SUSE Edge Suite is a comprehensive bundle that combines capabilities from SUSE’s Linux and Rancher offerings into a complete solution for Retail Edge scenarios. Benefits reported by SUSE include:

• Enhanced Operational Efficiency and Reduced Costs: SUSE’s edge solutions aim to ensure consistent and reliable performance across stores, warehouses, and beyond, resulting in improved operational efficiency and reduced costs.
• Robust Security: With SUSE’s security features, retailers can protect critical systems, such as point-of-sale (POS) systems and customer data, from cyber threats and exfiltration, and ensure compliance.
• Accelerated Innovation: SUSE’s flexible open source platform supports the rapid deployment of new capabilities and use cases that enhance customer experience and drive business growth. This includes use cases such as responsive merchandizing and smart payments that build on technologies such as data analytics, automation, and AI/ML.
• Fraud Detection and Prevention: With SUSE’s edge solutions, data is processed real-time, allowing for quick identification and notification of suspicious activities. This enables eCommerce platforms to take immediate action to prevent fraud.

SUSE Edge Suite is based on SUSE Edge 3.2, the latest version of its edge computing platform. Newly launched SUSE Edge 3.2 includes a number of new features and enhancements, including:

• Validated designs that ensure consistent and easy deployment on commonly used hardware and system architectures
• Automation to lower the cost of lifecycle management – image build patch and deploy
• Flexible pricing models and bundles that align with the varied business models and scale needs of retailers.
• Zero touch deployment
• Highly integrated comprehensive edge stack that supports AI/ML workloads, and GenAI models deployed by the retailers.

“SUSE is committed to delivering edge solutions that empower retailers to succeed in today’s competitive environment,” said Keith Basil, SUSE’s General Manager for the Edge Business Unit. “SUSE Edge Suite and SUSE Edge 3.2 are transformative for retailers needing a comprehensive set of tools and capabilities to optimize their edge operations, enhance security, and accelerate innovation.”

SUSE’s solutions come hot on the heels of recent retail innovations by SAP, Google Cloud, Salesforce, Oracle, IBM and more. The solutions come to address critical needs for retailers and provide open infrastructure software to create innovative solutions. These include responsive merchandizing, fraud and theft prevention, real-time inventory management, and smart payment systems for improved customer experiences, reduced costs,  and staff efficiency.

What This Means for ERP Insiders

Retail enterprises are increasingly turning to edge computing solutions to enhance efficiency, security, and innovation. At the National Retail Federation (NRF) 2025 conference, SUSE announced significant updates to its SUSE Edge solutions, unveiling SUSE Edge 3.2 and SUSE Edge Suite. These offerings provide a powerful, integrated solution designed to address the unique challenges faced by retailers operating in dynamic, distributed environments.

Key Benefits of SUSE Edge Solutions

• Enhanced Operational Efficiency and Cost Reduction
  SUSE Edge Suite integrates SUSE Linux and Rancher, enabling retailers to streamline their edge operations across stores, warehouses, and distribution centers. This results in greater consistency, reliability, and automation, leading to improved operational efficiency and reduced costs. Features such as zero-touch deployment and validated designs ensure seamless integration with existing infrastructure, allowing retailers to focus on delivering superior customer experiences rather than managing IT complexities.
• Robust Security for Retail Environments
  Security remains a top priority for retail businesses, particularly with the increasing threats targeting point-of-sale (POS) systems and customer data. SUSE’s latest updates introduce enhanced security features that safeguard critical retail operations from cyber threats and data breaches. Real-time data processing capabilities also facilitate fraud detection and prevention, enabling swift identification of suspicious transactions and immediate action against potential threats. Compliance with industry regulations is further simplified through SUSE’s integrated security tools.
• Accelerated Innovation and AI/ML Integration
  SUSE Edge Suite fosters innovation by providing a flexible, open-source platform that supports the rapid deployment of next-generation retail solutions. With support for AI/ML workloads and generative AI models, retailers can leverage data-driven insights to enhance customer experiences, optimize inventory management, and introduce smart payment systems. This capability positions businesses to adopt cutting-edge technologies such as responsive merchandising and automated decision-making, ensuring they stay ahead in a competitive landscape.

SUSE’s latest advancements reinforce its commitment to empowering retailers with scalable, secure, and intelligent edge solutions. By addressing key industry pain points—ranging from operational inefficiencies to security threats and the need for rapid innovation—SUSE Edge 3.2 and SUSE Edge Suite equip retailers with the tools necessary to thrive in an evolving market. As the retail sector continues to embrace digital transformation, SUSE’s edge solutions stand as a pivotal enabler of sustainable growth and enhanced customer engagement.

The post SUSE gives retail the Edge with new suite appeared first on ERP Today.

The most common pain points faced by businesses today include complex and costly legacy systems, struggling to migrate to SAP S/4HANA, data overload and inefficiency, lack in data quality, slow innovation and lack of agility, regulatory and compliance challenges and high total cost of ownership (TCO). Ensuring clean data – data that is accurate, complete and compliant – is critical to addressing these challenges and driving business success.

