How can I set up for open source ERP success?

Open source ERP is a buzzword in manufacturing IT, but not many companies seem to be using it. Is open source ERP software a good investment and if so, what does a company need to do to be successful with open source ERP?

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We actually see growing adoption of open source ERP from Compiere, OpenBravo and other players in the market. As with most ERP projects, open source ERP success requires proper buy-in, good change management, future state planning and design and disciplined project management. In addition, success in open source projects requires active community involvement, and at times it may make sense to pay for support and maintenance from the software publisher. To compare open source and traditional ERP software, it's important to include all the costs from license, maintenance, implementation, upgrade, bug fixes, testing and change management. For an "apples to apples" comparison, you'll want to compare the cost of comparable functionality.

This was first published in June 2009