ERP implementation runs in six steps: assessment, specification and architecture, development or configuration, integrations, data migration with training, and a pilot run. The cost is determined not by the name of the system but by scope: how many operational areas you launch, how many systems you connect and how far your processes differ from standard ones. At Syntra Systems, projects start from $4,000 for connecting systems you already use.
Key takeaways
ERP implementation starts with deciding which operational area to launch first, not with choosing software. The more areas in the first phase, the more requirements have to be agreed before development and the more people change their daily routine at the same time.
So the first question of the project is where record-keeping costs the company most: stock discrepancies and mis-sorting, rush purchases, production downtime, slow month-end closing. If you are still choosing between ERP, CRM and accounting software, start with our article on ERP in plain terms. If you do not know which process to automate first, read our guide on where to start with business automation.
An ERP project does not have to cover the whole company at once: the task usually fits one of three formats, and the format sets the starting budget.
| Format | When it fits | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connect existing systems | The programs are already in place, but data is entered two or three times and consolidated reports are built by hand | Data flows automatically, exchange errors are visible to the people responsible, reports run on combined data | from $4,000 |
| Fix one area | Losses are concentrated in the warehouse, purchasing or production, and records are kept in spreadsheets | A module with stock, movements and responsible staff, printed forms, exchange with 1C, stock migration and training | from $8,000 |
| ERP for the whole company | Departments work in different systems, and cost of goods and stock are calculated by hand and late | Production, warehouse, purchasing and finance on shared data, integrations with 1C, banks, government systems and equipment | from $25,000 |
Prices are the lower bound: we calculate the final amount after the assessment, once it is clear how many areas, integrations and data sets the project includes. The format can change along the way: a company starts with one area and connects the next ones to the same database.
Tip If you are unsure which format you need, map your systems: list the programs and spreadsheets each department uses and the data staff copy by hand. That list shows right away whether an integration is enough or a new operational area is needed.
The stages are the same for every format; only their depth changes: an integration project assesses a few systems, while a company-wide ERP covers all key processes. The outcome of each stage is signed off before moving to the next.
An off-the-shelf ERP pays off when a company's processes are close to industry standard; a custom one pays off when a key area would have to be bent out of shape to fit a standard template. Compare the options not only by launch price but also by costs over several years of use.
| Criterion | Off-the-shelf ERP | Custom ERP |
|---|---|---|
| Start | Standard modules exist and are configured for the company | Modules are designed and developed for the task |
| Processes | The company partly adapts to the product's logic | The system follows your processes |
| Recurring payments | Licences or a subscription, plus configuration and modifications | Support and further development of the system |
| Unused features | Some modules are paid for but never used | Only the modules you need |
| Modifications | Limited by the platform and the vendor's updates | Anything, but each change has to be designed and tested |
| Dependency | On the vendor and its partners | On the developer; reduced by documentation and handing over access |
An example of an off-the-shelf product is 1C:ERP Enterprise Management, which 1C positions for medium and large businesses. There is also a hybrid option: statutory accounting stays in 1C, while the warehouse, production or purchasing run in a custom system with data exchange.
The cost of implementation is made up of the scope of work, not the price of the software. Six factors affect the budget most.
After launch an ERP brings recurring costs for servers and support. Support for a company's business systems, including CRM and ERP, costs from $700 per month at Syntra Systems; the scope is described on our technical support page.
Budgets overrun most often because of decisions revisited during the project: buying additional technology, expanding scope, solving technical issues. That is how companies answered in the survey behind The 2026 ERP Report by Panorama Consulting Group.
The survey covered 170 companies, mostly from North America, with a median revenue of 200.5 million dollars, so the figures describe typical risks rather than a forecast for a specific business. The causes themselves are universal, and most of them can be removed before development starts.
| Mistake | What it leads to | How to avoid it |
|---|---|---|
| The system was chosen before the assessment | Modules and modifications are bought during the project | Describe processes and requirements first, then choose the solution |
| The whole company goes live at once | Scope grows, and staff absorb every change at the same time | Start with the area of greatest loss and expand the system in phases |
| Data is migrated as is | Duplicates and stock errors move into the new system | Clean up reference data and reconcile stock before migration |
| No owners assigned for each area | Approvals drag on and decisions get revisited | Appoint a person responsible for each area on the company side |
| Training is left until the end | Staff go back to spreadsheets | Train on real tasks and support users through the first weeks |
Whether an ERP pays off shows in metrics recorded before the project starts: without a "before" measurement, any result is just an opinion. Pick the ones that reflect your losses and measure them during the assessment.
The same metrics are checked again after the pilot run. ERP pays off where the losses from manual record-keeping can be measured; if no metric shows losses, connecting the existing programs may be enough for now.
Syntra Systems splits a project into phases and starts with the area where the effect is most visible. Each phase works on its own, so the business benefits before the whole project is finished and does not stop during implementation. If an off-the-shelf system covers your needs, we integrate it; if not, we build a custom ERP for your industry with the reference data, documents, access rights and reports you need. That is how we built VetLine, a custom ERP for an agricultural company.
We integrate ERP with 1C, banks, government systems, equipment and CRM, migrate reference data, stock balances and transaction history, and train employees on their own tasks. The system is deployed in Syntra Cloud in a data centre in Uzbekistan or on your own servers. Formats, scope and prices are on our ERP development page.
Let’s discuss your project
Tell us what you need, and we will estimate the timeline and cost and suggest a solution.
We give the exact timeline after the assessment: it grows with the number of areas, integrations and the state of the source data. But you see the payoff in months, not years, since we roll the system out area by area, and the first module works while the next ones are still in development. We show progress at weekly demos.
Yes. Statutory accounting can stay in 1C: the ERP exchanges reference data and documents with it, and accountants keep working in the program they know.
A manager who makes decisions on disputed issues, and a person responsible for each area: warehouse, purchasing, production, finance. They describe processes during the assessment, approve the specification and accept finished modules.
For one area from $8,000 you get a module with stock, movements and assigned owners, printable forms, an exchange with 1C, stock migration and training. The server and support are billed monthly on top — ongoing system support starts from $700 a month.
Reference data, stock balances and transaction history are migrated from Excel and the old program. The main work here isn't the migration itself but the reconciliation — duplicates are removed, and the balances in the files are checked against what's actually on the shelves, or the discrepancies simply move into the new system.
Find out which operations bypass the system and why: an awkward process, a missing integration, or staff not trained on their own tasks. That's fixed by refining that one area and training people on real operations with support through the first few weeks — not by replacing the system.
