ISG Software Research Analyst Perspectives (16)

AI Can Boost CX Outcomes in Field Service

Posted by Keith Dawson on 14 May 2024

Field service operations are not often discussed as part of enterprise customer experience planning, but there is a strong argument that they should be seen as an important factor driving how customers perceive brands. Like contact centers, field service teams are dealing with the advance of startling new technologies that can be expensive and disruptive. The flip side of disruption, though, is... Read More

Topics: Customer Experience, Contact Center

The CFO AI Trilemma: Cut Costs, Accomplish More or Both

Posted by Robert Kugel on 13 May 2024

We’re quickly approaching the moment when it becomes clear that artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI) will not be free. As that happens, we will discover who’s willing to pay how much and for what. After nearly 18 months of unlimited use-case fantasizing, it should be obvious that not all the potential applications of AI can be realized over the next three to five years because... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance, Analytics, Business Planning, ERP and Continuous Accounting, Order-to-Cash

Google Expands AI Capabilities at Cloud Next ’24

Posted by David Menninger on 09 May 2024

The artificial intelligence (AI) market is exploding with activity, which is part of the reason we recently announced that we have dedicated an entire practice at Ventana Research to the topic. Large language models (LLMs) and generative AI (GenAI) have taken the AI world by storm. In fact, we assert that through 2026, one-half of all AI investments will be based on generative rather than... Read More

Topics: AI, natural language processing, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

Digitizing Tax Provision to Streamline the Close, Reduce Risk

Posted by Robert Kugel on 09 May 2024

The tax provision process is an essential part of the close process and a core responsibility of tax departments. This process estimates the amount of income tax an enterprise will have to pay tax authorities in the jurisdictions in which it operates. Tax accountants derive the number by adjusting the reported net income with a variety of permanent differences, such as expenses that are not... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance, ERP and Continuous Accounting

Wiiisdom Improves Trust in Data With Analytics Testing and Governance

Posted by Matt Aslett on 08 May 2024

Many organizations have adopted DataOps to apply agile development, DevOps and lean manufacturing processes to the development, testing, deployment and orchestration of data integration and processing pipelines. The most likely ultimate outcome of these pipelines is the analytics reports and dashboards enterprises rely on to make business decisions. However, as my colleague David Menninger... Read More

Topics: Analytics, Analytics and Data

AI Increases the Value of Order-to-Cash Automation

Posted by Robert Kugel on 07 May 2024

If you search “for want of a nail” on your browser, you’ll discover the age-old wisdom that seemingly trivial things can have a far-reaching impact. It’s a parable for artificial intelligence used in business. Deconstruct the imagined big-picture impact of AI and there are thousands of minor tasks that soon will require little or no human involvement in the interstices of an end-to-end process.... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance, Order-to-Cash

The Buyers Guides for Digital Comms Classifies and Rates Software Providers

Posted by Mark Smith on 03 May 2024

I am happy to share insights gleaned from our latest Buyers Guide, an assessment of how well software providers’ offerings meet buyers’ requirements. The Digital Communications Ventana Research Buyers Guide is the distillation of a year of market and product research by Ventana Research. The necessity of enterprise communications internally and to external constituents like customers, partners... Read More

Topics: Digital Communications

Making Purchasing Departments AI-Ready

Posted by Robert Kugel on 01 May 2024

There have been a multitude of potential use cases for artificial intelligence (AI) and generative AI (GenAI) dreamed up over the past 18 months. ISG-Ventana Research describes AI as the development of systems and software capable of automating tasks that have previously required human intelligence. It encompasses machine learning (ML), deep learning and GenAI to deliver capabilities including... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance

AI and Learning: A Tech Evolution

Posted by Matthew Brown on 01 May 2024

It has been a predominant buzzword for several years across all areas of human resources (HR), but artificial intelligence (AI) and learning and development (L&D) are finally beginning to integrate at scale, and it is one of the most transformative evolutions for the function of learning and development in the last 15 years. For a few years, we have been learning more about how AI will impact our... Read More

Topics: Human Capital Management, Learning Management, employee experience

GenAI has the Potential to Change the Face of Analytics

Posted by Matt Aslett on 30 April 2024

Analytics software is used by business analysts and decision-makers to facilitate the generation of insights from data. It encompasses business intelligence and decision intelligence software, including reports and dashboards as well as embedded analytics and the development of intelligent applications infused with the results of analytic processes. Analytics software enables enterprises to... Read More

