It’s not just a tech refresh—it’s a bid to future-proof the company against industry upheaval and redefine what enterprise IT can deliver across a 6,000-user, 140-location footprint.

Semler’s legacy infrastructure included 45-year-old systems built on mainframes, Lotus Notes, and custom code. Reliable? Sure. Agile and scalable? Not so much.

“The system worked, but our customers demanded more,” says Christensen. “Volkswagen Group, our key OEM partner, expects digital innovation. Internally, our teams needed smarter workflows and real-time data. We couldn’t deliver that with old tech.”

Enter: a cloud-based ERP overhaul using Microsoft Dynamics 365, enhanced with Icelandic ISV Anetta’s automotive layer. With rollout scheduled for September 2026, Semler is staging a “big bang” go-live across 4,000 users in a single day. That means not just migrating data—but transforming processes, retraining staff, and building an entirely new operating model.—

Embracing Generative AI and Azure Innovation

Semler didn’t stop at Dynamics. The company has embedded Azure OpenAI into its ecosystem with a custom-built language model called “Semler GPT.” Originally a proof-of-concept Power App in 2023, the assistant has matured into a full enterprise AI companion.

“One use case is for our used-car sales advisors,” Christensen says. “They enter a registration number, and the AI pulls data from factory systems and our databases to generate a listing. It writes the ad with the right tone of voice—Audi luxury feels different than a Volkswagen Golf.”

Even more impressive? The tool also estimates optimal pricing by analyzing market dynamics and historical sales data.

But Christensen is clear: this isn’t about cutting jobs. “It’s about quality. Freeing up people’s time for more meaningful tasks. We’re not reducing FTEs—we’re raising the bar.”

Digital Adoption: Where Whatfix Fits In

Semler’s definition of transformation success isn’t just about deployment—it’s about adoption. “We talk about the J-curve,” Christensen explains. “Productivity drops right after go-live. But the faster we get our people climbing the curve again, the faster we unlock business value.”

That’s where Whatfix, a digital adoption platform, comes into play. “We’re integrating Whatfix with Semler GPT. So when users ask how to do something—like ‘create a sales order for a new car’—they’re not just shown a document. The AI starts the process for them. Eventually, agents may do the entire task.”

This “one interface to rule them all” vision is foundational to Semler’s user experience strategy. From booking time off to checking lunch menus, the enterprise interface is being simplified and reimagined through AI.

Data Readiness and Integration: Not Just a Checkbox

With AI, everything hinges on data readiness—and Christensen knows it.

“GDPR forced us to start cleaning customer data back in 2018,” he says. “Since then, every automation project has pushed us to mature our data governance.”

Even so, some use cases—especially customer-facing AI—are still out of reach. “We have high internal usage, like call-center assistants. But until data quality improves, exposing these tools externally isn’t feasible.”

To unify its systems, Semler built an integration platform in Azure. Over 200 integrations—ranging from OEM factory systems to tire partners—run through this layer. It’s not a traditional enterprise service bus, but rather a loosely coupled microservices model. “It gives us full control, auditability, and scalability,” Christensen says.

Industry Matters

Why Microsoft? The availability of a complete platform—ERP, cloud, AI, Power Platform, and Office 365—played a role, but Christensen says the ISV offering was the clincher.

“We needed a full-scale automotive solution,” he notes. “When we found out Anetta was building that on Dynamics, and that we already used Microsoft heavily, it made sense. That said, CE and Finance and Operations aren’t fully integrated. It’s not quite plug-and-play.”

Semler’s also helping shape the Anetta solution, providing requirements and helping the ISV meet Volkswagen certification standards. “It’s a co-build, not just an implementation,” Christensen says.

Looking Ahead: From AI to In-Car Commerce

Christensen sees the future filled with agentic AI, embedded services, and predictive analytics.

“We’re starting to support in-car commerce—apps people can buy directly from their car’s interface. That has to connect back to our ERP,” he explains. “We’re also investing in predictive inventory management. When you hold a car, you’re tying up a lot of capital. Forecasting demand more precisely will be crucial.”

As compute power increases and models evolve, Christensen expects more business decisions to be AI-assisted. But first? “Still a lot of data governance to do,” he admits with a smile.

What this means for ERP Insiders

ERP is now an ecosystem, not just a system. Semler’s transformation illustrates a broader market shift: ERP is no longer a monolith. It’s a foundation that’s only valuable when paired with cloud-native integration, AI augmentation, and continuous user enablement. Microsoft’s platform strategy—combining Dynamics 365 with Azure, Power Platform, and copilots—lets companies design modular, adaptive ecosystems. ERP leaders should not only focus on core functionality, but also on how AI agents, digital assistants, and self-healing data architectures amplify value across the entire process landscape.

AI is real, but readiness is everything. Semler GPT shows that even mid-sized companies can build custom AI assistants if they have the right cloud infrastructure, data models, and culture of experimentation. But most ERP customers are still in “data denial”—overestimating the cleanliness and usability of their information. Tech leaders must prioritize metadata enrichment, master data consolidation, and data governance policies now, or risk failing to operationalize AI even when tools like Whatfix or Microsoft Copilot become turnkey.

Digital adoption platforms could be the missing link. The biggest ROI blocker for ERP investments isn’t architecture—it’s behavior. Semler’s pairing of Whatfix with AI assistants provides a compelling blueprint for how to accelerate user adoption and shorten the post-go-live productivity dip. By embedding training, guidance, and automated workflows directly into the user interface, companies can shift from “train the user” to “empower the user.” For Microsoft Dynamics customers especially, combining Whatfix’s contextual guidance with Azure-native AI could be a game-changer for long-term ERP success.

