ERP Software Solutions

𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗱𝗼 𝘀𝗼 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗘𝗥𝗣 𝗺𝗶𝗴𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗳𝗮𝗶𝗹? 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗮 𝘀𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝘀𝗼𝗳𝘁𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗰𝗵, not the business transformation it truly is. Listening to my network, there seems to be a rush to complete ERP migrations, as fast as possible, with SAP S/4HANA plans driving most of it. But an ERP system is more than just an IT upgrade. It’s a chance to redesign how your business operates and build a solution architecture that supports agility and innovation. While necessary, these migrations often become redundant without proper alignment to business goals. Something, I've seen happen! Here some get rights to consider: ◉ 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 Ensure that IT and business leaders are on the same page. ERP systems serve broader business objectives, such as innovation, improving procurement strategies, and enhancing supplier relationships. ◉ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀. Instead of getting caught up in the technology itself, be clear about the business benefits you'd like to achieve. New ERP functionality can be of support to achieve goals like efficiency, cost reduction, and agility. ◉ 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝗲𝗻𝗱-𝘁𝗼-𝗲𝗻𝗱 Don't just migrate complex, outdated processes but streamline them end-to-end. Reevaluate processes for efficiency and desired outcomes. ◉ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 - 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 ERP migrations often fail due to poor user adoption. Beyond training, invest in communication & ongoing support showing the value and relevance of the system to users. ◉ 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗼𝗹𝘃𝗲 𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀-𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺𝘀 ERP impacts every area of the business, so cross-team collaboration is essential. Involve stakeholders from finance, procurement, IT, and operations ensures the system meets everyone’s needs. ◉ 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗮 𝗾𝘂𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 - 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗲 An ERP system is only as good as the data it processes. Ensure that data is clean, consistent, and reliable before migration. Dirty or incomplete data is one of the biggest challenges post-go-live. ◉ 𝗣𝗿𝗶𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘀𝗲 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺 𝗳𝗹𝗲𝘅𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 Choose an architecture which allows for future-proofing and integration of new features, scalability and integration. Business models evolve, and your ERP must evolve with them." ◉ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰 𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀 - 𝗶𝘁'𝘀 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗴𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝗳 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 Don’t rush an implementation. ERP migrations are complex and require time to integrate properly. A phased approach allows for troubleshooting and mitigates a risk for failure. ❓Any other "get rights" i missed and you would add from your experience. #erp #businesstransformation #migration #sap4hana

I just watched an AE lose a $1.2M deal after running a "successful" product trial that the prospect LOVED. After 8 weeks of work, the CFO killed it with five words: "Let's try our current vendor." This happens because most reps treat trials as product demos instead of what they actually are: RISK ELIMINATION EXERCISES. After analyzing 200+ enterprise sales cycles at companies like Salesforce, HubSpot, Thomson Reuters, and Workday, I've identified the exact framework that separates 80%+ trial conversion rates from the industry average of 30%. Here's what most reps get wrong: They skip qualification and jump straight into the trial. Big mistake. Before any trial, ask these 3 questions: → "What happens if you don't solve this problem in the next 90 days?" → "How have you tried solving this before?" → "Who else is affected by this problem?" These eliminate 68% of unqualified trials before they start. Next, define success upfront: → Technical requirements that must work → Business metrics they expect to see → Timeline for implementation → User adoption patterns needed Get confirmation: "Just to confirm, if we demonstrate these criteria, you'd be ready to move forward with purchase by [date]. Correct?" Map every stakeholder: → Technical buyers (include every trial user) → Economic buyers (CFO/budget holder) → Political influencers (who can kill deals) → Current solution advocates (who benefits from status quo) For each person, document their personal win/loss scenarios. Have legal review agreements BEFORE starting trials. "We typically have legal review the agreement structure ahead of time so there are no surprises later. Would you be open to having them review a blank agreement while the trial is running?" Finally, handle the current vendor objection upfront: → "Have you discussed these challenges with your current vendor?" → "What was their response?" → "What specific capabilities do they lack?" Document these answers to build your business case. Results from this approach: ✅ Trial conversion: 32% to 83% in 60 days ✅ Deal size increased 40% ✅ Sales cycle shortened 37% ✅ Forecast accuracy improved 92% ✅ 43% less time on unsuccessful trials Stop running trials. Start running risk elimination exercises. — Sales Leaders! Your reps don’t need another training. They need a Revenue OS™. Check this out: https://lnkd.in/ghh8VCaf

