When to Ditch QuickBooks
Online/Xero for an ERP
(and Which One)
If you’re scaling ecom on QBO, you’ll hit the ceiling. The symptoms aren’t subtle: spreadsheet chaos, inventory blind spots, and a month-end close that steals your weekends. Here’s the no-BS version of when to switch—and where to land (NetSuite, Fulfil.io, or Odoo).
Signs You’ve Outgrown QBO
- Inventory gets messy: multi-warehouse, bundles/kits, or >1–2k SKUs and stock accuracy keeps biting you.
- Order volume spikes: hundreds/day across Shopify + marketplaces means imports, retries, and “why is this missing?”
- Channels & 3PLs multiply: brittle connectors, duplicate data, delayed inventory sync → oversells and angry customers.
- Finance complexity climbs: revenue recognition, multi-entity, currency, consolidations = Excel gymnastics.
- Too many manual workflows: approvals, purchasing, routing, forecasting… all happening in sheets and Slack.
Thresholds That Usually Trigger a Move
- Ops: >300 orders/day, >2 warehouses or 3PL, >3 sales channels.
- Catalog: >2k SKUs or heavy variants/bundles/BOMs.
- Finance: multi-entity, multi-currency, or recurring/deferrals.
- Team: >15–25 users needing role-based access and audit trails.
Where to Land (Fast Compare)
NetSuite – The enterprise workhorse
- Best for: $10M–$100M+ brands, multi-entity/global, complex ops that need depth and controls.
- Why: All-in-one modules, serious reporting/workflows, scales hard.
- Watchouts: Pricey, longer implementation, don’t over-customize yourself into a corner.
Fulfil.io – eCommerce-native and fast to value
- Best for: DTC/omni brands needing clean order/inventory ops and real-time channel sync.
- Why: Modern UX, strong Shopify/Amazon/3PL integrations, quicker rollout than legacy ERPs.
- Watchouts: Accounting depth improving; less breadth outside retail/wholesale.
Odoo – Open-source, flexible, cost-effective
- Best for: Cost-conscious teams with tech chops or a partner; unique workflows.
- Why: Full suite, modular, own your stack, favorable per-user pricing.
- Watchouts: DIY energy required; module quality varies; plan upgrades carefully.
Pitfalls to Avoid
- Replicating bad processes: adopt ERP best practices; kill sheet-driven hacks.
- Migrating dirty data: de-dupe customers/SKUs, fix units, close ghosts before import.
- Underestimating change mgmt: train by role, pilot key flows, avoid peak season go-live.
A Pragmatic Switch Plan (5 Steps)
- Define non-negotiables: inventory truth, channel latency, close speed, control requirements.
- Shortlist & demo with your data: NetSuite vs Fulfil.io vs Odoo against real scenarios.
- Map integrations: Shopify/marketplaces, 3PL, payments/payouts, tax, BI/warehouse.
- Migrate the minimum viable history: masters + opens; archive the rest.
- Phase rollout: sandbox > pilot > staged go-live; parallel the first close to validate.
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