How do you combine your ERP with the cloud?

Honestly, I have seen the best results by focusing on native cloud solutions, like Netsuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Acumenica. The cloud-native approach helps organizations design, build and tailor solutions around a company's unique business requirements. Native solutions allow for more flexibility, agility, scalability with a more manageable cost structure.

Remember, the best cloud model isn't just about cost or security; it's about aligning with your long-term business vision and growth strategy.

Selecting the “right” cloud ERP solution is critically important, just as the implementation process can be highly disruptive. Careful planning from the outset helps reduce costs and helps make implementation faster and easier. That’s why it’s important to get business and IT stakeholders aligned around a shared vision for the implementation and business needs the new system will support.

In addition to cost and security, one of the main factors to decide the right cloud model, needs to be based on the company strategy to adopt or adapt. If the company wants to adopt the architecture, processes and best practices of the ERP, vs the need to adapt the ERP to cover the company requirements. Microsoft D365, SAP S/4HANA, Netsuite and others offers different flexibility according to the strategy you choose.

Choosing the cloud model also tends to affect the version update model. Especially in the Microsoft Dynamics world, the Public Cloud (SaaS) version is the only model that offers automatic updates directly from Microsoft instead of the vendor being charge of the update/release pace. On the other hand, this requires more validation/testing/resources from the customer when the ERP needs to be updated more frequently. Updating from OnPremise to Cloud, I've seen the best results when starting out fresh with a new installation instead of "version update" to SaaS, so only the master data is migrated. This requires a thorough analysis of needed modifications, how integrations are built (P2P vs. REST) and the overall architecture.

Encourage standardization across your ERP processes and configurations across companies. Use out-of-the-box features to the fullest and use templates wherever possible and build global templates and apply it for the other legal entities. This really helps in large scale multi country ERP Implementations.

in my humble experience , its the same old story of are you changing your business to fit the ERP, or you customizing the ERP to fit your business. option 1: will make you up and running smoothly and its the best time to market and cost efficient, however you may end up loosing your business advantage process, and will suffer from human rejections of the new processes in your daily operations. option 2: you are customizing it :), ahh good news but be aware of how long it takes? how much it will cost? most importantly is every module is available on cloud? my verdict : ERP selection (vendor + implementation partner ) and clear blueprint of the architecture and business process customization is crucial to make it a successful project

An optimised ERP architecture not only ensures seamless cloud integration but also future-proofs your system against rapid technological changes.

It is so important to evaluate your current ERP complexity with its capacity to integrate with the cloud. Evaluate all the integration touchpoints. Do a proper As Is functional decomposition analysis of the Erp. Before just deciding. This will help to identify what will be required and will safe time on what will be required for the To Be solution and the Cloud integration system that will be scalable enough to address the business objectives and needs.

Optimizing your ERP architecture necessitates a strategic alignment that factors in business size, niche, and future goals. For intricate and unique ventures, uncharted territories might lead to untested micro module models, potentially causing prolonged hit-and-trial efforts and change management complexities.

While technology plays a pivotal role in security, fostering a culture of security awareness among employees is equally crucial.

1.Privacy and data residency 2.Contractual agreements 3.Data ownership and portability When considering cloud-based ERP solutions, there are several important security aspects that you should carefully evaluate to ensure the protection of your sensitive data and business operations. Above are just few of many and this goes with any SaaS based deployments.

Continuous integration and continuous deployment (CI/CD) practices can help ensure that any changes to your ERP or cloud environment are tested automatically, reducing risks and ensuring smooth operations.

Feedback loops with users can provide invaluable insights into areas of improvement, ensuring that the system remains user-friendly and meets evolving business needs.

Integrating your ERP with the cloud is not just a technical challenge; it’s a human one. Training and supporting your users is vital because they are the bridge between the technology and business success. Without proper education and continuous support, the most advanced integration can become underutilized or misused. Engaging users, understanding their needs, and encouraging their participation turns them into advocates for the system, ensuring that your investment in ERP and cloud technology delivers its full potential. It’s about transforming technology into a tool that resonates with the people who use it daily.

Consider the long-term costs and benefits of cloud integration, including potential savings from reduced infrastructure costs and increased operational efficiency.

Why talk of combining ERP with the cloud while you can have ERP on the cloud... either your own or products from ERP service providers. Large legacy ERPs do take sometime to do a move to the cloud. It's during the phased migration when one must live with a hydrid architecture. Else in today's scenario, there's nothing that's not available on the cloud.

The cloud always will be better for the leaders on the company we can have greatly reports updated real-time and have beautiful architecture of workflow approvals remotely with access by mobile.