Avoiding costly ERP and cloud systems implementation failures: A perspective from the deal room

 

ERP (enterprise resource planning) and cloud implementations often fail—not due to tech flaws, but because of rushed decisions and poorly defined contracts. In his article on CIO.com, Sean Christy highlights how critical missteps often happen before the project begins. A key issue is the “timing imperative”—the pressure to move fast. This often leads companies to skip due diligence and sign multi-year contracts with vague commitments and limited exit options. One major trap: loosely written Statements of Work (SOWs). Phrases like “assist with data migration” sound supportive but typically place full responsibility on the client. Add in misleading “fixed-fee” models, and costs can quickly spiral. Christy stresses the importance of stakeholder alignment. When legal, IT, and business units aren’t on the same page, contracts fail to reflect real operational needs.

To avoid these failures:

  • Fully vet solutions before signing.
  • Keep vendor options open until terms are locked in.
  • Push for clear, specific SOWs.
  • Involve executive sponsors early.
  • Resist pressure to rush the deal.

ERP and cloud projects rarely fail at go-live—they fail in the negotiation phase. Preparation and clarity are your best safeguards.

 

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Native vs. Third-Party Apps: Why Where Your Data Lives Matters

Choosing native SuiteApps over third-party solutions for AP automation ensures greater security, scalability, and data accuracy—especially when leveraging AI-powered OCR—while streamlining processes like month-end close through seamless NetSuite integration. In her latest article on ERP Today, technology writer Radhika Ojha highlights a key decision for NetSuite users automating Accounts Payable (AP): use a native SuiteApp like SquareWorks or a third-party add-on? Rahul Jairaj of CloudPaths makes a compelling case for staying native. While third-party tools may seem cost-effective, they introduce risks with data sync and integration. Native apps, on the other hand, live entirely within NetSuite, offering a single source of truth. That means better security, data integrity, and a more seamless automation experience that scales with your business. Jairaj also unpacks the “magic” behind AI-driven OCR (invoice scanning), a must-have for modern AP teams. However, expecting 100% accuracy from day one is unrealistic. A native app allows teams to train AI in a NetSuite sandbox, working up from a 70% success rate to near-full accuracy over time. The impact on AP teams is transformative. Native automation shifts their focus from data entry to exception handling and analysis—adding strategic value. And when data lives natively in NetSuite, it drastically simplifies month-end close, eliminating manual reconciliations and improving reporting accuracy. Ojha concludes, if you want reliable, scalable AP automation that grows with your business and strengthens your ERP, then go native.

 

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How to remove the Infor Logo from your Lawson Business Intelligence dashboard

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  1. Login into LBI
  2. Click ‘Display Dashboard’ link under Tools -> Services -> FS Service module.
  3. Click New Property Button and type ‘showBanner’ then click ok.
    1. Important: type showBanner exactly as shown (case sensitive)

  4. Type NO to hide the banner (if showBanner property is not present, default is YES)
  5. Click Update at the top and refresh the page to see changes.

 

Before:

After:

If you found this article helpful, Nogalis offers managed services and technical resources to assist with customizing and maintaining your Lawson Business Intelligence dashboard. Whether it’s tasks like removing logos or other system configurations, our team provides the support you need. Contact us to learn more about our managed service offerings and how we can assist with your Lawson system needs.

Beyond the Inbox: The Human Side of AP Automation

AP automation streamlines manual tasks and boosts strategic focus, but successful implementation requires a human-centered approach to overcome change resistance and preserve team morale. In Rahhika Ojha’s latest article on ERP Today, she spotlights the human impact of Accounts Payable (AP) automation, featuring insights from Rahul Jairaj, Business Analyst at CloudPaths. Jairaj explains how manual AP processes—like chasing approvals and managing email floods—waste valuable time and wear down finance teams. One organization reported spending 50% of AP time just chasing bills. With NetSuite automation, tasks like invoice entry and routing are streamlined, freeing teams to focus on higher-value work. Beyond efficiency, automation brings strategic and emotional benefits. For companies pursuing SOX compliance, it offers precise audit trails. For employees, it restores purpose. One AP leader said, “This is what I was meant to do,” after automation replaced endless email chasing. The real challenge, however, isn’t technology—it’s adoption. Teams often fear being replaced.

