The Intersection of Cloud ERP, AI and Sustainability in 2024

In recent years, it’s no doubt that some technologies are becoming more prevalent than others. What’s more is when these technologies work together. Peter Pluim, President of SAP’s Enterprise Cloud Services & SAP Sovereign Cloud Services, believes from past trends and the forward outlook this year, that this is the year of Cloud ERP (enterprise resource planning), powered by Business AI (artificial intelligence). Pluim shares an article on Forbes stating that these two technologies, along with sustainability, will reshape the current business landscape. “Looking ahead to 2024, the strategic adoption of advanced Business AI-powered analytics within Cloud ERP will be crucial for proactive planning and informed decision-making, as well as driving improved efficiency,” he says. Below are the many ways these technologies will empower the digital landscape this year:

Cloud Computing Continues to Expand. “The need for innovative business models and revenue streams, coupled with the ability to pivot swiftly according to business needs, has intensified. Cloud ERP emerges as the fastest route to a complete digital transformation and the cultivation of advanced business capabilities, touching every facet of a company.”

AI-Powered ERP and Automation. “2024 promises to be the year of Business AI-infused Cloud ERP. Scott Russell, member of the Executive Board of SAP writes that with AI, we can now imagine real-time inventory optimized by predictions, automated purchases triggered by demand forecasts, and self-healing systems that fix bottlenecks before they become problems.”

More Powerful ERP Analytics. “ERP analytics are no longer just about looking at the past; they’re also about understanding the present and shaping the future. As ERP analytics continues to evolve, its role in shaping a responsible and resilient future for businesses will only grow.”

ERP Drives More Sustainable Operations. “The integration of Cloud ERPs with generative AI is fast-tracking sustainability goals by providing a practical “Green Ledger” for tracking emissions, optimizing the supply chain, and ensuring regulatory compliance for a more environmentally conscious future.”

Sovereign Cloud Market on the Ascent. “Deloitte predicts the global sovereign cloud market will hit $41 billion in 2024, a 16% jump from 2023, driven by government cloud initiatives offering compliance-first solutions. It’s a compelling blend that ensures more secure, localized data management, while preserving the flexibility and scalability that customers value in today’s dynamic business environment.

 

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6 Common Cloud Migration Problems And How To Solve Them

Cloud migration is the new normal, but it still doesn’t come without its hurdles. Leslie Lang from cloud software global leader Nutanix shares an article on Forbes of the common cloud migration dilemmas businesses face. For Lee Caswell, SVP Product and Solutions Marketing at Nutanix, this fragmentation of information reminds him of printing products in the 80s and 90s. “Like the advent of all-in-one printers, a business’s data and applications can now be managed through a single platform—streamlining information no matter how dispersed, disorganized or distributed it may be,” says Lang. Below, Caswell and Lang offer their insights on six of the most common cloud migration challenges, and how to solve them.

  1. Refactoring. “Almost every organization surveyed in the Nutanix Enterprise Cloud Index—an annual survey of 1,450 global IT decision-makers—moved one or more applications to a different IT infrastructure in the previous year. Most agreed that moving applications can be complex and expensive, but almost all agreed that having a single platform to manage it all would be beneficial.”
  2. AI Integration. “As organizations increasingly focus investments on implementing AI solutions, there’s an increased demand for cloud services that work with AI and between data centers, traditional cloud services and edge computing. A dual vendor strategy can provide this.”
  3. Lock-In. “Caswell points to Broadcom’s recent acquisition of VMware as another reason the dual vendor approach can be helpful: to protect against lock-in as customers worry Broadcom might increase costs. Companies like Nutanix can offer software that works in an existing VMware environment. ‘We can go and migrate any workloads running on VMware so they can seamlessly come to Nutanix,’ Caswell says, which provides the flexibility to move companies easily to the cloud.
  4. Security. “Data security and risk exposure are also common concerns about migrating data to the cloud. Consulting firms like Nutanix allows an organization locate its data where it thinks it will be most secure. ‘You could do things like have a disaster recovery system that goes and does disaster recovery to the cloud and then allows you to go and restore back in an on-prem environment. Or you could recover back in the cloud directly. So, you can distribute where your data is,’ says Caswell.”
  5. Skill Shortages. “Many companies lack the employees they need to migrate their data to the cloud. If you have data on Azure, Amazon and Google clouds, for example, and have different teams for each, plus your own data center team, an AI team, and your containers team—then all of the sudden, you’ve got an explosion of resources and consumption that isn’t sustainable, Caswell points out. It’s where standardizing on software-based infrastructure becomes a win. You can run your applications identically, no matter where they reside, with just one team.”
  6. A Lack Of Help. Choosing the best implementation team is critical as they will be your go-to for help. Consulting firms like Nutanix prioritize providing excellent support for their customers cloud platform.

