Last updated: 6 October 2026 · Independent buyer’s guide · We do not sell rankings or coverage.
Most Australian businesses should start an ERP project with core financials, then add inventory and purchasing as soon as stock is tracked outside the ledger, and add warehouse management, manufacturing, project accounting or planning tools only when a specific operational trigger appears. Payroll is the module that needs a decision on day one, because Oracle NetSuite and Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central do not run Australian payroll, while MYOB Acumatica does. Odoo has an Australian payroll localisation, but its documentation says it is still becoming compliant with STP Phase 2 and SuperStream. The four vendors also package modules very differently: Business Central and Odoo include most operational modules in their main plans, while NetSuite and MYOB Acumatica price more of them as separate modules or editions. The right sequence depends on your industry, entity count and growth rate.
Key takeaways
- Buy core financials, inventory and purchasing together if you hold stock, so that stock valuation and the general ledger sit in one system from the first day.
- Decide on payroll at the start. NetSuite and Business Central need a separate Australian payroll product for STP Phase 2 and Payday Super, which began on 1 July 2026, and Odoo’s Australian payroll is not yet STP Phase 2 compliant.
- Add warehouse management, manufacturing and FP&A modules when a measurable trigger appears, such as a second warehouse or a production schedule kept in spreadsheets.
- Business Central Essentials includes inventory, purchasing, warehouse management and project management at AU$119.70 per user per month. Manufacturing needs Premium at AU$164.60.
- Expect each additional module to add implementation cost as well as licence cost. One MYOB Acumatica partner publishes a jump from $30,000 for finance only to $55,000 or more once distribution and manufacturing are included.
Who this guide is for
This guide is for finance leaders, operations directors and owners of Australian organisations with roughly 10 to 500 staff who need to decide which ERP modules to buy now and which to defer. For each module it sets out the usual Australian growth trigger and how licence and implementation costs change when you add it.
For a general explanation of what each module does, see our global article on understanding ERP modules. This guide concentrates on Australian compliance, AUD pricing and the order in which local businesses add modules.
Stage one: core financials
Every ERP purchase starts with core financials: general ledger, accounts payable, accounts receivable, cash management, bank reconciliation, GST and BAS reporting, and financial reporting. In Australia, the practical test for this module is whether it produces a BAS you can rely on and whether it supports the way you lodge. The ATO accepts BAS lodgement online, through a registered agent, or through software that supports Standard Business Reporting (ATO, 24 April 2026). Ask each vendor to show you the full process from period close to lodgement.
If you already run two or more companies in Xero or MYOB and consolidate in Excel, the financial core alone can justify the move. Our guide to outgrowing Xero or MYOB covers the warning signs in detail, and our multi-entity ERP guide covers consolidation and intercompany requirements.
Fixed assets usually belong in this first stage too. Business Central includes fixed asset management with multiple depreciation books, so you can keep tax and accounting depreciation separately (Microsoft Learn, 17 June 2026). NetSuite provides the same capability through its Fixed Assets Management SuiteApp, which is installed separately (Oracle NetSuite Help, no date shown). If you are a small business with aggregated turnover under $10 million, the ATO confirms that the $20,000 instant asset write-off is now permanent from 1 July 2026 (ATO, 27 August 2026), so your asset register needs to separate tax and book treatment cleanly.
Which modules to add, and at what growth trigger
Inventory and purchasing
Add inventory and purchasing as soon as stock levels, stock valuation or reorder decisions sit outside your accounting system. Xero states that it manages up to 4,000 finished items natively and relies on its app store beyond that (Xero, no date shown, checked 6 October 2026).
For importers, the inventory module should calculate landed cost, including freight, duty and broker fees, and it should handle GST on imports correctly. The ATO explains how GST applies to imported goods and how eligible importers can defer GST to their BAS (ATO, 11 September 2025). Our wholesale distribution ERP guide covers the inventory features to test.
Business Central Essentials includes inventory, purchasing and supply chain planning (Microsoft, no date shown, checked 6 October 2026). Odoo includes its Inventory and Purchase apps on every paid plan. In NetSuite, basic inventory is part of the core subscription, while multi-location features sit in Advanced Inventory, which BrokenRubik, a US-based NetSuite development agency, estimates at about US$500 per month (BrokenRubik, updated 17 September 2026). Oracle does not publish these prices.
Sales order management
Add structured order management when trade customers have contract pricing, partial shipments become common, or sales staff need live stock before confirming delivery dates. NetSuite includes order management in its core subscription, and Business Central Essentials and Odoo include it in their standard plans, so the cost is mainly configuration time for pricing rules and approvals.
