ISG Software Research Analyst Perspectives (17)

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

Data Pipelines Integrate Data Processing and Enable AI

Posted by Matt Aslett on 02 April 2024

The development, testing and deployment of data pipelines is a fundamental accelerator of data-driven strategies, enabling enterprises to extract data from the operational applications and data platforms designed to run the business and load, integrate and transform it into the analytic data platforms and tools used to analyze the business. As I explained in our recent Data Pipelines Buyers... Read More

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

Data Intelligence: Fundamental to Data Architecture

Posted by Matt Aslett on 27 March 2024

As enterprises seek to increase data-driven decision-making, many are investing in strategic data democratization initiatives to provide business users and data analysts with self-service access to data across the enterprise. Such access has long been a goal of many enterprises, but few have achieved it. Only 15% of participants in Ventana Research’s Analytics and Data Benchmark Research say... Read More

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

Smart Manufacturing Increases Productivity and Resilience

Posted by Robert Kugel on 26 March 2024

Smart manufacturing is a strategic operating approach that aligns advanced manufacturing technology with system and process design principles to promote adaptability. It is a digital, event-driven, collaborative orchestration of physical and digital processes designed to increase productivity, efficiency, adaptability and resilience. These systems use technologies to coordinate the planning and... Read More

Topics: Continuous Planning, S&OP, Operations & Supply Chain, supply chain management, Continuous Supply Chain & ERP, Smart Manufacturing

Refocus on AI, Skill-Building for the Greatest Operational Impact

Posted by David Menninger on 21 March 2024

In the technology industry, 2023 will be remembered as the year of generative artificial intelligence. Yes, the world was made aware of GenAI when ChatGPT was publicly launched in November of 2022, but few knew the impact it would have at that point in time. Since then, GenAI has taken the world by storm, with vendors applying the technology to make it easier to ask questions about data, write... Read More

Topics: Artificial intelligence, Analytics and Data, AI and Machine Learning

Technology Maximizes Investment in Learning Experiences

Posted by Matthew Brown on 21 March 2024

The workforce of today has been very clear with their needs, wants and expectations. They need to feel seen, valued, heard, included and empowered. They want to work in an organization that feels like a community and aligns with their personal value systems. Importantly, they expect access to technology and to be developed and supported as they navigate their careers. Learning opportunities can... Read More

Topics: Human Capital Management, Learning Management