FAQ

About Compiere:

What is Compiere?
What functionality does Compiere provide?
What is the history behind the Compiere concept?
What types of companies are currently using Compiere?
How long is the typical Compiere implementation?
What are the deployment options for Compiere?
What is Compiere’s licensing model?
Why Oracle?
Can we use a different database?
What platforms will Compiere operate on?
What are the hardware requirements for Compiere?
How do we view a demo of Compiere?
How do we begin to evaluate Compiere?

Open Source Information:

What is Open Source and what are the primary reasons to select an Open Source ERP solution such as Compiere?
Where can I learn more about Open Source?

What is Compiere?
Compiere 2.5.1 is an Open Source ERP and CRM solution for small to medium enterprises. Modules include functionality for Production, Inventory Control, Procurement, Distribution, Human Resource, Finance/Accounting and Marketing/Sales. It fully integrates front and back office processes in Distribution and Service industries and is designed for global deployment supporting multi-lingual, multi-currency and multi-accounting. Use Compiere in a single office/store or in chain outlets. The technology behind the product is not just state of the art but much more advanced compared to the architecture of the current and emerging ERP and CRM vendors. It is based on leading enterprise tools such as Oracle, JBoss and Java Enterprise (J2EE).

What functionality does Compiere provide?
• Enterprise Resource Planning
• Customer Relationship Management
• Supply Chain Management
• Partner Relationship Management
• Online Analysis Processing

What is the history behind the Compiere concept?
The original contributor of Compiere is ComPiere, Inc. They are the kernel team and the coordinators of the Compiere project. The founder of Compiere, Jorg Janke has 20+ years experience in packaged ERP systems, is an Oracle Certified DBA and Java Certified. He began development of Compiere in 1999. In 2000, Compiere installed the first version of the software in a project sponsored by Goodyear, Germany. The pilot site has been in production since May 2000. Compiere, Inc is located at 40 Old Tannery Rd., Monroe, CT 06468. They are on the web at: www.compiere.com.

What types of companies are currently using Compiere?
Here’s a sampling of the types of companies that are currently using Compiere:
• Tire retailer
• Pharmaceuticals distributor
• Auto parts manufacturer
• Cable manufacturer
• Software developer and ISP
• Book and journal publisher
• Metal parts company
• Food distribution company
• Industrial services company

“Let me first congratulate you on the great work you have done. I have been in the mid-market arena for the last ten years and have not seen anything as brilliant as Compiere! The speed with which you have added new functionalities/fixing bugs is comparable to many vendors 100x your size…However, having experimented with Compiere over the last few months, I am increasingly convinced that you have a product on par, in not better than any commercial mid market product. It is nothing short of a revolution.” Bruno L – 12-Aug-03.

References are available upon request.

How long is the typical Compiere implementation?
Implementation times are well under the 90 days you could expect from the top ERP solution providers. Installation without customization can be done in two to four days. Customized solutions can vary, but they are typically completed in a matter of weeks.

What are the deployment options for Compiere?
The package can be deployed in a hosted environment or on premise.

What is Compiere’s licensing model?
As an Open Source ERP solution, there is no license for Compiere. There are associated third party licenses for using Compiere in Production. An embedded Oracle License, covering the normal use of Compiere, is included in our Support packages. Oracle licenses available from us are provided with significant savings.

Why Oracle?
An Oracle database is recommended to run Compiere in a stable, scalable environment. Oracle 9i has been used to speed up development and to concentrate on application development rather than tool development.

Can we use a different database?
Development using SQL databases is currently under way within the Compiere developers community. As a part of that development team, we are working to port Compiere to PostgreSQL. It’s an interesting story, contact us to hear about our orogress.

What platforms will Compiere operate on?
• Red Hat Linux, 7.2, 8.0 and 9.0
• Debian Linux Woody
• SuSe Linux 7.2 (requires one Oracle patch)
• Sun Solaris
• Windows 2000

What are the hardware requirements for Compiere?
The minimum working configuration is PII 350Mhz with 348MB and 10 GB hard disk.

For production implementations, consider at least 1 GB RAM with a dual processor unit with a hard drive appropriate for your intended data volume.

How do we view a demo of Compiere?
Please contact Vince Clark at vclark@globalera.net for an appointment.

How do we begin to evaluate Compiere?
We can help. Global Era is a Value Added Reseller and Certified Partner of Compiere. We are here to support your organization with the following value added services:
• Demonstrations
• Needs Assessments
• Customization
• Implementation
• Integration
• Training
• Support

What is important to know, is that you are not on your own in evaluating and using Compiere. Support is available at the level you need, through the entire process of evaluation, through implementation, integration, training and support. The first step in exploring the benefits of using Compiere is to begin a dialog about what your needs consist of. Contact us today, with no obligation, to learn more.

What is Open Source and what are the primary reasons to select an Open Source ERP/CRM solution such as Compiere?
The main characteristic of Open Source Software (OSS) is that its users can freely use, modify and redistribute the software (Source: Berlecon Research, Berlin Germany). A global community of developers contributes to improvements and new advancements. The obvious monetary advantage is that there are no license costs for the product itself. OSS may be used at four levels within an IT environment, including:

1. Operating System
2. Database
3. Application Development
4. Desktop Tools and Software

OSS has been in existence since the 1960’s. It’s been at the core of development projects involving operating systems, databases, applications and desktop tools in universities, corporations and throughout the Internet. The 1990’s experienced a significant rise in attention paid to Open Source projects. Many companies from the IT industry began to support the trend toward Open Source licensing.

You may be familiar with the following technologies. Did you know they are all Open Source Projects that have entered the mainstream, with world-wide acceptance?

• Apache Web Server-has dominated the web server market place since 1996
• BIND (The Berkeley Internet Name Daemon) the de facto standard use for turning host names into IP addresses – a very important component of the Internet Infrastructure
• FreeBSD – The Apple operating system is largely based on it
• Gimp – often called the “free Photoshop”
• GNOME – Open Source desktop environment
• Linux – The best known OSS project, it is a Unix-like operating system
• Mozilla – Browser project initiated by Netscape
• MySQL – Relational database deployed by Motorola and Yahoo!
• Perl – Scripting language used widely throughout the Internet. The CGI-programming functionality based on Perl is referred to as the “glue” of the Internet.
• PostgreSQL – Object-relational database server
• Sendmail – handles the majority of mail traffic on the Internet

The primary reasons to select an OSS ERP/CRM solution, such as Compiere are:
• The significant cost advantages over other ERP and CRM solutions available on the market
• Having access to all the source code provides the opportunity for a very flexible solution
• Open Source is more stable and reliable because it is peer reviewed by developers worldwide
• Independence from software vendors (and their existence and priorities)

Where can I learn more about Open Source?
Here are some articles and websites that you may find helpful:

Open Source defined: http://opensource.org/docs/definition.php

Is Open Source an appropriate choice for your organization’s needs?
Source: CIO.com
http://www2.cio.com/analyst/report1489.html

Open Source is Gaining Momentum:
Source: CIO.com
http://www2.cio.com/research/surveyreport.cfm?id=48

Open Source web resources:
http://sourceforge.net/
http://www.opensource.org/
http://www.newsforge.com/