To tackle most of these challenges, SAP developed the concept of Clean Core, an approach to achieve a modern, flexible and cloud-compliant SAP S/4HANA Cloud. According to SAP, Clean Core is achieved by integrating and extending SAP S/4HANA Cloud in such a way that it is cloud-compliant, “with optimal master data quality and perfected business process governance.” Central to this is the emphasis on clean data as a cornerstone for effective migration and system efficiency.

However, is SAP Clean Core enough to address these issues on its own? Thomas Failer, the CEO of Data Migration International, the inventor of the One Click Transformation approach based on the JiVS Information Management Platform for data migration and application retirement, shared that, while SAP Clean Core is a solid method for integrating SAP S/4HANA Cloud that allows you to minimize customizations, developments and move only relevant data, its process can be elevated even further.

According to Failer, it is possible by enhancing SAP Clean Core with a solution specifically designed for data migration. As an example, Failer explained that, while SAP Clean Core allows users to achieve easier upgrades and lean and scalable system architecture, DMI’s One Click Transformation can support the whole process by archiving historical data and managing it outside the core system, giving users the ability to retire legacy systems without losing access to critical historical data. Furthermore, the One Click Transformation enables the business to clean up and transform the relevant master data in a simple way.

Additionally, with SAP Clean Core ensuring that only relevant and high-quality data is migrated to S/4HANA, DMI’s One Click Transformation can separate operational data migrated to S/4 from historical data archived in JiVS, thus reducing data volume in new target systems by 90-95 percent and enabling more efficient migration. Furthermore, according to Failer, it can automate large portions of migration and reduce its costs and timeframe by 50 percent, therefore eliminating downtime challenges and providing a more focused and clean dataset for operational systems.

All these functions can also help improve business agility, according to DMI’s executive. Specifically, Failer said, “Our One Click Transformation approach complements SAP Clean Core by freeing up resources to focus on new projects and innovations and enabling businesses to adapt quickly to market changes, and bringing the data into optimal shape without the burden of legacy systems or poor-quality data.”

Enhanced data quality and focus on relevant, essential data lead to greater process excellence and significantly reduce the effort required for troubleshooting caused by inaccurate  or inconsistent data.

Higher business agility also means a higher ability to ensure compliance and governance – and JiVS can help reinforce it by storing historical data securely while ensuring accessibility for audits and supporting data privacy regulations with tools for data retention and controlled access.

Finally, the joint effort between SAP Clean Core and One Click Transformation powered by JiVS IMP can help organizations reduce TCO and drive sustainability: as Failer shared, on top of SAP Clean Core’s elimination of unnecessary customizations, JiVS can “minimize data-related expenses for storage, processing and migration and simplify the decommissioning of legacy systems, supporting efficient system upgrades with a clean S/4HANA core.”

He added: “On top of that, with SAP Clean Core contributing to sustainability goals by reducing IT system complexity and optimizing resource usage, JiVS enhances sustainability by archiving legacy data to significantly reduce storage and energy consumption and supporting efficient data lifecycle management to minimize the IT carbon footprint.”

So, as can be concluded from the insight from DMI’s CEO, migration to SAP S/4HANA does not just have to be a necessity and complex process: with the help of the SAP Clean Core approach and solutions like JiVS, it can also be an opportunity to enhance your tech stack with processes that increase your agility, compliance, sustainability, and above all, data quality.

The post SAP Clean Core and JiVS One Click Transformation: The perfect match for SAP S/4HANA migration appeared first on ERP Today.

Novartis’ research and medicines focus on core therapeutic areas with high unmet patient needs, including neuroscience, oncology, immunology and cardiovascular treatments, as well as technologies such as Radioligand therapy, and gene and cell therapy treatments. With a mission to reimagine high-value medicine through technology to improve and extend people’s lives, Novartis medicines now reach more than 284 million people worldwide, and in 2023 generated $45.440bn in total revenue for the firm. 

Whether for compliance and data isolation purposes, or for a divestiture or spin-off,   targeted extraction and migration of certain data, while leaving the rest intact, can be a regulatory must. Such was the case for this parent firm, as Novartis was seeking to separate its software strategy in a spin-off of its generics and biosimilars division, Sandoz, to enable both companies to pursue independent growth strategies. 

Across the business, the technology stack includes many of the big vendors: SAP S/4HANA, Snowflake, AWS, Microsoft Azure, Veeva Systems, Oracle and Tableau to name a few. For this project, the task involved carving out one of Novartis’ SAP Business Warehouse (BW) systems, which stored 5TB of sensitive data. Moreover, part of that data had to be deleted from the system before the handover.

To complete its vision on the technical side, Novartis chose to partner with data migration specialist SNP after a history of previous projects with the vendor. Due to the highly sensitive nature of the data, the SNP consultants involved in the project also needed to go through compliance training courses and certifications.

Preparations for the carve-out could be completed remotely, but SNP consultants worked on-site with Novartis in Switzerland during critical phases of the project, for instance, when handling productive data.