The biggest businesses can get major programmes horribly wrong. Here are 4 famous examples, the fundamental reasons for failure and how that might have been avoided. Hershey: Sought to replace its legacy IT systems with a more powerful ERP system. However, due to a rushed timeline and inadequate testing, the implementation encountered severe issues. Orders worth over $100 million were not fulfilled. Quarterly revenues fell by 19% and the share price by 8% Key Failures: ❌ Rushed implementation without sufficient testing ❌ Lack of clear goals for the transition ❌ Inadequate attention and resource allocation Hewlett Packard: Wanted to consolidate its IT systems into one ERP. They planned to migrate to SAP, expecting any issues to be resolved within 3 weeks. However, due to the lack of configuration between the new ERP and the old systems, 20% of customer orders were not fulfilled. Insufficient investment in change management and the absence of manual workarounds added to the problems. This entire project cost HP an estimated $160 million in lost revenue and delayed orders. Key Failures: ❌ Failure to address potential migration complications. ❌ Lack of interim solutions and supply chain management strategies. ❌ Inadequate change management planning. Miller Coors: Spent almost $100 million on an ERP implementation to streamline procurement, accounting, and supply chain operations. There were significant delays, leading to the termination of the implementation partner and subsequent legal action. Mistakes included insufficient research on ERP options, choosing an inexperienced implementation partner, and the absence of capable in-house advisers overseeing the project. Key Failures: ❌ Inadequate research and evaluation of ERP options. ❌ Selection of an inexperienced implementation partner. ❌ Lack of in-house expertise and oversight. Revlon: Another ERP implementation disaster. Inadequate planning and testing disrupted production and caused delays in fulfilling customer orders across 22 countries. The consequences included a loss of over $64 million in unshipped orders, a 6.9% drop in share price, and investor lawsuits for financial damages. Key Failures: ❌ Insufficient planning and testing of the ERP system. ❌ Lack of robust backup solutions. ❌ Absence of a comprehensive change management strategy. Lessons to be learned: ✅ Thoroughly test and evaluate new software before deployment. ✅ Establish robust backup solutions to address unforeseen challenges. ✅ Design and implement a comprehensive change management strategy during the transition to new tools and solutions. ✅ Ensure sufficient in-house expertise is available; consider capacity of those people as well as their expertise ✅ Plan as much as is practical and sensible ✅ Don’t try to do too much too quickly with too few people ✅ Don’t expect ERP implementation to be straightforward; it rarely is

One pattern keeps repeating in Enterprise Sales right now. I hear it from every Sales leader, CRO and Sales Rep I speak to. Some are calling it 'Deal Slippage' Others "Elongated Sales Cycles' or simple 'Do Nothing' outcomes. But the premise is the same, deals getting stuck mid-pipe. These deals are a killer for morale, for forecast accuracy and of course for quota attainment. You know the deals I'm talking about...The client is strongly engaged in the early stages, there's a genuine problem to be solved, good traction with their team and then something happens. The momentum disappears, the can quietly gets kicked a bit further down the road. These Zombie deals never quiet die do they?...Instead they just lurch from quarter to quarter, with just enough life to keep them in CRM. If you're dealing with this issue, either personally or across your sales teams, here are 10 Client Red Flags we're consistently seeing in our Client Loss Reviews at the moment. Avoid these 🚩 and you just might put the breaks on your deal slippage problem... 🚩No Genuine Exec Sponsor: If no-one internally has stepped up to defend your deal in the boardroom, or better yet sell the value on your behalf, that's a big red flag. 🚩Lack of Resourcing Depth – Delivery Risk is a huge concern to clients at the moment. If your team feels light or lacking in real-world experience, its a big red flag. 🚩Transition Cost Ambiguity – Hidden, deferred or unclear costs over the life of a project are huge red flags for procurement, who will usually assume the worst and penalise you accordingly. 🚩Top Heavy Team – When sales reps or senior leaders do all the talking, but the delivery team stays quiet, buyers immediately lose faith. 🚩Generic Industry Stories – If client case studies and references don’t sound exactly like their lived experiences, it's a big red flag that you haven't done this before. 🚩Q&A Avoidance – Dodging the hard questions or glossing over the risks, makes buyers assume you can’t answer their critical questions or worse, you don't want to. 🚩Rigid Pricing Models – One number, no options, no flexibility, means buyers feel boxed in and misunderstood, suggesting heighted risk, not certainty. 🚩Governance Gaps – “We’ll work it out post-award” is code for chaos, poor governance and delivery risk. Avoid at all costs! 🚩Slow Responsiveness – Slow response times, suggest slow delivery times, a lack of urgency and poor internal process. Clients think "If this is what you're like before we sign, how slow will you be after we buy" A huge red flag for enterprise clients. 🚩Risk Blind Spots – If you can’t name, explain, manage and mitigate their risks, clients will assume you haven’t seen them or worse, have intentionally ignored them. I could easily share another 20 client 🚩 we often uncover on a daily basis. Instead I'd love to hear one red flag you always look out for, as a sign a deal maybe straying off course?

