Upcoming webinar explores fears around cloud ERP

Back-office functions like ERP are being left behind in the move to cloud. What concerns are slowing the migration, and are they justified?

Migrating IT systems from on-premises servers to the cloud has many benefits, and most organisations are well on their way to becoming cloud-first. However, back-office applications like enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems have typically found themselves at the back of this march towards progress.

The back-office's critical day-to-day functions, heavily customised nature, integration with other systems and entrenched attitudes of 'If it ain't broke don't fix it' mean technology decision makers often take a risk-averse approach to ERP in the cloud. Yet, our recent research into the benefits of cloud-based ERP shows the gains typically far outweigh any perceived risks and challenges - and CIOs are responding.

Although most departments primarily host their ERP on-site, with less than a quarter using cloud, there is a growing trend to move off-premises. More than half of the IT leaders we questioned had moved (16 per cent) or were moving (39 per cent) to the cloud. In two years' time, those numbers are expected to reach 47 per cent having fully implemented, with another 24 per cent still rolling out a cloud ERP.

Our upcoming webinar, and accompanying research, will establish the extent to which fears around ERP cloud challenges are justified today, explore the dominant hurdles - including migration, integration, security, skills, customisability, cost and vendor lock-in - and examine how best to overcome them.

Register now for our webinar, 'Key ERP cloud strategies for overcoming common challenges', sponsored by Unit4, on the 16th September.