Navigating Cloud Complexity: 5 ERP Priorities for CIOs

While the benefits of migrating to the cloud are evident, not all cloud architectures are created equal. CIOs should carefully consider their choice of a cloud ERP platform to ensure it aligns closely with business needs, organizational structures, and growth aspirations. Cloud-based systems should be able to move beyond their basic benefits and contribute to broader business and technology objectives.

As examples, the right cloud ERP platform helps an organization reduce its carbon footprint, enables remote work, and enhances its ability to attract and retain talent. Today’s savvy workforce views the quality of a company’s IT systems as an indicator of its commitment toward its people, and a modern infrastructure enhances employee engagement and boosts an organization’s reputation as a great place to work.

Choosing the Right ERP Platform

In the complex cloud landscape, there are many types of private and public infrastructures for supporting business workloads. Businesses can maintain their existing applications in a private or public cloud, or shift toward a cloud-native software as a service (SaaS). Additionally, there are industry-specific application clouds for healthcare, financial services, retail, and more.

A cloud migration isn’t simply a matter of shifting existing infrastructure, often referred to as a “lift and shift” approach. Rather, businesses need to carefully assess their existing legacy systems and the actual problems they’re looking to solve. 

Cloud-native SaaS solutions offer a reliable and elastic alternative to legacy systems. These platforms promote business resilience and deliver continuous innovation through an open, connected, and scalable cloud infrastructure. Furthermore, cloud solutions adapt to unforeseen circumstances, including natural disasters and labor market fluctuations.

Choosing the right cloud solution is crucial for businesses that want to be prepared and resilient in the face of potential disruptions. The right solution also gives companies a competitive edge by facilitating the seamless and efficient integration of new systems, ideas, and business practices.

To reap the full benefits of cloud technology, CIOs must prioritize five key aspects in their cloud ERP selection: 

1. Seamless scaling and uninterrupted performance: Find a provider that’s committed to delivering applications without disruptions or data loss, and that can offer high availability and performance service-level agreements (SLAs). For instance, a 99.7% SLA availability from Workday ensures continuous operations.
2. Empowering informed decision-making at speed: Opt for a solution offering data unification for quicker, more accurate decision-making. The intelligent data core in Workday serves as a prime example, dissolving data silos for actionable insights.
3. Configurability and protected flexibility: An ideal cloud-native ERP system should offer end-user configurability while upholding robust security standards. Configurable frameworks in Workday and a unified security model exemplify this flexibility within a secure framework.
4. Seamless interoperability and innovation extension: Efficiency demands seamless integration with a variety of business applications and technologies, including AI and machine learning (ML). The Workday approach embeds AI and ML within workflows to streamline tasks and generate actionable insights.
5. A robust security framework inspiring confidence: In a landscape of evolving threats, prioritize an ERP solution designed with proactive security measures. Workday security-by-design and immediate deployment of security updates are a testament to this commitment.

It’s clear the journey to selecting the right cloud-native ERP platform is both critical and dynamic. As CIOs and other business leaders navigate this complex landscape, focusing on the core priorities—scalability, informed decision-making, configurability, interoperability, and security—should be the compass guiding them to success.

By embracing these five principles and selecting a cloud ERP system aligned with their unique business needs, organizations are prepared for the challenges of today and equipped to thrive in the future technological landscape.

Download our comprehensive guide “Why Cloud-Native ERP Is the Future” to dive deeper into these essential cloud ERP priorities needed to thrive in the evolving business landscape.