Export and import teams often ask: “We have an ERP, do we also need a trade tool?” The short answer: an ERP and a trade operations layer do not do the same job. ERP is the back-office (accounting, stock, finance, production, e-invoice). The daily flow of trade is the front-office (customer acquisition, CRM, quote/proforma, L/C, shipment documents, sanctions screening, communication). This guide compares the two dimension by dimension and shows how they work together.
An ERP manages enterprise resources (accounting, stock, production, finance) in one database. A trade operations layer keeps the sales and operations front-office in one flow from lead to cash. They are different layers, complementary rather than competing.
Where ERP is strong and where it falls short
An ERP's core expertise is accounting, stock, and finance, and that side is usually strong. But the pre-sales and operations front-office of trade is not a stock ERP's focus: there is no customer acquisition, the CRM pipeline is weak, the proforma and Incoterm flow is limited, the L/C lifecycle is not tracked, sanctions screening is absent, and customer communication (mail/call/WhatsApp) is out of scope. When teams patch that gap with Excel and WhatsApp, the process fragments again.
Dimension-by-dimension comparison
The table below compares ERP/accounting software with a trade operations layer across the dimensions that matter in trade.
| Dimension | ERP / Accounting software | Trade operations layer (Sighthem) |
|---|---|---|
| Primary focus | Accounting, stock, finance, production, e-invoice (back-office). | Trade operations from lead to cash (front-office). |
| Customer acquisition (prospecting) | Out of scope. | Email discovery and verification, HS-code targeting, business-card OCR. |
| CRM pipeline and follow-up | Weak or none. | One pipeline, follow-up tasks, RFM segmentation, 206-country profiles. |
| Quote and proforma | Invoice centric; proforma and Incoterm weak. | One form, multi-currency, Incoterms, bilingual PDF, approval flow. |
| Letter of Credit (L/C) lifecycle | Out of scope. | 5 stages, UCP 600 references, deadline reminders. |
| Shipment and customs documents | Shipment exists, document versioning and sharing weak. | B/L, packing list, CO slot/version, demurrage risk, container/AWB tracking. |
| Sanctions screening | Usually none. | OFAC + EU + UN lists, automated check and alerts. |
| Customer communication | Out of scope. | Managed email + tracking, WebRTC calling, WhatsApp Business. |
| Accounting and e-invoice | Strong, the core expertise. | Complementary: outputs UBL-TR 1.2 XML, hands off to the e-invoice integrator. |
| Stock and production | Can be strong. | Lot/batch traceability, order-linked in the trade context. |
| VAT refund | Has accounting data, export-exemption report is manual. | Auto-aggregated, 12-month chart, country split, pre-declaration single page. |
| Onboarding and pricing | Annual license + consulting, price hidden, months to deploy. | Permanent free plan, 14-day trial, hours, transparent pricing. |
| Working together | On its own, a trade front-office gap remains. | Complements ERP: front-office in Sighthem, accounting in ERP, a data bridge between them. |
How Sighthem complements an ERP
The right model is not to replace the ERP but to complement it. The trade front-office (lead, customer, quote, shipment, L/C, collection tracking) runs in Sighthem; accounting and official e-invoice stay in the ERP. The data bridge is two-way: Sighthem outputs invoice data as UBL-TR 1.2 (GIB standard) XML to the e-invoice integrator, and every table exports to CSV/Excel. That cuts double data entry and keeps the ERP as the single source of truth for the accounting record.
What to do in each scenario
1. You have a strong ERP but the trade front-office is scattered: keep the ERP, move front-office operations to Sighthem, bridge invoices via XML.
2. Your ERP is heavy and far from the trade team: centralize operations in Sighthem; keep the ERP in the background for official accounting only.
3. You do not have an ERP yet and run on Excel: stand up trade operations in Sighthem first; add an ERP when accounting scales, the bridge is ready.
Pricing model
On the ERP side, pricing is usually hidden: an annual license plus consulting and a “request a demo” model, with deployment taking months. A trade operations layer keeps this transparent and fast:
- A permanent free FREE plan (no credit card required).
- A 14-day PRO trial to explore every feature.
- A launch 50% discount on annual plans.
- Usable within hours, in EUR/USD/TRY.
Current, live prices are always on the pricing page, managed there as the single source of truth.
Bolting a “trade module” onto an ERP looks tempting but usually means custom development, a long project, and a limited CRM/operations front-office. A ready trade operations layer plus an ERP bridge is generally faster and lower-maintenance.
Frequently asked questions
I already have an ERP, do I need a separate trade tool?
ERP is designed for back-office work like accounting, stock, and finance. The daily front-office flow of trade (customer acquisition, CRM pipeline, quote and proforma, L/C lifecycle, shipment documents, sanctions screening, and customer communication) is either missing or weak in ERP. If that gap exists, a trade operations layer that complements the ERP pulls it together.
Do I have to replace my ERP, or do they work together?
You do not have to replace it. The recommended model is coexistence: the trade front-office (lead, customer, quote, shipment, L/C, collection tracking) runs in Sighthem, while accounting and official e-invoice stay in the ERP. Sighthem outputs invoice data as UBL-TR 1.2 XML to the e-invoice integrator; CSV export is available on every table.
What is the difference between an ERP and a trade operations layer?
An ERP manages enterprise resources (accounting, stock, production, finance) in one database; its center of gravity is the back-office. A trade operations layer keeps the sales and operations front-office in one flow from lead to cash: prospecting, CRM, quote/proforma, L/C, shipment documents, compliance, and communication. They are different layers and complement each other.
Which ERPs are enough for foreign trade?
ERPs like Logo, Netsis, Mikro, SAP, and Odoo are strong on accounting, stock, and production and may add a customs module. But prospecting, CRM pipeline, the proforma flow, L/C lifecycle, sanctions screening, and customer communication are not the core focus of a stock ERP. The answer to “is it enough?” depends on how you close that front-office gap.
How does Sighthem connect to an ERP as data?
Invoice data is produced as UBL-TR 1.2 (GIB standard) XML and handed off to the e-invoice integrator; every table exports to CSV/Excel. So the operation runs in Sighthem while the accounting record continues in the ERP, reducing double data entry.