Warehouse management (WMS)
Add a WMS when you run a second warehouse, introduce bin locations, need scanner-based picking, or track lot and serial numbers for recalls.
The packaging differs. Business Central Essentials includes warehouse management (Microsoft, checked 6 October 2026). NetSuite WMS is a set of SuiteApps that requires Multi-Location Inventory, Bin Management and Advanced Inventory Management to be enabled first (Oracle NetSuite Help, no update date shown). BrokenRubik estimates NetSuite WMS at US$1,000 to US$2,000 per month (BrokenRubik, updated 17 September 2026). Leverage Technologies, a MYOB partner, lists an operational warehouse user for MYOB Acumatica at $215 per month (Leverage Technologies, 3 September 2026). Neither MYOB nor Leverage Technologies states whether MYOB Acumatica’s warehouse management functions sit in the base licence or need a separate module, so ask your partner to itemise warehouse licensing in the quote.
Manufacturing and MRP
Add manufacturing when you build products from bills of materials and need to plan material requirements, schedule work orders and cost production accurately. The usual trigger is a production plan held in spreadsheets.
Business Central includes manufacturing only in the Premium licence, at AU$164.60 per user per month compared with AU$119.70 for Essentials (Microsoft, checked 6 October 2026). NetSuite covers assemblies, work orders, work in process and routings in its core manufacturing documentation, and adds finite scheduling and shop floor data capture through the Advanced Manufacturing SuiteApp (Oracle NetSuite Help, checked 6 October 2026). MYOB sells a Manufacturing Edition of MYOB Acumatica (MYOB Help, no date shown). Odoo’s Manufacturing app is included in its paid plans.
Manufacturing raises implementation cost more than most modules. Leverage Technologies publishes MYOB Acumatica implementations at $40,000 or more for finance and distribution, rising to $55,000 or more when manufacturing is added, and to $120,000 or more at high complexity (Leverage Technologies, 3 September 2026).
CRM
Add CRM inside the ERP when sales staff need orders, credit status and stock alongside their opportunities. NetSuite includes CRM in its core subscription, according to BrokenRubik (BrokenRubik, updated 17 September 2026). Business Central Essentials lists sales and marketing among its included modules, and Odoo includes its CRM app on paid plans.
Project accounting
Add project accounting when you bill by project, milestone or time and materials, or when you need to see margin by job before it closes. Business Central Essentials includes project management (Microsoft, checked 6 October 2026). NetSuite sells SuiteProjects and SuiteProjects Pro, which cover resourcing, time and expenses, project billing and revenue recognition (NetSuite Australia, no date shown). NetSuite Australia does not publish SuiteProjects prices or say which SuiteSuccess packages include it, so ask your partner to show project licensing as a separate line in the quote.
Payroll integration for STP Phase 2 and Payday Super
Since 1 July 2026, employers must pay super guarantee contributions on each payday, and the money must reach the employee’s fund within seven business days (ATO, 10 August 2026). STP Phase 2 also requires gross pay to be reported in separate components, such as allowances, overtime, bonuses and paid leave (ATO, 12 November 2025).
NetSuite’s payroll product, SuitePeople U.S. Payroll, supports only US payroll taxes (Oracle NetSuite Help, checked 6 October 2026), and Microsoft’s Australian local functionality for Business Central does not list payroll (Microsoft Learn, 26 August 2026). With either system, you will run payroll in a separate Australian product and post journals to the ERP. MYOB Acumatica documents native STP Phase 2 support (MYOB Enterprise Support, 25 September 2024). MYOB has also published Payday Super changes: the MYOB Acumatica 2026.1.2 release notes include Payday Super improvements for correcting qualifying earnings already reported to STP (MYOB, release 2026.1.2, no date shown). Odoo’s version 19.0 documentation says Odoo is “currently in the process of becoming compliant with STP Phase 2 and SuperStream”, and it mentions Payday Super only as a reason to process super more often (Odoo, version 19.0, checked 6 October 2026). Until Odoo announces compliance, plan to run Australian payroll in a separate product if you choose Odoo.
The trigger for this decision is the ERP selection itself. If you employ award-based shift workers, test award interpretation and Payday Super processing before you sign.
Budgeting and FP&A
Add a dedicated planning module when your budget takes weeks to build in spreadsheets, when the board wants rolling forecasts, or when you need scenario modelling across entities. Business Central supports general ledger budgets with up to four budget dimensions and Excel export and import (Microsoft Learn, 12 November 2024).
