Maximising the ERP ecosystem
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) environments are often complex, requiring many manual processes across siloed systems. There’s no single source of truth, and it can be difficult for leaders to get real visibility into ERP workflows. At ServiceNow, we use a “clean core” strategy to modernise our ERP ecosystem and scale the business.
Traditional ERP systems and processes are a key culprit of technical debt—the rework that comes from quick fixes or shortcuts and the thing most organisations try to avoid. ERP systems are also not designed to deliver great user experiences, so it can be difficult for casual users to be productive.
Customisations and extensions might seem like the best way to address ERP system shortcomings, but they weigh organisations down with add-ons that are “stuck” to the ERP system. During maintenance or upgrades, each customization needs to be preserved or updated.
We created a three-phase approach to a “clean core” ERP
We know that our ERP environment plays a key role in helping us achieve our business objectives. So, we’ve prioritised having a “clean core” ERP, which is a system that’s manageable, easy to upgrade, easy to use and extensible to meet unique business needs.
Our three-step approach is:
1. Discover points of friction in our ERP environment and processes using specific tools and assessments. By pinpointing where bottlenecks are occurring, we know where to focus our efforts.
2. Deploy apps and pre-defined workflows we’ve built, as well as low-code or no-code solutions created by our developers or citizen developers. Our solutions help to bridge gaps, automate processes, accelerate the flow of work and simplify tasks for our teams.
3. Drive continuous improvement. This includes monitoring and growing value, recalibrating to achieve outcomes and scale more easily, and managing expenses as a percentage of revenue.
We continuously look for ways to improve
Our ERP environment traverses dozens of use cases. We’ve unlocked a 70% increase in productivity with our AR case management solution, gained $3.2 million from a finance request tool and much more. A wide range of personas—from collection agents to accountants, buyers to sellers—now benefit from frictionless experiences and an ERP environment that makes it easier for them to do their jobs.
As our business continues to grow, our ERP systems and processes scale right alongside us. When upgrades are necessary, we can perform them quickly and simply. And when new use cases arise, we’re ready—with a winning “clean core” strategy to keep us on the right track.