The post From Mainframe to Microsoft: Semler’s Epic ERP Overhaul to Drive a Data-Powered, AI-Enabled Automotive Empire appeared first on ERP Today.

The Dynamic Duo: AI and IoT

The study found that 29% of manufacturers are already witnessing artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) integrated into their ERP systems, with the Internet of Things (IoT) integration following closely at 19%. Moreover, nearly 30% and 20% of these businesses see AI and IoT being baked into ERPs specifically for efficiency gains.

SYSPRO describes AI not as a job-stealing robot but as a tireless, insightful co-pilot that can help monitor workflows, flag anomalies before they become disasters, and automate complex decision-making processes. The power provided by AI helps organizations move from reactive firefighting to proactive problem-solving. Utilizing these technologies enhances data analytics, optimizes maintenance schedules, and drastically minimizes downtime.

The Supporting Cast of ERP Innovations

While AI and IoT might be grabbing the spotlight, other crucial ERP advancements are quietly revolutionizing complex manufacturing, the study shows:

• Real-time data analytics (16% adoption): The ability to tap into real-time operational data provides the visibility needed to sidestep disruptions and make informed decisions quickly. For instance, if there is a sudden spike in demand for a particular product, an organization can view that rise via its ERP dashboard. It can then immediately adjust production schedules, check raw material availability, and coordinate with logistics in real time, preventing stockouts and capitalizing on the opportunity.
• Cloud-based ERP solutions (13% adoption): Cloud ERPs offer the scalability to grow with the business, enhanced security, seamless data integration from various sources, and easier adoption of advanced technologies like AI.
• Mobile accessibility and remote management (13% adoption): The factory floor and the entire supply chain are no longer tethered to a desktop. ERP functionality accessible via mobile devices empowers everyone from quality inspectors to on-the-go sales teams who need instant inventory updates.
• Enhanced cybersecurity features (10% adoption): With legacy systems being replaced, and data becoming more centralized, robust cybersecurity isn’t just an IT concern; it’s a business continuity imperative. This is underscored by the fact that over 50% of industry experts in some regions view cybersecurity as a critical concern.

The Smart Factory and The Human Element

These evolving ERP capabilities are the building blocks of the smart factory — a highly connected, intelligent, and responsive manufacturing environment. Future-focused factories seamlessly integrate Industrial IoT (IIoT), AI, digital twin simulations, and, at their core, modernized ERP systems. This integration enables businesses to prevent disruptions before they happen and continuously optimize operations.

However, the path to achieving this goal isn’t always smooth. The report highlights some very real barriers:

• High upfront costs (cited by 25% of respondents)
• Resistance to change (22%)
• Lack of technical expertise (19%)
• Challenges with integrating new tech with existing systems (12%)
• Technical difficulties with complex integrations (43%)

These figures represent real-world headaches for operations managers, IT departments, and ERP professionals. Overcoming them requires technological savvy and a focus on the human side of change. This includes clear communication, robust training, and showcasing how these tools empower employees to do their jobs better, faster, and with less frustration.

What This Means for ERP Insiders

Embrace AI & IoT as your efficiency power-ups. ERP professionals are pivotal in deploying these technologies. SYSPRO, for instance, leverages its ERP to integrate with IoT devices for real-time data and machine-to-machine communication, driving tangible gains like predictive maintenance and optimized production. ERP professionals’ role is to translate this potential into reality on the shop floor to create truly digital manufacturing facilities.

Champion data and cloud for agility and scalability. Real-time analytics and cloud ERP enable proactive decision-making and scalable infrastructure. ERP professionals should guide this transition. For example, SYSPRO customer Merle Norman Cosmetics saved $6 million in inventory costs through real-time data, and Aspire Pharmaceuticals achieved 98% inventory accuracy. Moving to platforms like SYSPRO Cloud ERP also paves the way for easier adoption of AI, which is often “built into the heart of such solutions.

Drive modernization and fortify security strategically. While high upfront costs and complex integration are significant hurdles to becoming a smart factory, the strategic need is undeniable. With over 50% of industry experts in some regions citing cybersecurity as a critical concern, ERP professionals must prioritize secure, robust systems. Your expertise is crucial in navigating these challenges, advocating for the necessary investments, and ensuring the ERP backbone is future-proof and resilient against emerging threats.

The post AI, IoT and Smart Factories: The Game-Changers for Complex Manufacturing appeared first on ERP Today.

“In manufacturing, speed is a competitive advantage. This partnership is about collapsing the time between decision and action,” said Sanjay Brahmawar, CEO of QAD. “By combining Boomi’s best-in-class integration platform with QAD’s deep manufacturing expertise and Champion AI-driven insights, we’re helping manufacturers simplify complexity and accelerate performance – starting on day one.”

The partnership reflects a broader trend across the ERP landscape: shifting from monolithic software deployments toward agile, composable ecosystems. For manufacturing companies navigating supply chain shocks, labor shortages, and rising customer expectations, integration is no longer a backend concern—it’s a front-line enabler of resilience and innovation.