SNP consultants were given the task of copying the SAP BW system to the project landscape using SNP’s proprietary CrystalBridge software, removing the non-necessary Novartis data and then migrating the rest to the newly built Sandoz landscape. Additional components were added such as Chamaeleon for re-modeling and SNP Validate for automated testing. 

The project took a year to complete in full, with Novartis having planned for two go-lives: one technical go-live, where Novartis had the chance to test the system and confirm everything was delivered according to the specifications and, following a smooth round of testing, the other a business go-live to its employees. 

After this successful SAP BW carve-out for Novartis, the firm also opted to receive post-go-live support from the SNP team, ensuring a steady transition to its independent SAP BW system. 

Sachin Verma, associate director at Novartis commented on the project outcomes: “We have already completed several projects with SNP, so the choice of the partner for this planned SAP BW carve-out was easy. We knew they would get the job done exactly the way we needed it, and they did not disappoint – I definitely recommend working with SNP consultants.” 

As Novartis and Sandoz handled this changing business structure, the SAP BW carve out segregated the sensitive data warehousing operations, with an ongoing SNP partnership being the best medicine for a less turbulent transition. 

The post Pharma firm Novartis carves out SAP BW with SNP appeared first on ERP Today.

The shortlisted companies under each category are:

Operational Innovation of the Year

• Axiamatic Inc.
• IBM
• Infor
• Original Software
• Turnkey
• Inetum

ESG Excellence of the Year:

• Data Migration International
• eKal Solutions Ltd
• IBM UK Limited
• IFS
• SAP UK Limited
• SUSE

Best ERP Vendor:

• Enterpryze
• Epicor
• Forterro
• Infor
• QAD
• Rootstock Software
• SAP
• Workday

Finance Solution of the Year:

• EY
• Innovate Tax
• Inoapps
• insightsoftware
• Kyriba
• LTIMindtree
• Rossum
• SplashBI

Customer Experience Solution of the Year:

• IFS
• Infor
• Kaizens Group
• NTT DATA Business Solutions
• Opkey
• SugarCRM
• Vertilocity
• Wipro Limited

HR Tech Solution of the Year:

• IBM UK Limited
• iCIMS
• Inoapps
• Strada
• Workday
• Zalaris

Transformation Project of the Year:

• Accelalpha
• Agilyx Group
• Codestone Group Ltd
• Deloitte
• G3G
• Boomi
• Kaizens Group
• SAP UK Limited
• Snowflake
• Syniti
• Wipro Ltd
• Boss Consulting

ERP AI and Innovation of the Year:

• Automation Anywhere
• Axiamatic Inc.
• Celonis
• Deloitte LLP
• Embridge Consulting
• Epicor
• IFS
• Infor
• KPS AG
• NTT Data Business Solutions
• SAP UK Limited
• Wipro Ltd

The post The ERP Today Awards 2024: Shortlist out! appeared first on ERP Today.

The document outlines a three-step approach to managing these risks, starting with understanding a company’s risk tolerance, followed by a system management health check, and culminating in a comprehensive system health check engagement. This engagement, offered by QAD, aims to uncover existing risks, identify the gap between current systems and business strategy, and provide actionable insights for improving system health and resilience.

The findings underscore the importance of proactive system management and strategic IT investments. Manufacturers are encouraged to move beyond the “keeping the lights on” mentality and embrace a more forward-thinking approach to maintaining and upgrading their business systems. The document concludes with a call to action for companies to authorize a complete system management health check, understand existing risks, and make informed decisions to safeguard their business operations and strategic goals.

The post What’s the True Cost of a Critical Business System Outage? appeared first on ERP Today.

Improved business agility: Instead of being locked in to an inflexible, out of the box from a single vendor, composable architectures empower businesses to choose best-of-breed solutions for each function. This dismantles the vendor’s control over the entire software stack, making them replaceable for specific components.

Faster, more collaborative innovation: Traditional technology vendors struggle to keep pace with innovation across all functionalities within their offering. But composable architectures thrive in such a dynamic ecosystem. More agile, composable vendors focus on specific functionalities and iterate rapidly. Businesses can then integrate these best-in-class components into their workflows, accelerating their own innovation cycles.

Reduced switching costs: Locked-in customers are a cornerstone of the legacy model. Composable architectures break this confinement by allowing businesses to seamlessly swap out components for better alternatives. This flexibility has forced a reduction in switching and re-platforming costs, making it easier for customers to replace failing suite vendors.

Perpetual licensing models under threat: Composable solutions commonly follow a subscription-based model. SaaS pricing models are a stark contrast to the perpetual licensing of monolithic platforms, where hefty upfront costs and fixed terms are a substantial burden.

Valuing the long tail: Monolithic platforms advocate a one-size-fits-all approach. Composable architectures counters this by enabling the easy and quick integration of necessary functionalities, delivered via APIs. This caters to the long tail of changing business needs that legacy suites cannot adapt to.

The secret weapon in all of this has been the rapid evolution and maturity of composable technology. Our group has been part of this story since 2020, advocating for Microservices, API-driven, Cloud and Headless technologies with a resolutely end-user focus.

