Our ERP Research Methodology

What we evaluate

Every product and comparison on this site is assessed against a fixed set of dimensions. We added export-tax-rebate readiness because it is the capability most global systems leave to spreadsheet work — and the one Chinese exporters most need.

• Multi-currency & localization

  Native multi-currency, FX revaluation, and local tax, VAT/GST, and customs support for every country you operate in — not a bolt-on module.

• Multi-entity architecture

  One system that consolidates HQ and overseas legal entities, instead of a patchwork of separate instances and manual consolidation.

• Industry fit

  Modules matched to real workflows: BOM and production, retail omnichannel, wholesale pricing tiers, or cross-border trade.

• Integration & open APIs

  Connectors for banks, e-commerce platforms, customs systems, and your MES or WMS — so data flows automatically.

• Total cost of ownership

  License plus implementation, training, and ongoing cross-border compliance maintenance — not just the sticker price.

• Deployment & support

  Cloud delivery, data residency options, and a partner who understands China-going-global pain points.

• Export-tax-rebate readiness

  Three-document matching (customs declaration, VAT invoice, settlement receipt), filing-deadline tracking, and audit trails for China's export VAT rebate.

Where our data comes from

We only publish what we can verify. Sources are attached to articles where a genuine reference exists — never invented.

• Vendor documentation

  Public product documentation, feature sheets, and region-available modules published by the vendor itself.

• Published pricing

  List and starting prices from official sources. We cite the published starting point — never a negotiated quote — and label any third-party-reported figure as such.

• Practitioner deployment experience

  Real selection, implementation, and rollout experience with cross-border and export-driven operations.

• Government & regulatory sources

  Official tax, customs, and compliance references (e.g. gov.cn, chinatax.gov.cn) for China's export VAT rebate and related rules.

How we score

Criteria are applied consistently across vendors. We do not score on marketing claims, demo scripts, or sales promises. Where a vendor does not natively support a capability (for example, China export VAT rebate in most global systems), we say so plainly and note the workaround cost. Where we cite a figure, it reflects the published starting point — not a negotiated quote.

Update cadence

We revisit a comparison whenever a vendor makes a material change to pricing, features, or regional support. Each article carries a “last updated” date so readers can see how current the analysis is.

Conflict of interest

We may earn a commission when you sign up through an affiliate link, and we offer paid selection or implementation support. Neither relationship changes our editorial ratings, and any commercial relationship connected to a page is disclosed on that page. We are not owned by or affiliated with any ERP vendor. See our Editorial Policy for the full details.