Bonsai ERPTM Benefits

Bonsai ERPTM is based on the Open Source Apache Open for Business Project (OFBiz), from the Apache Software Foundation. We list some of the general advantages as Open Source Benefits, and there are even more reasons why its Open Source base ensures that your adoption of Bonsai ERPTM is low risk.

No "Lock-in"

Your information is not "locked in" to Bonsai ERPTM. All of your data is stored using Open Source technologies which are documented and open. Therefore any competent developer can extract your data from Bonsai ERPTM. In fact, there are free tools available on the Internet that can export the data from Bonsai ERP into standard formats.

Lower Costs - and Controllable!

Your up-front investment in Bonsai ERPTM is significantly lower because there are no licencing fees. The minimum cost will vary depending on the needs of your business, but is controllable.

Your on-going investment is completely within your control. Most ERP systems require you to pay an ongoing yearly licence fee, which means that if you are unable or unwilling to pay the fee one year, you lose the use of the system. Clearly this is a high risk strategy and not appropriate for medium and smaller businesses.

With Bonsai ERPTM, you decide how much on-going customisation and support you need. Should you face a situation where you cannot invest any further money into Bonsai ERPTM, you do not lose anything that you have already paid for. You still have full use of the system.

While we are implementing Bonsai ERPTM, we will work with you using low-risk, agile project management. We will regularly delivery real working software. If priorities change, we can do mid-course correction. There will be regular contact and involvement of the customer.

With Bonsai ERPTM, we won't nickle and dime you because you want to add another user or change the role they perform.

Worldwide user base and support

Bonsai ERPTM builds on OFBiz, which is used by thousands of businesses across the world. Their experience has been distilled into the software. OFBiz is also the basis of many other ERP solutions (e.g. OpenTaps, Neogia, SourceTap CRM, NeuLion Savanna, Atlassian Jira) and has been continually refined and extended since 2001.

OFBiz is a project of The Apache Software Foundation, which identifies significant open source projects and helps them to thrive. Membership of the Foundation means an open source project is high quality, and has an active and extensive base of users and contributors. Much of the Internet is based on software from The Apache Software Foundation.

Users of OFBiz include British Telecom; Snaidero Engineering and Trading, Italy's largest kitchen cabinet manufacturer; Ameniti Travel Clubs, a sister company of United Airlines; and ToolEast, a manufacturing consortium sponsored by the European Commission. See our In The Press page for more.

Lower Risk

The combination of these advantages equates to lower risk for your business:

• If the system doesn't do what you want, it can be changed.
• If the people supporting the system move on, there are qualified consultants who can take over.
• If you decide to switch to another system, you can extract your data.
• If you can't afford to invest further in the software, you don't lose your use of it.

Web based

Bonsai ERPTM uses a web interface, so it's already familiar to your users.

No special installation of client software is needed. So your users could use a range of different computers with different operating systems and browsers, if that is what you have. A new release of your ERP will not necessitate an update of your user's computers. In fact, your users can use very basic older computers for their web browser.

Bonsai ERP TM allows easy remote access if you need it. So staff in other branches can use it, or you can check in from any remote location that is connected to the Internet. You could use a smartphone to keep an eye on your operation while you are on the road.

With a web based interface you might choose alternative user interfaces: handhelds and smartphones, touch panels on the factory floor, or dedicated kiosk-style terminals are all possible.