Processes are the product
Pricing, fulfillment, purchasing, planning or approval rules encode how the company operates and continue to evolve after launch.
ERP application development platform
Build an ERP around your operating model instead of forcing unique processes into a fixed product. lsFusion gives developers one language for data, calculations, actions and forms, while the platform handles persistence, query generation and client-server synchronization.
When a custom ERP platform makes sense
Custom development is justified when the differentiating part of the business cannot be represented as a small set of settings in a standard package.
Data logic is interconnected
Inventory, balances, limits and derived indicators depend on large sets of related records and must remain consistent across workflows.
The application must live for years
The team needs source control, modular changes, integrations and a deployment model it can operate without being locked into a per-user platform license.
What lsFusion provides for ERP development
The platform derives repetitive infrastructure from a shared application model, while business-specific decisions remain explicit in source code.
Data and calculations
Classes and properties describe stored data, relationships and calculated values. Dependencies are reused by actions, constraints, forms and reports.
Transactions and business rules
Actions change application state; events and constraints enforce rules close to the model instead of duplicating checks across multiple clients.
Forms and workplaces
Forms describe how users work with one or many business objects. The same application can be used through web and desktop clients.
Integration and extension
HTTP interfaces, files, email, Java interoperability and low-level SQL mechanisms cover integration cases that go beyond the standard language.
A conventional ERP stack and lsFusion
The difference is not “code versus no code.” It is how much of the repetitive technical work the platform performs itself based on the business model.
| Area | Conventional multi-layer stack | lsFusion application |
|---|---|---|
| Application model | Domain objects, persistence mappings, services, endpoints and UI models are coordinated across frameworks. | Classes, properties, actions and forms are described in the lsFusion language and composed as modules. |
| Data processing | The team designs ORM access, queries and batch operations and then tunes critical paths. | Developers describe operations in lsFusion; the platform optimizes data processing and generates SQL for the database server. |
| User interface | Backend APIs and frontend state are implemented and synchronized as separate layers. | Declarative forms combine stored and calculated properties and update automatically when the underlying data changes. |
| Integrity | Validation may be repeated in the database, services and clients. | Constraints and events are based on the same properties used by calculations and forms. |
| Extensions | The available extension points depend on the selected frameworks and services. | Java, HTTP, files and SQL integration mechanisms are available when standard platform constructs are not enough. |
From an ERP model to a working form
This module declares orders with lines, a calculated line amount and an aggregated order total. The platform compiles the aggregation into optimized SQL and keeps the form synchronized when lines change. A production module extends the same model with posting actions, constraints, permissions, reports and integrations.
See more in the official examples and the lsFusion paradigm overview.
CLASS Order 'Order';
date 'Date' = DATA DATE (Order);
number 'Number' = DATA INTEGER (Order);
CLASS OrderLine 'Order line';
order 'Order' = DATA Order (OrderLine) NONULL DELETE;
quantity 'Quantity' = DATA NUMERIC[10,2] (OrderLine);
price 'Price' = DATA NUMERIC[10,2] (OrderLine);
amount 'Amount' (OrderLine l) = quantity(l) * price(l);
total 'Total' = GROUP SUM amount(OrderLine l) BY order(l);
FORM orders 'Orders'
OBJECTS o = Order
PROPERTIES(o) READONLY number, date, total
OBJECTS l = OrderLine
PROPERTIES(l) READONLY quantity, price, amount
FILTERS order(l) = o
;Inspect a real ERP application
MyCompany is an open-source business management application built with lsFusion. Use it to evaluate the platform through an actual system rather than an isolated code sample.
Run the application
Explore orders, inventory, purchasing and other connected workflows in the MyCompany demo.
Read the source
Review the project structure and implementation in the public MyCompany repository.
Understand the product scope
Visit the ERP guide for developers to see how the ready application and the underlying platform relate.
ERP domains you can model
lsFusion is a general development platform. The exact functional scope is defined by your application and any ready modules you choose to reuse.
Sales and pricing
Orders, contracts, price rules, discounts, limits, approvals and documents connected to customers and products.
Inventory and procurement
Stock balances, reservations, replenishment, purchasing, receiving and movement between warehouses.
Planning and operations
Production, resource planning, scheduling, task execution and company-specific operational workflows.
A practical path to an ERP pilot
- Select one process. Choose a bounded workflow with measurable business value.
- Model the domain. Define objects, stored data, calculations and integrity rules.
- Build user workflows. Add actions, forms, permissions and required reports.
- Connect real systems. Test imports, APIs and coexistence with the current landscape.
- Measure the result. Evaluate delivery effort, data processing, usability and operations.
Is lsFusion the right ERP development platform?
A strong fit when…
- the ERP must follow unique or frequently changing processes;
- business rules connect many transactional objects and calculations;
- the team wants open source code and controlled infrastructure;
- web and desktop workplaces can use a shared application model.
Probably not the first choice when…
- a standard ERP already matches the process with minimal configuration;
- the project expects an automatic conversion from another ERP platform;
- only non-technical users should build the entire system visually;
- a native offline mobile application is the primary client.
ERP development platform FAQ
Is lsFusion a ready-to-use ERP?
No. lsFusion is a platform for building business applications. Ready solutions such as MyCompany are separate applications built on it.
Do ERP developers have to write SQL?
For normal application logic, developers work in the lsFusion language and the platform generates and optimizes SQL. Low-level SQL mechanisms remain available for specialized integration and extension cases.
Can an lsFusion ERP integrate with existing systems?
Yes. The platform supports external and internal integration through HTTP, files, Java and SQL mechanisms. See the integration documentation.
Can the application be deployed on your own infrastructure?
Yes. The platform provides automatic, manual and Docker-based installation paths for development and production environments. See the installation guide.
Evaluate the platform through a working ERP
Open MyCompany, inspect its source code and use one real business process to define a focused technical pilot.