The alliance introduces several key features:

• Pre-built Integrations: Standardized connections between QAD, QAD Redzone, and third-party systems reduce implementation time and complexity. These integrations span common manufacturing use cases including shop floor automation, quality control, logistics, inventory, and CRM systems.
• Embedded Boomi Connectors: These enable plug-and-play connectivity across the manufacturing stack, facilitating seamless data flow across legacy systems and cloud-native applications alike. This includes out-of-the-box support for EDI, IoT platforms, warehouse management systems, and more.
• AI-Powered Process Insights: Leveraging QAD’s Champion AI platform, integration workflows are optimized using machine learning models that provide real-time feedback on process efficiency, cost anomalies, and performance trends.

Steve Lucas, CEO of Boomi, emphasized the transformative potential of the partnership: “At Boomi, we exist to make the complex simple – and this partnership brings that mission to life. Together with QAD, we’re fusing intelligent automation with deep manufacturing know-how. The result: faster transformation, smarter operations, and real-time insights that fuel innovation across the factory floor and beyond.”

Early feedback from manufacturing leaders has been encouraging. A North American automotive supplier piloting the integrated QAD-Boomi platform saw deployment timelines cut by 40%, with early gains in order traceability and supplier collaboration. Meanwhile, a European medical device manufacturer reported a 25% reduction in manual integration maintenance and a significant boost in quality assurance cycle times.

This collaboration aims to eliminate traditional integration challenges in manufacturing, such as data silos, redundant workflows, and fragile custom code. By focusing on low-code extensibility and a unified integration layer, QAD and Boomi are setting a new standard for how manufacturers can digitize without being bogged down by complexity.

What this means for ERP Insiders

Embrace pre-built integrations for rapid deployment. The alliance’s introduction of standardized, pre-built integrations allows for quicker ERP implementations. By reducing the need for custom coding and complex configurations, manufacturing enterprises can accelerate their digital transformation journeys, leading to faster time-to-value and improved operational efficiency. ERP leaders should pressure-test their current architecture and identify areas where plug-and-play integration could reduce overhead or shrink project timelines.

Leverage AI-driven insights for process optimization. Integrating QAD’s Champion AI with Boomi’s platform provides actionable insights into manufacturing processes. ERP leaders can utilize these insights to identify bottlenecks, predict maintenance needs, and optimize workflows, resulting in enhanced productivity and reduced downtime. These capabilities are particularly valuable for companies managing complex global operations where visibility and speed can make or break competitiveness.

Utilize plug-and-play connectivity for scalability. The embedded Boomi connectors within QAD software offer scalable solutions for growing manufacturing operations. This plug-and-play connectivity ensures that as businesses expand or adapt to new technologies, their ERP systems can seamlessly integrate additional applications and services without significant overhauls. In an environment where mergers, supplier changes, and product launches are frequent, this kind of agility is no longer optional—it’s essential.

The post Accelerating Smart Manufacturing: QAD and Boomi’s Strategic Alliance Redefines ERP Integration appeared first on ERP Today.

“Enterprise software was never really built for the individual user,” Kumar says. “It was designed for roles, for groups. But digital adoption is about reversing that assumption and making software work for every person, across every application.”

Whatfix currently offers three core products: its flagship digital adoption platform (DAP), a usage analytics engine that tracks behavior across applications, and a sandboxed mirror environment for risk-free practice. But the bigger story is how Whatfix is preparing for the shift to agentic AI. As Kumar puts it, “Agents are getting smarter, but we still need human-in-the-loop design. The future is about seamless handoff between agents and users—and that means working in the same interface, on the same terms.”

According to Kumar, digital adoption is still misunderstood. “CIOs often believe one-time training or a few webinars is enough. But true adoption is ongoing. It’s embedded in the workflow, not outside of it.” He cites a global brewery and a leading retailer as examples where Whatfix enabled just-in-time, context-aware guidance that dramatically improved outcomes during ERP rollouts.

Another common blind spot? The data. “Too many teams rely on qualitative feedback and miss the power of usage data. If you don’t know what people are struggling with, you’ll never fix it.”

Whatfix helps surface those pain points with heatmaps, drop-off reports, and workflow analytics. This visibility is critical, especially as SaaS upgrades and new features arrive more frequently than ever. “Change is no longer an event. It’s continuous. And adoption has to be continuous, too.”

As ERP architectures evolve from monoliths to composable stacks, Whatfix sees an opportunity. “Every module behaves differently. Every UI is slightly off,” Kumar explains. “We act as the unifying layer across all these systems.”

Indeed, Whatfix is platform-agnostic, operating across browser, desktop, mobile, and even OS-level applications. This matters when an enterprise ERP estate includes dozens of applications and microservices. In one case, Kumar notes, “A customer had over 70 apps in their ERP stack. They needed a vendor-neutral experience layer.”

Unlike built-in tools from major ERP providers, Whatfix’s sole focus is adoption—and that translates into deeper innovation. It’s this specialization, Kumar argues, that sets Whatfix apart.

Whatfix has quietly integrated generative AI into its product, but it avoids the hype. “Text generation, image generation, even basic code suggestions—these are real, valuable uses. But the dream of agents autonomously navigating all your apps? That’s still on the horizon.”

Instead, Whatfix focuses on pragmatic enhancements: surfacing company-specific knowledge in real time, drafting user guidance, and enabling creators to design workflows faster. More than 200 customers have adopted Whatfix’s new GenAI features in the past year.

Kumar sees this as a bridge. “Eventually, agentic systems will be more autonomous. But today, users still need to know when to invoke a copilot, when to act on their own, and how to switch back and forth. We help manage that choreography.”