NetSuite Planning and Budgeting adds rolling forecasts, scenario planning and workforce planning, and it requires an active NetSuite subscription (ERP Research, updated August 2026). ERP Research is a comparison site similar to ours. BrokenRubik estimates the module at US$500 to US$2,000 per month (BrokenRubik, updated 17 September 2026).
Ecommerce
Add ecommerce integration when online orders are keyed by hand or website stock does not match the warehouse. Business Central has a Shopify connector documented by Microsoft (Microsoft Learn, 17 June 2026). MYOB documents a Shopify integration for MYOB Acumatica (MYOB, no date shown). NetSuite offers the NetSuite Connector for external storefronts and its own SuiteCommerce platform, which BrokenRubik estimates at US$2,500 to US$5,000 per month (BrokenRubik, updated 17 September 2026). Odoo includes a native eCommerce app.
Modules by company stage
The table shows a typical sequence for an Australian business that holds stock. Service businesses can substitute project accounting for inventory and WMS. Your own triggers matter more than headcount.
| Stage | Typical profile | Modules to buy now | Modules you can usually defer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaving Xero or MYOB | 10 to 50 staff, one entity, stock or projects managed in add-ons | Core financials, fixed assets, inventory and purchasing or project accounting, payroll decision | WMS, FP&A, advanced manufacturing |
| Established mid-sized | 50 to 150 staff, several sales channels, possibly a second entity | Order management, CRM, ecommerce integration, MRP if you manufacture | Dedicated FP&A, advanced scheduling |
| Multi-site growth | 100 to 300 staff, two or more warehouses or plants | WMS with scanning and lot tracking, multi-entity consolidation, demand planning | Full planning suite if budgets are still manageable |
| Group or regional | 200 to 500 staff, several entities or a New Zealand subsidiary | Consolidation, FP&A, advanced manufacturing or WMS where relevant | Few; the question becomes integration and governance |
How NetSuite, Business Central, MYOB Acumatica and Odoo package modules
Before you compare quotes, map each module you need to the licence or edition that includes it.
| Vendor | How modules are sold | Usually priced separately | Australian payroll |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oracle NetSuite | Core platform plus add-on modules; SuiteSuccess editions by user count; quote only | Advanced Inventory, WMS, Advanced Manufacturing, Fixed Assets, Planning and Budgeting, SuiteCommerce | None; US payroll only |
| Business Central | Two full-user licences with published AUD prices | Manufacturing and service management (Premium only) | Not documented by Microsoft |
| MYOB Acumatica | Editions and licensed modules, priced by user role; partner quotes | Manufacturing and construction editions, payroll, field service | Native, STP Phase 2 |
| Odoo | All apps on paid plans, priced per user in USD | Custom plan needed for multi-company, Studio and API access | Localisation exists, but still becoming STP Phase 2 and SuperStream compliant |
Oracle NetSuite
NetSuite sells a core subscription that includes financials, order management, basic inventory and CRM, then prices further modules individually or bundles them into industry editions. Annexa, an Australian NetSuite partner, describes Starter, Standard and Premium SuiteSuccess editions for up to 10 users, up to 30 users and more than 30 users, and notes that Oracle does not publish a price list (Annexa, updated 21 September 2026). Each module you add later means a new quote. Our NetSuite pricing guide for Australia explains how quotes are built, and our NetSuite implementation guide covers timelines.
Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central
Essentials covers finance, sales, purchasing, inventory, supply chain planning, project management and warehouse management, plus multiple companies, while Premium adds manufacturing and service order management (Microsoft, checked 6 October 2026). Microsoft’s October 2026 licensing guide says you may deploy Essentials and Premium in separate environments on the same tenant, but licensed users can only access the environment they are entitled to (Microsoft Dynamics 365 Licensing Guide, October 2026). In practice, plan for every full user in the environment that runs manufacturing to hold a Premium licence, and confirm the details with your partner against the Microsoft Product Terms. For a direct comparison, see NetSuite vs Business Central.
MYOB Acumatica
MYOB Acumatica is licensed by user type and edition. Leverage Technologies, a MYOB partner, lists Standard, Plus, Enterprise, Manufacturing and Construction editions, with optional modules for payroll, field service and advanced APIs, and user prices from $72 to $271 per month depending on role (Leverage Technologies, 3 September 2026). Kilimanjaro Consulting, another MYOB partner, publishes total implementation costs of $50,000 to $150,000 (Kilimanjaro Consulting, 21 April 2026). We compare it with NetSuite in NetSuite vs MYOB Acumatica.
