webERP

webERP is an open-source web-based ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system including accounting.

At the time of writing, the current version is 3.11.4. My last experience using webERP was with 3.08 in November 2007.

Try the demonstration at www.weberp.org.

Database

webERP (yes, they do write it as webERP instead of WebERP) uses the MySQL InnoDB database engine for transactions. Originally webERP supported PostgreSQL then PostgreSQL support was dropped, which was one of the reasons to stop using webERP. InnoDB is now considered a good replacement for PostgreSQL when your database is small. InnoDB had some performance issues back when webERP dropped PostgreSQL support and might not be as good as PostgreSQL for very large databases.

PHP

In 2007 when software developers were rapidly converting from PHP 4 to PHP 5, webERP made the decision to not update. They looked like supporting PHP 4 forever. That type of backward thinking kept them from leadership in the ERP area. Now they use PHP 5 as the minimum PHP release and one of their competitors, FrontAccounting, is stuck in PHP 4 compatibility mode.

Your own demo

When you install webERP, there is an option to install demonstration data. You can practice with the system then delete all the data and start again with your own data. You could easily set up two version side by side to use one with the demonstration data and the other with your own data. One problem is the huge range of things you have to set up when you do not use the demo data.

Settings

You enter the end month for your financial year.

You can set up multiple users for different tasks. This is one area where webERP should stop and move to a new code base. They are busy developing a lot of things that are already in content management systems. Any one of the top content management systems would be a better base for webERP. A move to Drupal would give them roles, workflow, and a dozen other good features ready made.

Themes

You have to create special themes for webERP instead of using one of the standard sources of themes, another problem created by not using a CMS for the base. You might not worry about a theme for a small private ERP system. You do need good theme options when you supply ERP to customers as a service. webERP misses out on this point.

Alternatives

You can read about accounting oriented alternatives in Accounting. Cash books are discussed in Cash books.

XRMS is a Web based application for managing employees, customers, contacts, activities with those contacts, commonly known as Customer Relationship Management (CRM), and Sales Force Automation (SFA). If customer relationships are important and you are not using the other features of webERP, XRMS is worth a look but still faces the problems stemming from not using a CMS as a base.

CMS based alternatives

If you are not using every feature of webERP, there are CMS based lighter weight applications aimed at contact management, project management, and related tasks. You can often satisfy the needs of smaller businesses using one of the alternatives. You can then add in all the other good features of the CMS. A CMS is a better starting point for a shop while full scale ERP is the best starting point for manufacturers.

CiviCRM is a good alternative in the CRM area and is gaining add on modules to extend into other areas.

Conclusion

webERP was a little too complicated for my business and would not connect into my existing data, which meant duplication and trying to update two sets of records in parallel. I stopped using webERP. A large business that is not selling good online and does not need great content management, could use webERP for the multiple currency and manufacturing oriented features.