Data and AI governance: A complementary duo for enterprise success

 

Data and artificial intelligence (AI)—when used together—are key drivers of business success, but unlocking their full value requires integrated governance to ensure responsible and effective use. A recent article from IBM by Ray Beharry, Senior Product Marketing Manager for Data Intelligence, and Sahiba Pahwa, Product Marketing for watsonx.governance, makes a compelling case: data and AI governance aren’t just parallel efforts—they’re deeply interconnected pillars of modern enterprise strategy.

Data governance ensures data is accurate, consistent, secure, and managed responsibly. It sets the standards and controls that make data usable and trustworthy—critical when feeding AI systems.

AI governance, meanwhile, focuses on the behavior of AI models. It ensures systems are ethical, explainable, and compliant with evolving regulations like GDPR and the EU AI Act. As AI grows more complex, governance becomes essential to manage risks like bias, hallucinations, and lack of transparency.

The article emphasizes that without strong data governance, AI governance can’t succeed. High-quality, traceable data is what makes AI accountable and explainable. Likewise, AI governance pushes data governance to meet new standards of compliance, fairness, and trust.

Organizations that integrate both frameworks benefit from:

  • Smarter, more reliable decision-making
  • Greater stakeholder and regulatory trust
  • Simplified compliance
  • Reduced risk
  • Enhanced efficiency and innovation

In today’s digital landscape, managing data and AI separately is no longer enough. As the authors put it, these governance practices are “complementary elements” that, together, help organizations unlock the full value of their data and AI investments—securely and responsibly.

 

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How to setup a distribution group in Lawson for a jobdef

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Here is a simple step-by-step guide on how to setup a distribution group in Lawson for a jobdef.

  1. Login into Lawson Interface Desktop (LID) and type in: grpdef
  2. Create a group name and add users to group
  3. Create a distribution list using command: dstlstgrpdef
    1. Add your group from step 2 to this new Distribution list
  4. Open jobdef select job you want >> Select step and press F6 >> B. Report Distribution
  5. Now arrow down to Destination and set as Dist Group, under Group/* Print, type your group name or Distribution List. This should populate a list of users on the right side.
  6. So when this job runs, the PRT and Error file will be placed in these users print directories. Press Enter twice to save changes.

If you found this article helpful, Nogalis offers managed services and expert technical resources to assist with Lawson system configurations like setting up distribution groups. Whether you need help managing user groups, optimizing workflows, or maintaining your Lawson environment, our managed services provide the support you need to ensure smooth operations. Contact us to learn more about how we can assist with your Lawson system.

Meeting finance priorities in an ERP implementation

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are often pitched as game-changers for finance transformation. But as Miles Ewing, principal, Finance & Performance at Deloitte Consulting, reports in The Australian, around 70% of finance leaders say their ERP initiatives have been slower or less impactful than expected. Why the gap? Ewing’s interviews with 26 CFOs suggest a key reason: unclear or unmeasured finance goals. Projects that focused on specific, measurable outcomes—like cost reduction or enabling M&A—delivered real value. But vague goals such as “reducing manual effort” or “improving analytics” were often deprioritized in favor of hitting go-live deadlines. In many cases, the urgency to launch on time meant finance priorities were sidelined. Some CFOs admitted they had no way to quantify whether finance actually improved post-implementation. Other recurring issues included poor-quality data from upstream functions, limited system scope, and lack of change management. Even with modern ERP systems, teams often reverted to manual processes due to these gaps.

Ewing identifies three persistent challenges:

  1. Finance is broad, but ERP systems often cover only slices like accounting.
  2. Finance depends on external data, which tech alone can’t fix.
  3. Transformation needs policy/process change, not just new systems.

The lesson here is without clear goals, cross-functional coordination, and strong change leadership, ERP investments may not deliver the finance transformation CFOs expect.

(This is part one of a two-part series. The next article explores how CFOs can lead more successful transformation efforts.)

 

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Reinventing ERP With Event-Driven Agentic AI

In a recent Forbes article, Robert Kramer of Moor Insights & Strategy explores how enterprise resource planning (ERP) is undergoing a transformative shift—from static systems of record to intelligent, autonomous ecosystems powered by AI agents. Traditional ERPs rely on manual inputs and scheduled processes. But today’s fast-paced business environment demands systems that respond instantly to change. That’s where event-driven architecture comes in: instead of waiting for user actions or batch jobs, ERPs can now react in real time to business events like inventory shortages or shipment delays. Even more revolutionary is the rise of agentic AI—autonomous, goal-driven software agents that can execute tasks, follow business rules, and collaborate across systems. These AI agents don’t just assist; they act. For example, an ERP agent might automatically reorder supplies, coordinate with a logistics agent, and even negotiate delivery timelines—without human involvement. This “agents-talking-to-agents” model transforms cross-platform integration. Rather than relying on rigid APIs, systems can dynamically exchange intent and actions. The result? Faster operations, fewer errors, and more adaptive business processes. Kramer also highlights how this model supports modular innovation. Specialized AI agents can enhance ERP functionality—like sustainability tracking or visual quality inspections—without bloating the core platform. Of course, there are challenges: governance, data quality, legacy systems, and workforce shifts must be managed carefully. But for businesses ready to embrace it, agentic, event-driven ERP offers faster decision-making, streamlined operations, and a significant competitive edge.

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Error Message in Edge when going to LBI from Lawson

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Problem:

When I click on the LBI bookmark in my Lawson screen, I get an error message stating the URL redirected you too many times. This only happens when using the EDGE browser. It did not happen in Chrome.

 

Resolution:

Open settings in EDGE and go to Cookies and site permissions>>Cookies and data stored>>Cookies and site data and make sure the Block Third-party cookies is not off.

