SAP, Author at 51��Australia & New Zealand News Center

Smart move: how Invetech is leveraging the power of the cloud to embrace AI

SAP — Mon, 28 Aug 2023 07:21:54 +0000

Medical and life sciences manufacturer Invetech is transitioning to cloud ERP to take advantage of artificial intelligence.

Invetech is on a journey towards adopting more sophisticated technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), across its operations, supported by everything that SAP’s cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) software has to offer.

The business, which specialises in product design, engineering and manufacturing services for the medical and life sciences industries, recently achieved a 26-week 51��S/4HANA transformation, with help from SAP’s partner Deloitte.

It had previously relied on a 20-year-old system as its tech backbone and urgently needed a new, public-cloud-based system to help run its global operations and take previously outsourced manufacturing in-house.

Shifting to a public cloud was important to Invetech, because it meant its underlying digital platform would be continually updated. The company would never again be concerned about whether it was running on outdated technology.

“We went live on 30 January this year and shipped our first product within the first month,” says Janet O’Meara, vice-president of finance at Invetech.

O’Meara says the switch to SAP’s cloud-based ERP platform will support the future growth of the business.

“We don’t want to rest on our laurels. So now it’s about using 51��S/4HANA to the best of its capabilities, then moving into improved reporting and analytics and harnessing automation and AI.”

The future of AI in business and society

51��AI innovation principal Dr Kim Oosthuizen says AI is a technology that people have already used for many decades, but often take for granted.

It’s only recently that the broader population has been able to use AI’s power in a more active way, Oosthuizen says, with the rapid adoption of ChatGPT, an AI-based natural language model.

“ChatGPT can respond to any question we ask, which has prompted great public awareness,” she says. “This is compelling businesses to adopt it, with they feel pressure to implement and incorporate AI into their business strategies. AI has also promoted some fear about how it will be used in the future, but the positive from that is it’s making us rethink how we need to use AI.”

AI is clearly here to stay. But with data showing that are using some form of AI in their work without informing their bosses, we may need to find ways to bring AI into the way we work in a more structured way.

Using AI to address current challenges

AI can be used to help us resolve many of our most pressing challenges, including falling productivity levels, Oosthuizen says.

“We have the opportunity to use AI to modernise business processes,” she says. “But it’s not technology we leave to someone else. To become AI-enabled, we need the entire organisation to work together. AI is for everyone and we need to include our business colleagues when we use it, because we will enjoy real benefits when we scale it.”

Oosthuizen says some businesses are using AI for small pilot projects, but the real opportunity lies in exploring its capacity to drive a business forward. It’s also important to understand AI is not a panacea, which is why it’s vital to assess how it’s currently being used in a business and to define clear problems that it can be used to resolve. It’s an obvious solution for automating highly repetitive and manual processes, for instance.

Against a backdrop in which AI is often misperceived by society, thanks to the way it’s represented in movies such as The Terminator and other popular culture, it’s essential to reframe AI for a business context, Oosthuizen says.

“That will help employees trust it, use it and scale it. It’s not a set-and-forget technology and it’s important to ensure it’s doing what it’s supposed to be doing and producing usable data.”

51��can help businesses make the transition to AI across critical business processes for a range of functions, including finance and sales. For instance, AI can be used to identify customers who are more likely to pay their invoices late, and improve target marketing by pinpointing clients who are more likely to make a purchase. AI can also automate and document processes across the supply chain and create job descriptions for new roles.

AI is embedded across SAP’s cloud-based ERP platforms, underscored, 51��says, by a commitment to ethical and responsible practices. 51��is confident that AI can be a powerful tool for its customers – one that can help them unlock value and remain competitive in the long term.

The post Smart move: how Invetech is leveraging the power of the cloud to embrace AI appeared first on 51��Australia & New Zealand News Center.

Unpacking cloud ERP for growing businesses: harnessing agility, speed and visibility

SAP — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 05:47:41 +0000

Here’s how tomorrow’s global leaders are rapidly adopting cloud ERP to support their success

Fast-growing companies are increasingly moving to cloud ERP to transform their operations and take advantage of international opportunities. This positions them for future success and allows them to leave clunky legacy systems behind.

Cloud ERP is enterprise resource planning software accessible over the web, delivered as a service. It connects to data sources, equipment and other applications. This technology helps businesses adapt to challenges in the operating environment and thrive in challenging times.

51��Asia Pacific Japan’s senior vice president and head of enterprise cloud, Peter Moore, says now more than ever, leading organisations are intelligently automating processes and securing access to data-driven business insights.

