Budgeting for a mid-sized accounting and ERP system

While it truly is impossible to list a price here, because every company is different and thus ends up with a different system, let’s start with a big picture “order of magnitude” cost comparison that includes the first year of software and add-ons, plus the implementation and training for a new system.

Many QuickBooks users we talk to are worried the cost of a more capable system is out of reach

The good news is that you don’t have to jump into the deep end of the pool. You can start with just the functionality you need today and add more later.

First of all, both systems we offer, Acumatica and AccountMate, have lower-priced small business editions that can later expand. And both are easy to move to from QuickBooks.

Second, you’re not required to buy a “suite” of software just to get a few extra features that are critical for your business. Buy only what you need, so you’re not stuck paying for unused features.

Some bigger systems scale up easily, including the two we offer, Acumatica and AccountMate.

➤ For example, you can start out with no ecommerce integration. Then add an integration between your online stores and your accounting system later, when you have enough online orders coming in that it becomes more cost-effective to stop entering sales orders manually.

➤ For example, maybe you don’t need EDI right now. Then a couple years from now, your largest customer requires all their vendors to integrate with their EDI system. That’s when you add EDI capabilities to your system and it’s straightforward to do so.

This incremental growth ability means you can respond with agility and confidence over the years as your team generates new ideas and responds to new market opportunities.

Flexible pricing, without surprises

Both AccountMate and Acumatica structure their prices in ways that QuickBooks users appreciate.

Unlike with some ERP systems, pricing here isn’t a sales negotiation game designed to obscure future costs until after you’re locked into a contract. We’re happy to go over—up front, before you purchase—both your initial “new system” cost and your projected costs over the first few years of operation so you can make a fully-informed decision.

With AccountMate, choose a monthly subscription—or not

You can pay monthly, similar to QuickBooks Online and other SaaS software (except you aren’t required to run in the cloud). This makes the cost predictable and eliminates the challenge of paying a large portion of it up front.

Or you can purchase the software upfront so you own and control your system with no risk of it being shut off due to non-payment of a monthly subscription. If you pay up front, it’s still important to budget for regular upgrades to keep your technology current and secure, but you can schedule those upgrades on your own timeline. If this option sounds appealing but cash flow is an issue, we can also finance this—including hardware and implementation services—over a handful of years.

With Acumatica’s pricing, you don’t pay “per user”

Acumatica’s pricing flexes up and down based on your transaction volume, with no per-user fees. You get as many users as you need—it’s not limited. Instead, you pay for the resources you use, which is called a “consumption-based” model. That means you can hire a new employee without buying another user license.

Pay only for the resources you use:

1. Consumption of server resources (such as data storage and your volume of transactions)
2. Applications (for example, Acumatica’s General Business Edition vs. an industry-specific edition)
3. License type (SaaS or private cloud)

Acumatica’s Customer Bill of Rights also promises clear fee structures, with fair and transparent pricing—without dramatic and unexpected price increases.

You can change any of these resources anytime with no penalty

For example, if your transaction volume spikes annually during your busy season, you can add server resources during your busy season and then subtract them again when the season ends. No need to pay for a higher level all year just to guarantee the extra capacity needed during your peak period.

With NexLAN, pricing for services is fair and transparent

When it comes to installation, training, technical support, and customization services, you’ll find us refreshing to work with compared to most other partners.

We provide not-to-exceed quotes, and discounts for prepaid blocks of time for larger projects. We bill in 15-minute increments so you don’t get charged for an hour if we didn’t work for an hour. And we provide weekly service billings so that you stay informed about the project status and you don’t rack up a big tab that surprises you. Read more about our Support Services.

Much of our technical support is free for quick questions via email or phone.

Also important is our belief that it’s our responsibility to keep your money in your pocket. We’ll do our best to talk you out of buying software or custom programming that you don’t need.

Learn more about how NexLAN works.

With NexLAN as your partner:

• You get the right scope the first time.
• You get an implementation timeline that won’t drag on.
• You get a not-to-exceed quote so things don’t run over budget.

You get a flexible, more powerful system and a solid technology partner—allowing you to optimize the return on your investment.