How Can You Get the Most Out of Your Open Source ERP? Blend it with Proprietary Software

The wave of Open Source Software is building in the software industry. So much so that open source software is poised to offer real competition to closed source or proprietary software. But are you forced to choose? Many say that blending the two can provide your business with the best fit-for- purpose solutions. The trend seems to be a move away from operating only with proprietary software.

The high costs associated with implementing and maintaining proprietary software are the cause of the swell in favor of a more blended approach.

One example of the trend away from employing only proprietary software has been the decision by the government of the United Kingdom to move toward open source software. This move is in concert with the government’s more recent austerity measures. Of course, not only governments are concerned with cost-effectiveness. Use of open source ERP has been credited with savings in excess of 50 billion dollars per year to customers.

Overcoming Security Concerns with Open Source ERP

The drawback to adopting open source ERP software has been the security concerns associated with its use. This is by no means an agreed upon area, with various opinions on the issue. The conventional wisdom to this point has been that proprietary software is more secure. But not everyone agrees and the new trend is to combine open source ERP with proprietary software in ways that best suit your business needs and provide security peace of mind.

As people and businesses gravitate towards the cloud in order to save money this trend seems likely to
continue. The blended technology approach means that open source ERP can be fortified by proprietary strengths and security fears allayed. Because it is cloud based, open source software is highly portable.

Experts believe that this will cross over into an industry-wide change wherein users will be more open to utilize SaaS ERP specialized applications and soon interoperability/compatibility will become common-place.

Things to Consider When Choosing Open Source ERP

Meanwhile when choosing open source ERP be aware of its interoperability potential. Make certain that it freely integrates with the various proprietary softwares being used today. In this way your business can benefit from the best of both worlds. Your open source ERP obtained without license fees saves you money. Modifications can be made that best suit your needs without the expenses incurred under a proprietary system. However, you will want to fortify your open source software with carefully selected and task specific proprietary software. This leaves you with a secure, scalable and cost-effective software solution that is proving to be a preferred option in industry and government.

Industry experts say that the trend toward cost conscious software is already here. The offering of inexpensive applications for the iPhone, Android and iPad are cited as examples of what we can expect to see proliferate in the future. Namely we will see a move away from the desktop to the cloud that will only continue.

While it may be years before major industries are running solely on open source ERP, in the meanwhile, it can offer long-term value in combination with more specialized proprietary components.