It has been this focus on end-user demands and needs that has enabled composability to dismantle the walled gardens created by legacy platforms. It fosters a more open, best-of-breed landscape where businesses can assemble the optimal software stack for their needs, driving innovation and reducing vendor lock-in.

Of course, legacy platforms will still have a place in the market. But these vendors will need to adapt by offering more modular solutions and prioritizing a focus on user needs in a rapidly changing software landscape.

The post The coming of the composable age appeared first on ERP Today.

The Silicon Valley-based research and advisory firm, Constellation Research, works to provide strategic insights to businesses looking to future-proof their processes. The firm’s analysts pick solutions for the shortlist portfolio based on a thorough research process that includes client inquiries, partner conversations, customer references, vendor selection projects, market share and internal research.

Nextworld’s inclusion in the Constellation Shortlist stems from its EAP solutions, which help tend to critical business operations such as finance, order management, procurement, inventory control and manufacturing. Moreover, Nextworld’s no-code platform gives clients access to pre-built apps, enabling firms to innovate at the edge of their application ecosystem without requiring ERP replacement or customization. Enterprises can integrate, extend, and even build new enterprise applications to support and enhance the existing application ecosystem.

Holger Mueller, VP and principal analyst, Constellation Research, said: “We are thrilled to see a vendor whose offerings were designed with EAP concepts from its inception. The true magic is when you see companies making the platform they use to develop applications available to improve their value creations with consumers, customers and employees. This cohesive approach sets the stage for rapid adaptation and sustainable scalability.”

For Nextworld, this recognition underscores its commitment to innovating enterprises with composable and sustainable digital transformations. Vito Solimene, CTO, Nextworld, added: “We designed the Nextworld EAP so that our customers could focus digital modernization efforts on the most meaningful and high-impact business initiatives. It is an honor to be recognized by the Constellation Research team.”

Following the announcement, Nextworld hopes to use its inclusion in the Constellation Shortlist to further demonstrate its commitment to providing businesses with an optimal path forward in their technology stacks.

The post Reach for the stars: Nextworld joins Constellation Shortlist for composable approach appeared first on ERP Today.

Understanding Retail ERP:

Let’s begin by ensuring a clear understanding of what Retail ERP entails.

Retail ERP: Tailored to the retail industry’s unique demands, retail ERP systems encompass a wide array of functionalities. These include inventory management, point-of-sale (POS) systems, supply chain optimization, and customer relationship management (CRM). An optimal retail ERP should streamline operations, elevate customer experiences, and bolster profitability.

Qualities of the Best Retail ERP:

Now, let’s explore the critical characteristics that distinguish an ERP system as the best fit for retail businesses:

1. Inventory Mastery:

• Real-time Inventory Control: An ERP should offer real-time inventory tracking and predictive demand analytics, ensuring that your inventory levels remain balanced to minimize overstock and understock scenarios.
• Multi-Location Compatibility: If your retail enterprise operates through multiple outlets or maintains an online presence, the ERP should seamlessly oversee inventory across all channels.

2. POS Integration:

• Seamless Transactions: An ERP should effortlessly integrate with your POS system, guaranteeing smooth, precise transactions. Furthermore, it should accommodate various payment methods, including mobile payments and contactless transactions.

3. Customer Relationship Enhancement:

• Customer Insights: A robust CRM component within the ERP system aids in gathering and dissecting customer data. This data is vital for crafting personalized shopping experiences, executing targeted marketing campaigns, and launching loyalty programs.
• Marketing Automation: ERP solutions featuring marketing automation tools simplify customer engagement and communications.

4. Supply Chain Excellence:

• Supplier Collaboration: Effective supply chain management is a linchpin of retail success. A top-notch retail ERP should encompass tools for supplier management, procurement optimization, and punctual deliveries.
• Demand Prediction: Precise demand forecasting can curtail inventory expenses and amplify overall supply chain efficacy.

5. Scalability:

• Flexibility for Growth: As your retail venture expands, your ERP system should exhibit scalability. The best retail ERP solutions can adapt to accommodate the evolving needs of your business.

6. Omnichannel Support:

• Unified Shopping Experience: Modern retail mandates a seamless shopping experience across all channels, online and offline. Optimal retail ERPs facilitate omnichannel retailing, making shopping, returns, and brand interactions effortless for customers.

7. Analytical Prowess:

• Data-Driven Insights: Advanced reporting and analytics tools are indispensable for senior business leaders. They provide valuable insights into sales trends, customer behavior, and overall performance, enabling data-driven decision-making.

Recommendations for Retail ERP:

Considering the aforementioned criteria, here are three notable ERP systems recommended for retail businesses:

1. Microsoft Dynamics 365 for Retail:

• Combines Microsoft’s robust technology with retail-specific features.
• Offers comprehensive POS integration, inventory management, and CRM capabilities.
• Scalable and adaptable to evolving retail needs.

