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I have been reviewing the main open source ERP products. I require that an ERP provides financial accounting, sales, procurement, manufacturing/warehouse, and inventory features. I have been looking at what is supported within each of those features, interacting briefly with their demos, looking at their high level technical architecture, and sampling some of their source code.

I hope to find a system that is not too bloated with overly complex libraries, exhibits some layering that separates persistence, domain logic, and presentation (MVC as well is optional), is not very cumbersome to customize or extend, and that exhibits a somewhat clean, well thought out relational table structure. Essentially, something half way between primitively organized php or client/server and bloated J2EE. I also favor a well designed system with some features missing over a poorly designed system that covers all the features I need.

Questions I hope to answer below:

  • What is out there right now (with at least some usage)?
  • What is a decent set of specific features for an ERP system (and what should probably be a separate product)?
  • High level (biased) reactions to their technical architecture, and momentum surrounding technology stack used.
  • Detailed example from each system, showing typical code style and organization.
  • Initial critique of their core relational table design
  • Community activity, support, momentum?
  • 1
    1/3 through evaluating, I might go with OpenERP, since I am pressed for time. –  May 27 '13 at 03:48
  • The listed solutions are completely different. Each one has advantages and disadvantages. What do you want to use the solution for? Best fit really depends on specific functional and other needs. One solution may be good for one company and bad for another. You are comparing apples and oranges. – Fred Blauer May 27 '13 at 20:33

4 Answers4

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OpenERP - elegance and simplicity. Python, Javascript. Very well layered and modularized, yet uses lightweight frameworks. Only wish it didn't use a ORM. Tech overview. Key documents: . Source repos: server, addons, web, or all-in-one. Key source directories: /openerp/addons

erpNext - interesting. Python. a little less modularized than OpenERP. Tech dependencies, structure, web notes framework overview. Key documents: . Source repo and web notes framework repo. Key source directories:

OpenBravo - well layered, somewhat heavyweight frameworks used. Java. Tech overview. Key documents: . Source repo. Key source directories: /src-db/database/model, /src/erpCommon/[info, ad_process, ad_callouts, ad_actionButtons, ad_forms, ad_reports], /src/org/openbravo/erpReports

opentaps - well layered, heavyweight frameworks. Java. Tech overview. Key documents: . Source repo. Key source directories: /application/*/[data, entitydef, servicedef, src, scripts, webapp, widget], /opentaps/[crmsfa, financials, purchasing, warehouse]

PostBooks - somewhat simple implementation, with decent organization, but wish it had more layers. Some nice use of objects in the GUI client. I don't like the heavy use of pgpsql database programming language and inline sql in client code. C++, Pgpsql, Javascript. Tech overview. Key documents: . Source repo. Key source directories: /xtuple/[guiclient, share/reports], /xtuple/[functions, metasql, misc/postbooks_empty.backup, triggers, types, views]

WebERP - really simple implementation, meant for anybody to be able to modify it. That also means its not that well layered or modularized. Procedural PHP, no frameworks. Tech overview foundations and structure. Key documents: . Source repo. Key source directories: /, /includes, /sql/mysql/weberp-new.sql

  • Best Complete Open Source GPL ERP is TrytonERP from tryton.org OpenERP have all feature with in partially & web is AGPL again partially, Where tryton is best full GPL & Full of code & complete feature are fully shared. – Tejas Tank Oct 04 '13 at 04:45
1

The projects fall into 4 families, with a few altogether separate from a family.

  • Compiere -> Adiempiere, OpenBravo, Adaxa, SocrateOpen, A1.io
  • TinyERP -> OpenERP, Tryton
  • WebERP -> FrontAccounting
  • OFBiz -> opentaps
  • PostBooks
  • ERPNext

(ERP5 looked interesting, but dead. GnuE might be interesting if it gains momentum. JFire, SQL Ledger family just didn't have enough for features to be a full ERP)

Besides wikipedia's list and individual product articles, one can find reviews and listings at the following sites:

0

These seem like a useful, somewhat minimal feature set for an ERP targeting manufacturing and food processing:

  • Accounting/Financials - ledger, a/p, a/r, cash, fixed asset, financial statements, taxes
  • Manufacturing, Warehouse - work order, manufacturing bill of materials, material request, tasks, serial/lot tracking, packing, item transformations/production
  • Inventory - receiving, shipping, physical inventory, item sites, item transfers
  • Procurement - purchase request, purchase order, pending orders
  • Sales - sales orders, sales invoices
  • Materials Request Planning - production plan, master production schedule, materials requirement plan, scheduled orders

These seem like they are better provided by specialized products or added on when needed:

  • Sales - anything other than orders and invoices
  • Financial Planning/Analysis
  • Materials Request Planning - capacity planning, constraint management
  • CRM/Service Management/Marketing
  • Project Management
  • HR
  • E-Commerce
  • POS

Compiled from reviewing:

0

Some sampling of table/object designs:

