Ultimately whether you choose MYOB Advanced, or Unleashed + Xero will depend largely on your circumstances and preferences. This page is designed to help you work out what’s best for you.
Should you really be getting your information from one of the software companies you’re assessing?
Naturally at Unleashed we’d love you to choose us ahead of our competition. But because Unleashed operates on a subscription model (as do both Xero and MYOB) we can only succeed by attracting customers who are a genuinely good fit – and who’ll remain happy and loyal for the long run.
Winning customers with false promises can only damage the business, as users churn out (and leave bad reviews on software comparison sites). So for that reason it’s in our interests to be as upfront as possible about what Unleashed can – and can’t do – and who it suits best.
Watch an on-demand webinar showcasing the basic features of Unleashed
If you already have an online inventory management system, but your operations have grown to the extent that you need sophisticated Materials Resource Planning features – or remote asset management – choose MYOB Advanced.
If you don’t yet have a cloud inventory management system, go with Xero + Unleashed. You’ll solve a whole raft of business problems and gain access to features that will transform your company for years to come.
Companies that will likely get the most out of an MYOB Advanced subscription fall into a couple of camps:
The Unleashed + Xero combination is typically the best option for SMEs that make, manage or move products, including:
37 pages of free expert advice on solutions for manufacturing
In software terms, MRP is a way of making manufacturing more efficient by running a master production schedule against data such as inventory levels, supplier lead times and delivery deadlines.
Often an MRP exceptions report is generated against a production schedule. This anticipates inventory shortfalls and production limitations that are likely to hold up the manufacturing process. From there the system allows users to order parts, move inventory, or adjust the production schedule for maximum efficiency.
For manufacturers operating across multiple production sites, with complex workforce planning, production scheduling and maintenance planning needs, MRP will be an important tool.
However for many SME manufacturers, unplanned production down time is most often the result of poor inventory management. For these businesses dedicated inventory tools such as Unleashed will eliminate production delays by letting users:
Comparing the cost of MYOB Advanced against the cost of Unleashed + Xero is difficult as MYOB Advanced’s prices aren’t publicly available.
There’s nothing sinister about that – it simply suggests a business model where pricing is left in the hands of third-party implementers.
When you use a third-party software implementer you’re charged a one-off fee for setting you up with the system, plus ongoing bills to cover your monthly licensing fee for using the software. Implementers are charged market rates for user licenses by the software company, but may pass on their own mark-up on your monthly bill.
As of August 2021 third-party implementers were quoting MYOB Advanced Standard licenses at $104 per user.
Many businesses use a third-party software implementation firm to set them up with Unleashed, especially if they are running a large software stack that requires bespoke integration.
However it’s important to note that many businesses set up Unleashed without outside technical support. And that Unleashed’s connections with its core integration partners – such as Xero, QuickBooks, Salesforce, Amazon, Vend, Shopify and more – operate on a ‘plug and play’ basis.
By contrast the lack of publicly available pricing from MYOB Advanced strongly suggests a more complex, bespoke installation process is required, which you should factor in to your pricing research.
Based on quotes from leading Australian implementers you should expect the cost of setting up MYOB Advanced to fall between AUD$20,000 and AUD$50,000 for a three month project.
How much does MYOB Advanced cost? | How much does Unleashed + Xero cost? | |
|---|---|---|
| Average monthly cost | AUD$832 for 8 users | Xero and Unleashed, combined |
Set up cost | AUD$20,000-$50,000 | One off onboarding fee of up to $789 |
If you’re using MYOB Essentials or AccountRight for your accounting – and now you need a better cloud inventory management tool in your business – MYOB Advanced might still be too complex a tool.
In that case, consider switching you accounting over to Xero – and taking advantage of Xero’s dedicated plug-and-play integration with Unleashed for inventory management.
See how West Winds Gin shifted from MYOB to Xero with Unleashed as their business grew.
