Acumatica + SVA Consulting: Is There a New ERP Game In Town for Early Stage Life Sciences Companies?
Back in 2021, I wrote a blog post on the gaps in systems for life sciences companies. This was before I consulted on a NetSuite implementation and confirmed that it’s a pretty terrible system. After which I shared my thoughts on how I think Oracle is where software goes to die in another blog post.
This continues to leave a pretty big gap between Quickbooks and Microsoft D365 Finance and Supply Chain for biotech/biopharma companies moving from phase 1/2 clinical trials to phase 3 and commercialization.
Recently I was introduced to Acumatica by the folks at SVA Consulting. SVA has built an application / configuration layer that sits on top of Acumatica specifically for life sciences companies. They are positioning this lower cost solution as a Quickbooks replacement and alternative to Netsuite and D365 that is designed to grow with the company starting as early as phase 1.
Back in December, the SVA consulting team walked me through a series of demos covering everything from procure to pay, core financials, multi-entity, supply chain and manufacturing functionality including lot maintenance and lot status.
At first pass, it looks much better than NetSuite and is considerably less expensive. (Note: at this point I am advising all of my clients against NetSuite for both short term procurement/financial needs and long term SCM/Manufacturing)
It also looks like it could be a very good lower-cost alternative to D365 Finance and Supply Chain. (Note: Microsoft’s Business Central doesn’t accommodate mixed mode manufacturing making it a poor fit for biotech/biopharma companies)
Of course, the proof is in the actual implementation. Having done a few Microsoft Dynamics AX implementations (what D365 is based on) I’m intimately familiar with the reality of the solution versus what is sold during the sales cycle.
The reality is that it’s difficult to really dive into these kinds of details in three hours but I look forward to getting my hands on the solution to better understand the finer points and confirm whether it meets the general requirements of companies in this space.
What I do know is that SVA is committed to creating a path for earlier stage biotech/biopharma companies to access greater ERP functionality at a lower, much more acceptable price point, and they believe their Acumatica solution is the way to make this happen. For more information on their plans, feel free to reach out to Jeff Ketelhut of SVA Life Sciences at ketelhutj@svaconsulting.com (805) 775–5533.
If you are doing an ERP system selection, I recommend taking a look at the SVA + Acumatica solution. If you do (and you haven’t hired me to help), let me know how it goes. I’d love to hear about your experience.
Please reach out to me if you have any questions or want to learn more. I can be reached at terri.mead@solutions2projects.com. Or check out my company website at solutions2projects.com.
Note: this is unsponsored content.
Other Resources: Blog Posts
Failed IT Implementations Are Expensive: Here’s How to Avoid Them
ERP/Finance Solutions for Biotech Companies: Door Number One or Door Number Two?
SaaS Systems: Validating for Intended Use
SaaS Adoption Will Lead to Compliance Issues for Life Sciences Companies