Ledger (some below seem to use a line and entry table, some don't, need to research further)

opentaps 

   AcctgTransEntry
            title="Transaction Entry Entity">
      acctgTransId" type="id-ne"
      acctgTransEntrySeqId" type="id-ne"
      acctgTransEntryTypeId" type="id-ne"
      description" type="description"
      voucherRef" type="short-varchar"
      partyId" type="id"
      roleTypeId" type="id"
      theirPartyId" type="id"
      productId" type="id"
      theirProductId" type="id"
      inventoryItemId" type="id"
      glAccountTypeId" type="id"
      glAccountId" type="id-ne"
      organizationPartyId" type="id-ne"
      amount" type="currency-amount"
      currencyUomId" type="id"
      origAmount" type="currency-amount"
      origCurrencyUomId" type="id"
      debitCreditFlag" type="indicator"
      dueDate" type="date"
      groupId" type="id"
      taxId" type="id"
      reconcileStatusId" type="id"
      settlementTermId" type="id"
      isSummary" type="indicator"
      prim-key acctgTransId
      prim-key acctgTransEntrySeqId
      type="one" rel-entity-name="AcctgTransEntryType"> acctgTransEntryTypeId"/>
      type="one" title="Currency" rel-entity-name="Uom">  <!-- title strictly speaking not necessary here but nice for consistency --> currencyUomId" rel-field-name="uomId"/>
      type="one" title="OrigCurrency" rel-entity-name="Uom"> origCurrencyUomId" rel-field-name="uomId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="AcctgTrans"> acctgTransId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="InventoryItem"> inventoryItemId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="Party"> partyId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="RoleType"> roleTypeId"/>
      type="one-nofk" rel-entity-name="PartyRole"> partyId"/> roleTypeId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="GlAccountType"> glAccountTypeId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="GlAccount"> glAccountId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="GlAccountOrganization"> glAccountId"/> organizationPartyId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="StatusItem"> reconcileStatusId" rel-field-name="statusId"/>
      type="one" rel-entity-name="SettlementTerm"> settlementTermId"/>

openbravo 

GL_JOURNALLINE" primaryKey="GL_JOURNALENTRY_KEY">
      GL_JOURNALLINE_ID" primaryKey="true" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      AD_CLIENT_ID" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      AD_ORG_ID" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      ISACTIVE" required="true" type="CHAR" size="1" <default>Y
      CREATED" required="true" type="TIMESTAMP" size="7" <default>SYSDATE
      CREATEDBY" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      UPDATED" required="true" type="TIMESTAMP" size="7" <default>SYSDATE
      UPDATEDBY" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      GL_JOURNAL_ID" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      LINE" required="true" type="DECIMAL" size="10,0"
      ISGENERATED" required="true" type="CHAR" size="1" <default>N
      DESCRIPTION" type="NVARCHAR" size="255"
      AMTSOURCEDR" required="true" type="DECIMAL" <default>0
      AMTSOURCECR" required="true" type="DECIMAL" <default>0
      C_CURRENCY_ID" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      CURRENCYRATETYPE" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="60"
      CURRENCYRATE" required="true" type="DECIMAL" <default>0
      DATEACCT" type="TIMESTAMP" size="7"
      AMTACCTDR" required="true" type="DECIMAL" <default>0
      AMTACCTCR" required="true" type="DECIMAL" <default>0
      C_UOM_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      QTY" type="DECIMAL" <default>0
      C_VALIDCOMBINATION_ID" required="true" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      C_DEBT_PAYMENT_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" 
      C_WITHHOLDING_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32"
      C_TAX_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      USER1_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      USER2_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      C_CAMPAIGN_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      C_PROJECT_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      C_ACTIVITY_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      C_SALESREGION_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      M_PRODUCT_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      C_BPARTNER_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      C_BPARTNER_ID" type="VARCHAR" size="32" autoIncrement="false">
      <foreign-key foreignTable="AD_CLIENT" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_AD_CLIENT">
        <reference local="AD_CLIENT_ID" foreign="AD_CLIENT_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="AD_ORG" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_AD_ORG">
        <reference local="AD_ORG_ID" foreign="AD_ORG_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_ACTIVITY" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_ACTIVITY">
        <reference local="C_ACTIVITY_ID" foreign="C_ACTIVITY_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_BPARTNER" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_BPARTNER">
        <reference local="C_BPARTNER_ID" foreign="C_BPARTNER_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_CAMPAIGN" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_CAMPAIGN">
        <reference local="C_CAMPAIGN_ID" foreign="C_CAMPAIGN_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_CURRENCY" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_CURRENCY">
        <reference local="C_CURRENCY_ID" foreign="C_CURRENCY_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_DEBT_PAYMENT" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_DEBT_PAYMENT">
        <reference local="C_DEBT_PAYMENT_ID" foreign="C_DEBT_PAYMENT_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_PROJECT" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_PROJECT">
        <reference local="C_PROJECT_ID" foreign="C_PROJECT_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_SALESREGION" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_SALESREGION">
        <reference local="C_SALESREGION_ID" foreign="C_SALESREGION_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_TAX" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_TAX">
        <reference local="C_TAX_ID" foreign="C_TAX_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_UOM" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_UOM">
        <reference local="C_UOM_ID" foreign="C_UOM_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_VALIDCOMBINATION" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_VALIDCOMBINAT">
        <reference local="C_VALIDCOMBINATION_ID" foreign="C_VALIDCOMBINATION_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="C_WITHHOLDING" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_C_WITHHOLDING">
        <reference local="C_WITHHOLDING_ID" foreign="C_WITHHOLDING_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="GL_JOURNAL" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_GL_JOURNAL">
        <reference local="GL_JOURNAL_ID" foreign="GL_JOURNAL_ID"/>
      <foreign-key foreignTable="M_PRODUCT" name="GL_JOURNALLINE_M_PRODUCT">
        <reference local="M_PRODUCT_ID" foreign="M_PRODUCT_ID"/>
      <check (C_TAX_ID IS NULL) OR (C_WITHHOLDING_ID IS NULL)]]>
      <check ISACTIVE IN ('Y', 'N')]]>
      <check ISGENERATED IN ('Y', 'N')]]>

