As growing businesses across New Zealand and Australia reach the limits of MYOB Exo, many finance and operations leaders are considering a move to a modern, cloud-first ERP like Oracle NetSuite. If you're already using MYOB Exo and starting to feel the strain of its limitations, this blog is for you.
Here's what to expect when migrating from MYOB Exo to NetSuite, and why more companies are making the switch.
Why Businesses Migrate from MYOB Exo
MYOB Exo has been a staple ERP for mid-sized businesses in ANZ for years. Built on a client-server architecture, it delivers robust finance, job costing, and inventory features. However, Exo’s legacy foundation often becomes a bottleneck as businesses:
- MYOB Exo can become restrictive as a business expands, lacking the same global reach and flexibility as NetSuite.
- Integrating MYOB Exo with other systems, especially cloud-based solutions, can be complex due to the lack of a full API suite. NetSuite, being cloud-based, offers more seamless integration capabilities.
- NetSuite provides more robust features, such as multi-book accounting, international compliance, and advanced reporting, which may not be available in MYOB Exo.
- While there's an initial investment in NetSuite, the long-term costs of on-premise systems, including hardware maintenance and IT support, can outweigh the cloud subscription cost.
With its thick-client design, manual batch processes, and limited cloud capabilities, MYOB Exo can feel dated in today’s fast-moving, digital-first business landscape.
Why NetSuite Is a Logical Upgrade
NetSuite is a true cloud ERP trusted by over 42,000 customers worldwide. It offers a complete, unified suite of modules for finance, inventory, CRM, ecommerce, project management, and more - built on a single database with real-time access.
Key Improvements You’ll Notice Immediately:
- Cloud-native accessibility: With NetSuite, you no longer have to worry about managing physical servers or setting up remote desktop solutions. Simply sign in from any device using a web browser—giving your team instant, secure access to your entire business system from anywhere, whether you’re in the office, at home, or on the move.
- Multi-subsidiary and multi-currency: NetSuite is engineered for businesses that are expanding locally and globally. Effortlessly manage multiple subsidiaries, divisions, or international branches—all within a single system. Automated multi-language, multi-currency support and global financial consolidation make international operations streamlined and compliant, keeping your organisation ready for growth in any market.
- Real-time reporting: Say goodbye to delayed insights and overnight batch jobs. NetSuite’s dashboards and KPIs update instantly, so finance and leadership teams can make proactive, data-driven decisions with confidence. All reports, analytics, and performance metrics are accessible in real time, eliminating lag and manual reporting headaches.
- Modern UI and user experience: Sleek, responsive web interfaces provide a fast, intuitive navigation experience across every module. Built-in personalisation and role-based dashboards offer a tailored, user-friendly environment—reducing training time and empowering your team to work smarter, not harder.
- Integrated platform: NetSuite unifies finance, CRM, procurement, warehousing, and more on a single database, minimising silos and complexity. Take advantage of the SuiteApps marketplace to extend functionality—replacing patchwork third-party integrations with robust, native solutions. This seamless integration keeps processes, data, and analytics connected, supporting faster growth and operational clarity from day one.