Topics: Analytics, AI, Analytics and Data

Designing a Smart and Sustainable HR Tech Stack

Posted by Matthew Brown on 25 April 2024

The importance of human resources technology in the workplace is growing at a phenomenal pace. While many HR applications like payroll, benefits management and human resource information systems have been perceived as critical, the new sense of criticality is more extensive than ever. HR technology is necessary to power the function of HR, but it also needs to serve as the leading example of how... Read More

Topics: Human Capital Management, employee experience

Data Orchestration Automates and Accelerates Analytics and AI

Posted by Matt Aslett on 24 April 2024

I recently wrote about the development, testing and deployment of data pipelines as a fundamental accelerator of data-driven strategies. As I explained in the 2023 Data Orchestration Buyers Guide, today’s analytics environments require agile data pipelines that can traverse multiple data-processing locations and evolve with business needs. Given the increasing complexity of evolving data sources... Read More

Topics: Analytics, data operations, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

What Is So Different About B2B Digital Commerce?

Posted by Stephen Hurrell on 23 April 2024

As a business application tech analyst, I tend to focus more on B2B than B2C and the differences between the two. So, when it comes to digital commerce, I am interested in the differences from a process or functional point of view and therefore the potential digital commerce application or platform needs required to support B2B commerce. With more B2B enterprises looking to provide access in a... Read More

Topics: Digital Commerce, Office of Revenue

The Buyers Guides for Workforce Management Classifies and Rates Software Providers

Posted by Matthew Brown on 23 April 2024

I am happy to share insights gleaned from our latest Buyers Guide, an assessment of how well software providers’ offerings meet buyers’ requirements. The Ventana Research Workforce Management Suites Buyers Guide is the distillation of a year of market and product research by Ventana Research. A major focus of investment and optimization efforts for decades, workforce management processes and... Read More

Topics: Human Capital Management, Workforce Management

Stibo Systems Facilitates Trust in Data With AI-Driven MDM

Posted by Matt Aslett on 16 April 2024

I previously explained how master data management helps provide trust in data, making it one of the most significant aspects of an enterprise’s strategic approach to data management. More recently, I discussed how it has a role to play in accelerating data democratization as part of data intelligence initiatives. Along with data quality, MDM enables organizations to ensure data is accurate,... Read More

Topics: Product Information Management, Operations & Supply Chain, Analytics and Data

Sage Intacct Enhances Its Roadmap for AI and Generative AI

Posted by Robert Kugel on 15 April 2024

Sage Intacct recently held its annual user conference, and while there were plenty of product announcements and roadmap presentations, my focus here is on the artificial intelligence elements. AI–both predictive and generative–is the most important capability and differentiator in software aimed at finance and accounting departments. Ventana Research asserts that by 2027, almost all vendors of... Read More

Topics: Office of Finance, Business Planning, ERP and Continuous Accounting

Salesforce Wants Everyone to be an Einstein with AI

Posted by David Menninger on 11 April 2024

I recently attended the Salesforce Trailblazer DX event to learn more about Salesforce’s artificial intelligence products and strategy. Fueled by generative AI, awareness and investment in AI seems to be exploding. ISG research shows that enterprises plan to nearly triple the portion of budgets allocated to AI over the next two years. This doesn’t come as a big surprise when you look at the... Read More

Topics: AI, natural language processing, Deep Learning, Model Building and Large Language Models, Computer Vision

Navigating the Enterprise IT Ops Labyrinth

Posted by Jeff Orr on 10 April 2024

Enterprises are increasingly recognizing the need to streamline operations for efficiency, agility and innovation. This has led to various “operations” or “Ops” initiatives, each focusing on a specific aspect of enterprise IT. From software development and data analytics to IT and cloud management, these Ops groups are transforming the way enterprises operate and compete. Mergers and... Read More

Topics: Analytics, Cloud Computing, Digital Technology, data operations, Analytic Operations, AIOps

DataOps.live Enables the Development of Data Products

Posted by Matt Aslett on 10 April 2024

I wrote recently about the role that data intelligence has in enabling enterprises to facilitate data democratization and the delivery of data as a product. Data intelligence provides a holistic view of how, when, and why data is produced and consumed across an enterprise, and by whom. This information can be used by data teams to ensure business users and data analysts are provided with... Read More

Topics: Analytics, Data Ops, data operations, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

AI Innovations in Data and Analytics at SAP

Posted by David Menninger on 09 April 2024

Data and analytics have become increasingly important to all aspects of business. The modern data and analytics stack includes many components, which creates challenges for enterprises and software providers alike. As my colleague Matt Aslett points out, a better term might be modern data and analytics smorgasbord. There are arguments for and against using an assortment of tools versus a... Read More

Topics: Analytics, AI, data operations, Analytics and Data