What this means for ERP Insiders

Prioritize adoption as a continuous discipline, not a launch event. Digital transformation leaders must move beyond “go-live” mindsets. Whatfix helps ERP teams embed training, reminders, and contextual help into the flow of work, improving change absorption across distributed teams. Customers in retail and manufacturing have used Whatfix to reduce support queries and boost process compliance during high-stakes rollouts.

Standardize UX across fragmented ERP stacks. As enterprises adopt composable ERP, they need consistency in user experience. Whatfix serves as a layer of guidance that spans SAP, Oracle, Workday, and homegrown systems—ensuring that no matter the backend, users receive the same intuitive, branded support.

Leverage behavioral data to drive real adoption gains. With built-in analytics, Whatfix reveals where users drop off, hesitate, or bypass key steps. This data enables teams to tune workflows and target improvements. One enterprise used this insight to cut onboarding time by 40% and reduce ERP-related help desk tickets by 25% in a single quarter.

The post Beyond the Interface: How Whatfix Is Redefining ERP Adoption for the AI Era appeared first on ERP Today.

Facing mounting pressure to do more with less, public institutions like CPS are increasingly turning to enterprise-grade technology solutions to streamline operations, improve resource allocation, and boost transparency. In CPS’s case, the stakes couldn’t be higher. With over 600 schools and 300,000 students, every dollar saved through operational efficiency becomes a dollar that can be redirected to student-facing programs.

CPS’s decision to move to Oracle Fusion Applications came after a thorough evaluation of its outdated systems and the growing demands placed on public education. The goal? To create an agile back-office foundation capable of responding to budget pressures, workforce complexities, and supply chain volatility—all without compromising service to students and staff.

“With Oracle Fusion Applications, we can utilize advanced AI and automation features to enhance the speed and accuracy of our business processes,” said Charles Mayfield, CPS’s chief operating officer. “This will help us boost productivity and allocate resources more effectively to ensure more resources are available for our students.”

By standardizing on a unified platform, CPS is joining a growing number of public sector organizations seeking to modernize their ERP environment in one coordinated move. According to recent research, public sector cloud ERP adoption is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 12% through 2028, driven by the need for real-time insights and digital agility.

CPS will implement Oracle Fusion Cloud ERP to streamline financial operations, increase budget accuracy, and enhance compliance. Oracle’s embedded AI capabilities will help automate routine tasks—such as invoice matching, budget forecasting, and risk detection—freeing up staff to focus on strategic initiatives.

On the HR front, Oracle Fusion Cloud Human Capital Management (HCM) will centralize workforce operations. From recruitment and onboarding to benefits administration and performance tracking, CPS will gain a single source of truth for employee data—key to engaging and retaining talent in a competitive education labor market.

The supply chain functionality, also part of the Fusion suite, will allow CPS to better manage procurement, vendor relationships, and inventory—critical for supporting operations across a sprawling urban district with complex logistics needs.

What this means for ERP Insiders

Unified cloud platforms drive sustainable efficiency. CPS’s transition illustrates how large institutions can standardize on a single platform to simplify operations and unlock long-term gains. For tech leaders managing legacy sprawl, this is a call to consolidate. Oracle Fusion enables organizations to unify ERP, HCM, and SCM under one roof—reducing integration overhead and improving data fidelity. Market data suggests that organizations using Oracle Cloud Applications see an average 3.2x return on investment within three years.

AI is the catalyst, not the add-on. Oracle Fusion doesn’t just offer automation—it embeds AI at the core. Predictive analytics, digital assistants, and agentic AI help organizations move from reactive to proactive operations. CPS expects automation to speed up processing times and improve accuracy across finance and HR. This is critical for ERP buyers evaluating platforms not just on features, but on their ability to deliver measurable productivity improvements via AI.

Modern ERP is a strategic education enabler. ERP transformation is no longer just about cost control. CPS’s move highlights how ERP can become an enabler of educational outcomes—by freeing up resources, improving workforce management, and accelerating procurement for school needs. For public sector and mission-driven enterprises, Oracle Fusion demonstrates how modern ERP aligns technology with impact, not just operations.

The post Unlocking Efficiency for Public Education: Chicago Public Schools Goes All-In on Oracle Fusion appeared first on ERP Today.

“Our previous ERP was over three decades old and simply couldn’t support the complexity and scale of our current manufacturing needs,” said Matt Young, CIO of Structural Group. “Rootstock was chosen for its comprehensive set of capabilities and seamless collaboration with Salesforce Sales Cloud, which we’ve used for years. Rootstock also has a certified Workday integration, which we will leverage as we deploy Workday Financial Management to unify our solutions, ensuring smooth data flow and enhanced efficiency.”

By transitioning to Rootstock ERP, built on the Salesforce platform, the company aimed to unify their operations, from project management to supply chain logistics, under a single, integrated system. The adoption of Rootstock ERP has provided Structural Technologies with:

• Real-Time Visibility: Enhanced tracking of projects, inventory, and financials, enabling proactive decision-making.
• Scalability: A flexible platform that grows with the company’s expanding operations.
• Improved Collaboration: Seamless integration across departments, fostering better communication and efficiency.

“The Rootstock implementation went remarkably well,” added Young. “From the outset, their team took a deep dive into our business challenges, ensuring the ERP was tailored to fit our needs. The go-live was seamless—exactly the kind of smooth transition every company hopes for. Together, we kept our teams engaged and tackled technical challenges head-on. Rootstock’s expertise, responsiveness, and collaborative approach kept this project on track, and we’re excited to build on this strong foundation in the next phase.”

