Articles

A few days ago, Bas van der Veldt, the CEO of the Dutch software giant AFAS, shared a fascinating personal story that perfectly captures the current existential crisis of the tech industry. Over a weekend, without writing a single traditional line of code, he built a fully functional “vitamin manager” application for his household. He […]

(The Finale of the series: “From Iron to Cloud: The Blueprint for MES Integration”) We have defined the strategy (ERP vs. MES). We have tied the Gordian Knot of data synchronization. We have translated the voltage of the machines into digital signals. If you have followed Parts 1 through 3, you now possess the blueprint […]

If you read the article from last Monday, AI Agents vs SaaS Business Model: Why the SaaSpocalypse is Wrong, you know where I stand. I argued that the market’s panic over AI agents replacing enterprise software is premature. The industry is currently facing a defining conflict: AI Safety vs Enterprise Reliability. This creates a Governance […]

We have talked about Strategy (ERP). We have talked about Execution (MES). Now, we must talk about the Iron and what it truly takes to achieve Infor LN shop floor connectivity. For a Solution Architect sitting in a comfortable office, connecting a machine to Infor LN sounds like a simple flowchart box labelled IoT Integration. […]

If you have been watching the markets last week, you have likely witnessed the carnage. Major players in the SaaS (Software as a Service) landscape, such as Salesforce, ServiceNow, and large IT consultancies, have taken a massive hit. The narrative driving this sell-off is catchy, terrifying, and seemingly inevitable: the “Saaspocalypse” is finally here. The […]

(Part 2 of the series: “From Iron to Cloud: The Blueprint for MES Integration”) In ancient mythology, the Gordian Knot was an intricate problem that no one could untangle. Alexander the Great famously solved it by cutting it in half with his sword. In the modern manufacturing landscape, the integration between your ERP and your […]

(Part 1 of the series: “From Iron to Cloud: The Blueprint for MES Integration”) We often confuse the map with the territory. In the high-stakes world of manufacturing – whether it is Automotive, Aerospace, or Industrial Machinery, the ERP is your map. It handles the grand strategy, the standard costs, the procurement forecast, and the […]

There are two truths in every manufacturing company. The first truth lives in the boardroom. It is written in the pristine rows of Infor LN, defined by Standard Costs, Master Production Schedules (MPS), and financial forecasts. It is a world of logic, planning, and clean data. It is the map of the territory. The second […]

(Part 5 of the series: “The ERP Intelligence Evolution: From Data to Agents”) In Part 1, we defined the technology. In Part 2, we learned to talk to data. In Part 3, we exposed the risks of autonomy. In Part 4, we secured the perimeter with clean data. Now, we face the final, most personal […]

(Part 4 of the series: “The ERP Intelligence Evolution: From Data to Agents”) In Part 1, we defined the terms. In Part 2, we queried the data. In Part 3, we explored the dangers of autonomous Agents. Now, we must face the brutal reality that kills up to 85% of AI projects before they even […]

(Part 3 of the series: The ERP Intelligence Evolution: From Data to Agents) In Part 1, we defined the taxonomy. In Part 2, we learned how to talk to our data. Now, we arrive at the final frontier: Agentic AI. This is the peak of the hype cycle. The promise is seductive: the “Self-Driving Enterprise”. […]

(Part 2 of the series: The ERP Intelligence Evolution: From Data to Agents) In Part 1, we defined the taxonomy. We established that GenAI is the “Assistant” that understands context. But before this assistant can start doing things (like the future Agentic AI), it must first master a simpler, yet revolutionary skill: answering questions about […]

(Part 1 of the series: The ERP Intelligence Evolution: From Data to Agents) In the boardroom, “AI” is a buzzword thrown around to solve every problem. On the shop floor, it’s a source of confusion. “Is this ChatGPT for my warehouse?” “Will it predict stockouts or write emails?” “Is it safe?” To build a realistic […]

(Introduction to the 5-Part Series) We are standing on the edge of the single biggest shift in ERP history since the migration from green screens (character-based interfaces) to Windows graphical interfaces in the 1990s. That shift changed how we look at the system. This shift changes who does the work. But right now, the market […]

