ALERE ERP Reviews

Pros

Alere is pretty simple to navigate. And it's easy to customize according to what we need.

Cons

My major complaint is that there is not enough space for customer information unless we customize it.

Pros

ALERE has been around for a while and keeps evolving with new technology, which I must say is great for modern users. One big advantage is the constant refinement of its core architecture. All the modules share the same interface which makes cross-training much easier. There is also a program from TIW that helps convert data from other systems like QuickBooks and SBT Pro. The conversion process is quite thorough which allows a VAR to transition over a weekend. You could work on the old system on Thursday and be fully on Alere by Monday. It operates as one integrated platform. And it starts with a solid accounting base and then additional modules can be added as needed whether it is for kitting, distribution or full manufacturing. This means it grows with your business without needing to change platforms. Moreover, it integrates with Shopify and TaxJar which makes tax management and e-commerce much simpler.

Cons

The interface follows a traditional data entry format rather than offering a modern, web-based user experience. However the design is pretty simple and the data is accessible, which means that I can easily customize the interface.

Pros

What stands out most for me is how all the modules connect and work together. The manufacturing module, for example lets you assign overhead rates to machines, so those costs are added to the manufactured goods. There's also a direct labor rate for the labor costs. TIW even developed some custom modifications that make it easier for our manufacturing team to use.

Cons

Sometimes the reports are too long and include more columns than needed which can be annoying for me.

Pros

Alere is simple and pretty easy to learn. Our team easily shifted to it, and it was quite a smooth process.

Cons

I think it would be great to have more automation features for reports like automatically creating and emailing them.

Pros

What I like the most about ALERE is how it handles every aspect of our operations. Before, we used separate systems for accounting, inventory and CRM. But with ALERE, we do not have to jump between different systems anymore. It's all in one place which makes multitasking much easier.

Cons

ALERE commissions module does not work out of the box for how we calculate commissions.

Pros

For now we are currently using ALERE for the manufacturing side of things and not for financial management.

Cons

Setting up user permissions is not as easy as we expected.

Pros

ALERE covers everything we need and stays up-to-date. We enter data as it happens, so its instantly available for customer service, scheduling, manufacturing and accounting.

Cons

We have built our systems around ALERE and tried to stick to its default setup with minimal modifications and it worked well for us. So honestly, I cannot think of anything that we dislike.

Pros

Since we have clients with different requirements, the ability to customize the software is important for us. It's also important that the product is user friendly and it is easy to learn. Also the manuals and demos are quite useful and TIW's support team is always quick and helpful whenever we have any questions.

Cons

No complaints to share. ALERE has met all our needs.

Pros

We can easily import time from a timesheet which makes billing simple. I can always check where we stand in the month, which helps me stay on top of things.

Cons

Some of our customers need to connect to other websites besides the ones TIW provides and this can be difficult at times. Also it is often hard for the customer to understand why this is an issue.

Pros

For us, it's an all in one solution. As it manages everything from customer details and sales orders to purchase orders and work orders. Plus it also handles our inventory system which includes a lot of integrity. This is the key tool we rely on every day.

Cons

Well I do not have anything bad to say about it so far.

Pros

ALERE is easy to use and integrates well with our existing workflows.

Cons

There is not anything major that I dislike about ALERE.

Pros

Conative Information Technology specializes in providing software that streamlines business workflows and helps clients achieve their goals. We frequently develop custom programs that integrate with existing ERP systems. We've been working with ALERE since the early '90s and we've always been impressed by their technical expertise and dedication to maintaining custom changes, even as the product evolves. Also their custom development framework is the best we've come across in over 30 years in the industry. Our clients find it easy to navigate and thanks to its intelligent object library, integration with other systems has been pretty smooth.

Cons

Since we are based in Canada, we had to integrate Canadian-specific payroll programs with ALERE but this has not been very difficult. Because there are plenty of ways to integrate and analyze the data.

Pros

Well it's easy to learn and use across most areas of the business which includes accounting, inventory management, distribution and manufacturing. The normalized data structure eliminates the need to store the same information in multiple places. Also auditing or researching data is simple with the drill-down feature. For an SMB ERP, the price is reasonable and maintenance costs are low. Lastly the support team is fast and knowledgeable and they provide a lot of help when needed.

Cons

ALERE front-end still runs on VFP9, which can slow down the processing of large transactions. If there is a program or data error, VFP also does not handle crashes very smoothly.

Pros

ALERE flow across multiple functions and menus is consistent. It follows a traditional bookkeeping structure which makes audits easier. Plus the reporting filters and options keep improving with each new version.

Cons

I have been using ALERE software for over 15 years and I haven't faced any issues or weaknesses in the program.

Pros

In a software market where everyone wants to customize their system to their needs, ALERE allows us to customize and adapt it to meet our business requirements.

Cons

It's not very well-known in the industry, and since it's based in Eastern Pennsylvania it can be hard for companies in Central or Midwestern areas to find out about it.

Pros

The software offers many features we did not have before. Also it is easy to find the information we need and we all appreciate being able to have multiple windows open at once.

Cons

ALERE different tabs within the modules can sometimes take a while to load. We've also had issues with errors and occasional system freezes. And the most difficult part is sending mass emails as we've had to find a workaround to send emails through G-Suite. Also, we'd like to be able to input customer information while using the mobility app.