An enterprise resource planning system helps modern businesses manage various aspects of their operations by creating a single source of data management. Rather than worrying about updating and reviewing information across multiple business applications, you can use the ERP system to manage the data from a single location. That can save a business time and money.
ERP is a constantly changing landscape, with new innovations and trends occurring continually. To maximise the efficiency of your ERP system, you must learn about these innovations and trends to keep your business productive and competitive. If your company is one of the first to implement them, you will have a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace.
Below are the top 5 trends in ERP systems we can expect in 2025 and how they will change the ERP landscape.
1) AI Integration
Artificial intelligence will play a much more significant role in ERP systems over the next decade. Advanced AI and machine learning algorithms will help businesses make better decisions, demand forecasts, financial predictions, analytical reporting, and automation of repetitive tasks.
For instance, AI can quickly scan vast amounts of historical data to accurately predict seasonal product demand, market trends, inventory levels, and more. The AI technology is programmed to look for patterns before making informative data-driven decisions.
With this information, you can optimise your inventory and prepare effective strategies to strengthen your supply chain and improve operational efficiency during slow and peak seasons. Furthermore, the AI will learn to automatically process invoices, employee payroll, and other time-consuming human resources tasks.
2) Cloud-Based Solutions
ERP systems will no longer be connected only through a local network. In 2025, every business will need to replace its traditional local ERP systems with cloud-based or hybrid systems to improve efficiency.
Cloud-based ERP systems enable businesses to execute updates faster and more efficiently across multiple platforms, both on and off-site. This lowers the company’s IT infrastructure costs and improves scalability in ways that traditional ERP systems could not.
Hybrid ERP systems integrate cloud-based solutions with traditional on-site systems. Some businesses might not be ready to completely abandon their on-site ERP systems if they want to ensure the security and confidentiality of their most sensitive data. Meanwhile, they can still integrate cloud-based solutions into their on-site ERP systems to increase scalability and reduce some of their IT infrastructure expenses.
3) Advanced Analytics
Most ERP systems only exist within the confines of a company and its supply chain operations. All the analytical information produced is based on the historical and current data associated with the company’s sales, inventory, and other activities. While this information is vital for making accurate predictions and smarter decision-making, it still limits you to your company’s data only.
Now, imagine an ERP system that integrates with external data sources outside of the company. Some examples might include:
- Social Media Integration – The ability to scan through all the brand and product discussions and information published on social media websites like Facebook and Instagram. This social media data can help your company understand consumer sentiment on a personal level for your brand and products.
- Weather Integration – Connect to weather software apps to receive weather-related information that could impact your supply chain operations, such as pending storms, temperatures, rain, snow, etc. You can use this information to reroute your order shipments to reduce delays and low productivity.
- Market Research Integration – Extract outside market research data from reputable news sources to compile critical analytics, such as competition analysis, consumer surveys, and industry reports. This information can help you better understand the markets.
- Geolocation Data Integration – Running a business is all about understanding the consumer demand in local marketplaces. ERP systems can soon extract geolocation data to analyse consumer demographics in specific locations. That can help you promote specific products in places where they are in high demand.
Using your ERP system to analyse this information from external sources will help you discover new market opportunities and trends that your internal data might not show you. You can also compare the external and internal data to look for consistencies in the predictive analytics to forecast more accurate outcomes.
4) Responsive ERP System Interfaces
Businesses have evolved greatly over the last five years since the COVID-19 pandemic. More employees than ever prefer remote work over going to the office to work because it is faster and more convenient.
In 2025 and beyond, ERP systems will evolve to make it easier for business owners to manage their operations remotely. New ERP systems will have responsive interface designs that allow users to access their solutions via smartphone, laptop, or tablet.
A responsive design features simplified controls and functions to ensure any company leader or team member can operate the ERP system without issues.
5) App Development with Minimal Coding
Businesses continuously strive to find new ways to improve their ERP systems with app add-ons and extensions. The most significant setback for business owners is their lack of technical experience, particularly regarding coding and developing new apps to integrate with their ERP systems. They must rely on pre-made third-party apps, which may or may not serve all their needs.
This may change in 2025. New ERP systems allow users to customise their app software solutions by coding them with drag-and-drop development features. There is even the possibility of AI code development assistance, where an AI bot can build you an entire app for your ERP systems by simply describing it for the AI.
Conclusion
Are you ready to get a jump start on integrating the latest ERP system into your company’s operations? If so, let Bluehub’s digital supply chain consultants help you start.
Bluehub specialises in helping companies integrate new digital systems and software technologies into their organisations to streamline critical processes, such as production, purchasing, inventory management, order fulfilment, and more.