ERP forecasts 2024: developments and opportunities

The world of business software, especially in the field of enterprise resource planning (ERP), is subject to continuous change and innovation. In this article, we take a look at the most important ERP trends for 2024 and highlight the central role of artificial intelligence (AI) in the further development of these systems, based on assessments by Claus Jepsen from Unit4, Gartner analysts and experts from staffing agency BGSF.

ERP automation and user experience

Enterprise Resource Planning, or ERP for short, is considered a business-critical system in almost every large company. At the same time, the way in which ERP systems are used is constantly evolving. One of the key developments for the near future is the increased automation of ERP processes. Claus Jepsen believes that this automation will gradually transform ERP into a ubiquitous tool that works intuitively and is role-based. Similar to databases or cloud technology, users will hand over activities to digital assistants. In the future, it will be less important which ERP system is used and how to achieve a desired result, but rather which system delivers the best results for the individual company goals.

At the same time, BGSF sees a trend in the coming year towards urgently needed improvements in the user experience for ERP software in general. This aspect has been neglected for long enough, but is increasingly coming into focus. Intuitive navigation and user-friendly interfaces are more in demand than ever to make work easier for system users. In this context, user interfaces are becoming increasingly dialog-oriented, as acceptance of this has increased significantly, not least due to experiences with chatbots such as ChatGPT, and the advantages such as more intuitive, more natural command input have become apparent.

However, it is not only the work with the ERP system that must be intuitive, but above all its implementation. According to Claus Jepsen, customers will increasingly rely on standardized systems in the future in order to achieve a faster return on investment. It is not always advisable to adapt ERP systems to the company's own processes, as this is far too time-consuming and expensive. Instead, the focus is on what companies offer their customers and the tailored selection of the most suitable software.

AI-supported ERP systems

Artificial intelligence and machine learning are also playing an increasingly important role in the ERP sector. By using AI and ML, ERP systems are becoming increasingly intelligent and powerful because they can, for example, collect data from various sources and thus make many more accurate predictions. This is particularly useful for assessing changes in demand and optimizing production, for example. In addition, the use of AI and the associated analysis of older data and decisions can automate future decision-making processes. For 2024, BGSF therefore expects a significantly greater use of AI and ML in ERP systems, especially for predictive analyses, intelligent automation and for gaining data-driven insights. It should also be noted that the use of ML only really works if data management is error-free. If the master data is incorrect, the system will draw false conclusions with potentially serious negative consequences. It is therefore important to maintain the data already available and break down silos.

Sustainability goals and circular economy in ERPs

ERP systems not only help to increase efficiency, but also play a decisive role in the implementation of increasingly important sustainability goals. By mapping processes digitally and analyzing them automatically, companies can use resources more efficiently and reduce emissions. A key concept in this context is the circular economy, in which products and components are reused instead of being disposed of. ERP systems will increasingly be able to analyze business processes in this direction and take or recommend sensible measures. The integration of sustainability goals into ERP systems will undoubtedly continue to gain in importance in the coming years and become a central component.

Conclusion

The ERP landscape is constantly changing and the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning will transform it faster and more than in the past. While dialog-oriented interfaces are improving the often poor user-friendliness, ERP systems are becoming a central building block for companies in the area of sustainability. Those who recognize and successfully implement these trends will also be successful in the future.

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