Blog Posts

Top System Implementations of 2023

4 minute read

At supply chain based-organizations, system implementations are inevitable. Spending on digital transformation is at its highest ever, with projections expected to reach $3.4 trillion by 2026, double that of 2022’s spend.

Many drivers are behind this tech boom, including boosting resiliency and risk preparation, creating a competitive edge, increasing efficiency, and satisfying growing consumer expectations.

Automation and software-as-a-service (SaaS) tools are especially enabling companies to gather real-time information via the cloud to drive organizational initiatives. Additionally, companies are increasingly replacing legacy systems that are holding up improvements across human resources, manufacturing, procurement, finance, and more.

In this blog post, we explore the top system implementations our team is seeing at supply chain-based organizations.

SAP S/4HANA

The benefits of migrating to SAP’s latest system, S/4HANA are extensive: real-time analytics, accurate forecasting, faster period-end closings, task automation, enhanced user experience, increased supply chain management, greater scalability, and full customization. However, even though many companies are making progress with converting to S/4HANA, others are struggling to get started: Gartner research shows two-thirds of SAP’s legacy users haven’t yet licensed S/4HANA.

Catena Solutions helped a large retail pharmacy chain transition from its legacy system to S/4HANA. Our team of consultants led the full implementation, business continuance, and go-live for the S/4HANA implementation while also fixing incompatible processes and inventory methods. Read the case study.

Oracle Fusion Cloud Applications

SAP S/4HANA’s biggest competitor, Oracle Cloud, offers many of the same benefits as S/4HANA. We’re seeing some companies choose Oracle over S/4HANA for its greater composability, unified data model, continuous improvement updates, and complete suite of additional applications such as NetSuite, JD Edwards, PeopleSoft, and more. Decentralized companies with independent operations may also prefer Oracle Cloud over other ERP tools for its customization capabilities.

HighRadius

HighRadius leverages AI-based autonomous systems to help companies automate receivables for order-to-cash, treasury for cash operations, and accounting for record-to-report. Additionally, HighRadius solutions optimize cash flow, reduce days sales outstanding and bad debt, and increase operational efficiency for a greater ROI.

Catena Solutions is currently leading a major CPG snack company through its HighRadius implementation. The company is harnessing HighRadius to improve their A/R and treasury processes and automate aspects of their trade and non-trade deductions work.

Tableau

Tableau, an interactive data visualization software, is growing in popularity with companies that need to leverage data and analytics to drive business strategy and solve problems. Its ability to connect to several data sources that other business intelligence tools don’t support make it a popular option in the current market.

For a global CPG company, our team developed a suite of dashboards in Tableau to provide key insights to drive organizational improvements and quick decision making and improve finance and supply chain visibility. Read the case study.

Alteryx

Companies looking to beef up their data and analytics capabilities to forecast and prepare for disruption are turning to Alteryx. Alteryx software is designed to make advanced analytics automation accessible to all data workers by tapping into the power of AI. Users can quickly access, manipulate, analyze, and produce data from across the organization. Alteryx is often used alongside Tableau since Alteryx is helpful in preparing data used for visualization and analysis.

OneStream

OneStream provides a corporate performance management (CPM) solution that unifies and simplifies financial consolidation, planning, reporting, analytics, and financial data quality.

Companies we’re working with are increasingly using OneStream to unify finance processes to deliver financial signals, forecasts, and analytics. OneStream is also increasing in popularity due to its seamless integration with SAP ERP.

UKG Dimensions

Organizations are turning to this AI-powered global workforce management solution to automate and streamline processes like scheduling, payroll, compensation management, and timekeeping. Major benefits of UKG Dimensions are its ability to connect seamlessly with ERP systems, its intuitive mobile app, advanced scheduling capabilities, workforce data and insights, and employee self-service options.

Workday Payroll

A cloud-based payroll solution, Workday Payroll automates payroll preparation and payment while tracking employee benefits, deductions, taxes, and other payroll-related matters. Workday is more suitable for companies with large-scale human capital management needs, as smaller companies may find this system overly complex and expensive compared to options like ADP.

Catena Solutions is currently leading a major healthcare company through its Workday implementation. The company had been using PeopleSoft, but the organization found it too customized and wanted to replace it with a more comprehensive global workforce system.

Challenges to system implementation

While the benefits to new systems are vast, getting them up and running is an uphill battle.

Research shows even though investments in new technology are increasing, 4 out of 5 supply chain leaders said the technology didn’t deliver the expected results. Common challenges to prepare for include:

• Workload: Companies often make the mistake of relying on their internal team for implementation in addition to their day-to-day work. This creates unmanageable workloads and resentment among employees, which hinders adoption.
• Poor planning: The planning phase is just as important as the implementation phase when it comes to new tools. Without proper planning it’s not realistic to procure new software, set it up, and expect the transition to go smoothly. Comprehensive planning, including change management and extensive training, are essential to achieve ROI.
• Roll-out process: Organizations often roll out initiatives to the entire company at once instead of launching in phases. Focusing on a phased implementation allows for better refining and testing along the way.
• Wrong partnership: Working with an outside resource to procure and implement new tools can be highly beneficial, but many businesses cut corners and pick partners with the lowest price tag instead of the best expertise.
• Commitment: System implementation is a long process. Rolling out a new tool as quickly as possible isn’t going to lead to desired results. Patience, commitment, and proper allocation of resources are key, especially considering it can take 14 months to achieve ROI on new supply chain software.
• Project management: Technology initiatives need strong project management to stay on track and manage stakeholder and employee involvement. A change leader and project sponsor are two roles essential to success.

With so many software and systems on the market, and the complexity of effective implementation, working with a skilled partner or consultant can ensure projects progress according to plan. Catena Solutions is here to help you tackle your technology, digital transformation, and system implementation initiatives. Learn more about our Project & Program Management solutions here.