ERP System Examples: Real Companies and Software

Aleksander Nowak · 2026-02-04 · Industry Guides

See real ERP examples from Amazon to manufacturers. Learn what ERP companies offer, implementation timelines, and how businesses use ERP daily.

ERP System Examples: Real Companies and Software

ERP means different things to different businesses. For Amazon, it's a massive SAP installation managing global logistics. For a 20-person cosmetics manufacturer, it might be a focused system tracking recipes, inventory, and orders.

This guide covers real ERP examples—both the ERP software examples available on the market and the companies using them. You'll see what enterprise resource planning looks like in practice, from Fortune 500 implementations to solutions built for smaller operations.

What Is an ERP System?

An ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system connects different business functions into one platform. Instead of separate software for accounting, inventory, sales, and production, an ERP integrates them so data flows between departments automatically.

Core ERP modules typically include:

Finance and Accounting — General ledger, accounts payable/receivable, financial reporting. This is the foundation of any ERP system.

Inventory Management — Stock levels, warehouses, reorder points, stock movements.

Sales and CRM — Customer data, orders, quotes, sales pipeline.

Purchasing — Supplier management, purchase orders, receiving.

Production/Manufacturing — Bills of materials, work orders, production scheduling.

Human Resources — Employee records, payroll, time tracking.

The key difference between an ERP and separate applications: when you ship an order, the ERP automatically updates inventory, records the sale in accounting, and adjusts production planning. No manual data entry between systems, no reconciliation headaches.

Not every business needs all modules. Many companies start with finance and inventory, then add production or HR as they grow.

Top ERP Companies and Software

The ERP market includes enterprise giants, mid-market specialists, and solutions for smaller businesses. Here are the major ERP companies and what they're known for:

SAP — The largest ERP vendor globally. SAP S/4HANA serves large enterprises with complex, multi-country operations. Known for deep functionality but also complexity and cost. Implementation typically takes 12-24 months.

Oracle — Offers Oracle Cloud ERP for large enterprises and NetSuite for mid-market companies. Strong in finance and supply chain. NetSuite is popular with growing companies that need cloud-based ERP without SAP-level complexity.

Microsoft — Dynamics 365 Business Central targets small-to-mid-sized businesses, while Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations serves larger enterprises. Integrates well with other Microsoft products.

Sage — Sage Intacct focuses on financial management, popular with service companies. Sage X3 serves mid-sized manufacturers and distributors.

Infor — Industry-specific ERP solutions for manufacturing, healthcare, and hospitality. CloudSuite Industrial is their manufacturing platform.

Acumatica — Cloud ERP for mid-market, known for flexible pricing (not per-user) and customization options.

Odoo — Open-source ERP with modular approach. Lower cost of entry, popular with smaller businesses willing to handle more configuration.

Industry-Specific Options — Plex (manufacturing), Katana (small manufacturers), SYSPRO (manufacturing and distribution), Deltek (project-based businesses).

Companies That Use ERP: Real Examples

Seeing how real companies use ERP systems makes the concept concrete. Here are examples across different scales:

Enterprise Examples

Amazon uses SAP to manage its massive logistics and fulfillment operations. When you order a product, SAP tracks inventory across warehouses, routes the order to the optimal fulfillment center, manages supplier relationships, and handles financial transactions. Amazon implemented SAP in 2008 to support growth that their previous systems couldn't handle.

Starbucks relies on Oracle ERP for supply chain management. With over 35,000 stores worldwide, they need to forecast demand for coffee beans, cups, and equipment across different regions, manage thousands of suppliers, and coordinate logistics. Their ERP connects procurement, inventory, and finance to keep stores stocked.

Apple uses SAP S/4HANA to power its online store and manage procurement for manufacturing. The system handles inventory across retail locations and online channels, coordinates with suppliers for components, and manages the financial complexity of global operations.

Mid-Market Examples

Manufacturing companies with 50-500 employees commonly use NetSuite, Dynamics 365, or industry-specific systems like Plex. A typical mid-sized manufacturer uses ERP to track raw materials and finished goods across warehouses, manage production schedules based on orders, calculate product costs in real time, and generate financial reports without spreadsheet consolidation.

ERP Examples in Real Life: Daily Operations

What does using an ERP actually look like day-to-day?

Morning: Sales team reviews new orders in the system. The ERP shows which items are in stock, which need production, and estimated ship dates based on current capacity.

Production: Manufacturing checks the production queue. The ERP has already calculated material requirements based on orders. They see which materials are available, which are on order from suppliers, and can start production with confidence.

Shipping: Warehouse staff picks orders using the ERP's shipping module. When they confirm shipment, inventory updates automatically, the customer gets tracking info, and finance sees the revenue recorded.

End of day: Management reviews dashboards showing orders, production output, inventory levels, and cash position—all from one system instead of pulling data from five different sources.