Feature Comparison: NetSuite vs. MYOB Exo
| Aspect | NetSuite | MYOB Exo |
|---|---|---|
| Deployment | Delivered as a true cloud SaaS solution, NetSuite eliminates infrastructure overhead and is accessible from anywhere, anytime. | Typically run on-premises or in a private-hosted environment, requiring managed servers and local IT support. |
| User Experience | Enjoy a modern, web-based platform with intuitive navigation and responsive design, optimised for any device. | Operated through a traditional Windows client, which may require specific hardware and offers limited remote flexibility. |
| Financial Management | Instantly consolidate financials across multiple subsidiaries and books, empowering group-level decision making and global compliance. | Supports only a single chart of accounts for consolidation, limiting complex multi-entity and multi-book requirements. |
| Inventory & Warehousing | Advanced inventory management with automated bin, lot, and serial tracking, enhancing accuracy, visibility, and productivity. | Reliable inventory management for core needs, though automation is more limited compared to cloud-native solutions. |
| Scalability & Global | Leverage global data centres and scalable architecture—NetSuite is built to support international growth and expansion, without hardware constraints. | Designed for the ANZ region, MYOB Exo faces hardware and geographical constraints as businesses grow or expand internationally. |
| Customisation & Reporting | SuiteCloud offers robust scripting, real-time analytics, and tailored dashboards, enabling deep personalisation and agile reporting. | Offers SQL-based reporting and custom dashboards—flexible within limits, but development can be resource-intensive, especially for advanced analytics. |
| Cloud Integrations | Connect instantly with over 700+ native SuiteApps and API-driven integrations, expanding functionality to meet industry-specific needs without patchwork add-ons. | Primarily dependent on partner-developed integrations; lacks a native, unified marketplace for seamless add-ons. |
| Support & Innovation | Benefit from consistent global support, ongoing innovation, and bi-annual SaaS upgrades, ensuring your system always leverages the latest features and protections. | Upgrades depend on the local partner ecosystem, often resulting in slower release cycles and less frequent adoption of the latest technology advancements. |
| Ideal For | NetSuite is the clear choice for scaling, ambitious mid-market and enterprise organisations that demand flexibility, automation, and global reach. |
Best suited to mid-sized organisations operating in ANZ with stable, local operations and a preference for on-premise environments. |
Migration Considerations
Migrating from MYOB Exo to NetSuite isn’t just a system swap - it’s a digital transformation. Here’s what the journey typically involves:
- Discovery & Planning
Begin by conducting a comprehensive review of your current MYOB Exo environment. This includes mapping business processes, identifying pain points, and defining your operational requirements. Engage with stakeholders across finance, operations, and IT to ensure all critical business functions are considered. Once pain points are identified, align them with NetSuite’s capabilities—ensuring a clear vision for your future state. - Data Migration
Prepare and cleanse your existing data, addressing any inconsistencies or duplicates to ensure a smooth migration process. Structure your datasets to align with NetSuite’s requirements, then securely transfer crucial information such as general ledger balances, open transactions, customer and vendor records, historical financials, and inventory details. Rigorous validation and reconciliation ensure data integrity. - Configuration
Leverage NetSuite’s SuiteSuccess methodology and industry-specific templates to speed up configuration while maintaining best practices. Customise modules, user roles, workflows, and dashboards to match your business needs, while taking advantage of scalable, pre-built configurations that accelerate time-to-value. - Customisation & Integration
Identify any workflows, integrations, or reports that need to be rebuilt or enhanced. Utilise NetSuite’s SuiteTalk, REST APIs, and SuiteCloud development tools to seamlessly integrate with third-party applications, automate processes, and design dashboards tailored to how your business operates. Replace manual workarounds and bolt-ons with robust, scalable integrations native to NetSuite. - Training & Go-Live
Equip your team with practical, in-role training—using NetSuite’s role-based dashboards, guided help, and knowledge resources. Focus on empowering users to become confident and productive in the new environment. Establish a go-live plan with clear support channels—ensuring a smooth transition, minimising disruption, and enabling your staff to leverage all the benefits of your new cloud ERP from day one.
Why Choose Project Salsa for Your NetSuite Migration
At Project Salsa, we’ve helped businesses in New Zealand successfully move from MYOB Exo to NetSuite. Our proven methodology balances risk, speed, and value, ensuring a smooth transition that minimises disruption and sets you up for long-term success.
We understand MYOB Exo’s architecture intimately, and we know exactly how to map its structure and workflows to NetSuite’s modern platform.
Ready to Migrate?
If your business has outgrown MYOB Exo, now is the time to explore a better future with NetSuite. While transitioning from MYOB Exo to NetSuite requires careful planning and execution, it can provide significant long-term benefits for businesses seeking a more scalable, versatile, and integrated ERP solution.
Contact us to book a no-obligation discovery session.
We’ll help you assess your current setup and plan a roadmap to cloud ERP success.
