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After reviewing the biggest ERP headlines and advancements of 2023, it is time to evaluate where ERP is going in 2024. With AI and industry-specific enhancements, along with major technology innovations, these and many other ERP forces are set to converge, which will dramatically benefit customers in ways we cannot even imagine in 2024. But how will the ERP vendors really enhance their products to achieve this vision? And how will their strategies compare to 2023? In this special episode of The ERP Advisor, Shawn Windle & Rebekah McCabe make their ERP market predictions for 2024, and how these trends could impact your business.

The ERP space is vastly changing as vendors continuously improve their software solutions and the platforms on which they offer them. There was no shortage of innovation in the world of ERP in 2023 whether it was new tools, improvements to AI, or platform upgrades. In this episode of The ERP Advisor, ERP expert, Shawn Windle, and industry analyst, Rebekah McCabe, highlight the past year of ERP by evaluating major headlines, market trends, and exciting innovations that emerged in 2023.

Microsoft began the week by announcing new generative AI and data solutions and capabilities for retailers that span the whole shopping journey. SAP also introduced its new AI-driven capabilities to optimize retailers’ business processes. Workday announced their retail sector’s new high, exceeding $1 billion in ARR. Salesforce announced new data and AI-powered tools to transform every shopping experience. OneStream announced its financial results for the fiscal year-end of 2023. Finally, Rootstock announced the launch of its QuickStart Implementation for Manufacturers.

Deltek kicked off the week by announcing its acquisition of ProPricer, a proposal pricing solution for government contractors and government agencies. UKG began 2024 by announcing that Newsweek had named them to its America’s Greatest Workplaces for Diversity list for the second consecutive year.

Microsoft made major enhancements to Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance, announcing the general availability of business performance planning capabilities to equip customers with a comprehensive view of financial and operational performance. nCino, a cloud banking solution for the global financial services industry, announced an expanded partnership with Salesforce to accelerate the delivery of financial service solutions to the market, building upon their long-standing collaboration.

Nonprofits desire streamlined, automated processes for financial planning and analysis (FP&A), grants and donor management, and managing their projects and programs. Achieving efficiency and simplicity positively impacts their mission by freeing up valuable resources. In this special mini-series, Shawn Windle reveals his trends and predictions for the nonprofit industry, and the best practices organizations can leverage to reach their goals in 2024.

After all your hard work during your ERP implementation, you’re now ready to flip the switch. But how do you really know you’re ready to cutover and successfully go-live with your new ERP? And what benefits should you expect right after go-live? In this episode of the ERP Advisor, Shawn Windle breaks down what to really expect before, during, and after your go-live cutover.

Salesforce signed a definitive agreement to acquire Spiff, a provider of a new class of incentive compensation management (ICM) software that combines an intuitive low-code UI, the familiarity of a spreadsheet, and a powerful processing engine to drive commissions automation at scale. Qlik announced the acquisition of Mozaic Data, an innovative AI-driven data management technology. ECI announced it has completed the acquisition of Treetop Group, a software company specializing in business software solutions for the Netherlands residential construction and craft industry.

Oracle kicked off the week by opening a second Oracle Cloud region in Chile, making it the first hyperscaler to have two regions in the country. Epicor promoted interim CFO, Joe Ayers, to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer. SAP expanded its integration with PayPal through the creation of digital payments plug-in for the PayPal Braintree Platform built on the SAP Business Technology Platform. Salesforce announced the general availability of Unlimited Edition + (UE+) a simplified technology package for businesses looking to accelerate growth with AI, data, and CRM. Certinia released its new AI capabilities and enhancements to its Services-as-a-Business platform. Finally, QAD released a new tool designed to drive supply chain value and enable customers to manage macroeconomic factors.

Most ERP failures are rooted in poorly executed implementation methods, whether that be ill-prepared data migration plans, no defined success criteria, a lack of overall preparation, or any combination of these factors. ERP implementation failures, consequently, force businesses to accrue significant losses in time and money, which ultimately puts the business at greater risk. As a result, business leaders find themselves screaming into the void for guidance on managing these common pitfalls, and all too often, their pleas are met with confusing ERP jargon and finger-pointing. In this episode of the ERP Advisor, Shawn Windle addresses the common culprits of failed ERP implementations while uncovering the best practices to ensure businesses achieve real value with their new ERPs.

As energy companies charge into 2024, they will look to grow their business by eliminating manual processes with advanced ERP solutions. Renewable energy has also resurged through the transformation of the U.S. energy system with The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) "encouraging investment in American energy supply chains, clean energy job creation, emissions reduction, and consumer energy savings" (energy.gov). These changes may ultimately require companies to expand infrastructure and alternative energy conversion structures or plants. As a result, energy companies must prioritize their decision-making capabilities to ensure speed and a competitive edge, as well as prepare for more capital-intensive projects within their ever-evolving industry. But what are some of the biggest challenges being faced by energy companies? And how will ERP technology change their landscape in 2024? In this special mini-series, Shawn Windle showcases the exciting future for energy companies thanks to advancements in ERP and the trends that will shape the market in the new year.

Regardless of the services your company is offering, advancements in ERP have created opportunities for service firms to reach new heights in 2024. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has dominated the conversation but will this net users with actual benefits or will it continue to be “hype” in the new year? What are the greatest takeaways from ERP in the service industry in 2023, and how can your business capitalize on these lessons and innovations? In this special mini-series, Shawn Windle analyzes the services industry and its greatest opportunities to foster growth and success in 2024.

