An ERP implementation budget should answer one practical question: what will it cost to put a reliable factory workflow into daily use?
The subscription is only one line. The working budget also covers process decisions, clean starting data, configuration, roles, training, validation, and support after cutover.
The five parts of a 2026 ERP budget
| Cost area | What the buyer receives |
|---|---|
| Software | Access to the product, updates, hosting or infrastructure, and plan-level features |
| Implementation | Process mapping, configuration, roles, training, testing, and cutover |
| Data migration | Clean masters, opening balances, open orders, BOMs, and reconciliation |
| Custom work | New reports, workflows, integrations, or modules required for a specific process |
| Support | Help after go-live, operational reviews, upgrades, and issue resolution |
Ask every vendor to price these categories visibly. A low subscription can still sit beside a large partner engagement. A managed product can have a higher recurring price and a smaller technical-maintenance burden.
Compare operating models, not just licence prices
Managed manufacturing SaaS
A managed manufacturing product supplies hosting, upgrades, and standard workflows as part of the subscription. Implementation then focuses on your data, configuration, people, and first live process.
FactoStack's current software plans are ₹1,999 and ₹2,999 per month. Factory Go-Live maps and configures the agreed first workflow, imports the required records, sets up roles, trains users, and runs a real order with the team.
ERPNext
ERPNext is free and open-source. Frappe's official ERPNext pricing page explains the two-part model: hosting plus implementation. Frappe Cloud sites start at ₹410 per month and servers at ₹1,800 per month on the published page; buyers can self-implement, use a starter pack, or hire a certified partner.
This model gives teams strong control over hosting and customisation. Budget for the people who will configure manufacturing, migrate data, test reports, manage custom apps, and support users.
Odoo and SAP Business One
Odoo and SAP Business One are commonly delivered with an implementation partner. The useful comparison is a written project quote for the exact user count, apps or modules, localisation, data, integrations, training, and support you need.
Their flexibility can suit broader or more complex programmes. It also means the implementation scope has a large influence on year-one cost.
Build a cost sheet around the first workflow
Choose a first release such as sales order to dispatch, purchase order to stock, batch plan to output, job card to quality release, or GST invoice to Tally handoff.
| Budget question | Example |
|---|---|
| Which records move? | Items, customers, BOMs, opening stock, open orders |
| Which decisions are configured? | Numbering, approvals, units, warehouses, stages |
| Who uses it? | Sales, stores, production, quality, dispatch, owner |
| What proves it works? | One real order completed and totals reconciled |
| What follows? | Additional workflows, reports, integrations, or history |
This makes vendor quotes comparable and keeps the first operational result visible.
Migration cost follows data condition
Clean master data moves faster than years of inconsistent transactions. Most first releases need unique item codes and units, current parties, approved BOMs or recipes, opening stock, open orders, active WIP, and unpaid documents where relevant.
Use the Excel migration plan and Tally and Excel migration service to define that dataset before requesting a price.
Customisation should have an operating reason
A useful custom request names the user, trigger, data, action, and result. Prioritise custom work that removes duplicate entry, supports a required control, or closes a process gap. Put cosmetic preferences behind the first live release.
A practical request-for-quote checklist
Ask vendors to return:
- software plan and user basis;
- first workflow and acceptance result;
- datasets and record volumes;
- configuration and role setup;
- training format and participants;
- testing and reconciliation responsibilities;
- cutover date and support window;
- custom work and integrations;
- recurring support or hosting costs;
- assumptions that can change the price.
Use the implementation checklist, small-factory timeline, and consultant selection guide to prepare.
Put the budget against one live outcome
The cleanest ERP cost comparison is the total price, time, and internal effort required to put the same agreed manufacturing workflow into reliable daily use.
Review FactoStack pricing, then bring the workflow and source files to a Factory Go-Live call. Factory Go-Live covers the agreed first workflow; custom modules, integrations, and historical reconstruction receive their own scope and quote.
Frequently Asked Questions
Written by
Sudharsan GS
Building FactoStack with Indian MSME manufacturers across inventory, production, dispatch, GST, and Tally workflows.
