Best of Breed or All in One Software?

Best of Breed

This term refers to a software solution variant for companies. If a company is faced with the decision of which programs to choose for which sub-area, it can opt for the All in One or the Best of Breed variant. If you opt for the Best of Breed variant, you will find individually suitable software from different providers for each department. However, these different programs are linked to each other by means of specific interfaces. In this way, each department has the best possible software for its sub-area.

Advantages:

TheBest of Breed variant offers several advantages:

• Individual needs of different departments are well realized.
• A single system can be replaced at any time without affecting another.
• The best-of-breed variant is usually somewhat cheaper. By using suppliers with less market power, there is often more room for negotiation.
• The company is not dependent on one provider.
• The user interface of the individual software is better structured and it is easier to respond to individual requirements.

Disadvantages:

Just as there are some advantages, there are also disadvantages:

• The individual programs must be integrated. This requires the implementation of interfaces, which can often prove difficult.
• By using a company that is not yet firmly established on the market, there is a risk that it will disappear from the market again, and with it the software.
• The cost of coordination, contract preparation and processing, as well as legal issues and invoicing is higher.
• The IT costs are also higher.
• Creating interlocking reports is more difficult and may only be possible using additional analytics systems.

All in One

If there is an urge for just one software, from one provider, which is (to a certain extent) individually adapted to the individual departments and sub-areas, the All in One solution is a good candidate. It is therefore a simple solution to cover all areas at the same time.

Advantages:

The All in One solution also offers a number of points that speak for themselves:

• The ease of use is improved by the uniform use.
• There is a better overview as all data is available in one system.
• You only need to log in to the system once.
• There is a single sign-on option, which means you only have to log in once to access all programs.
• Communication is easier as there is only one contact person for the system.
• The creation of reports is easy to implement.
• A simpler overview of license fees, contract terms and general costs is possible.

Disadvantages:

However, there are also disadvantages here that should be taken into account:

• There are usually higher license costs.
• There is less flexibility because you can customize the software less.
• The software often does not go into depth, as it covers many areas at once.
• As the software comes from one provider, the company is dependent on this provider.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it can be said that both approaches have legitimate advantages and disadvantages. There is probably not THE perfect, general answer as to which variant is better. In the end, the personal needs of the respective company play a decisive role in deciding whether “All in One” or “Single Sign On”.

Sources

Best of Breed: Definition, benefits & features | Freshservice (freshworks.com)
All-in-one software: The best all-rounder tools (wertgarantie.de)
Best-of-breed vs. best-of-suite: which solution is better? (pli-solutions.de)
HR software: all-in-one or best of breed? – Papershift
The ultimate HR duel: Who will win the race? All-in-one vs. best-of-breed (linkedin.com)