Working out which ERP solution you should use is always something that takes time. These pieces of software are complex and you don’t always know whether they will dovetail successfully with your enterprise. 

That’s where this review could help. Here, we take a look at Unit4 ERP, which offers industry-specific solutions to certain sectors, making it even more appealing than generic options. 

ERPs, like Unit4’s, first began to emerge 20 years ago. The idea was to bring together enterprise data to improve people and resource management. Over time, tools have become more sophisticated, and many now leverage AI, providing better oversight. 

Unit4 primarily focuses on three areas of business that often cause difficulty: project management, HR, and finance. Its solutions bring these various elements together into a whole that makes sense to users across skill levels. Furthermore, it tailors the experience based on role, providing data that enables everyone from the chief human resources officer to the chief financial officer to do their jobs better. 

About Unit4 ERP

Unit4 ERP is an enterprise resource planner that works with some of the world’s best-known brands, including SAAB, the NHS in England, and Save the Children. It’s popular because it caters to these specific industries, especially non-profits and the public sector, allowing it to provide more streamlined solutions with fewer redundancies and extra features that users don’t need. 

Unit4’s key functional areas include financial management, where users can create full reports and get more visibility over their financial data. This tool helps maintain compliance and ensure projects remain cost-effective. 

Many businesses also like payroll management. Unit4 can sync with payroll data by automating calculations and enabling custom reporting. 

Procurement management is also an option for businesses that require it. Standardizing purchasing cycles improves supplier relationships and reduces reckless spending, which can be a hallmark of some companies, slashing their margins and making them less productive than their owners would like them to be. 

Lastly, Unit4 allows client firms to benefit from customizable dashboards. These can provide real-time insights into company data for superior decision-making, the moment new information comes through. 

The Pros Of Unit4 ERP

So, what did we like most about Unit4 ERP while we were trialling the software? 

Person-Led Experience

The person-led experience of using the software was one of the first things that stood out for us. We liked how the software focuses on helping staff get on with their work instead of bogging them down in admin. Everything about the software is geared around this, from the interface to the AI tools available. As such, Unit4 isn’t so much interested in bamboozling you with features as it is simply adding elements that make employees’ lives easier, right up to the senior management level.

Industry Focused Solutions

The second thing we really liked was the industry-focused solutions. Unit4 is built for specific sectors, as mentioned in the introduction to this review. 

Its main focus is parts of the public sector. However, it does also work with private sector enterprises, including retail, architecture, engineering, and professional services firms. 

This industry focus is like a bit of a superpower. It means that solutions are ready to go out of the box and don’t require constant tweaks and customizations to fit business and organizational requirements. We found that this led to faster setups when we wanted to try something new, which was most welcome. 

Positive Ratings

We’re also heartened to see that Unit4 has managed to attract positive reviews from multiple analysts, not just us. For example, some publishers have named it a top ERP innovator and have highlighted its ability to help organizations achieve a higher ROI by around 30% when using it. 

Cloud-Native Operation

Finally, the fact that Unit4 ERP is cloud-native is another reason we liked it so much. With so many teams now operating hybrid work, the fact that it is cloud-native is a real boon and something that we appreciated greatly while using it. 

The best part of being cloud-native is the scalability. When a business needs more resources, Unit4 will essentially automatically provide it, without users having to go through a long and convoluted process. 

The other nice element is the fact that updates are done for you. Businesses don’t need to shut down their operations for a week for migration to take place. 

The Cons Of Unit4 ERP

Of course, no ERP solution is perfect. With Unit4, we’d like to see more industry specializations in the private sector. While it makes sense for the company to appeal to the stodgy and inefficient government sector, many firms would also benefit from tailored solutions. 

We’d also like to see some more support for making the transition from alternative ERPs. Unit4’s approach can sometimes be quite different, which may confuse managers and employees, and prevent them from deriving maximum value from the product in the medium term. 

What To Consider Before Choosing Unit4 ERP

If you decide to go ahead with Unit4 ERP solutions, we suggest you do the following: 

• Check you can integrate the solution with your existing tools without causing a problem
• Train staff and other stakeholders on how to use the solution effectively and efficiently
• Ensure you have sufficient budget to afford the premiums
• Make sure your user-endpoints are cloud-ready and compatible with Unit4’s cloud-based services
• Check Unit4 is a suitable fit for your organization

The Final Verdict: Should You Buy Unit4 ERP?

Our final verdict is that any investment in Unit4 ERP is probably going to be worth it, especially if you operate an organization in one of the developers’ target markets. The fact that you can get customizations right off the bat is a big plus for us, which is why we’ve decided to award the software a five-star rating. 

We didn’t have time to mention other perks, like the AI integrations, but these are also worth noting. Anything that can streamline daily workflows is often worth the investment.