Key takeaways for ERP professionals:

  • Use OCR to extract invoice data from emails automatically.

  • Replace manual chasing with rule-based approval matrices.

  • Rely on native NetSuite apps like SquareWorks for seamless integration and reliability.

Automation isn’t just a tech upgrade—it’s a catalyst for transforming the role and morale of AP teams.

 

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Updating GLMonitor

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Sometimes the following error on GL may occur: Resolving “Cannot run this program while GL190 is running” error when trying to release journal entries in GL40.1

You may run into this error at some point in GL40.1 or GL45.1:

Fortunately, there’s an easy fix to this. First login to Lawson portal and search GLMONITOR:

In GLMONITOR, type in GL190 and hit Inquire, if you get results and notice the run time, the process is in fact still running and causing the issue with GL40:

Go to job scheduler by opening LID and typing in jobschd >> F7 + A to select all users >> Then W to go to waiting screen.

Look for any GL190 jobs running and verify the User Name is the same one in GLMONITOR when inquiring on GL190 program. Check the error and if its safe to recover, recover it and let the job complete.

 

Go back to GLMonitor and inquire on GL190 to verify the job is no longer running:

Go to GL40.1 and release your Journal Entries.  Good luck!

 

Why Lift-and-Shift ERP Strategies Are Inadequate for Modern Revenue Models

Lift-and-shift ERP (enterprise resource planning) migrations often fall short in supporting modern, subscription-based revenue models, but decoupling billing with platforms like Zuora simplifies complexity, ensures compliance, and enables faster, more flexible monetization. In a recent ERP Today, Radhika Ojha highlights a growing challenge for ERP teams: lift-and-shift migrations aren’t keeping up with today’s recurring and usage-based revenue models. Moving a legacy ERP to the cloud might improve infrastructure, but it doesn’t fix outdated billing logic. Traditional ERPs were built for linear transactions—one order, one invoice, one payment. That’s not enough when your business model includes subscriptions, mid-cycle changes, and usage-based billing. The result? Manual workarounds, custom code, and risk of revenue leakage. Ojha shares a real-world use case with 24 Hour Fitness. Their Oracle ERP could only bill members on six fixed days per month. This led to complex proration and delayed revenue recognition. Instead of re-engineering their ERP, they integrated Zuora—a purpose-built billing platform—and moved to daily billing. The outcome: more flexibility, fewer errors, and faster cash flow. The smarter approach, according to Ojha, is to let your ERP handle the general ledger. Use a platform as a revenue sub-ledger to manage subscriptions, billing, and compliance. This decoupled model reduces ERP customization, speeds up transformation, and gives finance real-time data. This matters to ERP teams because it reduces risk during ERP migrations, it automates complex billing and revenue recognition, and it supports faster product launches and pricing changes. If your revenue model has evolved, Ojha concludes, your ERP strategy needs to evolve too. Lift-and-shift alone just won’t get you there.

 

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Never Too Small: 3 Ways SMEs Use Cloud ERP To Drive Growth

 

For years, enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems were tools only large corporations could afford—complex, costly, and time-consuming to implement. But with the rise of cloud-based ERP solutions, that’s changing fast. Small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs) are now tapping into powerful systems that help them scale, stay competitive, and even shape the future of the technology itself. In a recent Forbes article, content strategist Andrea Waisgluss highlights how SMEs are using cloud ERP to their advantage in three key ways:

  1. Faster Implementation. SMEs can move quicker than big corporations thanks to simpler structures and fewer legacy systems, allowing for rapid ERP adoption with less disruption.
  2. Access to Advanced Tech. Cloud ERP gives SMEs built-in access to AI, real-time analytics, and mobile tools—boosting efficiency, decision-making, and agility.
  3. Shaping the Future. SMEs are actively influencing ERP development by providing real-world feedback to vendors like SAP, helping improve user experience for everyone.

