Internationally, ERP topics gather in three kinds of organisation: the large user groups (ASUG, UKISUG, Dynamic Communities, OATUG) – vendor-adjacent, but run by the users themselves; the open-source foundations behind free ERP systems (Odoo Community Association, Apache OFBiz, Tryton, Dolibarr); and the neutral standards and professional bodies (GS1, OAGi, ISA, ASCM/APICS, ISACA).
This list gathers important international organisations with an ERP connection – verified and transparently labelled by type and neutrality: vendor-adjacent user group, neutral open-source foundation or neutral standards/professional body. The associations in the German-speaking region are on our page on ERP associations in the DACH region.
North America · SAP user group · independently run, but SAP-specific
The largest independent SAP user group in the world (founded 1991, US/Canada). Provides education, networking and user research („Pulse of the SAP Customer“) and channels user interests toward SAP; co-organiser of the ASUG Annual Conference alongside SAP Sapphire.
Our take: The US counterpart to Germany's DSAG – independently run, but focused on a single vendor (SAP).
UK & Ireland · SAP user group · non-profit, SAP-specific
An independent not-for-profit membership organisation for SAP customers (founded 1988, 4,000+ SAP professionals, 620+ member organisations). Over 200 events a year, the annual UKISUG Connect conference, and a member of the SUGEN network.
Our take: The UK/Ireland SAP user group; independent, but SAP-specific and regional.
global · network of SAP user groups · SAP-specific
Connects around 20 autonomous national SAP user groups worldwide (incl. ASUG, DSAG, UKISUG, VNSG, JSUG) to give SAP customers a bundled, international voice toward SAP.
Our take: The umbrella organisation of the SAP user groups – useful for understanding the global SAP user network.
global (HQ USA) · Dynamics 365 community · commercially run, vendor-adjacent
Operator of the User Group for Microsoft Dynamics 365 (D365UG) and the legacy groups (AXUG, NAVUG/BCUG, CRMUG). Community, forums, training and events (Community Summit North America) around Dynamics 365 Finance & Operations and Business Central.
Our take: The central Dynamics 365 user community; vendor-adjacent and commercially run, but not controlled by Microsoft.
global · Oracle Applications user group · independent, Oracle-specific
An independent user group (formerly OAUG) for Oracle E-Business Suite, Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP/EPM/SCM as well as Hyperion and database/middleware. Education, networking and influence on Oracle's roadmap.
Our take: The established Oracle Applications user group; independent, but Oracle-specific.
global · Oracle user community · non-profit, Oracle-specific
An independent non-profit community for users of Oracle's ERP product lines – JD Edwards, PeopleSoft and Oracle Cloud/Fusion Applications. Complements OATUG with a focus on the JD Edwards and PeopleSoft worlds.
Our take: A user community specifically for Oracle's JD Edwards / PeopleSoft / Fusion ecosystems.
global · open-source foundation · neutral non-profit
A non-profit association that stewards the open-source ecosystem around Odoo: over 4,500 community modules under OSI licences, coordinated development across hundreds of GitHub repos, and quality assurance.
Our take: The neutral steward of the open Odoo ecosystem – independent of Odoo S.A.
global · open-source foundation · neutral non-profit
Apache OFBiz (Open For Business) is a top-level Apache Software Foundation project: an open-source ERP framework with accounting, CRM, order, warehouse and manufacturing/MRP functions, developed under the ASF's neutral governance.
Our take: A neutrally governed open-source ERP framework under the Apache Software Foundation.
global (Belgium) · open-source foundation · neutral non-profit
The Tryton Foundation protects and develops the open-source ERP Tryton (Python/PostgreSQL, GPLv3): it coordinates releases, holds the trademark, runs the infrastructure and organises conferences – democratically community-governed.
Our take: The neutral foundation behind the open-source ERP Tryton.
global (France) · open-source association · non-profit
The non-profit association behind the open-source ERP/CRM Dolibarr (PHP, since 2009), used mainly by small businesses, freelancers and non-profits. It develops, maintains and promotes the software.
Our take: The non-profit association behind the especially SMB-friendly open-source ERP Dolibarr.
global · open-source community · neutral (community-governed)
The community-driven, vendor-neutral open-source business suite iDempiere (ERP/CRM/SCM/MFG/POS) in the Compiere/ADempiere lineage (Java/OSGi, PostgreSQL). Fully governed by the worldwide community.
Our take: A vendor-neutral, community-governed open-source ERP from the Compiere/ADempiere family.
global · standards body · neutral non-profit
GS1 sets the global standards for identification and data exchange in the supply chain: GTIN (barcodes/EAN), GLN, SSCC and GS1 EDI. These standards underpin the master-data and document exchange of many ERP systems.
Our take: A neutral standards body – central to EDI, barcodes and master data in ERP supply chains.
global · standards body · neutral non-profit
The Open Applications Group publishes OAGIS – XML-based canonical business messages (Business Object Documents) for application-to-application and business-to-business integration. An important standard for ERP system integration.
Our take: The neutral body behind the OAGIS integration standard – relevant for ERP interfaces.
global · standards/professional body · neutral non-profit
The steward of the ISA-95 standard (IEC 62264), which defines the integration between the manufacturing level (MES) and the enterprise level (ERP) – the conceptual bridge between production and ERP.
Our take: A neutral standards/professional body; ISA-95 is the reference standard for MES-to-ERP integration.
global · UN standards body · neutral
The UN Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business maintains UN/EDIFACT, the international EDI standard for electronic data interchange in trade and administration – the basis of many ERP EDI connections.
Our take: A neutral UN body behind the global EDI standard EDIFACT.
global · supply chain professional body · neutral non-profit
The Association for Supply Chain Management (formerly APICS) is the largest professional body for supply chain management and the home of the CPIM and CSCP certifications. Its concepts (MRP, inventory planning) are the professional basis of the ERP production core.
Our take: A neutral professional body; it shapes the supply-chain and MRP concepts on which ERP planning is based.
global · IT governance professional body · neutral non-profit
ISACA is the professional body for IT governance, IS audit, risk and security and the home of the COBIT framework and the CISA/CISM certifications. Relevant for ERP controls, authorisations and audit compliance.
Our take: A neutral professional body; central to governance, audit and controls around ERP systems.
global · project management professional body · neutral non-profit
The Project Management Institute is the world's largest project-management body, publisher of the PMBOK Guide and issuer of the PMP certification. Relevant because ERP implementations are large, methodologically demanding projects.
Our take: A neutral project-management body; its methodological knowledge is pertinent to ERP implementation projects.
Above all three groups: the large ERP user groups (ASUG, UKISUG, Dynamic Communities/D365UG, OATUG) as vendor-adjacent but independently run user communities; the open-source ERP foundations (Odoo Community Association, Apache OFBiz, Tryton, Dolibarr); and neutral standards and professional bodies (GS1, OAGi, ISA, ASCM/APICS, ISACA). We transparently label the type and neutrality of each organisation. That way you can see whether it is a vendor-adjacent user group, a neutral open-source foundation or a neutral standards body.
User groups like ASUG (SAP) or Dynamic Communities (Microsoft) are legally independent and run by the user companies themselves – but each represents the users of a single vendor and negotiates with it. They are therefore independent in governance, but not cross-vendor. For a vendor-neutral view, the standards bodies and open-source foundations are better suited.
We researched international associations, user groups, standards bodies and open-source foundations with an ERP connection and verified each organisation individually: does it exist, is it active, and how strong is the ERP connection. We focus on organisations with a recognisable connection to ERP and enterprise software. The associations in the German-speaking region are on a separate page.