Structural Technologies is now preparing for phase two of its Rootstock ERP implementation, which will expand work order capabilities, enhance overhead cost tracking, and further automate manufacturing processes. This phase will also include the integration between Rootstock ERP and Workforce Financial Management, enabling seamless data flow for deeper financial insights and even greater efficiencies.

What this means for ERP Insiders

Modernize manufacturing without disruption. Tech leaders should recognize that a well-planned ERP implementation doesn’t have to stall operations. Structural Technologies replaced a 30-year-old legacy system with Rootstock ERP—seamlessly. By eliminating manual workflows and integrating a 25-year-old custom engineering system, they gained real-time visibility into forecasts and procurement. The result: more accurate planning, fewer delays, and fully operational work orders. For manufacturers looking to modernize without halting production, Rootstock offers a proven path with agile deployment, minimal disruption, and strong support.

Build a unified, scalable tech stack. ERP should not exist in isolation. Structural Technologies selected Rootstock for its native Salesforce compatibility and certified Workday Financial Management integration. This foundation supports a fully connected enterprise—linking sales, operations, and finance in real time. The Rootstock platform scales with business complexity while minimizing integration overhead. For ERP leaders navigating growth or M&A, prioritizing scalable platforms that unify systems and eliminate data silos is essential to long-term agility and cost control.

Automate for better cost control and decision-making. Rootstock’s cloud-native ERP allowed Structural Technologies to automate labor and material cost calculations with precision—key to understanding true product margins. As they enter phase two, they plan to enhance overhead tracking and deepen manufacturing automation. ERP insiders should view automation not just as a productivity gain, but as a tool for smarter, faster financial decision-making. Rootstock’s real-time data and AI-ready infrastructure put actionable insights into the hands of every decision-maker.

The post Structural Technologies Reinforces Vision with Rootstock ERP appeared first on ERP Today.

In an interview with ERP Today, Thomas Failer, CEO of Data Migration International, argues that the time to migrate to SAP S/4HANA is not approaching—it is here.

The Tangled Web of Legacy Data

According to Failer, the pervasive problem of legacy data lies at the heart of the urgency. He explains: “Decades of operational history often reside within SAP ECC systems, much of it outdated, redundant, and unstructured. This digital baggage acts as a significant anchor, inflating costs, creating compliance nightmares, and severely hindering digital transformation initiatives.”

Moreover, maintaining these sprawling legacy environments consumes a lion’s share of IT budgets – often as high as 60-80% – leaving scant resources for strategic innovation. The sheer volume of this data slows down system performance, complicates upgrades, and makes extracting meaningful insights a herculean task.

Failer added, “Legacy data is often riddled with inconsistencies, duplicates, and quality issues. This “dirty data” undermines the accuracy of analytics, cripples the potential of AI and automation, and leads to flawed decision-making.”

Due to these factors, compliance becomes a precarious tightrope walk as outdated systems struggle to meet evolving regulatory demands like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), exposing businesses to hefty fines and reputational damage. The lack of proper data governance and retention management within legacy ECC systems makes audits and legal discovery processes costly and time-consuming.

Clean Core and the Imperative of Clean Data

Failer points to a compelling alternative to solve this problem: SAP’s strategic direction, embodied in the “Clean Core” and “Composable Enterprise” vision. “This future-ready architecture emphasizes a modular, flexible, and agile approach to enterprise resource planning,” he notes. “The Clean Core advocates for a standardized, lean digital foundation in SAP S/4HANA, minimizing customizations and ensuring seamless upgrades, while the Composable Enterprise envisions a landscape of interoperable business capabilities that can be assembled and reassembled as needed.”

“Dirty data” undermines the accuracy of analytics.

However, the realization of this transformative vision is intrinsically linked to the quality of the underlying data. “You simply cannot build a Clean Core on a foundation of dirty, outdated data,” Failer says. “Migrating massive volumes of legacy baggage into SAP S/4HANA defeats the purpose, bloating the system and perpetuating existing inefficiencies.”

Similarly, a Composable Enterprise relies on consistent, high-quality data flowing seamlessly between its modular components. Thus, fragmented or unreliable data undermines the agility and flexibility this architecture promises.

The JiVS Solution

Data Migration International (DMI) offers a powerful solution to navigate this complex transition: the JiVS Information Management Platform (IMP). Failer states, “JiVS provides a strategic and intelligent approach to managing legacy data, enabling businesses to break free from the constraints of their SAP ECC systems and embrace SAP S/4HANA with confidence.”

The core principle of JiVS is the separation of historical data from active applications. Instead of a “lift and shift” approach that blindly migrates everything, JiVS extracts all legacy data (SAP and non-SAP) at the application layer, preserving its full business context. This data is then securely archived in a legally compliant and audit-proof manner. This means businesses retain 100% access to their historical data for audits, compliance, and operational needs, even after the legacy ECC system is decommissioned.

“With the historical data safely managed, JiVS enables businesses to selectively migrate only the necessary, high-quality data to SAP S/4HANA,” Failer says. “This targeted approach drastically reduces data volume – often by up to 90% – streamlining the migration process, accelerating timelines, and significantly lowering costs.”

DMI estimates that JiVS can reduce overall IT operating costs by up to 80% by enabling the retirement of expensive legacy systems and optimizing data storage. Furthermore, JiVS incorporates automated data quality analysis and cleansing, ensuring that only clean, relevant, and enriched data makes its way into the new SAP S/4HANA environment. “This supports SAP’s Clean Core principles and lays a solid foundation for leveraging advanced analytics, AI, and automation,” adds Failer.

