An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) brings sales, purchasing, stock, production and accounting together in one single system. It stops you from entering the same data in five tools. This guide ranks the ERPs used in Switzerland, from the lightest to the most complete.
Quick picks
Service company, little or no stock: bexio is often enough.
Several trades to connect, controlled budget: Odoo.
Swiss company with stock and orders: Proffix.
Trade and distribution: Opacc.
Industry and production: ProConcept or Abacus.
Already on Microsoft 365: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
Best for: companies that want to connect CRM, sales, stock and website.
Strength: modular, open source, you add the apps one by one.
Limit: the Swiss localisation and the configuration need a good partner.
Proffix
Best for: Swiss companies with orders and stock.
Strength: designed for the Swiss market.
Limit: present mainly in German-speaking Switzerland.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Best for: companies that already work with Outlook, Teams and Excel.
Strength: integration with the Microsoft tools.
Limit: an installation project with a partner.
SAP Business One
Best for: subsidiaries of groups already on SAP.
Strength: a recognised standard, a link with the group.
Limit: cost and complexity.
Opacc, ProConcept and Abacus
Best for: established companies with heavy processes.
Strength: Swiss publishers, very complete.
Limit: projects of several months.
ERP or CRM?
The CRM follows your clients and your sales. The ERP runs the whole company. Many companies start with a CRM, then connect it to their accounting. See our guide to CRMs.
Tips before you choose
Draw your processes first: from the client’s request to the payment.
Start with 2 or 3 modules: you add the rest later.
The real cost includes the partner: installation, migration, training.
Data migration: plan the clean-up of clients, items and prices.
References in your industry: ask to see an ERP running at a company like yours.
Exit: check that your data can be exported.
FAQ
What does ERP mean?
Enterprise Resource Planning: one integrated system to run the company.
From what size does a company need an ERP?
When the same data is entered in several tools and the errors cost more than the software.
Is there a free ERP?
Odoo Community is open source. The software is free; the installation and the follow-up are not.
Not sure where to start?
A clear starting point avoids an ERP that is too heavy.