Most EPM vendor demos look convincing. Clean dashboards. Smooth workflows. A clear implementation plan... And a promise that this time will be simpler than the last. But a good demo does not tell you whether the platform will create value once it is live, or whether the business will actually use it. That requires a different set of questions. 1. Functional fit Can the business adapt planning logic, scenarios and assumptions themselves, or will every change require IT or vendor support? 2. Technical capabilities Can the platform integrate reliable actuals from ERP, HRIS and other core systems without manual reconciliation? And does it meet data protection, security and audit requirements from the start? 3. Cost and value What is the full cost, including integration, administration, licences, training and change effort? And will the business case still hold as the organisation scales? 4. Vendor and support What do comparable companies say about the vendor after implementation, not just during selection? And is the support model strong enough for the complexity of your organisation? 5. Implementation and adoption How much real team effort is needed to reach a useful first forecast? And will budget owners plan directly in the tool, or will finance still collect inputs offline? Once the criteria are clear, the selection process matters just as much: • Define the requirements before engaging vendors Align internally on the business problems the platform must solve. • Compare a real shortlist Assess options against agreed criteria, not preference, familiarity or demo quality. • Test with your own data Validate planning logic, integrations, reporting and user experience in your actual context. • Secure leadership commitment before signing Adoption depends on decisions, ownership and behaviours, not only configuration. The best EPM platform is not the one with the strongest demo. It is the one that fits your planning ambition, data reality and ability to change. Which of these questions would your current platform struggle to answer? P.S. This lens is part of our broader FP&A software selection framework. Happy to share the full guide if useful for a selection you are running.

Most ERP failures are predictable. But most teams don’t catch them until it’s too late. ERP projects don’t crash at go-live. They crash months earlier, when: ❌ Risks go unchecked ❌ Resistance builds ❌ Misalignment takes root And by the time leaders realize it? They’re already in damage control mode. But NASA astronauts don’t wait for failure. They plan for it. Before every mission, they run countless pre-mortems. They assume the worst has already happened. Then, they work backward to find every possible reason, and fix it before launch. ERP projects? They need the same level of preparation. Here's how I run a pre-mortem that actually prevents failure: 1️⃣ Fast forward one year. → Your ERP project flopped. Hard. → What went wrong? Write down every possible reason. 2️⃣ Get brutally honest. → People didn’t adopt it? → Leadership wasn’t aligned? → Processes didn’t fit the tech? → Training came too late? No sugarcoating allowed. 3️⃣ Identify critical risks → Which failures would have the biggest impact? → Where is misalignment already creeping in? → What warning signs are already showing? 4️⃣ Reverse-engineer the fix. → What should have been done earlier? → Which risks need action now? → Who needs to be aligned before this even starts? Pre-mortems don’t just spot issues. They force action, while there’s still time to fix them. Because by the time failure is obvious? It’s already too late. PS. What’s an obvious ERP risk you’ve seen ignored? ♻️ Repost to help others run a pre-mortem before it’s too late. 👋 Follow Mariya Koteva for more ERP & change insights.

What’s Really Happening in Enterprise Sales (2024–2025) Enterprise sales didn't collapse, but they’ve quietly reshaped themselves while most teams keep selling like it’s still 2019. The rules have changed. If your team hasn’t adapted, you’re probably already feeling it: slower cycles, ghosting buyers, unpredictable quarters, and frustrated reps. Here’s what I’m seeing across every enterprise org I advise: 1. Sales Cycles Got Longer - The average cycle for large deals is now 6 to 12 months, often longer. - Budgets are tighter, and approvals are more layered. - Pilots and proof-of-concepts are now expected in most deals. 2. Stakeholders Multiplied - Deals now involve 5 to 10 or more decision-makers. - You’re not selling to a champion; you’re selling to finance, IT, legal, security, and operations. - Any one of them can stall, derail, or block a deal. 3. Buyers Are Overloaded and Guarded - Attention spans are shrinking while inboxes overflow. - Every “quick intro” feels like another task to manage. - Buyers now expect clear value upfront before they take a meeting. 4. Reps Must Become Strategic Advisors - No one wants a pitch; they want a navigation partner. - Enterprise sales now mean consulting on internal change, building business cases, and multi-threading effectively. - Top reps spend 60% - 70% of their time mapping influence and removing blockers, not demoing the product. 5. Internal Pressure Is Sky-High - Sales leaders must hit aggressive quotas with leaner teams. - One stalled deal can derail an entire quarter. - Forecast accuracy and pipeline quality now matter more than raw volume. - The spotlight is on deal progression, not activity dashboards. If you’re still running a 90-day playbook in a 9-month sales world, it’s not your reps. It’s the model. #EnterpriseSales #SalesLeadership #GTMStrategy