Overall, the solution’s benefits include:

• Exceptional data transfer speed up to 30TB/day
• Zero business disruption and no downtime
• No need for costly or lengthy pre-projects
• More than 3,000 successful projects worldwide and a robust global partner network
• Over 3,000 supported business objects

The Fast Track to Freedom

The transformative power of DMI’s approach is evident in the success stories of companies that have embraced JiVS. Failer shares the compelling example of a leading automotive company that successfully retired its SAP ECC system in only four months.

JiVS provides a strategic and intelligent approach to managing legacy data.

He notes that faced with the looming 2030 deadline and the burden of a complex legacy landscape, the company partnered with DMI to implement JiVS. “By separating and archiving their vast historical data, we could significantly reduce the scope and complexity of their SAP S/4HANA migration, allowing them to transition to the modern platform at an unprecedented speed, freeing them from the constraints of their legacy system, reducing IT costs, and gaining the agility needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving industry,” Failer says.

The Time for Action is Now

SAP’s vision for a Clean Core and Composable Enterprise offers a path to agility and innovation, but it demands a commitment to clean, high-quality data, which can be provided by DMI’s JiVS solution, which addresses the challenges of legacy data, streamlines SAP S/4HANA adoption, and unlocks significant cost savings. “The ticking clock is a clear call to action: businesses still on SAP ECC must act now to secure their future and embrace the transformative power of SAP S/4HANA,” Failer concludes.

What This Means for ERP Insiders

Historization prevents vendor lock-in and supports business agility. Recognize the strategic advantage of historization – separating and archiving historical data in a vendor-neutral format. By utilizing solutions like JiVS IMP, users gain independence from the core operational system for accessing and managing historical records. This prevents vendor lock-in, as your valuable historical data remains accessible even if you choose to migrate to a different ERP system in the future. Furthermore, having a readily accessible, well-governed historical data archive enhances business agility by providing a comprehensive and compliant data foundation for analytics, reporting, and responding to evolving business needs without impacting the performance or complexity of your active ERP system.

Accelerate SAP S/4HANA migration while ensuring compliance. To expedite your move to SAP S/4HANA and maintain robust compliance, prioritize the separation and secure archiving of historical data. Retaining historical data in an audit-proof environment separate from your active SAP S/4HANA system allows you to meet regulatory requirements without bogging down your new environment with legacy baggage.

Clean Core is impossible without clean data. Avoid the temptation of a “lift and shift” approach. Instead, invest in data cleansing and harmonization before migration. By ensuring that only clean, standardized data populates your SAP S/4HANA system, you can minimize customizations, streamline processes, and fully leverage the benefits of the Clean Core architecture, including easier upgrades and faster adoption of new innovations.

The post Time’s Running Out on SAP ECC: Act Now to Avoid Soaring Risks and Costs appeared first on ERP Today.

Combining Tech with Experience

The collaboration combines SAP’s advanced cloud technology with EY’s domain experience to provide businesses with data infrastructure embedded with AI capabilities. For SAP professionals, this development signals a significant evolution in how finance and related operations are delivered and managed in the cloud era.

“Through this collaboration with EY, we are excited to combine SAP’s leading cloud suite, enriched with Business AI capabilities, and EY teams’ deep domain and industry experience to help deliver better insights and drive better outcomes for customers,” said Thomas Saueressig, Member of the Executive Board of SAP SE, Customer Services & Delivery.

The heart of this offering is the combination of SAP S/4HANA Cloud and EY’s on-the-ground experience in finance and industry specifics. The partnership, therefore, provides a service layer to technology, with the former including elements like AI capabilities and a robust data infrastructure.

“The world’s most innovative companies with bold growth and transformation plans are often weighed down by non-core tasks, diverting valuable executive time and resources,” stated Raj Sharma, EY Global Managing Partner – Growth and Innovation.

He added, “The Integrated Finance Managed Services solution can provide companies with a new model, helping businesses operate more efficiently and enabling leaders to focus on what matters most. We believe this solution can fundamentally change how clients think about their enterprise functions.”

A Success Story

IntraBio Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, is an excellent example of how this offering helps industries. By offloading its finance, HR, and accounting heavy lifting to EY’s Integrated Finance Managed Services, IntraBio could hyper-focus on its core mission of developing life-saving treatments. The result? The company received FDA approval for its first product, followed by a successful market launch. That’s a tangible outcome directly linked to shedding operational burden.

This partnership underscores a broader movement in the SAP ecosystem—the increasing reliance on specialized partners to deliver implementations and ongoing, outcome-based services. It highlights the growing importance of cloud expertise, data governance know-how, and the ability to leverage AI for automation and insight.

The EY and SAP partnership gives a glimpse into the future of finance operations powered by intelligent technology and expert services. In this future, SAP professionals will be less consumed by routine tasks and more empowered to be strategic growth drivers.

What This Means for ERP Insiders

Integrated managed services are set to become the cavalry charge for SAP users. If your organization’s days are still bogged down in the trenches of manual processes, reconciliation nightmares, and keeping the lights on in a complex, on-premises world, the integrated managed services offered by SAP and EY can free up valuable time and resources to focus on strategies that truly drive business value. For SAP finance professionals, this trend towards managed services embedded with advanced technology like AI highlights a significant shift in how integrated technology and services operate.

Shift your focus upstream. This offering means companies are looking to offload the operational burden of running core finance and related SAP processes. For SAP users, this is a clear signal to develop skills in higher-value activities like financial planning & analysis, strategic business partnering, and leveraging the real-time data from SAP S/4HANA for insightful decision-making, rather than getting stuck in transactional details.

