You are exactly right about the upheaval in companies. Intel is a good example, they tried to adapt either SAP or the other major brand (oracle ?) to the company's method of doing business, failed, and had to change how Intel does business to match how the software works.
I am glad that my limited understanding of ERP and accounting is potentially useful to you. I would not mind hearing the ideas of how ERP and GAAP deal with those questions, if it is ever convenient to post the info.
In general, I agree that accounting and ERP are not such different concepts, company to company, that massive customization should be needed. That is a little bit of what irks me at the same time, it isn't that expensive to roll out a standard software product, why are accounting / erp packages so expensive with ongoing monthly fees?
A lot of the older ERP products would auto order a part based on a High / Low quantity trigger, regardless of if it was being used a lot, or not. Production purchasing was triggered by increasing the part count by adding a project name to each part. I don't think that is used much anymore.
:-) Great to hear. As far as blame - sure why not, I get blamed for lots of things. I have pretty thick skin at this point.