ERP System Examples by Industry

Different industries emphasize different ERP capabilities:

Manufacturing ERP Examples

Manufacturers need strong production planning, inventory management, and cost tracking. Common choices:

• SAP S/4HANA — Large manufacturers with complex supply chains
• Oracle Cloud — Multi-site manufacturers, process industries
• Plex — Discrete and process manufacturing, strong shop floor integration
• Infor CloudSuite Industrial — Make-to-order manufacturers
• SYSPRO — Mid-market manufacturing and distribution
• Katana — Small manufacturers, batch production

Key modules for manufacturing: BOM/recipe management, production scheduling, shop floor control, quality management, and costing.

Retail and E-commerce ERP Examples

Retailers need inventory across channels, point-of-sale integration, and order management:

• Oracle NetSuite — E-commerce companies, multi-channel retail
• Microsoft Dynamics 365 Commerce — Retailers with physical and online presence
• Brightpearl — Retail and wholesale operations

Professional Services ERP Examples

Service companies need project management, resource planning, and time tracking:

• Deltek — Project-based businesses, government contractors
• Workday — Large service organizations, HR-focused
• Sage Intacct — Finance-focused services, nonprofits

ERP and CRM: How They Work Together

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) can be a module within ERP or a separate system that integrates with it.

CRM as ERP module: Systems like SAP, NetSuite, and Dynamics 365 include CRM functionality. Customer data, sales pipeline, and order history live in the same database as inventory and finance. Advantage: no integration needed, single source of truth.

Separate CRM integrated with ERP: Many companies use Salesforce or HubSpot for CRM alongside their ERP. This works when you need advanced sales/marketing features beyond what ERP provides. The tradeoff is maintaining integration between systems.

For manufacturers, having CRM and ERP connected means sales can check real inventory when quoting, see production schedules for delivery promises, and view customer order history alongside payment status—without switching between systems.

ERP Implementation Examples

ERP implementation is where many projects succeed or fail. Here's what real implementations look like:

Successful Implementation: What Works

Phased approach: A mid-sized food manufacturer implemented NetSuite over 4 months. They started with finance and inventory (Month 1-2), added production planning (Month 3), then sales and CRM (Month 4). Each phase was stable before adding complexity.

Data cleanup first: A cosmetics company spent 6 weeks cleaning their spreadsheet data before migrating to ERP. They standardized product names, fixed duplicate customer records, and verified inventory counts. Result: clean go-live with accurate data.

Key success factors: - Executive sponsor who drives decisions - Dedicated internal team (not just IT) - Realistic timeline with buffer - Training before go-live, not after - Parallel running of old and new systems

Failed Implementation: Common Mistakes

Scope creep: A manufacturer tried to implement SAP with every module at once, customize heavily to match old processes, go live across all locations simultaneously. After 18 months and 3x the original budget, they scaled back to a phased approach.

Common failure patterns: - Underestimating data migration effort - Insufficient training ("we'll figure it out") - Trying to replicate old processes exactly instead of adapting - No clear ownership of decisions - Going live before the system is ready

Typical Implementation Timeline

Smaller implementations (Odoo, Katana, focused systems) can complete in 4-8 weeks. Enterprise SAP or Oracle implementations often take 12-24 months.

How to Use ERP Software

Once implemented, ERP becomes the daily operating system for your business. Here's how teams typically use it:

Daily transactions: Enter sales orders, receive inventory, record production output, process invoices. Most users spend their time on transaction entry and lookups.

Reporting: Run standard reports (inventory status, open orders, financial statements) or create custom reports. Good ERPs let you build dashboards for quick visibility.

Planning: Use ERP data for forecasting, production planning, and purchasing decisions. The system has historical data to inform future plans.

Month-end: Close accounting periods, reconcile accounts, generate financial statements. ERP automates much of this if transactions were entered correctly during the month.

Analysis: Dig into product profitability, customer trends, supplier performance. ERP data enables analysis that's impossible with disconnected spreadsheets.

The learning curve varies. Basic transaction entry takes days to learn. Reporting and analysis take weeks. Really understanding how modules connect and using the system strategically takes months.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some examples of ERP systems?

Major ERP systems include SAP S/4HANA, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365, Sage Intacct, and Acumatica. For manufacturing specifically, Plex, SYSPRO, Infor CloudSuite, and Katana are common. Open-source options include Odoo and ERPNext.

What companies use ERP?

Most companies with 50+ employees use some form of ERP. Large enterprises like Amazon, Apple, and Starbucks use SAP or Oracle. Mid-sized companies often use NetSuite or Dynamics 365. Smaller manufacturers use industry-specific solutions or focused tools like Katana.

How long does ERP implementation take?

Small business implementations (Odoo, Katana) can take 4-8 weeks. Mid-market implementations (NetSuite, Dynamics 365) typically take 3-6 months. Enterprise implementations (SAP, Oracle Cloud) usually take 12-24 months.

Do I need a full ERP or focused software?

Full ERP makes sense when you need tight integration between finance, operations, and other functions, or when you're outgrowing multiple disconnected systems. Focused software (like production-specific or inventory-specific tools) works well when you have simpler needs or already have accounting software you want to keep.

Tags: ERP