Odoo
Odoo includes every app on its paid plans, so adding a module does not change the licence price. On 6 October 2026, Odoo listed the Standard plan at US$31.10 per user per month and the Custom plan at US$61.00 on annual billing, with a first-year discount (Odoo, checked 6 October 2026). Standard excludes Studio, multi-company and external API access, so a business planning a second entity or integrations should budget for Custom. Odoo sells Success Packs from 25 hours at US$3,600 to 200 hours at US$25,000 (Odoo, no date shown, checked 6 October 2026).
What adding a module does to cost
Licence fees are usually the smaller part of the bill, because each module you add brings configuration, data migration, testing and training. Manufacturing and WMS usually add the most.
For NetSuite, Jcurve Solutions, a NetSuite partner, publishes per-user plans for its NetSuite-based edition at $99, $149 and $249 per month on annual terms, with implementation packages under $10,000 for smaller deployments (Jcurve Solutions, 6 April 2026). Klugo, also a NetSuite partner, publishes analysis and reporting work at $150 to $250 per hour (Klugo, checked 6 October 2026). For Business Central, the difference between Essentials and Premium is AU$44.90 per user per month, which is AU$13,470 a year for 25 full users. All of these figures are estimates based on list pricing and partner rates, and your actual price depends on scope. Our article on whether NetSuite is worth it sets out questions that apply to any of these systems.
Our independent take
Buy the modules that solve today’s problems, but choose a system that already contains the modules you expect to need in three years. Replacing an ERP that cannot handle manufacturing or a second entity costs far more than buying a stronger platform at the start. For most Australian businesses that hold stock, the first purchase should include financials, inventory and purchasing together, and the payroll decision should be settled before the contract is signed.
Be cautious about buying advanced modules in phase one because a discount is offered. Unused WMS or planning modules still need configuration, and a phased plan with a named trigger for each later module is easier to fund and deliver.
Australian buyer scenarios
A Brisbane wholesaler with 35 staff. The business imports homewares, runs Xero with an inventory add-on and manages landed costs in spreadsheets. It needs financials, inventory and purchasing in one system, with payroll for warehouse staff. MYOB Acumatica fits this first stage because it keeps Australian payroll in the same system. Odoo on the Standard plan also covers the operational scope, but its Australian payroll is still becoming STP Phase 2 compliant, so the business would keep a separate payroll product for now. Business Central Essentials is a strong alternative if the team already uses Microsoft 365 and is happy to keep a separate payroll product.
A Melbourne food manufacturer with 120 staff. The company makes products in batches, sells to supermarkets and needs lot tracking for recalls. It needs financials, inventory, MRP and lot traceability now, and a WMS when it opens a second site. Business Central Premium or MYOB Acumatica Manufacturing Edition suits a single-entity operation. NetSuite becomes the stronger option if the business also plans a New Zealand subsidiary and direct-to-consumer ecommerce.
A Perth retail group with 250 staff and three entities. The group sells through stores, its website and marketplaces, and needs consolidation, multi-location inventory and board-level planning. NetSuite fits this profile well because OneWorld, ecommerce and planning are built for multi-entity operations, provided the group budgets for a separate payroll product. Our best ERP software in Australia guide covers the full shortlist.
When NetSuite is not the right choice
NetSuite is a weaker fit if you are a single-entity business that needs only financials and inventory, because MYOB Acumatica, Business Central or Odoo can cover that scope with published or partner-published pricing. It is also a weaker fit if you want payroll inside the ERP, since SuitePeople payroll does not support Australia. If you want price certainty as you add modules, Business Central or Odoo packaging is easier to budget.
How we evaluated
We reviewed vendor documentation and pricing for the four vendors and checked compliance requirements against ATO publications. Where vendors do not publish prices, we used figures published by named partners and agencies, and we say when a source sells the software it describes. We do not rank one system above the others for every business. Pages were checked on 6 October 2026 unless another date is shown.
Frequently asked questions
Which ERP system is best for inventory and accounting together?
For a single-entity Australian business, Business Central Essentials, MYOB Acumatica and Odoo all include inventory, purchasing and accounting in one database. MYOB Acumatica also includes Australian payroll with STP Phase 2 support, while Odoo’s payroll is still becoming compliant. NetSuite suits businesses with several entities or locations, but multi-location inventory sits in an add-on module, according to BrokenRubik.
Which ERP system is best for scaling from small business to mid-market?