Turn on the following:

Now refresh cache and clear your cookies.

Note: adding any exceptions may cause the same issue, so make sure to remove any exceptions under Allow or Clear on Exit.

How IoT-Driven ERP Systems Are Solving Supply Chain Blind Spots

In a recent article from IoT Business News explores how IoT-enabled ERP systems are transforming supply chain visibility and performance. Despite widespread digitalization, many businesses still struggle with fragmented data and slow responses to disruptions. IoT-driven ERPs are solving this by feeding real-time sensor and machine data directly into enterprise workflows.

These systems enable predictive maintenance, real-time inventory tracking, automated replenishment, and immediate anomaly detection. The result is smarter, faster decision-making and significantly reduced downtime. Unlike traditional ERP platforms—which aren’t built to process high-frequency IoT data—modern IoT-native ERPs handle complex, real-time information seamlessly.

Industries like manufacturing, logistics, energy, and agriculture are already leveraging these tools to improve traceability, automate workflows, and support sustainability goals. As operations trend toward autonomy and AI integration, IoT-enabled ERP systems are becoming essential for staying competitive in a dynamic market.

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Tips For Using deljobhst

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Often our Lawson print queues get cluttered and out of hand.  Lawson’s deljobhst command is a really great tool for cleaning up your batch jobs.  It can clear the clutter from your user’s print managers, as well as free up some space on your server.  Run this command in LID.

For each of these commands, you must provide a “ToDate” in MMDDYY format.  So, if you give it an end date of 033119, for instance, you would delete all the selected job history up to March 31, 2019.

You also have the option of providing a user’s account so that you just perform the delete for a specific user.  There is also a from date option that allows you to manage job history for a specific date range.

We recommend setting up some of these commands on a schedule to keep your Lawson server happy & healthy.

Here is a summary of the command:

The -w option will delete all waiting jobs, so jobs in recovery and jobs with Invalid Parameters.  After you run this, there will not be any jobs listed in the waiting queue for the specified user (or all users) up to the specified run date.

The -c option deletes all completed jobs.  This is a great way to clean up user’s job schedule print manager lists.  This action removes the data from the QUEUEDJOB table.  It does not remove print files.

The -r option removes all the print files associated with batch jobs, that were created up to the specified to date.  This will help keep your server from getting too cluttered.  Make sure you back up your print directory, especially if you have a retention policy at your organization.  If you run the command so that it deletes ALL print files (so delete everything up to today), it will delete your entire print directory.  Don’t panic!  It’ll be created the next time a user runs a batch job.

From Risk To Return: Making ERP Data Migration A Strategic Win

ERP (enterprise resource planning) transformations promise streamlined operations and smarter decision-making—but only if the data powering them is accurate and reliable. As Shiv Kaushik, Chairman & CEO of ICCG, explains in his Forbes article, data migration is often undervalued, yet it’s one of the biggest risks to ERP success. Many organizations enter ERP projects with fragmented, duplicated, or outdated data. Treating migration as a technical task—rather than a strategic priority—leads to delays, cost overruns, and broken business processes. Successful ERP projects treat data migration as a business-critical initiative. This involves executive sponsorship to prioritize clean, reliable data, cross-functional collaboration between IT and business teams, and strong data governance and use of automation tools.

To reduce risk and drive value, Kaushik advises:

  1. Assess current data sources and systems

  2. Establish governance early in the process

  3. Clean and standardize data before migration

  4. Automate testing and validations

  5. Engage end users in testing, not just IT

  6. Train users on new data structures and tools

ERP success depends on data readiness. When data migration is led strategically—with the right focus and leadership—it becomes a powerful enabler of long-term value, not just a project hurdle.

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MSPs: Are you ready for the next evolution of ERP?

As more small and midsize businesses (SMBs) outgrow traditional enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, Managed Services Providers (MSPs) have a powerful opportunity to step in with a smarter solution: SAP Business ByDesign (ByD). In his article for ManagedServicesJournal.com, technical director Atit Shah highlights how this cloud-first ERP solution is ideal for fast-scaling businesses—and for MSPs ready to offer more value. SAP Business ByDesign, for example, brings together finance, HR, CRM, supply chain, and project management in a single, modular platform. With built-in analytics, AI-powered automation, and a scalable foundation via SAP HANA, businesses gain real-time insights and operational efficiency. For MSPs, ByD means recurring revenue and strategic partnerships. From implementation to training and performance monitoring, the cloud-native model simplifies support while enabling ongoing services. Its open APIs and evolving AI features ensure it grows alongside client needs. More than an ERP system, SAP Business ByDesign is a foundation for smart, sustainable growth. And this is just one major player. Expect other ERP powerhouses like Oracle or CloudSuite to follow a similar path. For MSPs looking to stay ahead, it’s the right tool at the right time.

 

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Building a .cbl for Infor

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There are times that Infor support will ask for a .cbl of a program in your Lawson system.

 

When working with Infor Lawson systems, you may encounter situations where Infor support requests a .cbl file for a specific program. This is because .cbl files contain the source code for programs written in COBOL, a language commonly used in business software like Lawson.

Why Infor Support Might Ask for a .cbl file:

  • Troubleshooting Program Errors: If a Lawson program is not functioning correctly, providing the .cbl file allows Infor support to examine the source code to identify and diagnose the issue.
  • Investigating Program Behavior: The .cbl file helps Infor support understand the program’s logic and how it processes data, which can be crucial for resolving unexpected behavior or performance problems.
  • Analyzing Customizations

 

Resolution :

At the command prompt, type bldsh productline system code program

Example: bldsh test IC IC130

This will create a .cbl in your LAWDIR/productline/xxsrc directory.