 

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Infor Landmark Cannot handle action type 3

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If you encounter the following 500 service error “Cannot handle action type 3” when opening Infor Process Administrator, follow these steps to resolve the issue.

 

First go to the <server name>:<port>/ssoconfig/ssoCfgInfoServlet site to see if you can get a more descriptive message.  If the message there reads “Domain has been disabled”, this means the Domain for your Process Server Administrator site is disabled and needs to be enabled.  In Rich Client > Gen (Or the Gen web admin), go to Security System Management > SSO Domain, and select the Domain for your site.  Click the check box to enable it, then flush the GEN configuration, or reboot the server. Refer to the screenshots below for guide.

 

Outdoor Furniture Manufacturer Grosfillex Leverages Infor AI and Automation

Infor recently announced that Grosfillex, a leading global manufacturer of high-end resin outdoor furniture and other products, is leveraging the Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing solution — integrated with Infor AI (artificial intelligence), automation and analytics — to boost revenues and sales productivity while increasing customer satisfaction. Per the press release, the integrated solution enabled Grosfillex to increase revenues by 10 percent and increase sales productivity by 83 percent by automating the process of analyzing and grading customer accounts. Additionally, the company used Infor’s AI-driven product recommender to provide the right products at the right time, resulting in greatly improved customer satisfaction. Grosfillex CEO Frans Govers comments, “Managing thousands of products makes it impractical for employees to provide such intelligent recommendations without extensive experience or a tool such as AI. Equipped with Infor’s product recommender, we anticipate fulfilling more orders, leading to increased revenues and heightened customer satisfaction.” Moreover, with Infor’s solution, Grosfillex also has automated the entire customer activation process. Now, users can access the Infor Portal to view their assigned tasks and monitor the status of the entire workflow process. Massimo Capoccia, Infor chief innovation officer, adds, “Infor is excited to partner with an innovative company such as Grosfillex that is committed to staying at the forefront of its industry. We started by helping Grosfillex utilize AI and automation to grade customer accounts faster and more efficiently, and we look forward to helping the company further leverage these capabilities to grow its business.”

 

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Set Timeout Duration to Timeout After No Activity

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Portal Timeout

To configure a timeout duration for users’ session to timeout after no activity

 

The Lawson delivered default value for session timeout is 60 minutes.  If you wish to change the timeout duration, you can use the ssoconfig utility to change it at any time.  The timeout value does not affect performance.

To change the SSO timeout parameter complete the following steps:

  • From a command type: ssoconfig -c
  • Enter the ssoconfig password.
  • Select “1” to Change Single Sign-on Server settings
  • At the prompt to “Choose the protocol for use to connect to the Lawson authentication service”, do NOT make any changes. Type the number that corresponds to your existing setting (either SSL or TCPIP).
  • At the prompt for “Enter the service to use to sign on (SSOP),” press Enter to bypass the prompt. You do not want to make any changes here.
  • At the next prompt, enter a timeout value in minutes.
  • Restart WebSphere Application Server (WAS).
  • To verify that your change worked, run http://hostname/ssoconfig/SSOCfgInfoServlet and look for the “sessionto” property, for example:
  • <PROPERTY name=”sessionto” value=”30″/>

 

Note:

The SAML Token Lifetime value is equal to the “sessionto” from SSOCfgInfoServlet.

