The future of ERP: Trends you can’t afford to ignore

ERP trends pathing the future

The future of ERP is fast approaching. For years, ERP projects have had a reputation for being slow, expensive, and painful. It was common to hear phrases like “let’s go for a big bang rollout,” “when will we see the return on our investment” and “how do we find time to implement a new system and still do our day job.”  

But that’s changing and fast. As cloud first becomes the new normal new trends are emerging which significantly change the implementation experience. 

Enabled by the cloud, the future of ERP implementation is faster, smarter, and more human-centric. 

 

Monolithic to modular, say hello to composable ERP 

70% of enterprises will use composable ERP strategies by 2026” Gartner 

Gone are the days of the “one system to rule them all” approach. Today, smart organisations are embracing composable ERP – a flexible mix of systems, each selected as the best fit to maximise business value and integrated across the enterprise. 

Why does this matter? This approach maximises the functionality delivered whilst it minimises the customisation required in each platform, is quicker to roll out, easier to update and more adaptable to future business change.  

 

Smaller releases delivering incremental value is replacing “Big Bang” drama 

Horror stories often start with the same thing: a massive rollout all at once hit by operational issues that put the organisation at breaking point. Historically treated as a technical upgrade project, managing the impact of change was often under resourced with serious consequences. 

Not anymore. Smarter approaches to implementations have; Smaller releases focused on delivering incremental value, faster feedback loops, and putting change management front and centre will deliver quicker wins with less risk. 

 

Harness the power of AI, make it work for you 

AI is no longer just a buzzword. It’s rapid rise enables new ways to manage the inherent complexity of ERP programmes. If used correctly AI can streamline implementation planning, accelerate delivery, and reduce risk. 

Today, AI can analyse historical project data to predict potential bottlenecks, recommend rollout strategies based on organisational readiness, and even simulate the impact of changes before they go live. 

AI is game changing for time intensive, longer leadtime but critical activities within the deployment lifecycle. For example, automated data analysis and cleansing from legacy systems, self-learning configuration where workflows are adjusted based on usage patterns and QA tools to write test scripts driven from user requirements and to automate testing. 

AI does not replace the need for experienced humans but can help to solve a reoccurring issue and reduce the burden on organisations to find the team members to support the ERP implementation at the same time as doing their day job. 

 

The future of ERP

ERP platforms are no longer the clunky, monolithic beast they used to be. The future of ERP implementation is smarter, faster, and more flexible. If your organisation is planning an ERP journey, make sure it’s aligned with where the industry is going – not where it’s been. Get started today!

Why Choose Us

At Nine Feet Tall, we quickly integrate into your team, building momentum from day one while sharing our expertise to upskill your staff. Our open and honest communication style ensures transparency without unnecessary bureaucracy. With a deep understanding of industry challenges and trends, we bring fresh insights and best practices, empowering your organisation to realise the full benefits of change.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the key trends shaping the future of ERP systems?

The future of ERP is being shaped by trends such as cloud-first adoption, composable ERP architectures, artificial intelligence integration, and a shift toward modular, incremental implementations. These innovations enable faster deployment, greater flexibility, and improved business insights.

How does AI impact the future of ERP implementation?

AI is transforming ERP by automating data analysis, predicting project bottlenecks, and streamlining configuration and testing processes. This leads to smarter, more efficient ERP implementations and helps organisations make data-driven decisions faster.

Why is composable ERP important for the future of business operations?

Composable ERP allows businesses to select and integrate only the modules they need, resulting in enhanced agility, scalability, and cost savings. This approach supports rapid adaptation to market changes and evolving business requirements, making it a cornerstone of the future of ERP.

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