In our main series, we discuss how to optimize existing warehouse operations using AR, AMR, and Drones. However, a significant opportunity lies in identifying operational bottlenecks before construction begins or before new equipment is installed. This capability is provided by the Industrial Metaverse, and inside this spinoff article we’re take a look of what does […]

In today’s fast-paced industrial landscape, accessing real-time ERP data is a primary challenge. Critical information is often contained in static reports, making it difficult to access quickly. By the time a report is run, exported to Excel, and analyzed, the situation on the shop floor or in the warehouse may have already changed. For operations […]

In our first two articles, we established the ERP as the “conductor” and explored how Augmented Reality (AR) and Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR) act as “instruments” to revolutionize picking. Now, we address the most dreaded process in logistics: the annual physical inventory. For 30 years in Automotive, Industrial, and A&D, this has been a slow, […]

In many large facilities, operators spend over 50% of their shift simply walking: this is non-value-added time. While our last article gave operators AR “superpowers”, this post tackles that waste at its source using Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR). But first, you must understand why an AMR is not just a smarter AGV. AGV vs. AMR: […]

In our first article, we established the ERP as the “conductor” of the smart warehouse. Now, let’s look at the first instrument in the orchestra: Augmented Reality (AR). In any warehouse (Automotive, Industrial, or A&D), the highest cost and the single biggest source of errors often lies in the “last 10 meters” — the manual […]

In recent years, the warehouse has been redefined by three technology trends that are already (or about to) have a massive impact: Augmented Reality (AR), Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR), and Drones. This Blog-Post launches a series of 3 episodes exploring these three pillars of the intelligent warehouse. In this new ecosystem, the ERP is the […]

The unspoken rule of enterprise software was that power came at the price of complexity. We accepted that our ERP systems, while functionally robust, required extensive training, complex navigation, and a specialist’s mindset. We learned to operate them because we had to. But what if the most powerful tool was also the easiest to use? […]

One of the biggest hurdles preventing companies from moving away from their trusted legacy ERPs isn’t data privacy or fear of the cloud itself. It’s a much deeper, more operational fear: the belief that a multi-tenant cloud ERP will force them to abandon the unique, highly customized business processes they’ve spent decades perfecting. Let’s be […]

For years, the value of an Infor LN ERP consultant (or Baan, for the veterans) was measured by the depth of their technical knowledge of the core system. The ability to write a 4GL script, to know key tables by heart, or to force a customization to bend the system to a client’s will was […]

We have traditionally viewed our ERP as the ultimate system of record—a detailed chronicle of every transaction and inventory movement. It is the undisputed source of truth for what has happened. In a stable world, this rear-view mirror was enough to navigate. But in today’s landscape of constant disruption, looking back is no longer a […]

Last month I had a chat with one of my old colleagues. We used to work together back in manufacturing (feels like a lifetime ago). We ended up talking about the old days, the stuff we used to do, the situations we were thrown into without giving any insights, all the funny bits we missed. […]

I recently came across an interesting thought shared by an old friend of mine, someone who’s a co-founder and leader in the retail industry. He said, “Instead of hoarding stock to ‘buffer’ quality, buffer the process itself.“ At first, I was surprised. For as long as I can remember, most industries, especially manufacturing, distribution, and […]

In an ERP implementation, we often see that features and functions implemented are driven by the complicated structure of the base ERP application instead of the actual business (process) requirements. The question “What is better?” is not that relevant as you know that the answer is in the implementation process. Sometimes consultants propose to alter […]

Any project managing an ERP implementation, regardless of the methodology used or how the phases are labelled, is structured in the same typical way. Project Initiation Planning Design Development Testing Training and Change Management Go-Live Preparation Go-Live Post-Go-Live Support Project Closure And so it has been since at least the last 30 years. When companies […]

In the old days, ERP implementations were all about long, rigid waterfall projects; slow, linear, and less flexible. Project timelines extend for years, which leaves us with no to little room to adjust as things change. Companies got stuck with static or customized systems that couldn’t keep up with fast-moving market demands, often leading to […]

In today’s global economy, businesses are expanding across borders and dealing with customers and suppliers from different countries. Consider a supplier from the Netherlands sending an invoice to a customer in Norway or the UK. In the past, this process might have involved emailing PDFs, faxing documents, or even using paper. This can lead to […]