Microsoft’s latest release of its ERP system is scheduled for 2^nd April. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central, which has been trialed under the codename ‘Tenerife’, is the latest version of the company’s long-established ERP solution, Microsoft Dynamics NAV.

This release is targeted at small and medium businesses and highlights the growing trend to move ERP systems to the cloud. Other developments have accelerated the migration of enterprise ERP systems to the cloud, removing the earlier barriers to mission-critical systems.

Integrating ERP with Business Applications

This product goes beyond ERP functionality and offers small and medium customers what Microsoft claims is the basis of a complete solution for running a business. The claim is based on the fact that Business Central offers a fully functional ERP system that is integrated with other Microsoft cloud-based services, including Office 365.

Customers can replace individual entry-level accounting systems and other products for managing finance, operations, sales and customer service with a single solution. According to Microsoft, users can carry out all their tasks with a consistent look and feel across all their business applications. The solution also enables connected data across all applications, together with analytics to provide a single view of the business.

This solution highlights the benefits of migrating legacy and premise-based ERP systems to the cloud, and taking the opportunity to integrate related business applications to improve overall efficiency.

ERP in the Cloud Comes of Age

For enterprise customers, migrating ERP to the cloud has become a practical proposition thanks to the availability of Mainframe as a Service (MFaaS), which provides the stable environment essential for mission-critical applications.

Migrating ERP to the cloud offers many benefits for businesses of any size. It enables them to replace aging legacy systems with access to the latest ERP technology, but without upfront capital investment. It also overcomes the challenges of recruiting and retaining staff with the increasingly scarce skills and experience to manage and maintain legacy systems.

A cloud-based ERP system also offers businesses the scale, agility and mobility of other cloud business applications, making it an integral element of a digital transformation strategy. Coupled with developments in networking like SD-WAN, ERP in the cloud can provide businesses with the security, availability and speed of access essential for mission-critical applications.

Simplifying ERP Migration

Migrating a system like ERP to the cloud can be a large, time-consuming project. If you don’t have the internal resources to manage the project, you can use the services of a migration specialist to reduce the time and effort required.

VTG has a team of experienced migration specialists who use our patented automation tool, ZENfra^TM, to manage and monitor migration projects. ZENfra integrates initial assessment, development of a strategic migration plan and pre-migration to ensure a successful end-to-end transition. This tool can cut lead times by 30 to 40 percent and reduce costs by 25 percent compared to traditional in-house methods.

Find out more

If you would like advice on services relevant to ERP Migration, or to find out more about ZENfra and our migration services, please check out the articles and infographics on our website.