Moving your business to the cloud
Business leaders understand the benefits of moving enterprise applications to the cloud. But for many, there are still concerns about the risks of change, especially when legacy processes, integrations, customisations and ways of working all need to be considered. The good news for businesses yet to make the move is that there are now several paths to cloud depending on their strategic needs, helping them move forward with more confidence.
In this Q&A, Mads Stenbye, Solution Director M3 and Lene Nissen, Head of Global PMO & Resource Management M3 at Columbus Denmark, discuss these options, including how project delivery is changing, where AI can support, and what businesses need to consider when building an Infor cloud strategy.
1. What makes moving from legacy ERP to Infor CloudSuite complex?
Mads: For many organisations, moving to the cloud isn’t just replacing one ERP system with another. Their existing systems are often embedded in the business, which can make the move feel complex and risky. Business that are using M3 are often either coming from an older version of M3 or a completely different system. They usually have extensions, integrations or applications that already support the way the business works.
The important thing is to translate the business requirement behind those extensions, instead of trying to move the extension into the new cloud environment. That’s not always possible, so it’s often more useful to understand what the existing solution was designed to do and how that requirement should be handled in the cloud.
Lene: A lot of the complexity comes from the number of gaps that need to be defined and managed. Many projects have different types of gaps, and one integration can be one gap. For larger companies with many integrations, that quickly becomes a lot to keep track of. That’s why it’s important to gather and define the gaps, group them into different types, create documentation and track where each one sits in the resolution process. This also helps with planning the execution, including the iterations in the construct phase and when each area is ready for testing.
2. How is the delivery approach for cloud ERP projects changing?
Mads: Historically, ERP projects have required a lot of detailed scope gathering before delivery could begin. This has been especially true for upgrade projects, where businesses often want to understand all the details upfront before moving forward. That has often led to long phases of collecting information and analysing requirements before the project moves into delivery. What’s changing now is that delivery is becoming more focused and adaptive, supported by tools that make it easier to process information, validate requirements and adjust earlier in the project. Businesses can still get the big picture in place, but they can move into validation sooner.
Lene: Traditional ERP delivery has often followed a more waterfall-based approach, where each stage depends on the one before it. Now, delivery is becoming more agile, with new technologies such as AI agents helping project teams speed up parts of execution.
3. How can AI support an Infor cloud project?
Mads: AI can support an Infor cloud project in several ways. Infomind, for example, is designed to support the Infor CloudSuite ERP lifecycle by bringing AI-powered knowledge intelligence into the implementation process. It helps capture, structure and activate project-critical knowledge, so teams can move faster from raw information to usable business requirements. This is especially useful after workshops, when project teams need to process recordings, technical documentation, files and existing code. Infomind can take those inputs and help break them down into business requirements.
Lene: AI can help with many of the practical delivery activities that take significant time during an Infor CloudSuite project. Infomind can help gather and define gaps, group them into different types, create documentation and keep track of where each gap sits in the resolution process. It can also support testing and training. For example, Infomind can help create test cases, generate test automation scripts from recorded business scenarios, create training videos, build training plans and track how users complete their learning. Those outputs still need to be validated, but the process becomes easier to manage and faster to move forward.
4. How can cloud delivery create value beyond go-live?
Mads: Infomind can help create assets during the project that the business can continue using after go-live. These assets can support areas such as updates, testing, training and onboarding new users. For example, automated test scripts can be built during the project so the solution can be tested after go-live without users having to manually work through the system each time. When new updates are introduced, those scripts can help the business check that key processes still work as expected. Training is another important area. Training videos and end-user scenarios created during the project can remain available after go-live, making it easier to onboard new employees and support users as teams change.
5. What should businesses consider when building an Infor cloud strategy?
Mads: Organisations need to start by understanding their existing ERP environment and the business requirements behind it. That means looking at current processes, integrations, extensions and applications, then deciding what should be carried forward and what should be handled differently in the cloud.
A strong Infor cloud strategy should also help the business move from planning into validation at the right point. The aim is to have enough clarity to move forward, without spending too long trying to define every detail upfront.
6. What should businesses look for if they need help moving to Infor CloudSuite?
Mads: Businesses should look for a partner with deep expertise in the Infor platform and the ability to help them understand the best route to cloud. There’s not one single path. Some businesses may need a technical upgrade with minimal change, others may take a hybrid approach with targeted improvements, and some may use the move to cloud as a wider transformation.
Elevate to cloud is our prepacked offering designed to reveal complexity and create clarity before the full project begins. It helps businesses review their current solution, understand hidden customisations, validate integrations, identify risks and build a clearer view of scope, budget and timeline.
Businesses can initially be sceptical about whether enough detail can be captured in this process. But once we get into it, they see that the structured framework helps them move forward quickly while still keeping the right level of detail. That supports more efficient project execution, with a clear focus on progress. From there, we use Infomind as part of our delivery to help businesses capture and process requirements more efficiently, creating a stronger starting point for the project.
Lene: The delivery approach also needs to be structured. Our OnTarget methodology gives businesses a structured way to move through a transformation journey, from defining the roadmap and value case, to executing the project and continuing to evolve the solution after go-live. This means businesses can stay ready when requirements change, new risks appear or teams need a clear way to stay aligned. And with Infor’s pre-configured industry solutions and Infomind trained around the Infor platform and industry models, we can make sure the delivery approach better reflects how the business operates.
