Finance Transformation

Disconnected AP workflows are quietly draining ERP value — new research on how payments and integration impact ERP performance Organizations invest in ERP systems to streamline operations, improve visibility, and connect critical business workflows. Yet when it comes to payments, 43% of organizations still manage at least some accounts payable (AP) processes outside the ERP, creating friction that limits the efficiency, scalability, and value they expect from their ERP investment. Based on new research from Priority Commerce surveying 150 AP professionals, The ERP Value Gap explores how disconnected AP workflows affect business outcomes, why payments are becoming a more important driver of platform value, and how ERP providers can better meet evolving customer expectations. For ERP providers and the enterprises that run on them, the challenge is closing the gap between the seamless AP experience users expect and what platforms actually deliver — without adding integration complexity or disrupting existing workflows. This session makes the case for treating payables as a core platform capability rather than an add-on: embedding payment capabilities directly into the ERP to improve AP efficiency, reduce workflow fragmentation, and increase value. Watch this on-demand session as Priority Commerce EVP of Operations Steve Tackett draws on 20+ years in payments technology to show finance and operations teams what to consider when connecting modern payment capabilities to their ERP environment. Why you should watch: - See the new research: What 150 AP professionals reveal about where AP workflows still live outside the ERP — and what it costs in visibility, efficiency, and scalability. - Diagnose your ERP value gap: Identify the common AP workflow challenges and integration barriers that force teams to manage payments outside the platform. - Pinpoint what to fix: Learn which payment and AP capabilities close those gaps and create a more seamless, connected ERP experience. - Understand the strategic upside: See why integrated payments strengthen platform value, customer retention, and long-term growth. - Get a CFO-ready view: Understand what role integrated payments should play in a modern ERP strategy and how they move the needle on cost, control, and ROI.

Disconnected AP workflows are quietly draining ERP value — new research on how payments and integration impact ERP performance Organizations invest in ERP systems to streamline operations, improve visibility, and connect critical business workflows. Yet when it comes to payments, 43% of organizations still manage at least some accounts payable (AP) processes outside the ERP, creating friction that limits the efficiency, scalability, and value they expect from their ERP investment. Based on new research from Priority Commerce surveying 150 AP professionals, The ERP Value Gap explores how disconnected AP workflows affect business outcomes, why payments are becoming a more important driver of platform value, and how ERP providers can better meet evolving customer expectations. For ERP providers and the enterprises that run on them, the challenge is closing the gap between the seamless AP experience users expect and what platforms actually deliver — without adding integration complexity or disrupting existing workflows. This session makes the case for treating payables as a core platform capability rather than an add-on: embedding payment capabilities directly into the ERP to improve AP efficiency, reduce workflow fragmentation, and increase value. Watch this on-demand session as Priority Commerce EVP of Operations Steve Tackett draws on 20+ years in payments technology to show finance and operations teams what to consider when connecting modern payment capabilities to their ERP environment. Why you should watch: - See the new research: What 150 AP professionals reveal about where AP workflows still live outside the ERP — and what it costs in visibility, efficiency, and scalability. - Diagnose your ERP value gap: Identify the common AP workflow challenges and integration barriers that force teams to manage payments outside the platform. - Pinpoint what to fix: Learn which payment and AP capabilities close those gaps and create a more seamless, connected ERP experience. - Understand the strategic upside: See why integrated payments strengthen platform value, customer retention, and long-term growth. - Get a CFO-ready view: Understand what role integrated payments should play in a modern ERP strategy and how they move the needle on cost, control, and ROI.

Applied Materials is using SAP Taulia Dynamic Discounting as part of its Agile Finance program to accelerate supplier payments, improve supplier liquidity, and build a scalable, AI-first finance operating model. The initiative shows how enterprise working capital programs can evolve from transactional efficiency tools into strategic platforms that deliver both supplier value and measurable financial returns for large manufacturers.

This article looks at how finance teams in professional services firms are beginning to adopt AI, moving beyond simple automation toward more autonomous, insight-driven operations. It highlights early use cases such as forecasting, reporting, billing, and productivity gains, and outlines practical steps CFOs and finance leaders can take to pilot AI safely while reshaping how their organisations work.

This piece examines the journey from traditional finance automation to AI-powered autonomous operations, outlining how technologies such as machine learning, generative AI, and intelligent agents can take on more of the end-to-end workload. It explores what “autonomous finance” means in practice, the steps needed to modernise processes and data, and how the CFO’s role evolves as finance shifts from manual control to AI-driven decision support.

Plastic Energy, a leader in advanced plastic recycling, partnered with Hitachi Solutions to implement Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance as a cloud-based platform to support rapid global growth. Using Hitachi’s Essentials for Finance accelerator, the team delivered a multinational rollout across ten countries in nine months, enabling standardised processes, faster reporting, and better financial insight for its circular-economy operations.

Hitachi Solutions has been recognised as the 2025 Microsoft Dynamics 365 Finance Partner of the Year, highlighting its leadership in delivering innovative ERP and finance transformations on the Microsoft cloud. This recognition showcases the company’s proven expertise in helping customers modernise financial operations, optimise business performance, and realise greater value from Dynamics 365 Finance.

EY US and Rillet are partnering to embed risk and controls directly into AI-native finance workflows, signaling a shift in how enterprise finance transformation programs are designed and delivered.

Research from the IBM Institute for Business Value reveals finance functions are evolving from retrospective roles to proactive decision-makers in enterprise performance, highlighting a stark performance gap where only 12% of organizations exhibit advanced maturity in strategic influence and digital agility.