invoice won’t calculate at all. With fee-based systems, the user can always call the brand tech and get him to deal with the problem. But if you’re operating on the open-source tier there’s no one to complain to except yourself.

Second, regardless of any apparent level of sophistication involving an open-source ERP system, these systems tend to be known as programmer rather customer-centric products, also sometimes referred to as ‘hobbyware’.

 In this case, systems tend to grow over time, not to plan. As a result, from a customer perspective, this means that documentation will usually be weak, while direct developer support will be equally weak or non-existent at all.

Third, at the OS tier, more times than not, issues of irregular usability emerge at the user level. In this event, I’m not discussing how a system works in general terms, but how that system is appreciated by the user while engaged in its processing chores. In the open-source world, programmers drive the bus, and everyone else follows along in their wake.

Consequently, this inverted value proposition becomes particularly concerning at the user interface level, since OS systems tend to focus on what’s under the hood, while not caring all that much about the quality of the exterior paint, brightwork, or how easy a system is to deal with. 

Again, these issues are real, but they are also manageable if an enterprise understands what its management is doing, well-heeled enough to harbor a solid group of internal tech resources, and finally, financially strong enough to pay for the privilege of getting something fixed at premium prices.