Choose a system whose higher tiers already contain the modules you expect to need. Business Central moves from Essentials to Premium when you add manufacturing. Odoo moves from Standard to Custom when you add entities or integrations. NetSuite adds modules and moves between SuiteSuccess editions as users grow. MYOB Acumatica moves between editions. Price the three-year module plan, not only year one.
Which ERP systems should be on my shortlist?
For most Australian mid-market businesses, a shortlist of NetSuite, Business Central, MYOB Acumatica and Odoo covers the realistic options, with Epicor, SAP Business One or Pronto Xi added for specific manufacturing or distribution needs. Remove any system that cannot handle your payroll approach or your entity structure before you compare features.
Does any ERP lodge STP and Payday Super contributions for us?
Only the payroll component does this. MYOB Acumatica documents native STP Phase 2 support. Odoo 19.0 documents an Australian payroll localisation but says it is still becoming compliant with STP Phase 2 and SuperStream. NetSuite and Business Central need a separate Australian payroll product. Confirm Payday Super processing with any vendor before go-live.
How much does adding a module add to implementation cost?
It varies by vendor and complexity. One MYOB partner publishes MYOB Acumatica implementations from $30,000 for finance only, $40,000 for finance and distribution, and $55,000 or more when manufacturing is added. These are partner estimates, and your actual cost depends on scope.
Sources
- ATO, How to lodge your BAS, 24 April 2026. ato.gov.au
- ATO, $20,000 instant asset write-off, last updated 27 August 2026. ato.gov.au
- ATO, Australian business importing goods and services, last updated 11 September 2025. ato.gov.au
- ATO, About Payday Super, 10 August 2026. ato.gov.au
- ATO, STP Phase 2 employer reporting guidelines, disaggregation of gross, 12 November 2025. ato.gov.au
- Microsoft, Dynamics 365 Business Central pricing (Australia), no date shown, checked 6 October 2026. microsoft.com
- Microsoft, Dynamics 365 Licensing Guide, October 2026. microsoft.com
- Microsoft Learn, Fixed assets in Business Central, 17 June 2026. learn.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Learn, Create budgets manually, 12 November 2024. learn.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Learn, Australia local functionality, 26 August 2026. learn.microsoft.com
- Microsoft Learn, Get started with the Shopify connector, 17 June 2026. learn.microsoft.com
- Oracle NetSuite Help, Enabling features for NetSuite WMS, no update date shown, checked 6 October 2026. docs.oracle.com
- Oracle NetSuite Help, Fixed Assets Management overview, no update date shown, checked 6 October 2026. docs.oracle.com
- Oracle NetSuite Help, Advanced Manufacturing overview, checked 6 October 2026. docs.oracle.com
- Oracle NetSuite Help, SuitePeople U.S. Payroll country support, checked 6 October 2026. docs.oracle.com
- NetSuite Australia, Professional services automation (SuiteProjects), no date shown, checked 6 October 2026. netsuite.com.au
- Annexa, How much does NetSuite cost in Australia and New Zealand, updated 21 September 2026. NetSuite partner. annexa.com.au
- BrokenRubik, NetSuite modules list, features and pricing, updated 17 September 2026. US-based NetSuite development agency; figures in USD are its own estimates. brokenrubik.com
- ERP Research, NetSuite Planning and Budgeting, updated August 2026. ERP comparison site. erpresearch.com
- Jcurve Solutions, Jcurve ERP plans, 6 April 2026. NetSuite partner. jcurvesolutions.com
- Klugo, NetSuite price calculators, no date shown, checked 6 October 2026. NetSuite partner. klugo.au
- Leverage Technologies, MYOB Acumatica pricing, 3 September 2026. MYOB partner. leveragetech.com.au
- Kilimanjaro Consulting, MYOB Acumatica pricing guide, 21 April 2026. MYOB partner. kilimanjaro-consulting.com
- MYOB Enterprise Support, Changes in MYOB Acumatica for STP Phase 2, 25 September 2024. enterprise-support.myob.com
- MYOB, MYOB Acumatica 2026.1.2 release notes, Payroll: Payday Super Improvements, no date shown. help.myob.com.au
- MYOB Help, Manufacturing Edition, no date shown. help.myob.com.au
- MYOB Help, MYOB Acumatica integration with Shopify, no date shown. help.myob.com.au
- Odoo, Pricing, checked 6 October 2026 (prices in USD). odoo.com
- Odoo, Success Packs, no date shown, checked 6 October 2026. odoo.com
- Odoo, Australian payroll localisation, version 19.0, no date shown, checked 6 October 2026. odoo.com
- Xero, Inventory management software, no date shown, checked 6 October 2026. xero.com