ERP 2019
Performance in the Cloud

Workday and (Lesser-Known) Premier Lead in Overall Performance; Cloud Solutions from Infor, Oracle Struggle

Workday’s market-leading overall performance is due in part to the quality of their user-friendly, native cloud solution, a two-time Best in KLAS winner. The HR component is viewed as a mature, complete module. Reported HR challenges are generally related to complex needs, such as healthcare payroll requirements. The finance module is developed but less mature. Supply chain is currently the largest gap. Some customers have procurement and inventory components; broader functionality is being implemented in some organizations but was not live in time for inclusion in this report. Despite finance and supply chain gaps, customers report optimism that Workday will follow through on development promises. Premier customers describe the supply chain module as an intuitive, innovative tool with strong capabilities, and the finance module has enabled some customers to achieve financial gains. In general, customers would like more guidance on how to fully leverage the solution’s robust functionality, and a couple would like the finance tool to be given more priority. Premier is less often thought of as an ERP player, partly because they lack an HR module and partly because Premier offers a wide range of other healthcare solutions. Premier has historically been adopted by organizations with under 500 beds but has recently seen growth among larger organizations.

The cloud ERP products from Infor and Oracle are newer to the market, have fewer live customers, and receive much lower product ratings. While Oracle’s cloud customers feel the module has most of the functionality they need, some describe it as complicated or unintuitive and report several small bugs. Oracle ERP customers—who tend to be large, more complex organizations—often have multiple Oracle products, and some who have adopted the financial tool report that optimal use can be a challenge without expertise in Oracle’s BI tool. Customers do feel Oracle is working to address the product’s challenges. Infor customers (v.11 and above) struggle in almost all aspects of the customer experience. Multiple customers who use the supply chain module reference issues with the EDI. Another pain point is the lack of mobile functionality. The few who have implemented the HR module have not had a consistent experience: two are satisfied and feel the platform is strong for healthcare and intuitive for end users; others report major challenges, with one reverting to their previous solution.

Third-Party Implementations: Expectations for ERP Vendor When Third Party Is Involved

Product success is often heavily influenced by implementation quality. While the vast majority of interviewed organizations (with the exception of Premier customers) used third-party implementation services, they still expected a certain level of support from their software vendor. Common expectations include the following:

Several Clients Feel Infor, Oracle Disengage during Implementations

Those customers disappointed in Infor’s implementation involvement view the vendor as reactionary and feel they had to force Infor to get involved. A few also feel Infor didn’t have the right resources or expertise. A couple of more-satisfied customers report that their customer success manager (a new Infor initiative for cloud customers) stayed connected during the project. Oracle customers with unmet expectations often describe the vendor as uninvolved during implementations and apt to fault the services partner for post-go-live issues. Additionally, some are dissatisfied that more robust training (beyond the free online resources) costs extra. Other Oracle customers feel their expectations were met or exceeded—some mention having a helpful, knowledgeable assigned representative; some did not expect strong involvement from Oracle. All interviewed Workday customers who engaged a services partner report that Workday met or exceeded their implementation expectations. Most also report that Workday took ownership of their customers’ success and proactively kept in touch during the implementation.

Oracle and Infor Customers Plan to Stay, but Many Would Not Buy Again

Though customers don’t feel the Workday solution is currently complete, 100% would buy the product again and plan to stay with it long term. All or nearly all Infor and Oracle customers plan to stay with their vendor, though over 40% report buyer’s remorse. Infor customers are frustrated by the previously mentioned product and relationship challenges; in addition, they report poor implementations, negative sales experiences, and vendor overpromising (one-third feel Infor doesn’t keep their promises). Oracle customers who would not buy again also mention implementation problems and don’t feel Oracle has done enough to help them overcome these struggles.

Workday and Infor Most Considered for Cloud

Organizations considering the cloud are most likely to look at Workday and Infor. Those interested in Workday like the product offering, including the integration between the modules, and often reference Workday’s reputation in the industry. Organizations that are hesitant about Workday cite concerns about supply chain immaturity. Infor and Oracle have large bases of on-premises ERP customers, and a large number of their considerations come from these organizations. While organizations have expressed interest in Infor’s new cloud solution and broad suite of tools, the cloud solution’s lack of a proven track record gives some organizations pause. The Oracle system is seen as having robust functionality. Some organizations rule it out due to price. Premier has comparatively lower mindshare but is considered by organizations who use Premier’s other software or services. Potential customers cite the lack of an HR component as a downside.

What to Expect from the Cloud: Benefits vs. Challenges