5 common myths about SAP Business One

Post By Charlie Heywood on September 19, 2016

5 common myths about SAP Business One

If you’re reading this, there’s a chance you’re already aware that SAP Business One is a popular and well-established ERP solution for small and medium-sized companies. According to SAP’s website, it currently counts over 50,000 users in 150 countries, and there’s an active community of partners and add-on developers that help customers get the most possible value out of the software.

So SAP Business One is successful. The trouble is, this kind of success has its drawbacks. One being that there’s an awful lot of misinformation about the product readily available online, and that this can get in the way of unbiased decision-making for would-be ERP customers.

Some of this is simply a consequence of SAP Business One’s longevity – it’s been on the market and steadily updated for well over a decade, so the fact that some sources of information are outdated should come as no surprise. Elsewhere, commentators may be misinformed, burned by failed implementations, biased, or even directly attempting to sell a competitor’s product.

With that in mind, here are a handful of the most common myths about SAP Business One we’ve come across:

SAP Business One is too big and expensive for SMEs

The reputation attached to the SAP name often gives SMEs the false impression that SAP Business One is for large enterprises only. In reality, it’s designed specifically for the needs of small and medium-sized companies.

Similarly, the fact that SAP Business One supports SAP HANA – again, a technology associated with large enterprise users – makes some people assume it’s outside the price range of the average small business. However, both SAP HANA and standard SQL databases are options within SAP Business One, and both are feasible within SME budgets.

(For more information, see our previous blog: How much will SAP Business One cost to implement?)

SAP Business One requires a big investment in infrastructure

Not true, because SAP Business One can be delivered as a cloud-based or hosted ERP solution. It’s also worth noting that cost comparisons between cloud and on-premises software are often flawed because they fail to account for the possible presence of pre-existing infrastructure that hasn’t reached end-of-life, as well as the uncertainty over total cost of ownership that comes with a subscription model.

SAP Business One has no browser access

With the release of SAP Business One 9.2, it’s now easier than ever to access the software through a browser with the new Browser Access feature. For more information on the changes in version 9.2, click here.

SAP Business One has limited mobile access

SAP offers free mobile apps for SAP Business One on iOS and Android, making the software accessible on the majority of mobile devices. Additionally, the Browser Access feature described above makes new versions of SAP Business One more or less device-agnostic.

SAP Business One has poor screen editing options

It’s sometimes claimed that SAP Business One lacks flexibility and customisation when it comes to the user interface. In reality, the software offers comprehensive and intuitive screen editing tools, making it straightforward for users to tailor their workspace and experience.

In closing, our advice is that you shouldn’t rely too much on what you read or hear online about SAP Business One or any other ERP solution. Yes, online research is an important part of the selection process – but, emphatically, it’s only one part. Ideally, your path to purchase should also involve speaking to people in the industry, reading suppliers’ pages, asking for demonstrations of project-specific functionality, and full due diligence, including site visits and client references.

That way, you’ll know exactly if SAP Business One is right for you – regardless of what other people try to tell you.