2. SAP S/4HANA for Retail:

• SAP’s renowned ERP system tailored for the retail sector.
• Streamlines end-to-end retail processes from procurement to customer engagement.
• Provides advanced analytics and supply chain optimization.

3. Oracle Retail Cloud:

• Oracle’s cloud-based ERP solution designed for retailers.
• Features integrated inventory management, POS, and customer insights.
• Offers scalability and real-time data for informed decision-making.

Conclusion:

In the world of retail, the choice of ERP system can be a game-changer. The best ERP for retail is one that aligns seamlessly with your business objectives, enhancing customer experiences, optimizing supply chain processes, and bolstering profitability. By meticulously evaluating your options and selecting the right ERP system, you can position your retail enterprise for success in an ever-competitive market.

In summary, the optimal ERP system is a powerful tool, revolutionizing the way you manage retail operations and equipping you to adapt nimbly to shifting customer demands and market dynamics.

The post What is the best ERP for retail? appeared first on ERP Today.

Hours later, you’re looking with frustration at parts scattered on your floor. The instructions are confusing, you need parts, tools are missing and trial and error hasn’t solved the puzzle. What you thought would be a simple job has turned into an ordeal.

Similar risks await organizations that launch a composable ERP strategy without fully sizing up how it aligns with business goals and what’s needed to make it, well, composable.

The “what” and “why” of composable ERP

Composable ERP has emerged as a way to modernize legacy ERP environments to be more flexible and interoperable. The composable model is replacing the monolithic ERPs of yesteryear, so that you can assemble digital business capabilities as you wish – though often using cloud-based services.

The vision is compelling, but outcomes depend on ensuring your shift doesn’t take a wrong turn.

Core ERP capabilities like inventory and financial management might be delivered by the central platform, while best-of-breed applications handle satellite functions. Done right, composable ERP equips your business to be nimbler, make informed decisions and create or adapt business models on the fly.

The vision is compelling. All of a sudden, you’ve got that agility your C-suite has been talking about. You’re faster than competitors because you can roll out digital capabilities in bite-sized pieces that are easier to deploy and use. You’re smarter too, because you’ve got data at your fingertips to make informed decisions.

Plus, you’ve achieved AI readiness because your composable ERP environment lets you test and deploy AI with relative ease. Now, as everyone from CIOs to teenage TikTok-ers knows, AI is a very, very big thing, so this is a benefit that really can’t be overlooked.

Almost as a bonus, composable ERP eliminates the risk of a Big Bang ERP lift-and-shift to the latest version going horribly wrong. Of course, all these outcomes depend on ensuring that your shift doesn’t itself take a wrong turn.

The global shift to composable ERP

As organizations face end-of-life deadlines for outdated ERP systems and brainstorm over digital transformation, composable ERP sits at the leading edge of IT modernization. Its value is widely recognized, to say the least.

Some 94 percent of organizations worldwide are embracing a composable ERP strategy, according to a survey of 1,675 CTOs and enterprise architects conducted by Boomi. Of them, 76 percent are standardizing and consolidating applications, and 71 percent are moving to the cloud.

As composable ERP takes shape, we’re seeing several points of differentiation on what works and what doesn’t.

What works and what doesn’t

Composable ERP can’t be strictly an IT concern. Sure, it benefits IT with a lower total cost of ownership, reduced technical debt, faster development and deployment and reduced risk. Architecting composable ERP, however, shouldn’t be pinned to those IT goals.

Instead, design your composable ERP strategy around specific business objectives. What matters most to the organization whether increased customer loyalty, better sales rep efficiency, improved decision making? Whatever the goal, composable ERP lets you attack business priorities with speed and precision not possible with a rigid monolith.

Ongoing business and IT collaboration is required. You want to avoid anti-pattern scenarios in which composable ERP starts off with a lot of enthusiasm and executive backing, only to have momentum dwindle into half-baked shelfware.

At some organizations, recomposing business structures may be in order as well. A rigid and compartmentalized chain of command is contrary to the principles of composable ERP. It pays to bear in mind Conway’s Law, which holds that any system designed (such as composable ERP) will mirror an organization’s communication structure. It works best when the business itself is flexible and composable.

Composability requires connectability

Composable ERP that spans the core ERP and diverse cloud systems in a hybrid IT environment doesn’t just work out of the box. It’s a “some assembly required” proposition and its success depends in part on how that assembly is accomplished.

Integration technology to connect systems, standardize and share data and automate processes should be first on the technology shopping list.

In the age of monolithic ERPs, some organizations relied on vendor-supplied tools and APIs to devise integrations with any third-party systems that might be used. Many still do. They might have a great team of developers who can roll up their sleeves and custom-code connectivity using Python, JavaScript, .NET and other approaches.

But those outdated tactics don’t cut it in our ever-accelerating digital age. It’s not quick; development can drag on for months. It’s not easy and integrations are often brittle and can break with the slightest change. Nor is it sustainable, as developers skilled in legacy tools are harder than ever to find.

