Disclosure: I work at Ashapura Softech, a US software company that builds custom ERP and implements Odoo and Zoho. Originally published on our blog.
Most companies that go looking for a custom ERP development company are not starting from scratch. They run QuickBooks, a pile of spreadsheets, maybe an Access database one person understands, and they have already trialled a packaged ERP that did not fit. So the real question is not who can build ERP. It is who you can trust with the system that will run your orders, stock and billing for the next ten years.
Here is the short version of how we would vet one.
Start by asking whether you need custom at all
A good vendor raises this before you do. Custom ERP pays off when your core workflow is how you make money and no product handles it without heavy workarounds. If your process is standard (buy, stock, sell, invoice), a configured product such as NetSuite, Dynamics 365, Odoo or Zoho is usually faster and cheaper. Many teams land in the middle: a packaged ERP for 80% of the work and custom modules for the 20% that is unique, like pricing rules or job costing.
Ask every vendor which of those three options they would pick for you. If a firm only sells one, expect it to steer you there.
The 8 checks
- ERP track record. Two or three ERP or back-office projects they can walk you through. A portfolio of websites and apps is not the same thing.
- Business analysis. A named analyst who will run discovery with finance and operations, not "send us your requirements".
- Code and data ownership. The contract should transfer the source code, database and documentation to you.
- Architecture in plain language. They can explain stack, hosting and scaling without hiding behind a proprietary framework.
- Integrations. Real experience connecting ERP to CRM, ecommerce, banks and accounting, priced as line items rather than "small add-ons".
- Security and compliance. Roles, audit trails, backups, and awareness of what applies to you (SOX, HIPAA, state tax).
- Delivery model. Fixed overlap hours and one accountable US-facing contact.
- Post-launch support. A written SLA with response times and a yearly support cost.
One first-call question that tells you the most
"What did your last ERP project get wrong, and what did you change afterwards?" Every team that has shipped ERP has a story about a migration that ran long or a module nobody used. A vendor with no answer has either done little ERP work or is not being straight with you.
Pricing: insist on paid discovery first
Projects are usually priced as fixed price per phase, time and materials, or a dedicated monthly team. Whatever the model, ask for a short paid discovery before any fixed build quote. A full ERP quoted from a one-hour call is a guess, and you pay for the guess later in change requests.
Budget risk is mostly a planning problem. Panorama Consulting's 2024 ERP report found about a third of projects went over budget, with extra technology requirements found mid-project as the most common cause. The fix is an integration inventory during discovery, a clear estimate of your own staff time, and data migration and training priced separately.
Red flags
- A fixed price for the whole ERP before discovery
- No line for data migration, training or support
- Reluctance to put code ownership in the contract
- Senior people who vanish after the contract is signed
- One platform pushed for every client
A simple weighted scorecard
Score each shortlisted vendor 1 to 5 on: ERP experience (20%), discovery quality (15%), integration experience (15%), code ownership (10%), security (10%), support SLA (10%), team stability (10%) and three-year total cost (10%). Price is only 10% on purpose. The cheapest build is often the most expensive system to own.
The full version with comparison tables and the FAQ is on our blog. Our custom ERP software development page covers cost tiers and timelines, and if Odoo might cover most of your process, see how we work as an Odoo implementation partner.
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