How Cloud ERP Grows With Your Business

When a company grows fast, it is both exciting and frightening. Can you enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems and other business platforms keep up? This would be a thing to consider now or even before your expected growth – deciding whether or not to go on the cloud. Eric van Rossum, Chief Marketing and Solutions Officer, SAP Cloud ERP, shares an article on Forbes describing the benefits of Cloud ERP and how it grows with your business.

Powerful technology at lower cost. “The cloud puts advanced ERP technology in the hands of small and large companies alike, without the need for significant upfront or ongoing costs. That means that, for growing companies, they can access the same capabilities as their larger competitors, out of the box and at a reasonable cost, enabling them to better compete in their industry. Cloud enables companies to derive greater value from an ERP system at a lower cost and with less risk. But it also provides greater speed and flexibility—which leads us to our next two points in the case for cloud ERP for growing companies: a system that grows with you and that allows you to consume innovation regularly and rapidly.”

ERP that grows with you. “With cloud ERP, companies don’t need to worry about getting everything built into their ERP right out of the gate. They don’t have to know what they’ll need in the future, as their businesses evolve, grow, and morph along with economic realities and opportunities. Instead, they can get started with what meets their needs today and add new functionality when necessary—often with just a click of a button. Cloud ERP offers localization tools that make it easier to expand into new countries with different languages, currencies, requirements, and regulations—and the system adapts as these requirements change.”

Rapid and continuous innovation. “In the past, updating on-premises software and taking advantage of new innovations took months or years. Cloud-based innovations, on the other hand, can be adopted in days or even hours, accelerating the speed with which businesses can test and realize their potential. The ability to adopt innovation rapidly and continuously is, of course, only as good as the ERP provider you’ve chosen. So, you also need to select the right cloud ERP provider who is going to deliver valuable innovations, on a regular basis, that are appropriate for your industry.”

 

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7 Common Mistakes to Avoid When Implementing an ERP System

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are the heart of the modem business, and implementing one can prove to be a monumental task for any business. While it promises to streamline operations and boost efficiency, this all depends on a successful implementation. One tiny mistake could ruin your entire process. Sophia Jennifer, Social Media Marketing and tech expert, shares an article on The Digital Weekly pointing out some common – and important – mistakes to avoid when implementing an ERP system.

  1. Lack of Clear Objectives and Planning. “It’s crucial to define what you want to achieve with the ERP system – be it improving efficiency, reducing costs, or enhancing customer service. Without clear goals, it’s easy to get off track.”
  2. Underestimating the Complexity and Scope. “It’s important to understand the full extent of the implementation, including the need for customizations, integrations, and data migration. Additionally, involve stakeholders from different departments early in the process to gain a comprehensive understanding of diverse business needs and challenges.”
  3. Neglecting User Training and Change Management. “Invest in comprehensive training programs and involve users from the start to ensure they are comfortable and proficient with the new system. Effective change management strategies can help ease the transition and foster a positive attitude toward the new system.”
  4. Inadequate Testing. “Skipping thorough testing is a recipe for disaster. Before going live, it’s crucial to test the ERP system extensively in a controlled environment. This includes testing for functionality, compatibility with existing systems, and user experience. Any issues discovered during testing should be resolved before full implementation. Thorough testing reduces the risk of system failures and ensures the ERP system meets your business needs.”
  5. Not Seeking Expert Advice. “Consulting services can be a valuable asset in navigating the challenges of ERP implementation. They can also provide support in training your staff and ensuring a seamless transition to the new system.”
  6. Overlooking Data Quality and Migration. “Developing a comprehensive data migration strategy, including data cleaning and validation processes, is critical to the success of your ERP implementation. Additionally, consider involving data specialists to oversee this critical process to ensure accuracy and minimize data-related disruptions.”
  7. Ignoring Post-Implementation Support. “The work doesn’t end once the ERP system goes live. Post-implementation support is crucial to address any emerging issues and make necessary adjustments.”