If cloud-first composable ERP is on your roadmap, equipping with the latest generation of cloud-based integration technology that can connect systems, standardize and share data and automate processes should be the first items on the technology shopping list. You want to be able to quickly and easily recompose your ERP environment, leveraging any API or building your own, as applications and objectives evolve.

Composability and AI-readiness

The advent of generative AI alone is arguably a reason to shift to composable ERP. The ability to test, deploy and iterate large language models swiftly has profound implications for business transformation that we will see unfold in the months and years to come. In essence, composability makes it possible to embed AI within core ERP capabilities, handing you what we can call “AI-readiness”.

We are already seeing AI introduce “systems of intelligence” that sit between the traditional systems of record and systems of engagement (those used by employees, customers and partners). As with a conventional application, AI is best anchored to business objectives and a sound foundation that can connect composable systems and share data.

When a new generative AI tool emerges, your composable ERP environment is tailor-made to test, tweak and move the shiny new AI tech into production.

So, the takeaway here: composable ERP gives you readiness for anything – be it a merger and acquisition activity, a new line of business or even a global expansion. The project is yours to pick, just be sure you have the right strategies lined up so that you can actually hop on that new exercise machine instead of looking with frustration at parts scattered on your floor.

The post Composable ERP: Some assembly required appeared first on ERP Today.

On hearing the announcement that Brian Duffy was leaving SAP after 18 years to join SoftwareOne, I had one question: Software Who? Some people may also have asked, Brian Who? But for those who don’t know, Duffy was formerly the president of cloud at SAP and was instrumental in leading SAP’s own cloud transformation and the RISE program.

Duffy is highly regarded both inside and outside of SAP and his decision to leave the German giant after such a long tenure came as a surprise. Even more surprising was that he had joined a company I had barely heard of.

“SAP taught me so much. But I felt that I could learn more elsewhere,” said Duffy. “The decision was more about joining SoftwareOne than leaving SAP. I wanted a new challenge and to test myself. The opportunity to take on a CEO role where I could really move the needle was attractive and the more I found out about the business the more excited I was.”

A little research reveals that SoftwareOne, based in Switzerland, started life in 1992 as Microware AG. After a series of mergers and acquisitions, most notably when it acquired a US entity called ‘SoftwareONE’ it adopted that name for the parent company.

KKR took a 25 percent stake in 2016 and later floated the business on the Swiss Stock Exchange. Since then, the company has continued to make acquisitions but has occupied a fairly anonymous position in the enterprise tech industry until Duffy joined and Bain Capital launched a hostile takeover bid just six months ago (more on this later).

Its modest revenues of $1bn belies the true scale of the company’s influence. SoftwareOne resells and manages more than $22bn of licenses for Microsoft and provides the backbone to more than 175 million Office 365 users around the world. In addition, it works with a further 7,500 software vendors to ensure that customers have access to a comprehensive array of technology solutions which are delivered by 9,250 employees operating in 90 different countries.

In addition to its impeccable Microsoft credentials, the firm has deep capabilities in application management, data and AI, cloud services and digital workplace solutions. It works with the biggest ERP publishers like SAP and Oracle and partners with hyperscalers including Azure, Google and AWS. It provides an end-to-end advisory service for customers through the full lifecycle of software consumption from benchmarking, negotiation and licensing to selection, procurement and deployment.

The decision to feature our first non-vendor CEO on the cover of ERP Today was inspired by our search for diversification. ERP software and consulting services are fast becoming commoditized products – SoftwareOne told us it had a different story to tell so we packed our bags for Zurich to find out more.

The mess we are in

At first, Duffy’s decision to leave the comfort of the world’s leading ERP brand to join a Swiss outfit that didn’t really do ERP seemed like an odd decision. However, during my three hours with Duffy and his team at SWON headquarters in Zurich, I discovered that the company he had joined may hold the answer to many of the conundrums that are dogging businesses around the world.

The relationship that SoftwareOne has with its customers is not underpinned by the need to sell consulting days for big ERP projects and that assures a level of authenticity that is vital in a very complicated environment.

Cyber threats, cost control, hybrid workforces, licensing agreements, quarterly updates, chatbots, green targets, GenAI, data privacy, application management, talent acquisition and ERP modernization – to name just a few.

It’s time for a reset. It’s time for technology customers to rationalize and optimize what they have before biting off anymore. It’s time to stop buying and start utilizing, then reinvest whatever can be saved in tech that can accelerate change. Legacy used to refer to mainframes and on-premise technology but today, many companies already have a cloud legacy and have spent fortunes searching for the optimal state without fully realizing the benefit from their investments.

“Many thought cloud was the answer to everything but it’s people and processes that define a transformation,” Duffy told me.

In every evolutionary step, there is a period where the final incarnation of the end state is unclear. For twenty years, that end state has been a mirage for many businesses – each new piece of tech promised to deliver nirvana and yet it just added another layer to distract and complicate. After two decades of groping for a solution, I see business leaders exasperated with their choices, frustrated by their returns and fearful that one missed step could be a terminal mistake.

“Many are caught in the middle; fearful of missing out and afraid to make the wrong decision,” said Duffy.