Managed services require different expertise. While the day-to-day system administration might be handled by the managed service provider, companies will still need SAP professionals who can effectively interact with the service provider, understand the underlying SAP S/4HANA Cloud capabilities, manage configurations, and ensure the service meets business requirements and compliance standards. Thus, for SAPinsiders, your role evolves from doing to managing and optimizing the service delivery.

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Join ERP Today’s CEO Mark Vigoroso as he explores what this seismic shift means for the ERP player with Jaco Maritz, CEO, and Chris Lloyd, CPO of SYSPRO.

In this podcast, learn how SYSPRO is moving from a long-standing, independent structure to a new era of growth under private equity backing. It dives into why Advent saw such potential in SYSPRO – beyond its solid foundation.

The interview also unpacks SYSPRO’s strategic playbook: A major push towards becoming a cloud-first business, integrating AI as a “co-pilot” for manufacturers, strategically extending their offerings through innovation and even M&A, and doubling down on their deep industry specialization.

Tune in to understand the dynamics of this fascinating transition and what it signals for the future of specialized ERP.

The post ERP Today Live: Decoding SYSPRO’s Next Chapter with Jaco Maritz and Chris Lloyd appeared first on ERP Today.

But 2025 marked a significant inflection point. With the backing of leading global private equity investor, Advent, SYSPRO embarked on an accelerated journey of growth, innovation, and transformation, poised to redefine its role as a critical partner in its customers’ digital evolution.

The investment by Advent isn’t just a financial transaction; it represents a paradigm shift for a company proud of its heritage. As Jaco Maritz, CEO, SYSPRO, explains, the move from a long-standing founder-led structure introduces new dynamics and opportunities. “This is our first transaction, to the extent that we brought in Advent,” Maritz notes. “So obviously, there’s quite a shift in the business, moving from the way that we did things, to a new paradigm.”

The Advent Catalyst: More Than Capital

Advent’s interest in SYSPRO stemmed from recognizing the company’s core strengths which, Martiz notes, include, “mission-critical embedded software within our customers,” its deep specialization in the resilient manufacturing sector, and its established global footprint.

The main theme around value extraction, is [the] move towards a cloud business – Jaco Maritz, CEO, SYSPRO

However, he candidly shares another key element of Advent’s calculus: “The other thing they really liked about us is everything we have not done yet.” This perceived untapped potential forms the foundation of Advent’s growth thesis. “One of the reasons why we were quite interested in [partnering with] them is the fact that they are growth orientated, and are really looking at the landscape, our position in it, and how we grow,” Maritz emphasizes.

Prioritizing Growth

With Advent’s support, SYSPRO’s strategic priorities for the near-to-mid-term center around three pillars:

Growth and Efficiency: This involves strengthening market position, particularly in the UK (bolstered by the recent acquisition of a key business partner there) and North America, while maintaining its stronghold in Africa. Efficiency gains are sought in go-to-market strategies, offering development, and customer support processes.

Extending the Offering: Led by Chief Solutions and Technology Officer Chris Lloyd, based in Manchester, England, this involves enhancing SYSPRO’s solutions through technology, innovation, and expertise. Crucially, the Advent partnership introduces new mechanisms like M&A, allowing SYSPRO to “come to the market a lot quicker with some of the changes to technology and functionality changes,” a departure from the previous “do it ourselves” approach, as Maritz describes it.

Extracting Value via the Cloud: The “main theme around value extraction,” according to Maritz, “is [the] move towards a cloud business.” This encompasses far more than just technology deployment. “We’re not only talking about a technology,” he clarifies. “We’re talking about the way that we manage, the way that we report, the way that we measure the commercial models the way that we do value-based pricing, as well as then, obviously, our technology and our solutions.”

While manufacturing has sometimes lagged in cloud adoption, Lloyd, who oversees SYSPRO’s product management, technology, and development, confirms a shift. “From our clients, we’ve seen a strong uptake in the cloud offering more recently,” he states.

Maritz concurs, observing a distinct change in customer conversations over the past year: “There’s a clear shift from our customers and new sales engagements that’s not just asking about cloud, but are interested in a cloud solution.” SYSPRO’s distinct positioning of SYSPRO ERP and SYSPRO Cloud ERP acknowledges this reality, meeting customers wherever they are on their cloud journey.

AI: The Manufacturer’s Co-Pilot

No technology discussion is complete without addressing Artificial Intelligence (AI). For SYSPRO, particularly given its manufacturing focus, AI presents significant opportunities beyond the hype. Lloyd envisions AI evolving into a “digital co-pilot that helps monitor the business… monitors key workflows, flags anomalies, and automates complex processes.”

However, he stresses the importance of maintaining human oversight, especially in critical manufacturing environments. “The ultimate vision here is continuous automation while still keeping the human in the loop,” Lloyd explains. “There’s going to be a big shift where people are happy for AI to flag certain things [but] there’s this trust barrier of letting AI take action. And that’s where this concept of keeping the human in the loop will be critical.”

The potential use cases for AI in manufacturing and distribution are compelling: intelligent production scheduling, optimized material requirements planning, predictive maintenance, enhanced quality control using cognitive AI, and sophisticated cost optimization.

“These are key value drivers in managing a complex manufacturing world,” Lloyd asserts. He believes that while AI demand might currently seem market-driven, its practical value in manufacturing will quickly equalize expectations. “For manufacturing, AI is going to be equalized quite quickly in terms of how much it can bring to that complex environment,” Lloyd says.

