How It Works

The ERP scoring methodology
built on real implementations.

ERPLenz scores your answers across 8 weighted categories against all 17 major ERP platforms. Every weight and every scoring rule comes from patterns observed across real ERP projects — not vendor marketing material.

17
ERP platforms evaluated
8
Scoring categories
100%
Vendor-agnostic

How the score is calculated

Your answers are mapped to a scoring matrix for each of the 17 ERP systems. Within each of the 8 categories, your answer options determine a raw score for that vendor. The 8 category scores are then combined using the weights below to produce a final fit percentage.

Vendors that are structurally incompatible with your answers (e.g. an on-premise-only ERP when you require cloud, or an entry-level tool when you have complex manufacturing) are automatically ranked lower regardless of scores in other areas. The result is a ranked shortlist that reflects real-world fit — not a popularity contest.

The 8 scoring categories

Core Process Fit

28% weight

The heaviest category. Measures how well each ERP handles your day-to-day operational processes — financials, inventory, manufacturing, distribution, and service workflows. An ERP that forces workarounds in your core processes is the wrong ERP regardless of anything else.

Inventory tracking complexityManufacturing & production workflowsPurchase-to-pay and order-to-cash cyclesModule coverage for your required functions

Entity & Geographic

20% weight

Multi-entity structures and geographic reach drive more failed ERP projects than any other single factor. This category evaluates multi-company consolidation, intercompany transactions, multi-currency, and statutory compliance coverage for the countries you operate in.

Number of legal entitiesCountries and tax jurisdictionsMulti-currency requirementsIntercompany transactions

Technical & Integration

13% weight

Your ERP doesn't operate in isolation. This category scores API capabilities, integration ecosystem depth, data migration complexity, and how well each platform connects with your existing tech stack — from e-commerce platforms to payroll systems.

API quality and documentationNative integrations availableData migration complexityCustom development requirements

Industry Vertical

12% weight

Some ERPs are built for specific industries; others are general platforms. Manufacturing companies need MRP and shop floor control. Wholesale distributors need lot tracking and 3PL support. This category weights industry-specific capability depth.

Manufacturing: MRP, BOM, work ordersWholesale/distribution: lot tracking, 3PLProfessional services: project accountingRetail: POS, returns, promotions

Budget Fit

10% weight

Total cost of ownership is rarely what the vendor quotes. This category scores realistic licensing, implementation, and ongoing costs against your stated budget — including partner fees, training, customisation, and annual growth.

Licensing model (per-user vs flat)Implementation cost rangeOngoing support and maintenancePartner ecosystem pricing

Hosting & Infrastructure

7% weight

Cloud vs on-premise vs hybrid isn't just a preference — it affects security compliance, IT overhead, and upgrade cycles. This category matches your infrastructure requirements against what each ERP actually supports.

Cloud SaaS vs on-premise availabilityData sovereignty requirementsUpgrade and patching controlIT team capacity

Scalability & Growth

5% weight

A good ERP selection anticipates where your business will be in 3–5 years, not just today. This category evaluates headroom — user limits, transaction volume, geographic expansion capability, and module extensibility.

User count trajectoryGeographic expansion plansRevenue growth trajectoryModule extensibility

Change Readiness

5% weight

The most overlooked factor in ERP selection. A technically perfect ERP can fail because the organisation wasn't ready to adopt it. This category scores your internal change management capacity and implementation risk profile.

Internal IT resource availabilityPrior ERP experienceExecutive sponsorship signalsTraining and adoption appetite

Why this is genuinely vendor-agnostic

ERPLenz has no commercial relationship with any ERP vendor. We receive no referral fees, no commission, and no sponsored placement.

All 17 vendors are evaluated on identical criteria. The same question answers produce the same score adjustments for every platform in the matrix.

Scoring weights were set before any vendor data was entered — they reflect what matters in ERP selection, not what makes a particular vendor look good.

Dylan Coetzee, who built and maintains the scoring engine, has implemented ERPs across SAP, NetSuite, Odoo, Dynamics 365, and others — giving him first-hand knowledge of where each system excels and where it falls short.

See the methodology in action.

Run the assessment and get a ranked ERP shortlist built on these exact scoring rules.

Begin Assessment View Sample Report