OrderStream ERP

What do you like best?

Seradex Orderstream is an extremely flexible and easily customisable ERP with true deep functionality. It's specifically made for manufacturers or wholesalers with complexities. It is truly end to end, with modules including CRM, Estimates, Sales Orders, Work Orders, Purchasing, Production Scheduling, Shop Floor Execution, Inventory Management, Warehouse Management, Shipping, and a full Financials suite. It also can be integrated with CAD software, and with a web interface called DBOX.

From an administrator's perspective it's great - built on a single SQL database, with all the product configurators made in an intermediate interface using excel documents to make it super simple for any user to add new product ranges or edit configurators without a knowledge of coding.

We love how everything is very well integrated - you can jump from one module to the next and trace any order right through the system, right back to component inventory locations in the warehouse, and purchase order batch, and right forward to shipping tracking numbers and PODs etc.

They're a small company but as a result are quite flexible, and if you can't do the customisations yourself (through the configurator interface) they're fast and easy to deal with as regards building custom modifications to the software for you.

What do you dislike?

The main con of this software is the UX - while it's highly functional, it has a very outdated user interface and isn't nice to look at.

Also while it has a functioning CRM module it's pretty basic, and you would probably be better to get an integration to Salesforce or similar. Also the Financials module is good but it lacks some of the automation features that are seen in the likes of Xero and MYOB; additional it's primarily built for US and Canadian accounting methods so did require some customisation to suit NZ and Australian customers.

Recommendations to others considering the product:

I would recommend if you're considering OrderStream ERP, use the entire system except the CRM - for this I'd recommend getting an integration with a more specialised CRM provider. To get the most value from the product you are best to go the full stack and put in every module from the get-go. If you're worried about implementation the best module to run without initially (if you're currently using a stand alone financial system) would be financials - basically put everything in place except the financials just from a risk management perspective, then switch over the financials in the next quarter or when the install and staff system knowledge has stabilised as like any new software it's a learning curve.

What makes or breaks any ERP system implementation is the setup; I would highly recommend getting an ERP specialist / SQL and Crystal coder for a 8 - 10 month contract full time to work on the transition process, and pair them with the installation specialist from Seradex along with someone from within your organisation who has a good general depth of business process knowledge.

What problems are you solving with the product? What benefits have you realized?

The Seradex Orderstream ERP system is great as it's a single system to track and manage all processes in your manufacturing environment. It has enabled us to have consistency, management and tracability of production like never before, and is a system you can build to fit around your own best practices, not one that forces you to work around how it works so much as large traditional ERP providers do. Every single module allows you to dive right in to see and track every component of it, and if you put 'shop floor execution' in place with computers at each factory workpoint you can even trace real labour input times per process / order.