Are You Ready for the Next Generation of ERP?

In my conversations with business leaders around the globe, I hear a consistent theme: the strategies that built yesterday’s successes simply aren’t sufficient for tomorrow. We’re living in a new era of enterprise transformation powered by artificial intelligence, and as this shift accelerates, the leaders I speak with are realizing that the tools that got them here won't get them to the next phase of growth.

Legacy ERP systems serve a purpose: They are excellent systems of record. They were engineered to control processes and report on the past. But in a world where business models shift overnight and speed is strategy, looking backward isn't enough. Organizations that rely on data trapped in silos or rigid processes struggle to get the clarity they need. Bolting AI onto these fragmented architectures doesn't solve the issue. Without unified context, AI cannot deliver the intelligence needed to move forward.

The future requires a system of action.

Workday Is Redefining ERP

As the enterprise AI platform for managing people, money, and agents, we are built for this moment, bringing HR and finance together on one intelligent platform. This allows organizations to adapt faster, make better decisions, and deliver results that matter.

Turn Data Into Intelligent Action

Real intelligence requires context. Because Workday is powered by a unified data foundation, AI isn’t an add-on—it’s built into the flow of work.

Every transaction and process strengthens this trusted data foundation. With people, financial, and operational data unified on one platform, insight keeps pace with execution. This gives our AI the context it needs to guide better decisions in real time, helping leaders drive business and act with confidence.

Empower People With AI Agents

The workforce of the future will be a hybrid of humans and AI agents. Workday’s AI agents are purpose-built for HR and finance and embedded in everyday workflows.

Because they operate on Workday’s unmatched data foundation, they do more than automate routine tasks—they anticipate needs and surface insights when they matter most. The result is measurable business impact: faster hiring, smarter planning, stronger financial performance, and more time for people to focus on what drives growth.

Unlock Innovation Through an Open, Connected Ecosystem

Workday doesn’t lock you into a fixed system—it opens doors. With open standards, APIs, Workday Extend, the robust connectivity of Pipedream, and the Agent Gateway, organizations can build, integrate, and scale AI-enabled experiences across the Workday Economy. This allows our customers to benefit from continuous innovation across a connected ecosystem, rather than managing a brittle set of customizations.

A New, Intelligent Business Experience

Perhaps the biggest shift is in how the business interacts with software. We’re moving beyond the traditional concept of "employee experience" to a frictionless business experience.

The way people interact with the enterprise is changing—and Workday is leading that shift. With Ask Workday and our acquisition of Sana, we’re building an AI-native front door for work. This is where knowledge, systems, and actions come together in a single, conversational experience.

This goes beyond standard chat interfaces. By combining Workday’s structured data with Sana’s advanced semantic search, we are enabling users to find answers regardless of where that information lives. Whether you’re a CFO asking for an analysis of regional margins or an employee searching for a policy buried in a slide deck, the system acts as an intelligent partner that connects the dots across your entire knowledge base. It helps every person and the business as a whole work smarter, faster, and with more confidence.

Validation From the Market and Our Customers

Workday’s vision is resonating in the market. Gartner recently named Workday a Leader in two Magic Quadrant reports for Cloud ERP—Service-Centric Enterprises and Finance—with the highest placement for both ability to execute and completeness of vision. That recognition, along with being the only Customers’ Choice in our category, reflects what customers already see every day: real outcomes delivered through one intelligent platform.

You can see that impact at Condé Nast, where one Workday platform across HR and finance helps the company operate more efficiently in more than ten global markets. They’re closing books faster, making smarter workforce decisions, and running a more agile organization because Workday connects people, money, and data in one trusted system of action.

Download the full Gartner reports to learn more:

• 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Finance
• 2025 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Cloud ERP for Service-Centric Enterprises

It’s a New Work Day

The next generation of ERP is already here. It is a system of action that understands your business, anticipates needs, and helps you lead with confidence.

And with our customers and partners, we’re continuing to shape what comes next—software that’s AI-powered, human-centric, and future ready.

Welcome to the new Workday.