postbooks 

CREATE TABLE gltrans (
    gltrans_id integer DEFAULT nextval(('"gltrans_gltrans_id_seq"'::text)::regclass) NOT NULL,
    gltrans_exported boolean,
    gltrans_created timestamp with time zone,
    gltrans_date date NOT NULL,
    gltrans_sequence integer,
    gltrans_accnt_id integer NOT NULL,
    gltrans_source text,
    gltrans_docnumber text,
    gltrans_misc_id integer,
    gltrans_amount numeric(20,2) NOT NULL,
    gltrans_notes text,
    gltrans_journalnumber integer,
    gltrans_posted boolean NOT NULL,
    gltrans_doctype text,
    gltrans_rec boolean DEFAULT false NOT NULL,
    gltrans_username text DEFAULT geteffectivextuser() NOT NULL,
    gltrans_deleted boolean DEFAULT false
);

openerp 

  _columns = {
        'name': fields.char('Number', size=64, required=True),
        'ref': fields.char('Reference', size=64),
        'period_id': fields.many2one('account.period', 'Period', required=True, states={'posted':[('readonly',True)]}),
        'journal_id': fields.many2one('account.journal', 'Journal', required=True, states={'posted':[('readonly',True)]}),
        'state': fields.selection([('draft','Unposted'), ('posted','Posted')], 'Status', required=True, readonly=True)       
        'line_id': fields.one2many('account.move.line', 'move_id', 'Entries', states={'posted':[('readonly',True)]}),
        'to_check': fields.boolean('To Review', ),
        'partner_id': fields.related('line_id', 'partner_id', type="many2one", relation="res.partner", string="Partner", store=True),
        'amount': fields.function(_amount_compute, string='Amount', digits_compute=dp.get_precision('Account'), type='float', fnct_search=_search_amount),
        'date': fields.date('Date', required=True, states={'posted':[('readonly',True)]}, select=True),
        'narration':fields.text('Internal Note'),
        'company_id': fields.related('journal_id','company_id',type='many2one',relation='res.company',string='Company', store=True, readonly=True),
        'balance': fields.float('balance', digits_compute=dp.get_precision('Account')),
    }

    _defaults = {
        'name': '/',
        'state': 'draft',
        'period_id': _get_period,
        'date': fields.date.context_today,
        'company_id': lambda self, cr, uid, c: self.pool.get('res.users').browse(cr, uid, uid, c).company_id.id,
    }

weberp 

CREATE TABLE `gltrans` (
  `counterindex` int(11) NOT NULL AUTO_INCREMENT,
  `type` smallint(6) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `typeno` bigint(16) NOT NULL DEFAULT '1',
  `chequeno` int(11) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `trandate` date NOT NULL DEFAULT '0000-00-00',
  `periodno` smallint(6) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `account` varchar(20) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `narrative` varchar(200) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `amount` double NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `posted` tinyint(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  `jobref` varchar(20) NOT NULL DEFAULT '',
  `tag` tinyint(4) NOT NULL DEFAULT '0',
  PRIMARY KEY (`counterindex`),
  KEY `Account` (`account`),
  KEY `ChequeNo` (`chequeno`),
  KEY `PeriodNo` (`periodno`),
  KEY `Posted` (`posted`),
  KEY `TranDate` (`trandate`),
  KEY `TypeNo` (`typeno`),
  KEY `Type_and_Number` (`type`,`typeno`),
  KEY `JobRef` (`jobref`),
  KEY `tag` (`tag`),
  KEY `tag_2` (`tag`),
  KEY `tag_3` (`tag`),
  KEY `tag_4` (`tag`),
  FOREIGN KEY (`account`) REFERENCES `chartmaster` (`accountcode`),
  FOREIGN KEY (`type`) REFERENCES `systypes` (`typeid`),
  FOREIGN KEY (`periodno`) REFERENCES `periods` (`periodno`)
)

erpnext

PO