8 ERP trends  for 2025: The ERP world in transition.

Looking back at the past twelve months, one thing is clear: the world of technology is moving – at breathtaking speed. A prime example is artificial intelligence, which was still an exciting new development at the beginning of the year and has since become firmly established. The year 2025 promises to be another period of rapid change: alongside the ongoing topic of AI, cloud solutions, the use of real-time data, and sustainable systems will take center stage. Companies that embrace these trends will be able to simplify processes and free up valuable time. To prepare for the coming year and gain maximum benefit, it is essential to keep a close eye on the following software and ERP trends for 2025.

They have been conquering the market for several years and now dominate the software world: cloud solutions. Most companies already have a cloud ERP in use or are in the middle of implementation. Those who are not yet on board increasingly feel the need to catch up. The cloud is no longer a trend – it is the standard – and the advantages speak for themselves: cloud solutions are flexibly scalable, allowing you to increase or reduce the number of users as needed.

To fully meet strict security requirements, cloud providers such as Microsoft invest large sums in IT security every year and comply with both security and compliance standards. Automatic backups reliably secure data, and regular updates keep the solution consistently up to date. All of this relieves the burden on internal IT – an important factor, especially in times of skilled labor shortages.

A relatively new development is entry-level solutions that give companies with limited resources access to the benefits of the ERP world. Ready-made packages are particularly practical. A defined range of functions and services ensures that the ERP system is standardized and therefore very quick to implement. Because it can be expanded flexibly, it supports companies long term in their development and growth process. A good ERP package has the potential to cover the digital processes of today’s small business even many years into the future.

Of course, the ERP market will continue to evolve and adapt to new circumstances in 2025. What will remain constant is the cloud as the foundation – presenting companies in the process manufacturing industry with a new challenge: computer system validation in the public cloud.

For companies in the process manufacturing industry, computer system validation has always been a challenge. Since solutions have increasingly been operated as Software as a Service (SaaS), the hurdle has grown even higher. Yet the path to successfully and securely validating cloud solutions has long been established: with the right approach, computer system validation in the public cloud is possible.

A comprehensive cloud strategy anchors the initiative within the company, with an experienced validation expert acting as a consulting partner to ensure that the requirements of EU GMP Annex 11 are met sustainably and successfully. Combined with a suitable system that complies with regulations, thorough documentation, and well-designed, seamless update management for secure, validation-compliant updates, software solutions in the public cloud can be validated both efficiently and safely.

The year 2025 will take the next step into the SaaS world – and with it, the need for validation in the public cloud will only increase.

Speed, practicality, and efficiency: the demand to work simply and without wasting time is stronger than ever – after all, there is plenty to do. This development is reflected in the trend of seamlessly integrating software. Different systems can exchange data automatically, manual entries are reduced, and the risk of errors decreases. Instead of working with many different storage locations that each need to be accessed separately, control is centralized on a single interface.

Seamless integration is particularly useful when ERP and Document Management Systems (DMS) are combined. Files no longer need to be saved twice or laboriously versioned. The DMS handles this and accesses the ERP data directly. This way, you work not only with up-to-date information but also on a complete, central data basis. Practical – and a trend that will be in even greater demand in the future.

Do you remember the first reports announcing that artificial intelligence was becoming accessible to companies and private individuals? It began slowly at the end of 2022, with the big breakthrough coming in March 2023. Since then, AI has become increasingly integrated into our daily lives. Many companies already use its possibilities in their day-to-day business, and self-learning systems are now being incorporated into software as well. Microsoft also integrates AI tools into its solutions, working with so-called agents. These are background processes that handle repeatable tasks. Once completed, the user receives a notification and can review and approve the results.

AI is a trend that will not only remain but intensify. There are two reasons for this: first, more and more people are discovering the benefits of AI, and acceptance is rising. Second, the areas of application are expanding, and AI is becoming a fixed component of solutions such as ERP systems. Sooner or later, none of us will be able to ignore this technology. For those who have not yet started, 2025 is the right time to get familiar with it.

People want solutions that suit them. This is why in IT, customized design is increasingly coming into focus. Intuitive, adaptable interfaces make it possible to integrate personal preferences into everyday work. This is both practical and motivating. Users who work on a pleasant interface perform their tasks with more enjoyment – and usually more quickly. Popular tools for tailored interfaces include Business Intelligence solutions, where both design and methods of data analysis can be flexibly adapted. But the same applies in ERP and Document Management Systems: you can make adjustments to suit your own preferences. The scope for aligning daily work more closely with individual needs is growing steadily.

Sustainability will continue to be a constant theme. Using available resources wisely is simply too important. Many companies rely on Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) as a framework to evaluate sustainability and ethical responsibility within their processes. Those who want to can conveniently extract the necessary key figures from their ERP system and use them to further optimize operations. At the same time, sustainability is also becoming more present in software development itself: more and more software solutions help improve energy efficiency, reduce CO₂ emissions, and achieve sustainability goals. Solutions for intelligent resource management, supply chain transparency, and environmental monitoring will come to the forefront as companies face growing pressure to meet their ESG objectives.

Analyses form the basis for evaluations and strategic decisions. The flood of company data continues to grow. So how can all relevant information be kept readily available? The key lies in accessing it in real time. ERP systems serve as the ideal central hub, offering up-to-date insights at any given moment.

In addition, more and more Business Intelligence (BI) solutions are being used. These tools evaluate even very large data volumes efficiently and provide insights within seconds. Combined with a complete, current data basis, companies gain the best possible foundation for decision-making.

Hybrid work models and remote work make it easier to balance professional and private life. The concept of work has changed, and the trend continues toward New Work – a people-centered working environment. To make this possible, employers must provide the necessary infrastructure. ERP once again offers suitable solutions. Combined with a Document Management System, it ensures that working conditions remain both secure and flexible.

Those who still rely solely on paper files stored in office cabinets will not be able to keep up in the long run. The risk of losing existing employees increases, while the chance of attracting new talent declines. Even if some companies want to return to the traditional five-day office week, the trend toward home office and workation remains. For many employees, the freedom they have gained has become an integral part of their working lives – and it is not something they are willing to give up.

One thing is clear: flexibility, long-term thinking, and new technologies are shaping the ERP market like never before. Whether in private life or at work, the desire for self-determination and flexible action is growing. Complex, time-consuming tasks slow us down and must be reduced to a minimum. At the same time, security and sustainable approaches remain at the center.

It is an exciting mix to which both software and users are responding. The year 2025 will continue the developments of 2024 and bring exciting progress that will accompany us all in the long term.