The most common complaint Singapore manufacturers have about ERP vendor proposals is vagueness. "Starts from S$X" or "depends on requirements" or "we will scope after signing" are not prices — they are the beginning of a negotiation in which the vendor has all the information and the buyer has none.
This article gives actual numbers, broken down by what drives cost, what is typically excluded, how EDG applies, and what a well-structured proposal should contain. The numbers come from custom ERP builds for Singapore SMB manufacturers with 10–80 staff.
The cost drivers in a custom ERP project
Custom ERP cost is driven by three variables: the number of distinct workflow modules, the complexity of the data model (primarily BOM structure and integration requirements), and the number of user roles with distinct access patterns. A simple first system with three modules and a flat BOM costs significantly less than a comprehensive build with eight modules, a multi-level BOM, and integrations to Xero and a customer portal.
Module cost reference
The following ranges represent the build cost contribution of each module in a Singapore SMB context. These are not stand-alone costs — there is shared infrastructure (auth, roles, UI framework, database schema) that is built once and amortised across the project.
- Quoting engine (pricing rules, BOM-based costing, quote PDF generation): S$3,000–S$6,000
- Order management (confirmation, line items, status tracking, delivery scheduling): S$2,500–S$5,000
- Production job tracking (job creation from order, WIP status, completion, mobile card): S$3,000–S$6,000
- Inventory and BOM (stock levels, material allocation, goods receipt, multi-level BOM): S$3,000–S$7,000
- Document generation (job sheets, delivery orders, invoices, packing lists): S$2,000–S$4,000
- InvoiceNow / PEPPOL e-invoicing (BIS 3.0 XML output, submission workflow): S$2,000–S$4,000
- Supplier portal (web portal for supplier quote requests, PO acknowledgement, delivery updates): S$4,000–S$8,000
- Customer portal (order tracking, document download, statement of account): S$4,000–S$8,000
- Regulatory traceability (batch/serial traceability, certificate management, audit trail): S$4,000–S$9,000
- Accounting integration (Xero, Million, Globe3 — invoice sync, payment matching): S$3,000–S$6,000
- Reporting dashboard (live KPI tiles, exportable reports, role-specific views): S$2,000–S$5,000
Typical build bands
Based on the modules above, four common build configurations for Singapore SMB manufacturers:
- Lean MVP (quoting, order management, basic job tracking, document generation): S$10,000–S$15,000 · 6–8 weeks
- Standard first system (+ inventory/BOM, InvoiceNow, basic reporting): S$15,000–S$25,000 · 8–12 weeks
- Expanded (+ supplier portal or customer portal, accounting integration): S$25,000–S$40,000 · 10–14 weeks
- Phased programme (multiple portals, regulatory traceability, custom reporting): S$40,000+ · 14–20 weeks across phases
What Discovery costs and what it produces
Discovery costs S$1,500–S$3,000 for a one-week engagement. It is not a pitch or a free consultation — it is the work that makes the build estimate accurate. Discovery produces:
- A written workflow map of your current operations (quoting, order flow, production, procurement, documents)
- A system architecture: portals, data model, role permissions, integrations
- A fixed-price build quote with a delivery schedule and milestone dates
- A project plan and cost estimate suitable for submission with an EDG grant application
If you do not proceed with the build after Discovery, you keep the document. The Discovery cost is not applied to the build; it is a separate, standalone engagement. Vendors who offer free discovery produce vague scopes and adjustable quotes. Paid discovery produces a fixed scope and a fixed price — the alignment is real because both parties have committed.
What is typically excluded
- Hardware: tablets, scanners, label printers, and other physical equipment are not included in software project costs
- Third-party software licences: accounting system, email service, domain, cloud hosting are separately invoiced
- Data migration from complex or poorly structured legacy systems (simple Excel migration is typically included)
- Ongoing hosting costs: typically S$20–S$80/month for a Singapore SMB deployment on Vercel + managed Postgres
- Future feature requests beyond the fixed scope — handled as separate scoped extensions after go-live
How EDG applies
The Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) can offset up to 50% of qualifying project costs. Qualifying costs for a custom ERP project typically include Discovery, the main build, training and adoption support, and documentation. Hardware, third-party SaaS licences, and ongoing hosting are generally not qualifying costs.
The EDG application must be submitted and approved before project work begins. The review process takes 4–8 weeks. A Start Canyon Discovery engagement produces the project plan and cost estimate required for the EDG application. The practical sequence is: Discovery first (S$1,500–S$3,000, not EDG-claimable as it precedes the application), then EDG application, then build (EDG-claimable at up to 50%).
How to evaluate any custom ERP proposal
A credible custom ERP proposal for a Singapore manufacturer should contain:
- A fixed price — not time-and-materials, not "estimate subject to scoping"
- A written scope that describes every feature and explicitly excludes what is not included
- A delivery schedule with milestone dates and demo dates, not just a go-live date
- A staging environment by week two so you can see real progress before the build completes
- Code ownership terms — you own the repository, the domain, the database, and the deploy account
- Post-go-live support terms that do not require a perpetual retainer to access the codebase
A vendor who cannot commit to a fixed price after a paid Discovery has not done the Discovery work. The Discovery output is the fixed price — if the vendor is still adjusting the estimate after the Discovery is complete, the Discovery was not rigorous enough.