“Fast-growing businesses across our region are increasingly embracing SAP’s cloud ERP, with more than 90% of new customers adopting cloud ERP over traditional, on-premise ERP,” Moore says.

The New Zealand-headquartered pipe and tank manufacturer Bailey is a prime example. In just five months, the business was able to implement a range of cloud solutions, including:

51��S/4HANA Cloud, public edition
51��Business Technology Platform
51��Signavio business process management and transportation management
51��Intelligent Spend and Business Network

The project was managed by Realtech, an 51��partner, and achieved a host of benefits including eliminating many paper-based processes and improving efficiencies. Plus, staff now have all the tools they need to work remotely and on the road.

Bailey’s chief executive officer, David Bailey, says a fast rollout and having the right support team were critical.

“We’re growing quickly as a company and have other things we need to focus on,” he says. “We knew a speedy implementation of 51��cloud solutions might be hard, but the benefits would be worth the effort. And we were right, with our staff enthusiastically embracing the new technology and significant business benefits already being realised.”

Leading the market

SAP’s cloud ERP includes a range of features that set it apart and support firms on their digital transformation journeys.

Moore says: “Everyone’s talking about AI, but the difference with SAP’s cloud ERP is that we have embedded AI. This unlocks high volumes of data and integrated, real-time analytics that can help uncover innovative business models to drive new revenue streams.

“The suite of intelligent technologies our customers can access with SAP’s cloud ERP includes machine learning and robotic process automation. We’re committed to continuous innovation across the platform and cloud ERP helps our customers innovate and adapt.”

Within SAP’s cloud ERP, machine learning algorithms analyse large volumes of data to extract valuable insights. These insights can help identify patterns, trends and anomalies in the data, enabling businesses to make informed decisions and enhance their operations.

Additionally, robotic process automation streamlines repetitive and rules-based tasks, reducing human error, speeding up processes and freeing up firms to focus on revenue-generating activities.

Working with specialists

When you’re a fast-growing business with global ambitions, it’s essential to operate on infrastructure that’s the right size for this purpose. This is why so many firms are choosing to move to Grow with SAP, a specialist cloud ERP for mid-market enterprises.

“We have embedded industry best-practice content within Grow with 51��to help our customers access the content for which 51��is known as a market leader,” Moore says. “Grow with 51��is scalable, flexible and addresses industry and line of business needs.”

Grow with 51��has everything enterprises need to support their success. It includes:

51��S/4HANA Cloud public edition, a ready-to-run cloud ERP that delivers continuous innovation.
The 51��Business Technology Platform, which includes 51��Build, a low-code solution that helps accelerate software development and automation.
Package activation services, which include advice and tools.
A growing ecosystem of support to help customers quickly adopt new technologies.
Continually updated community and learning resources, delivered with trusted partners.

The 51��cloud ERP advantage

An adaptable cloud ERP is vital for growing companies that want to shake off the legacies of the past.

“These organisations need an ERP that’s modern, with the ability to leverage best practice, which is what cloud ERP delivers,” Moore says.

It also gives firms agility: the ability to rapidly respond to the changing market and customer requirements. This is especially important for companies with growth potential because they have to react quickly to seize opportunities.

“They need to be able to open new locations, launch new products and services and make strategic decisions, supported by technology,” Moore says.

An example is Restaurant Brands, which has implemented many 51��solutions, including 51��S/4HANA Cloud, private edition, across its operations. The Auckland-headquartered firm operates franchises such as KFC and Pizza Hut, with more than 350 stores across Australia, New Zealand and the US, which serve hundreds of thousands of customers every day.

Moore says: “The business has grown rapidly through acquisition. So it relies on a cloud ERP that can grow and evolve with it, without needing to dramatically increase the number of people needed to run the business. Restaurant Brands has been able to use our technology to automate processes and be more productive so it can scale it at pace.”

The enhanced visibility that SAP’s cloud ERP offers Restaurant Brands makes it easy for the firm to connect to suppliers, consumers and its team. “They also have greater transparency over cashflow, which allows them to easily see where they should focus and invest,” Moore says.

Cloud is the future

Many organisations are focusing on building a path to cloud ERP.

“What’s important is to do it at a pace the business can handle, taking advantage of industry best practice and getting ready for the innovation that’s coming,” Moore says.

“It’s all about being more productive and having access to the data assets within the organisation to be able to drive bigger, impactful, sustainable business outcomes. We’re excited to help our customers secure their future business success.”

The post Unpacking cloud ERP for growing businesses: harnessing agility, speed and visibility appeared first on 51��Australia & New Zealand News Center.

SAP, Author at 51����Australia & New Zealand News Center