Moving your company to a cloud ERP _used to be_ about lowering TCO, simplifying IT infrastructure, and reducing upfront costs. But now, with the rise of #AI, cloud ERP systems are becoming much more human-centered, intuitive, and powerful. This year we just launched SAP S/4Hana on-premise at Girteka Group Vehicle Maintenance Business and I am watching how end-users "painfully" learn to interact with new interface and learn the new "SAP" terminology. #Coversational_UX My vision for the future is to transition to an AI-driven, cloud-based ERP—such as SAP S/4HANA cloud—that functions like a smart assistant, allowing users to interact through conversational interfaces. Imagine, where instead of navigating complex menus, users can simply type or ask questions to get insights — whether they need to understand current inventory levels, create a purchase order status or get update on oder delivery status. #Cost_Efficiency Cloud ERP with embedded AI also offers a more cost-effective way to access advanced technology. Since infrastructure, data storage, and even data science expertise are included in the cloud package, businesses can leverage AI without the heavy investment typically required for on-premise systems. #Access to Advanced, Up-to-Date AI Capabilities With cloud ERP, you benefit from the latest AI advancements as they become available. Providers like SAP regularly update their AI tools, including features like predictive analytics, natural language processing, and anomaly detection, which become instantly accessible to all cloud users. Unfortunately, the on-premise users are excluded from these "benefits". #Continious_Learning One of the biggest advantages of cloud-based ERP with AI is continuous learning. Cloud systems aggregate and learn from vast amounts of anonymized data across multiple organizations. This shared, centralized model enables AI to become more accurate and insightful over time. In contrast, on-premise systems operate in isolation, which limits the scale of AI’s data-driven insights and adaptive capabilities. #New_Era_for_ERP Artificial intelligence is transforming ERP from a traditional system of record into a genuinely intelligent system. Today’s AI-enabled ERP can predict market trends, optimize supply chains, and personalize customer interactions. It automates routine tasks, freeing up human teams to focus on more strategic initiatives. Achieving this level of innovation independently would be difficult and costly, so leveraging the expertise of a trusted cloud vendor like #SAP is key. In summary, shifting towards cloud, and specifically through GROW with SAP, would be good strategy for you to persue. --- More information: ·      https://lnkd.in/dcgwf2Vu ·      https://lnkd.in/dXYvG-Y9 ·      https://lnkd.in/dMcH_cVM #GROW_with_SAP, SAP S/4HANA Cloud ERP, #SAP_Partner

The future of business process will not live inside ERP, it will happen naturally, in the flow of what you are already doing. MCP servers are shifting where and how work gets done. From manually keeping your system up to date as work happens, to instead now integrating your business processes directly inside Teams calls & chats, Slack, phone calls, and even your LLM of choice. That means rethinking business processes entirely, not just digitizing the old steps, but evolving them into something more fluid. The guardrails and data will remain in traditional ERP as the engine, but the lanes we drive in will look very different from a process standpoint. It should not feel like “doing work” anymore. Hopefully. What would it mean for your team if business systems worked in the background rather than the foreground? Have a sales conversation? Your follow-up activity, quote, or opportunity can be drafted automatically. Chat with a customer in Teams? Case updates and knowledge base suggestions can surface right then and there. Review a report in a meeting? Action items and task assignments can be logged without ever opening your ERP. Work will begin to meet you where you are, not the other way around. Leaders across all teams should be thinking about how their operations adapt to this. We’re very much in the beginning phase of the transition, but are you approaching this shift in your business or for your customers?

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗘𝗥𝗣 𝗶𝗻 𝗮 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝘂𝗳𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗻𝘆? If so, you're likely facing one of the most common challenges: staff resistance to change. Implementing a new ERP system in manufacturing can revolutionize operations, but it often comes with unexpected hurdles. In my experience, the biggest obstacle is often resistance from shop floor and factory staff. Whether it is a fully integrated ERP, best of breed solution or a composable option, many frontline workers feel overwhelmed by new data entry tasks. They perceive that logging into devices and recording data will slow them down rather than improve efficiency. Recognizing and acknowledging these concerns is the first step to addressing them. 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗶𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 It will be important to communicate the tangible benefits: 📢 Real-time visibility of inventory to reduce the frustration of unexpected stock-outs. 📢 Automated scheduling, minimizing overtime and balancing workloads. 📢 Improved quality control, reducing rework and increasing job satisfaction. Employees naturally prefer familiar processes and the “old ways” of doing things. They may also wrongly anticipate that their jobs will be threatened by the new technology. It is therefore imperative that you address their concerns, showcase the tangible benefits, confirm job security and enrichment and involve them in the process. This will help you to convert their resistance to enthusiasm. You will need their support for successful ERP adoption. What suggestions do you have for overcoming this resistance to change? #erp #wms #changemanagement #projectmanagement #erpselection #manufacturing #engineering #factory #shopfloor