In all but the most extreme of cases, businesses need an ERP system that is stripped back to the bone, consumed through the public cloud and coupled with a platform for independent innovation. This halcyon state is a far cry from the chaos that most enterprise leaders preside over and SoftwareOne is on a mission to help navigate the journey, irrespective of a customer’s starting point.

“Most customers are at different stages: some need help to navigate from one place to another and some are genuinely confused and don’t know where to go,” said Duffy. “They trust SoftwareOne to support them through these critical decisions and to help them make the right choices.”

Today, every business on the planet is a technology company. From butchers to bakers and everything in between, there is only one business model. In the past, the recipe for success was simple: be good at making something and know how to sell it. Today, the list of requirements for a competitive business is long and convoluted – and it all rests on a company’s ability to buy, make, sell, distribute and service through digital channels.

The technology era was meant to make companies more efficient and our lives easier. From where I am standing it has increased costs, confused most business leaders and thrown workers into a maelstrom of digital dissatisfaction.

“There’s genuine confusion out there, and who can blame them,” said Duffy. “We’re seeing more demand from our customers because the landscape is becoming more complicated. Customers need our help to show them the way forward, which steps to take first and how to identify the real opportunities. We can help eliminate costs and strip out underutilized tech so they can reinvest in the technology that is going to accelerate their journey.”

This unique relationship with the customer is one that GSIs are unable to replicate because they are so intrinsically tied to the vendor narrative. Many customer relationships are ultimately owned by the audit partner or through a long-standing relationship with a consulting firm that has supported the business over many years. While these relationships are valuable, they are not without their challenges and customers cannot be assured that the advice they are receiving isn’t tainted by commercial interests.

Mid-market companies are also much more prone to decision paralysis where business leaders do not have the level of support and knowledge to make the correct strategic technology decisions.

The relationship that SoftwareOne has with its customers, many of whom are also customers of the same global consulting firms, is not underpinned by the need to sell consulting days for big ERP projects and that assures a level of authenticity that is vital in a very complicated environment.

“We’re not pitching for the biggest implementations,” said Duffy. “Sure, we can do some of that but our services and advisory business is designed to help customers navigate the end-to-end process and help steer them towards the right decisions. We’re agnostic and we can help you understand which is the best solution, that’s number one. Then we can help you think about how you might implement that solution. We help define the blueprint, we make a plan, we think about how we take this to market and find the right partner.”

This dynamic is unusual and a clear point of difference for SoftwareOne as they are not predisposed to push a particular product or steer the customer towards their own implementation services. You should think of SoftwareOne as an independent strategic advisor to CIOs. An advisor that measures every customer engagement on the outcome rather than the number of consulting days it has sold.

“The partnership we have with our customers is unique because we have very deep relationships with the CIO and the purchasing departments,” said Duffy. “Customers in more than 90 countries rely on us to help them navigate everything from buying software to complex migrations and you don’t get that end-to-end solution from anyone else, not even the GSIs.”

Duffy described his company’s role through a unique analogy that cleverly depicted his vision for the role SoftwareOne can play in supporting customers on their transformation journeys.

“Transformation is hard and customers need protecting at times,” he said. “It’s a bit like the peloton in the Tour de France; the team surrounds the elite riders on the uphill sections to shield them from the wind, to make sure the main rider conserves energy for the end of the race. We are shielding and protecting our customers and when the time is right the peloton opens up and the customer accelerates away.”

The fear factor

It is impossible for two similar companies to compete if they are not on an equal technology footing and this is felt most acutely in the mid-market. A superior technical deployment will outperform the alternative to many orders of magnitude, while market leaders can be plunged into darkness by new competitors with dominant technology.
The mid-market has largely been ignored by GSIs and many have moved ahead with cloud transformations deprived of the appropriate guidance. Still relatively early in their journey, mid-market companies are also much more prone to decision paralysis where business leaders do not have the level of support and knowledge to make the correct strategic technology decisions.

“They are dealing with challenges on all fronts,” said Duffy. “Most come with a legacy and that’s a ball and chain from the start. Then they are dealing with rising costs that they barely have sight of. Add to that the challenges of procurement, data, security and AI – it’s not hard to see why many are failing to get the most out of their investments.”

Aside from these fundamental technology decisions, CIOs know that the consequence of their choices has a direct impact on the company’s ability to win in the digital marketplace, for both customers and talent. Technology is no respecter of history: it matters not that a company or brand has a rich heritage or once-loyal customers. It can turn ardent and dependable buyers into forgotten memories and long-standing employees into disgruntled overheads.

This customer transience is a source of considerable consternation for business leaders who know that loyalty depends solely on their ability to execute in a digital world. Customer retention, employee satisfaction and the threat of new competition has created a fearful landscape for business leaders. They must invest in technology to reimagine their business, remain relevant in the face of new entrants and support employees with the tech they need; no small task at a time when every business is doing the same thing and you’re just a manufacturer that makes things in a foundry.