The ultimate vision here is continuous automation while keeping the human in the loop. – Chris Lloyd, CPO, SYSPRO

SYSPRO is already integrating AI capabilities, leveraging machine learning and document recognition for tasks like automating accounts payable processing. Current development focuses on streamlining customer purchase order-to-sales order workflows, automating stock replenishment triggers, and intelligent requisition approvals – tangible operational benefits delivered through AI.

Deep Roots, Sharpened Focus

SYSPRO’s enduring strength lies in its unwavering focus on manufacturing and distribution. While adjacent industry opportunities exist, the immediate strategy involves deepening penetration within current verticals rather than broad horizontal expansion. “A big opportunity for us [is] actually to go even deeper into some of those industries,” says Maritz, citing Food & Beverage as an example where SYSPRO can enhance its offering for specific sub-segments.

This industry specificity is a powerful differentiator. Maritz highlights the importance of speaking the customer’s language: “Customer executives, not only need to be confident that we are experts from a technology perspective, but they also want to know that we can solve their business problem. Having that conversation on the business level is critical, and that’s when a specialization matters.”

Maritz believes that for customers, choosing SYSPRO over competition often comes down to “the ability to solve [the problem] and actually provide the most cost-effective solution.” This isn’t merely about price but about value delivered efficiently. Relationships built on trust and demonstrated expertise are also key.

Lloyd adds crucial product-centric reasons: The sort of length and depth of the features within the manufacturing distribution space, SYSPRO’s ability to scale with customers as they expand, its strength in customizing and configuring SYSPRO to the exact customer needs, and the ability to integrate deeply into embedded processes.

SYSPRO seeks customers with clear technology and transformation plan, ready to leverage the platform’s depth, even if they start smaller and scale up. Maritz contrasts these ideal engagements with scenarios where the customer wants the latest but basic digitization like scheduling is still needed: “So with them, we say ‘Okay, let’s get your scheduling onto the system, then we can talk about AI.”

The Power of Partnership

SYSPRO’s growth and solution strategy heavily relies on a robust partner ecosystem, encompassing both Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) and Value-Added Resellers (VARs). “ISVs and partnerships are absolutely core to our strategy,” states Maritz.

These partnerships are cultivated both proactively, based on market trends, and opportunistically, driven by specific customer needs. The goal is transparency and collaboration. “We do foster and drive partner collaboration for that transparent relationship between us, the ISV and the customer,” Lloyd explains.

Maritz links this back to specialization. Just as SYSPRO focuses on its core strengths, partners like CRM specialists bring their expertise to the table. “We are specialists, and then, say, the customer requires a CRM system. It gives us opportunity to bring [the ISV or VAR] to the table as the CRM specialist,” he notes. The VAR channel also remains fundamental, as SYSPRO operates as a channel-driven company. These partners provide essential implementation, support, and localized industry expertise that SYSPRO couldn’t replicate centrally. “Within our partner base also, we build those skills and specialization within specific industries,” Maritz adds.

Forging Ahead

Internally, the shift from a founder-led entity to a private equity-backed organization inevitably impacts company culture. Maritz acknowledges the significance of this transition, emphasizing the need to retain skills and talent while embracing new ways of working, facilitated by a supportive Advent model.

The investment firm has brough expertise and hands-on mentorship model to SYSPRO, leveraging a network of specialists who act as mentors and advisors to SYSPRO’s senior leadership team (SLT). “Each of the SLT members has got somebody that almost shadows them as a mentor and an advisor,” Maritz reveals. “So, we suddenly went from trying to do this on our own to here’s somebody that’s actually done [it before].” This model has provided practical guidance, instilled confidence and accelerating strategic initiatives.

SYSPRO now stands at a compelling juncture. Armed with decades of industry expertise, fortified by strategic investment, and guided by experienced leadership, the company is doubling down on its manufacturing and distribution focus while embracing cloud, AI, and an ecosystem approach. As it forges ahead on these initiatives, for manufacturers and distributors navigating their own complex digital transformations, “SYSPRO aims to be more than just an ERP provider; it aims to be the indispensable platform and partner for future success,” Maritz concludes.

What This Means for ERP Insiders

Cloud is a core strategic priority, not just an option. SYSPRO, fueled by the investment from Advent views the shift to a cloud business as central to its future strategy and value extraction. This goes beyond just offering cloud deployment and involves changes in management, reporting, commercial models, and the overall technology stack. The company’s future development and focus are heavily weighted towards enhancing and expanding its cloud capabilities, responding to a clear increase in customer demand for cloud solutions observed in the last 12 months.

Expect accelerated innovation and offering expansion from SYSPRO. The partnership with Advent provides SYSPRO with new resources and mechanisms, including the potential for Mergers & Acquisitions (M&A). Given these factors, the industry can anticipate a potentially faster pace of innovation, and the introduction of new functionalities compared to SYSPRO’s historical “do it ourselves” approach. This acceleration applies to extending the overall offering, likely including more advanced cloud features and integrations.

SYSPRO’s plans include integrating AI and deepening platform capabilities. The company is actively incorporating AI into its solutions, envisioning it as a digital co-pilot for manufacturing processes while keeping the human touch. This, combined with a strong focus on building out its ISV partner ecosystem, signals a move towards becoming a more comprehensive platform player. Future SYSPRO versions will likely offer more integrated intelligence and broader capabilities through both native development and tighter partner integrations, often facilitated via its cloud platform.

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