I’m reaching out to seek your insights as I explore whether ERPNext is a good fit for my company, Sysplore. We are a sysadmin services company based in Bangladesh, specializing in system administration, DevOps, and managed hosting solutions. I’ve recently installed ERPNext and am evaluating it as a potential replacement for Odoo, which we used previously. I’m grateful for the entirely open-source nature of ERPNext and the efforts of the Frappe community—thank you for making this possible!
Background
Sysplore provides IT infrastructure support, including server management, cloud hosting, and DevOps automation for businesses. Our workflow heavily relies on managing client interactions, generating quotations, tracking customer support tickets, and maintaining a CRM to handle leads and projects. Previously, we used Odoo, which was feature-rich but became expensive as our needs grew. Odoo’s Chatter allowed seamless client communication and project discussions, and its portal enabled clients to sign quotations directly. The Discuss module was particularly robust, supporting our collaborative needs.
Observations with ERPNext
After installing ERPNext, I noticed the application seems tailored toward businesses dealing with physical products (e.g., inventory and manufacturing modules). This raises some concerns for us, as our services are intangible (sysadmin, DevOps, hosting). Before investing more time, I’d like to confirm if ERPNext can effectively support a service-based company like ours. The key features we need are:
- Quotations: To create and send professional quotes to clients.
- Customer Support: To manage tickets and track support requests.
- CRM: To manage leads, opportunities, and client relationships.
I’ve also installed the Raven chat module, which is a good start for internal communication, but it lacks audio/video calling, voice messaging, and push notifications—features we found valuable in Odoo’s Discuss. I’m not demanding these additions; I just think they could enhance the experience.
Website Builder Challenges
Building a website with ERPNext has been frustrating. I installed the builder app, but the process feels cumbersome compared to Odoo, which offers pre-built templates. A template-based approach would significantly simplify our website creation for client portals or marketing purposes. Additionally, I noticed there’s no live chat feature for ERPNext websites, which would be useful for engaging visitors and converting them into leads—something Odoo handled well.
Docker Image and Modules
I appreciate the flexibility of ERPNext, but I had to build custom image to include apps like webshop, HRMS, and builder myself, as they weren’t included in the official Docker image. It would be ideal if these were part of the official image to streamline setup for users like me who rely on Docker for deployment.
Questions:
- Is ERPNext suitable for a sysadmin services company like Sysplore, given our focus on intangible services rather than physical products?
- Can ERPNext’s quotation, customer support, and CRM modules be adapted to meet our needs effectively?
- Would templates or a more user-friendly website builder be considered for future updates?
- Is there a live chat feature in development for ERPNext websites, or are there workarounds I could explore?
I’m not here to criticize but to learn and contribute to the discussion. I’d love to hear your experiences, suggestions, or any customizations you’ve implemented for service-based businesses. Thank you in advance for your time and support!