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Two integrator proposals for the same ERP can vary threefold, and both promise a successful project. The difference rarely shows in the headline price. It shows in what is included, in the method, and in what happens the day you want to upgrade.
In short
Compare on the same written requirements, not on demos.
Ask who migrates the data, and how.
Count the planned custom developments: the fewer, the better.
Prefer a fixed price on a written scope to an open block of hours.
Clarify aftercare: support, upgrades, and ownership of the code.
Start from common requirements
Without a common document, each integrator prices their own reading of the need. Short requirements, with flows, rules, volumes and acceptance scenarios, make proposals comparable. They also reveal the integrators who really read: their questions in return are a good indicator.
The questions to ask
On method
- How does the project run, batch by batch, and who validates each batch?
- How much time do you need from our teams, and when?
- What happens if a new need appears along the way?
On data
- Who cleans the data, who writes the import files?
- How many import rehearsals are planned before go-live?
Data migration is often excluded from proposals or priced at a minimum. Yet it is one of the items that decide the first month.
On customisation
- How many custom developments do you plan, and for which rules?
- Is the code in separate, tested, documented modules?
- Who owns the code written for us?
An integrator proposing many developments from the start is preparing costly upgrades. The rule to expect is the one in Customising an ERP safely.
On training and adoption
- Is training done by role, on our own data?
- Who supports teams in the first week after go-live?
On aftercare
- What is included after go-live, and for how long?
- How does a version upgrade work, and at what price?
- Can we change provider without losing access to our database and code?
Fixed price or block of hours
Block of hours
Scope drifts without warning
Overruns are on you
Hard to compare between proposals
Fixed price on a written scope
Out of scope is visible
Overrun risk is shared
Comparable line by line
The Odoo publisher itself sells blocks of support hours, valid one year according to its pricing page. It is a useful formula for a small scope. For a broader project, a fixed price on a written scope protects the budget better.
Warning signs
- A proposal without a single question about your data.
- A schedule with no time planned for your teams.
- A number of days without a list of deliverables.
- A brilliant demo on fictitious data, but no scenario on yours.
- A certification put forward instead of the method.
References to check
Ask for two or three references from projects close to yours, by size and sector, and call them. The right questions are about what went wrong and how the integrator reacted, the gap between planned and final budget, and the quality of support a year later. A reference that mentions no difficulty was probably not chosen at random.
After the choice
The contract should restate the requirements, the list of deliverables per batch, the acceptance scenarios and what happens with a new need. Also include a reversibility clause: access to the database, backups and custom code if you change provider. These few lines avoid most disputes. For the other project steps, the complete ERP guide gives the order to follow, from scoping to measuring the gains.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need an integrator certified by the publisher?
A certification says an integrator knows the software; it says nothing about their method, how they scope or their ability to migrate your data. Judge on the requirements, the questions asked and verifiable references, by calling former customers.
How many integrators should you consult?
Three are generally enough. Beyond that, comparison gets heavy and the gaps mostly come from different readings of the need. With common requirements, three proposals give a good idea of the fair price and possible methods, without turning the consultation into a project of its own.
What does Brain Plus AI do on ERP?
Our CRM and ERP offer starts with scoping the choice, then deploys Dolibarr from €6,500 or Odoo in three tiers from €15,000, at a fixed price on a written scope, data migration and training included.
Sources
Jim · founder of Brain Plus AI
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