Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) Upgrade Guide
Upgrading Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine):
The path to greater business value
Take a close look at Infor CloudSuiteTM Industrial (SyteLine), and you’ll find that its enhanced functionality, embedded best practices, and the ability to scale or tailor the solution to match your changing needs, gives you the tools and support you need to be successful. And, with Infor’s SaaS-based industry CloudSuites, you can take advantage of additional capabilities from bundled offerings including simplified integration as well as reduced implementation costs and time to value.
Most companies understand that having up-to-date technology is in their best interests, and research certainly confirms this fact. According to the Aberdeen Group, 59% of leading manufacturers are more likely to be implemented on the latest release of their ERP software.1 These companies know that if they miss out on emerging technologies like social, mobile, cloud, and analytics, they run the risk of falling behind.
The decision to upgrade your solution comes with other important considerations: How quickly can the upgrade be completed without disrupting your business? Can you make the case for the upgrade in terms of value to your business, so you get the budget and commitment you need going forward? These are critical questions to answer. Fortunately, Infor has a dedicated organization with the expertise, proven experience, and defined processes to help you answer, “Yes,” to both.
With its complete set of components, Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) has been designed to help you meet your long- and short-term goals and improve your business. To get the greatest benefit from your Infor solution and realize the greatest return on investment, however, your organization’s most critical business drivers should be aligned with a sound technology strategy.
Infor Value Engineering is a dedicated team of experts that help Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) customers to quantify the benefits of an upgrade. Infor Value Engineering uses a systematic approach to analyze how well your current solution version is meeting your business needs and, if an upgrade is warranted, the value it will deliver.
This team, along with a host of other Infor resources including services, partners, support, and more, can help you clearly define the business case for upgrading, build a roadmap for achieving your vision, and get you there quickly and cost-effectively.
Make a business case for upgrading
To help you quantify the potential return on investment from an Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) upgrade, the Infor Value Engineering team works with you using a well-defined methodology that includes these key steps:
■ Benchmarking assessment—The team leverages an independent, third-party company to benchmark your key business processes against industry standards and best practices. This analysis compares your KPIs against more than 16,000 data points across 45 industries globally. You’ll get a detailed report documenting the potential business benefits of upgrading your Infor solution.
■ Cloud TCO assessment—Infor Value Engineering identifies and documents the potential cost savings of migrating and upgrading your Infor environment in the cloud.
■ Value discovery—Infor Value Engineering works with your key business process owners to understand the specific challenges you have with your current version of Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) and identify area where you'll benefit from the latest release. The team will support this upgrade transition by helping you build a detailed new solution architecture and upgrade roadmap.
Infor Value Engineering quantifies the business benefits and return on investment of the upgrade, while also helping you to get buy-in from key stakeholders. Infor Value Engineering has extensive experience updating Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) on-premise or in the cloud, as well as moving it from one platform to another. This team can help you determine the upgrade option that will deliver the greatest value for your needs.
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Follow a systematic approach to upgrading
If you’re considering upgrading your on-premise SyteLine ERP system, you have one of two upgrade choices. Both provide you with the latest technology, functionality, and Hook & Loop user experience, which can help you reduce or eliminate customizations. You'll also be able to take advantage of Infor's extended solutions that complement Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine), such as Infor ION, Infor Ming.leTM, Infor BI, Infor Factory Track, and more. Only the delivery method is different. You can choose:
■ The cloud—All you need to upgrade in the cloud is an Internet connection and a subscription to the SaaS industry suite, Infor CloudSuite Industrial. The industry suite in the cloud includes both the core ERP as well as add-on modules like Service, Quality, and finite APS. The SaaS suite also includes the Infor OS platform, including Infor ION, Infor Ming.le, Infor Document Management, and Infor BI, as well as a subscription to Infor Campus. When you run CloudSuite Industrial as an Infor cloud-computing solution, your account will be hosted on Amazon Web Services (AWS) datacenters that are maintained and optimized by certified experts. Your IT staff will be free to work on other requirements for your company, while Infor maintains this environment for you including all hardware, databases, and operating systems.
■ On-premise—When you choose to upgrade your existing on-premise SyteLine environment to Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) on-premise, you get access to the latest technology, functionality, and user experience, as well as the extended solutions that complement Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine).
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Make the move—quickly and efficiently
Manufacturers face constant pressure to adapt their businesses to changing customer demands and competitive pressures. Taking advantage of the best capabilities in your core ERP system is a smart way to keep pace with changing requirements, providing you can manage the upgrade process effectively.
Best of all, you can take advantage of Infor Value Engineering’s years of proven experience helping hundreds of Infor customers handle upgrades, from the simplest to the most complex. With Infor Value Engineering’s systematic and prescriptive processes, you can move to the latest version of Infor CloudSuite Industrial (SyteLine) quickly and efficiently.
To learn more, visit Infor CloudSuite Industrial
1 Nick Castellina, Senior Research Analyst, Aberdeen Group, “Agility and communication in the cloud: Top manufacturers stay on top of ERP updates,” December 2015, Page 1. Link: http://aberdeen.com/research/11587/11587-RR-manufacturing-cloud-update.aspx/content.aspx