Over the previous twelve months our sales, marketing, services, and support teams have worked hard to attract new users to SunSystems as well as help many of our existing customers to upgrade. However, in October a game changing event took place with the launch of SunSystems Cloud. Infor finally delivered a multi-tenant version of SunSystems, allowing users to take advantage of scalable AWS infrastructure thus bringing the cost of ownership and management down. A radical departure from the thousands / tens of thousands pounds you have to spend on classic on-premise licensing.
I’ve been working with SunSystems for 35+ years and have worked with organisations of all shapes and sizes who have implemented SunSystems, up until now almost exclusively on-premise / hosted. With the launch of SunSystems Cloud I believe we will see a renaissance for SunSystems, it will attract a new cohort of users and for those who already have it they will see a real injection of value as they transition to the cloud.
Whilst I am not renown for my punditry, I do see 2023 being seminal for SunSystems and below are five predictions that I thought I’d share with you.
1. Beginning of the journey to re-establish itself as the top mid-range financial management system in the UK
2023 will be the year that SunSystems begins the journey to re-establish itself as the top mid-range financial management system in the UK. It’s no secret that SunSystems has slipped down the league table of FMS systems, from the heyday of the late 1990’s early 2000’s when if you wanted the finest solution it had to be SunSystems. The years (decades) have taken their toll due to lack of leadership, strategic direction, and investment. Thankfully over the past couple of years that has changed with SunSystems becoming an independent business unit within Infor, giving it real focus, direction, a sense of purpose and importantly ambition to be the best once again.
2. SunSystems Cloud will start to gain market share
SunSystems Cloud will gain a real foothold in the market and find its way back on the shortlists of businesses looking to upgrade their FMS to a true industrial strength solution that is powerful, flexible, has immense capability and headroom and has a competitive price tag. Up until now if you wanted SunSystems, you had to have it as an on-premise solution which we all know carries with it the costs of IT infrastructure, the need for IT skills, periodic upgrade costs and business disruption, not anymore.
3. Infor OS access will make SunSystems Cloud an easy decision
We will see a steady stream of existing customers wishing to move to SunSystems Cloud to take advantage of Infor’s technology platform Infor OS (Operating Service), together with SunSystems and Q&A 11.3 / 12.0. The cost of owning on-premise infrastructure and the risks that go with it, in particular the need to constantly update security measures will drive organisations to make this transition. During 2022, we heard of a number of organisations that suffered ransomware attacks that crippled their systems and impaired their business for weeks, for that reason alone the move to SunSystems Cloud is an easy decision.
4. SunSystems 4 users will have a cost-effective financial management upgrade option
The diehard SunSystems 4 user community will finally see a cost-effective path forward for them to upgrade to the latest version of SunSystems. Up until now it’s been a tough call because of the cost of new infrastructure required to move to SunSystems 6.4, with SunSystems Cloud, that’s no longer an issue.
5. Third-party solutions will give SunSystems Cloud functional edge
SunSystems has always been surrounded by a wealth of third party add on solutions which many customers rely on, moving SunSystems into the Cloud has therefore presented some technical challenges. Recognising this Infor have supplied a new API toolset that 3P developers can take advantage of and re-engineer their solutions for SunSystems Cloud. This year we’ll see the re-launch of some of these well-established solutions from the likes of Professional Advantage, Draycir, systems@work, Sharperlight as well as emerging solutions from players like Sysynkt that will give SunSystems Cloud that extra functional edge.
So, let us see what 2023 brings, if you’re considering changing your financial management system this year, then a word to the wise, take a look at SunSystems Cloud. If you’re an existing SunSystems user (versions 4, 5 or 6) then again, take a look at SunSystems Cloud – you will not be disappointed.
To learn more about SunSystems Cloud, visit www.sunsystemscloud.co.uk or book a call with one of our SunSystems Cloud experts by emailing info@touchstonefms.co.uk or calling 0207 121 4702
David Singh is the Infor Business Unit Director at Touchstone FMS and Co-Chairman of the SunSystems Product Advisory Board. Having worked in the ERP/FMS software sector for the last 35+ years, David has a wealth of skills and experience when it comes to business systems, and is also a qualified accountant. With several senior management and directorial positions under his belt including operations, project delivery, supports, sales, and marketing, he describes himself as a “bit of an all-rounder” and a huge fan of SunSystems.
