What is Exact Online? Modules, integrations and alternatives
Exact Online is a cloud business software suite from the Netherlands-based vendor Exact, combining accounting with sales, purchasing, inventory and, in some editions, manufacturing and project functions. It is aimed at small and mid-sized businesses, especially in the Benelux and nearby markets, and is delivered through accountants and local partners.
Also known as: Exact Online ERP, Exact Globe, Exact
Exact Online started from cloud accounting and expanded into a wider ERP footprint. The financial core covers ledgers, invoicing, bank reconciliation, VAT handling and reporting, and further modules add order management, stock, purchasing, projects and production. Customers pick editions and add-ons to match their size and sector.
For manufacturers, Exact Online usually serves small and mid-sized discrete or assemble-to-order businesses that need bills of materials, shop orders and basic planning without the cost of a large ERP. Companies with complex routings, advanced scheduling or regulated traceability often combine it with specialist apps from the vendor's app marketplace or move to a manufacturing-focused system as they grow.
The product is built around an open API and an app ecosystem, so webshops, CRM, time tracking, payroll, warehouse and shop floor tools connect to it rather than being built in. The vendor has also long sold Exact Globe and Exact Synergy for on-premise customers, which are separate products from Exact Online.
Modules and capabilities
Financials
General ledger, invoicing, receivables and payables, bank reconciliation, VAT and financial reporting.
Sales and CRM
Quotes, orders, customer records and basic pipeline tracking.
Purchasing and inventory
Purchase orders, receipts, stock, warehouses and inventory valuation.
Manufacturing
Bills of materials, shop orders, material issue and production receipts at a small-business level.
Projects and time
Project administration, time and cost capture and invoicing from projects.
Reporting and analytics
Standard reports and dashboards, with extended analytics through the app marketplace.
App marketplace
Third-party and vendor apps for payroll, e-commerce, document capture, planning and more.
Integrations and data access
REST API
A REST API with JSON or XML payloads covers many entities such as accounts, items, sales orders and general ledger entries.
Authentication
OAuth 2.0 is used for app authorization, and apps must handle token refresh.
Rate limits
The API applies request limits, so bulk integrations should batch, page and cache responses.
Bank and document capture
Bank feeds and invoice recognition are provided through built-in connections and partner apps.
Webshop and warehouse
E-commerce, WMS and shipping tools typically connect through marketplace apps or custom API integrations.
Strengths
- Mature cloud accounting core with strong accountant and partner networks in its home markets.
- Documented REST API and an app marketplace that make integration practical.
- Quick to implement for small businesses compared with larger ERPs.
- Local tax, VAT and reporting support in its main markets.
Limitations
- Manufacturing functionality is lighter than manufacturing-first ERPs, especially for complex routings and scheduling.
- Multi-tenant cloud only for Exact Online, so on-premise needs mean a different product.
- API rate limits and entity coverage need planning for high-volume integrations.
- Brand and edition naming across Exact products can be confusing during research.
Where AI helps Exact Online users
- - Natural-language questions over sales, stock and receivables via the REST API with read-only scopes.
- - Automated extraction of supplier invoices into draft purchase entries for accountant approval.
- - Cash-flow and late-payment summaries for finance owners.
- - Matching bank lines to open invoices with human confirmation.
- - Drafting order confirmations and customer emails from order data.
Evaluating Exact Online? Check these
- Map your production process against the manufacturing module in a scripted demo before committing.
- Check which required features are marketplace apps and review their cost and support terms.
- Test the API on your highest-volume flow to see how rate limits affect it.
- Decide early whether you need Exact Online or the on-premise Exact Globe.
- Involve your accountant, since many Exact customers rely on their advice and access.
Common alternatives: Odoo, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, Acumatica, SAP Business One, Oracle NetSuite, Katana.
Frequently asked questions
What is Exact Online?
Exact Online is a cloud business software suite from Exact that combines accounting with sales, purchasing, inventory, projects and, in some editions, manufacturing. Small and mid-sized businesses use it, often together with an accountant or reseller who sets it up and supports ongoing financial administration.
Does Exact Online have an API?
Yes. It provides a REST API secured with OAuth 2.0, covering many business entities, and the vendor runs an app marketplace. Apps need to handle token refresh and respect request limits, so test bulk synchronization and plan batching before building high-volume integrations.
Is Exact Online good for manufacturing?
It can support basic manufacturing such as bills of materials and shop orders for small discrete businesses. Companies with complex routings, finite scheduling or strict traceability usually add specialist apps or choose a manufacturing-focused ERP. Test your real production flow in a demo before deciding.
What is the difference between Exact Online and Exact Globe?
Exact Online is the multi-tenant cloud product, while Exact Globe is a separate product for on-premise or hosted installation. They have different architectures, upgrade paths and integration options, so documentation for one does not always apply to the other. Confirm which one a partner is proposing.
Can AI be used with Exact Online?
Yes, mainly through the REST API. Typical uses are natural-language questions on sales and stock, invoice data extraction into drafts, and bank-matching suggestions. Keep scopes read-only where possible, show users the source records, and require a person to approve anything that posts to the ledger.
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