In a world that changes in days and weeks rather than months and years, there is no time to sit back, reflect and take stock. This relentless pace of change coupled with a crippling fear factor of making the wrong decision or, worse still, making no decision at all, has created one hell of a mess for countless companies around the world.

Duffy told me that the pressures on the C-suite have never been greater and the burden on CIOs is increasing. “To tackle the challenges all at once is impossible,” said Duffy. “CIOs should start with the thing that is keeping them awake at night – and in most cases that’s spiraling costs. You can’t save yourself out of a problem but you can use those savings to invest in technology that’s going to really help you get to where you need to be.”

Duffy the CEO

Duffy is a first-time CEO and his introduction to SoftwareOne could not have been more challenging. Three weeks after taking the helm, an unsolicited takeover bid was launched by Bain Capital. Duffy and the board rejected the offer but it’s impossible to ignore how unsettling this must have been. A revised and improved offer was also dismissed and, since July of this year, there has been no further public update on the status of the approach.

Most compelling of all is the concept of “self-funded” technology investments where a customer can, with the help of SoftwareOne, rationalize its current landscape and divert those savings towards different and more effective tools.

Duffy put a positive spin on the news, saying “Bain is interested for the same reason that I joined – it’s a great company.” Recently, Reuters reported that several further bids had been received as part of the firm’s ‘strategic review of options’, including a bid from Apax Partners. However, it is understood that Bain is now the only interested party and the specter of an aggressive VC lurking in the wings will be an unwelcome distraction from the job at hand.

The job in question has several elements for Duffy to wrestle with, including an internal transformation and a move away from a federated operating model to one that has a coherent North Star. I asked Duffy how he planned to transform SoftwareOne from its legacy of licensing and what experience he brought to help reshape the company.

“There’s some work to do on our internal transformation for sure. When I traveled the world in my first 100 days, I asked as many people as I could ‘What’s the purpose of our company?’ and I got 100 different answers. I’m building that North Star and we’re making great progress but there’s still work to do, as there would be with any transformation in a company that employs 9,500 people.”

Duffy’s source of inspiration for many of the changes required will come from his experiences at SAP. In most cases, he will be able to pattern the scale mentality needed from the structures and processes that were inherent in Walldorf, but he will also use lessons learned about the impact change has on individuals.

“I learned a lot at SAP, especially on the sales side – building pipeline, creating the right governance and building teams to execute against a plan,” Duffy told me. “SAP was brilliant at doing that and I am definitely bringing some of that forward into SoftwareOne. But there was also my experience of going through SAP’s internal transformation and the RISE program which gave me a great insight into how it affects individuals and the need for clear and continuous communication. I’ve been talking to customers about transformations for a long time but when you go through one yourself you get a new perspective on the challenges.”

The internal changes that Duffy needs to make are underway with several new senior hires in place and a revamped brand as a starting point. Cultural change takes time, but steps are already being taken to reinvigorate the teams and align everybody with some common messaging and purpose. There’s also a drive to broaden the scope of the company’s partnerships and Duffy’s status in the industry provides the platform to throw doors open that have previously only been ajar.

“I’m giving our teams the confidence to walk with a bit of swagger – if you just take our partnership with Microsoft – that’s a $22bn account,” Duffy said. “Make a list of their partners and we’re right at the top. Then you think about the millions of Office 365 users out there because we brought that product to their doorstep. Our reach and scale in just this one ecosystem is incredible. So it’s about being proud of that and thinking which other partners can we go deeper with? Where else can we build a similar business?”

I asked Duffy if he felt he had all the skills and experience required to make the kind of changes needed and his answer was refreshingly modest. “I feel like it’s a step up in terms of responsibility and what is expected for sure,” he said. “It’s also a step up in terms of the buck stops with me. That doesn’t overwhelm me – I may not have done everything before but I know what good looks like.”

Duffy’s considerable experience at scaling and building big will be a significant asset but so too will his relative naivety. Not in terms of business acumen or his ability to get the job done, but simply that being a CEO is a new gig and he brings the kind of enthusiasm that can be beaten out of more long-toothed execs. Duffy is a young and energetic leader who is energized by the opportunity and keen to test himself. His history in the upper echelons of SAP has equipped him with an incredible foundation of knowledge, experience and contacts. Couple that with the foundation that already exists within SoftwareOne and you start to think about a company that has the potential to really influence the next phase of global digital deployments.

Customers will place a premium on trust when they come to make these decisions having had some of their hopes dashed by previous technology investments. SoftwareOne’s extensive reach into the office of the CIO and the purchasing departments at 65,000 customers provides a foundation of confidence and dependability that can be the catalyst for a new phase of growth. This growth and demand from customers will in turn pave the way for new and deeper partnerships with the biggest vendors – perhaps leading to business units that can rival the current status of its Microsoft practice.

Most compelling of all is the concept of “self-funded” technology investments where a customer can, with the help of SoftwareOne, rationalize its current landscape and divert those savings towards different and more effective tools. At a time when budgets are under more pressure than ever, while the need to accelerate has never been greater, a partner that can help you get there without increasing the cost burden could be exactly what many thousands of mid-market companies are crying out for.

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