Cloud ERP isn’t just leveling the playing field—it’s giving SMEs the tools to lead. Whether it’s quicker rollouts, smarter tech, or a seat at the table in shaping future features, these businesses are proving that size is no barrier to innovation.

 

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Resolving the “Operator Not Authorized to Change Unit Cost” error

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This is one of those Lawson errors that could waste a morning of work looking through the Infor knowledge base, analyzing/changing security, and or reviewing logs.

 

So, you’re on PO20.1 and want to make a change to a PO entry and get this error:

To resolve this is actually incredibly simple and can be changed on PO04.1 at the bottom of the Buyer Information Tab (your settings may be different based on your needs):

If you happen to get a similar issue for a requisition cost change “Requester not authorized to change unit cost”, simply go to RQ04 and allow unit cost override for the specific requester (your settings may be different based on your needs):

If you found this article helpful, Nogalis offers expert managed services to resolve Lawson errors like this quickly and efficiently. Our offerings include troubleshooting technical issues, streamlining processes, and providing functional finance resource assistance. Whether it’s addressing security settings, resolving errors, or enhancing workflows, our managed services ensure your finance operations run smoothly without the need for a full-time, in-house team. Contact us to learn how we can simplify and optimize your Lawson experience.

7 enterprise cloud strategy trends shaking up IT today

In a recent article from CIO.com, tech expert John Edwards gathers insight from industry experts and outlines seven major trends redefining how enterprises approach cloud strategy today. As organizations navigate rising costs, increased security threats, and growing infrastructure complexity, a more thoughtful and adaptive cloud model is emerging. Rather than defaulting to “cloud-first,” businesses are rethinking where and how workloads run, embracing hybrid models, automation, and industry-specific platforms. The article emphasizes a shift toward agility, governance, and workload optimization. Below is an overview of the 7 key trends:

  • Security by Design: Cloud strategies are embedding security across all layers, addressing new AI-driven threats with proactive, automated defenses.
  • Cloud-Smart over Cloud-First: Enterprises are placing workloads based on performance, compliance, and cost—not just pushing everything to the cloud.
  • Multicloud Optimization: Organizations are using real-time data to dynamically orchestrate workloads across multiple cloud and on-prem environments.
  • Industry-Specific Clouds: Tailored cloud platforms for finance, healthcare, and other sectors help meet compliance and deployment needs faster.
  • FinOps Maturity: Cloud cost governance is improving through FinOps practices that align engineering and finance to drive efficiency.
  • Low-Code & Citizen Development: Business users are building apps with low-code/no-code tools, boosting innovation but requiring stronger governance.
  • Hybrid & Edge Expansion: Cloud-like services are moving closer to users via hybrid and edge solutions, blurring lines between public and private infrastructure.

Cloud strategy in 2025 is about intelligent placement, security integration, and financial discipline—not just infrastructure migration. As complexity grows, so does the need for smarter, more flexible architectures.

 

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Update SQL Tables after Data Refresh

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When you perform a data refresh in your SQL database, such as reloading data into tables, you may need to take steps to ensure dependent objects and overall database performance are optimized. Follow these steps to Update your SQL Tables after a Lawson Data Refresh.

First, open up the properties for the DB that was just refreshed and you can see that the DB tables have the PROD name.

 

Next, run the following SQL query for the TEST DB:

ALTER DATABASE INFORLAWTEST10 MODIFY FILEGROUP INFORLAWPROD10_DATA NAME = INFORLAWTEST10_DATA

ALTER DATABASE INFORLAWTEST10 MODIFY FILEGROUP INFORLAWPROD10_INDEX NAME = INFORLAWTEST10_INDEX

You’ve now updates your SQL tables post-refresh.