Sage began the week by releasing its financial results for the full year 2023 ending September 30, 2023. Oracle also announced its fiscal 2024 Q2 results and the opening of an Oracle Cloud Region in Colombia in partnership with Claro, becoming the first major cloud provider to establish a public cloud region in the country. Finally, IFS announced that it has made two senior appointments with Max Roberts and Belinda Finch joining the company’s executive leadership team as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Information Officer respectively.

The week kicked off with fiscal 2024 third quarter financial results from Workday and Salesforce. IFS announced the general availability of the second of its twice-yearly IFS Cloud releases for 2023. Infor formed a partnership with ETQ to strengthen environmental, health, and safety solutions. Finally, AWS announced four new capabilities for AWS Supply Chain.

The distribution industry is experiencing a strong upside in software capabilities as vendors improve their functionality heading into 2024. Distributors must evaluate and identify their needs to effectively leverage the new ERP technology available in their industry. But what are the roadblocks on the horizon in 2024, and what are the major takeaways of 2023? In this special mini-series, Shawn Windle uncovers his trends and predictions for the distribution industry, and how companies in this vertical can become more competitive in the new year.

Manufacturers who need to select new ERP should know their options and how to define their business and industry requirements. But what ERP challenges will manufacturers experience next year and what are the best strategies to avoid them? In this special mini-series, Shawn Windle evaluates recent manufacturing ERP trends, and how to maximize opportunities for software improvements in the new year.

AWS and Salesforce kicked off the week by announcing a significant expansion of their global strategic partnership, deepening product integrations across data and AI. Qlik announced its new integrations and AI-powered solutions with AWS to Qlik Cloud, helping customers scale the power of large language models (LLMs). Finally, Aptean acquired 3T Logistics & Technology Group, a provider of cloud-based transportation management systems for the United Kingdom and broader Europe.

Epicor began the week by announcing its acquisition of Elite EXTRA, a provider of cloud-based last-mile delivery solutions. Oracle added new mobile capabilities to Oracle Fusion Cloud Inventory Management, part of Oracle Fusion Cloud Supply Chain & Manufacturing (SCM). Blackbaud kicked off its semi-annual Product Update briefings last week to showcase recent innovations and the future roadmap for Blackbaud’s suite of software solutions. Infor announced a new partnership with DailyPay to seamlessly provide employees with easy and quick access to their earned wages. UKG announced a business update for the fourth quarter and fiscal 2023, ending September 30, 2023. Finally, Salesforce announced it has surpassed its commitment to provide 500,000 upskilling opportunities to women as part of the Indo-Pacific Economic Framework for Prosperity (IPEF) Upskilling Initiative.

ERP upgrades demand thousands of hours and significant financial investments. However, a solid business case can ensure that the company’s efforts result in the right decision, whether or not that is a new ERP. In the second episode of our three-part series, ERP Advisors Group’s Shawn Windle reveals the best practices for building a business case and how to overcome executive hesitancies regarding a necessary ERP upgrade.

Sage kicked off the week by releasing their new updates in Sage Intacct. Acumatica announced its integration with Shopify's B2B e-commerce capabilities. QAD introduced its new digital assistant that utilizes the power of AI. Oracle announced its agreement with Microsoft to support the growth of AI services. Nextworld announced its new improvements across its finance, sales, procurement, and manufacturing suites.

A majority of ERP implementations fail due to a lack of knowledge of what the ideal scene should look like because a company rarely replaces its own ERP. Failure occurs from not knowing how the requirements gathering stage should go, or how any other stage like walkthroughs, testing, training, data migration, and much less go-live should run. However, with the right advisor, your team can sidestep becoming a statistic of failed implementations. In this episode of the ERP Advisor, Shawn Windle breaks down what role a client-side implementation consultant plays and how they are not the same as the implementation partner or the internal client PM.

ERP selection is risky and can lead to long-term fruition or endless nights of regret. ERP is the framework for meeting a business' needs and allowing it to deliver real value, but how do you know if it is the right time to upgrade? And what needs to be in place for you to consider leaving behind your outdated legacy software? In the first episode of our three-part series, ERP expert Shawn Windle, Founder & Managing Principal of ERP Advisors Group, explains how to evaluate your ERP, the importance of knowing your needs, and the risks of staying on your legacy solution.

IFS and Blackbaud jumpstarted the week by announcing their financial results for Q3 2023. Epicor introduced two industry-first analytics solutions for the automotive industry. Salesforce announced its AI-powered trade promotion planning tool to the Consumer Goods Cloud. Finally, SAP joined Stanford University's human-centered artificial intelligence (HAI) corporate affiliate program.

Microsoft began the week by announcing its results for the third quarter of 2023. SAP announced its new generative AI capabilities across the SAP Customer Experience Portfolio, expanding on SAP’s natural-language generative AI copilot Joule. Finally, Epicor introduced several innovative solutions designed to aid the automotive industry during its AAPEX 2023 Show in Las Vegas.

This year’s SuiteWorld conference went to Las Vegas, Nevada between October 16th and 18th. ERP Advisors Group’s Founder & Managing Principal, Shawn Windle, and Digital Marketing Manager, Rebekah McCabe, attended the conference to discover NetSuite’s new and exciting products and innovations. In this special bonus episode of The ERP Advisor, the two reflect on their experiences at SuiteWorld and share their thoughts on what’s on the horizon for ERP.