Short answer: always start withstandard. Visma, Fortnox and Monitor cover accounting, invoicing, inventory and much more right out of the box, with support and updated rules. Chooseown or specially builtonly when the standard system does not handle something that is business-critical for you, or when you are forced to adapt the entire operation to the system instead of the other way around. Below you will find the decision model.

What is a business system - and what is the difference?

A business system (often called ERP,Enterprise Resource Planning) is the backbone of the company: it keeps together accounting, invoices, inventory, purchasing, orders and sometimes payroll and production in one place. The idea is that all data is collected so that different parts of the company work towards the same figures.

Astandard systemsuch as Visma, Fortnox or Monitor is a finished product. You get a lot of functionality right away, the provider takes care of regulations and updates, and you pay a subscription. Aown or specially builtsystems are shaped according to your way of working - but then you are responsible for construction and maintenance yourself.

When is default the right choice?

For most Swedish companies, standard is the obvious choice. This applies to you if:

  • Your processes are similar to others in the industry – standard accounting, invoicing, inventory.
  • You want to have a finished function and not have to build it yourself.
  • You want the supplier to be responsible for keeping VAT rules, the Accounting Act and other things up to date.
  • You want support to call when something goes wrong.

Keeping regulations right is a big point. Bookkeeping and invoicing are governed by law, and here authorities such as the Tax Agency and the Swedish Companies Registration Office make the rules. A standard system handles that update for you.

When does own or custom-built start paying off?

Considered own when one or more of these are true:

  • Standard lacks something business-critical.If you have a unique production logic, pricing or industry process that no standard system handles - then your own solutions become relevant.
  • You are forced to adapt the business to the system.If people spend time working around the system, it works against you.
  • You have many expensive licenses and add-ons.When subscriptions and modules are stacked on top of each other, the calculation can be reversed.
  • You need deep integration.When the business system needs to talk closely with your e-commerce, your machines or your own tools.
A common middle ground: keep the standard system for accounting and finance (where the rules are strict) and build your own only for the unique part where the standard is not enough. Then you don't have to reinvent what already works.

Visma, Fortnox or Monitor – which suits whom?

Roughly simplified, to give a sense:

  • Fortnox:popular with smaller companies and accounting firms. Good at accounting, invoicing and salary in the cloud.
  • Wisdom:wide range from small to large companies, many different products for different needs.
  • Monitor:strong in the manufacturing industry, where production, materials and planning are central.

Which one fits depends on your industry and size – not on which is the biggest. A manufacturing company and a web agency have completely different needs.

Decision model: how to choose step by step

  • Step 1 – Map your processes.What do you do, and what is unique compared to others in the industry?
  • Step 2 – Test against standard.Can Visma, Fortnox or Monitor do it without heavy adaptations? If yes: select standard.
  • Step 3 – Identify the gap.If something business-critical is missing - describe exactly what.
  • Step 4 – Move construction towards adaptation.Can the gap be solved with an integration or an add-on, or is it required separately?
  • Step 5 – Calculate the full cost.Licenses and supplements over several years for construction plus operation.

How does ZORC help you choose?

OnZORCwe are not locked into a single product, so we can give honest advice. Most often we end up with a standard system such as Fortnox, Visma or Monitor being the right one - and then we say so. But when you have a unique part that the standard can't handle, we build just that part and connect it to your existing system, so you get the best of both.

Not sure if you should change systems, build your own or just complement what you have? Get in touch with ZORC, and we will map your processes and give a straight recommendation - without trying to sell more than you need.