Easy to Implement ERP for Multi-national and Less-Complex Accounting Requirements
November 29, 2021

Easy to Implement ERP for Multi-national and Less-Complex Accounting Requirements

Cody Murley | TrustRadius Reviewer
Score 7 out of 10
Vetted Review
Verified User

Overall Satisfaction with Xero

Kanopy operates on a multi-subsidiary basis, internationally. Xero is both the legacy ERP system that accounting used prior to 2021, as well as the current system that Kanopy's Australia subsidiary uses to maintain its books. Xero works well as an international ERP and specifically is beneficial for companies where simple is better. Xero is not a highly sophisticated ERP, compared to things like NetSuite or MS Dynamics. Kanopy migrated to NetSuite in 2021 to better leverage customized solutions and a heavier bundle of APIs connecting with the ERP to integrate our business. Xero works great until a high degree of customization and connectivity is needed, and that's where it starts to fall when compared with the other bigger ones.
  • Multicurrency subsidiary management - easy to transaction and translate financials into various currencies.
  • "plug and play" accounting system with minimal customization required - great for smaller businesses or straightforward operations.
  • Smart-scan software integrations for accounts payable and receivables.
  • User management and permissions is the easiest out of any ERP system I have used, and that's comparing across many.
  • API connectivity to key systems is not as robust as systems such as NetSuite and Dynamics. If your business wants to connect all of its core platforms and flow data using best-in-class connectors, Xero will fall short.
  • Customized financials and reporting is also simplistic - this is both a pro and a con, depending if your business is simplistic or if it has a high degree of specific and non-standard requirements. It's extremely easy to maintain a P&L and balance sheet, for instance, but custom reporting for things like FP&A are a challenge.
  • Scripts for automated accounting processes are similarly not robust and I would not recommend scaling a business with complex automations and build-outs in Xero.
  • Saved time by making standard and recurring processes very quick.
  • Reduced errors due to simplicity of learning and maintaining the software.
  • Maintained financial health of the company by allowing various stakeholders to access at a reasonable price for licenses.
As noted, Xero is extremely easy to use, specifically for international and multi-national organizations. I would say that an average accounting/finance user could implement Xero, as long as most processes will function fine in a standardized state and there is not a high degree of business customization required. The cloud-based system and easy to maintain functionality is most ideal for small to mid-sized businesses who do not need a high degree of specialized, custom processes built out.
Easily on the simple side when it compares to other ERPs. I would place Xero in the same league as Quickbooks for simplicity. Other platforms such as NetSuite and other Oracle products, Dynamics and other Microsoft products, etc. are much more complicated to implement.

Do you think Xero delivers good value for the price?

Yes

Are you happy with Xero's feature set?

Yes

Did Xero live up to sales and marketing promises?

Yes

Did implementation of Xero go as expected?

Yes

Would you buy Xero again?

Yes

Xero works great for multi-national companies with a lower degree of accounting complexity. Basic tools and business functions can be set up extremely quickly from implementation, but custom build-outs, API connections, script deployments, and complex business needs do not scale up well in Xero. Oftentimes, Xero works great as an entry-level ERP, and as companies scale up and grow in significant complexity, the need to graduate to a more accommodating system arises. Xero is an excellent value for the price though.

Xero Feature Ratings

Accounts payable
7
Accounts receivable
7
Cash management
6
Bank reconciliation
9
Expense management
7
Time tracking
7
Fixed asset management
7
Multi-currency support
8
Multi-division support
8
Regulations compliance
6
Self-service portal
6
Global Financial Support
6
Primary and Secondary Ledgers
6
Intercompany Accounting
7
Localizations
8
Journals and Reconciliations
8
Enterprise Accounting
6
Configurable Accounting
6
Centralized Rules Framework
8
Standardized Processes
8
Inventory tracking
Not Rated
Automatic reordering
Not Rated
Location management
Not Rated
Manufacturing module
Not Rated
Pricing
Not Rated
Order entry
Not Rated
Credit card processing
Not Rated
Cost of goods sold
Not Rated
Order Orchestration
Not Rated
End-to-end order visibility
Not Rated
Order exception Resolution
Not Rated
Pay calculation
Not Rated
Benefit plan administration
Not Rated
Direct deposit files
Not Rated
Salary revision and increment management
Not Rated
Reimbursement management
Not Rated
Dashboards
Not Rated
Standard reports
Not Rated
Custom reports
Not Rated
Not Rated
API for custom integration
Not Rated
Plug-ins
Not Rated
Not Rated
Role-based user permissions
Not Rated
Single sign-on capability
Not Rated