ERPNext Customisation Case Study
How we extended ERPNext for a European group building an ERP offering for the Swiss and German markets, without touching the core
The Project
A European group is building a competitive ERP offering for the Swiss and German markets on ERPNext, the open-source ERP built on the Frappe framework. Out of the box, ERPNext doesn’t meet those markets’ expectations for payroll, accounting and inventory, and that is exactly where the group wants to stand apart from the established vendors.
Kenomont is the developer on the engagement, working directly with the client’s business stakeholders across time zones and owning the technical decisions: how far to configure, how far to extend, and what to build.
For Australian businesses we usually run ERPNext alongside Xero or MYOB, with ERPNext handling operations and the accounting system keeping the books. This project shows the depth of ERPNext work behind that.
The Challenge
What the group needed from ERPNext.
- Payroll that follows local statutory and market requirements
- A chart of accounts, tax treatment and statutory reporting that match local accounting convention
- Stock, warehouse and purchasing workflows that suit how businesses in the region operate
- A product that competes with ERP vendors already established in the market
- Changes that survive upgrades, rather than a fork that falls behind
- One developer able to make sound decisions across a large open-source codebase
What We Did
Extending the platform rather than rewriting it.
Payroll
Salary structures, deduction handling and reporting adapted to local statutory and market requirements.
Accounts
Chart of accounts structure, tax treatment and statutory reporting reworked to align with local accounting convention.
Inventory
Stock, warehouse and procurement workflows adjusted to suit regional operating models and the client’s requirements.
Built as custom apps
All changes delivered as custom Frappe apps, document types and server and client scripts, rather than by modifying ERPNext itself.
Upgrade-safe by design
Because the core is left alone, the system can keep taking upstream ERPNext releases without rework.
Configure, extend or build
Each requirement weighed up: use what ERPNext already does, extend it, or build something new, keeping the product simple to maintain.
Why It Matters for Your ERPNext
The same approach applies to an Australian business running ERPNext alongside Xero or MYOB.
Use what’s there first
Most needs are met by configuring ERPNext properly, which costs less and is easier to support.
Extend without forking
Where something is missing, it is built as a custom app, so upgrades keep working.
Connect the accounts
For Australian businesses, ERPNext runs operations and connects to Xero or MYOB for the books.
Look after it
Changes are documented and supported, so the system keeps up with the business.
See how we use ERPNext in Australia: ERPNext alongside Xero or MYOB.
Common Questions
Related: ERPNext implementation, ERP consulting and integration, software selection and more of our work.
Working With ERPNext?
Tell us where you are with ERPNext. We’ll tell you honestly what to configure, what to build and what it would take.
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