Jennifer concludes that while ERP implementation can be challenging, being prepared and actively working to avoid these common common pitfalls of ERP implementation can significantly increase your chances of success.

 

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Lawson Security Administrator Reports Stuck

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If your Lawson Security Administrator (LSA) reports are getting stuck in the “processing” status, then there is a quick and simple solution for this.

All you need to do is open the path: LAWDIR/gen/java/comman/lsserver.properties.  Next, on the ljx.ext.dirs line, you will need to manually add the following command: “${GENDIR}/java/impl”.

Then you just have to bounce Lawson services, or simply reboot the server. Once booted up again you will see that the “processing” status should be gone and the status should change to “completed”. You can refer to the screenshots below for a visual guide. That’s all there is to it!

 

Infor Takes Systemair to the Cloud

Europe’s largest ventilation company, Systemair, recently announced the migration of its core business system to Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing, aiming at smoother integration of newly acquired companies and developing new types of products and services. Per the press release, the market has been expanding and is expected to continue to do so, driven by various factors including increasingly strict legal requirements for a faster energy transition. Systemair meets this growth potential through acquisitions and new business models, such as increasing service offerings around its product range. Juergen Hernadi, group IT director at Systemair AB, comments, “Systemair and Infor have had a reliable ERP partnership for over 20 years. The signing of the Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing contract is the next step in this partnership. Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing gives us the opportunity to harmonize the Systemair IT-environment further.” Furthermore, with Infor CloudSuite Manufacturing, Systemair gains an industry-specific, multi-tenant cloud solution, powered by Amazon Web Services (AWS), allowing it to quickly implement a system that makes the integration of newly acquired companies easier and faster. Systemair can now centralize the entire system administration in the ever-growing company structure, significantly reducing its costs.

 

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Lawson Batch Job Error message “Dictionary/program timestamp mismatch (43)”

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When a dictionary is generated using the “blddbdict” command, it includes a timestamp within it. This timestamp serves as a marker for the state of the dictionary at the time of its creation. Similarly, when a program is compiled, this timestamp is embedded within the compiled object code. This synchronization between dictionary and program timestamps ensures consistency.

However, situations may arise where changes are made to a database table, such as the addition of an index. When such changes occur, running the “blddbdict” command again is necessary to update the dictionary with the new structure. However, until the program is recompiled, the timestamp in the newly generated dictionary will differ from the one in the compiled program. This disparity can trigger the error message you’ve encountered.

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Recompile the Product Line: To align the program with the updated dictionary, you should recompile the entire product line. This can be accomplished by running either the “qcompile” or “lawcmp” command.
  2. Check for User Exit Programs: If recompiling the program and its invoked programs does not resolve the issue, it’s possible that the program relies on a User Exit program. In this case, you must also compile the User Exit program using the “qcompile” command.
  3. Locate User Exit Program Code: User Exit program code is typically stored in the “LAWDIR/productline/XXsrc” directory, where “XX” represents the system code of the program. The program names often include “B” for beginning, “M” for middle, and “E” for end. For example, “CU01BPD” and “CU01BWS” could be the names of beginning User Exit programs for “CU01.”
  4. Check for Compiled User Exit Objects: You can also verify the existence of compiled User Exit objects in the “LAWDIR/productline/usrobj” directory. For example, you might find “CU01B.gnt” as a compiled User Exit object.
  5. Verify OS File and Directory Permissions: Lastly, ensure that the file and directory permissions on “LABDIR/dict” are set correctly. Both the directory and all files within it should be readable by the “lawson” user group.

 

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the timestamp mismatch error and ensure that your program functions correctly with the updated database structure.