The Gartner Hype Cycle analyzes emerging technologies, guiding businesses on their adoption and impact. The 2024 report highlights trends like Generative AI, sustainability in ERP, and extended planning and analysis (xP&A).
Epicor has been recognized as a Sample Vendor for the 10th consecutive year, showcasing its leadership in ERP innovation. It is featured in more than five key areas, including AI in ERP, sustainability, FP&A, and cloud ERP for manufacturing, reinforcing its role in enhancing efficiency, automation, and data-driven decision-making. Epicor’s continued presence underscores its commitment to shaping the future of ERP solutions.
The Gartner document is available upon request from Epicor.
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems are the heartbeat of modern businesses, enabling organizations to streamline operations, improve decision-making, and drive innovation. To help businesses navigate emerging technologies, Gartner’s Hype Cycle provides a structured analysis of technology trends, offering insights into their maturity, adoption rates, and potential business impact.
In the 2024 Gartner Hype Cycle for ERP, Epicor has been recognized as a Sample Vendor for the 10th consecutive year—a testament to its commitment to driving ERP innovation. This year’s report highlights how AI-driven ERP strategies, sustainability, and composable architectures are shaping the future of enterprise technology.
Understanding the Gartner Hype Cycle
Gartner’s Hype Cycle is a widely used research methodology that visually represents how new technologies evolve over time. It tracks their journey through five phases:
- Innovation Trigger – A breakthrough sparks interest and early investment.
- Peak of Inflated Expectations – Hype drives unrealistic expectations.
- Trough of Disillusionment – Interest declines as challenges arise.
- Slope of Enlightenment – Practical applications become clearer.
- Plateau of Productivity – Mainstream adoption begins, proving business value.
For ERP, the 2024 Hype Cycle reflects a rapidly evolving landscape, with AI-driven capabilities, cloud-based solutions, and sustainability-focused features redefining how businesses operate. As shown in the graph below, Hype Cycles map the evolution of technological innovations, tracing their journey from initial emergence to widespread adoption.
This graphic was published by Gartner, Inc. as part of a larger research document and should be evaluated in the context of the entire document.
Key Themes in the 2024 Gartner Hype Cycle for ERP
The report identifies several transformational trends shaping ERP strategies, including:
- Generative AI in ERP – Automating workflows, enhancing decision-making, and improving efficiency.
- Sustainability in ERP – Embedding ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) data into ERP systems.
- Extended Planning & Analysis (xP&A) for ERP – Enhancing financial forecasting and business planning.
- Composable ERP Strategies – Building adaptable, modular ERP ecosystems for increased agility.
Application leaders must assess these trends carefully, distinguishing hype from reality to strategically incorporate them into their long-term ERP roadmaps.
Epicor’s Recognition and What It Means
Being mentioned in the Gartner Hype Cycle for a decade underscores Epicor’s ongoing role in shaping ERP innovation. Epicor’s recognition highlights its dedication to enabling businesses to leverage emerging technologies for greater efficiency, resilience, and competitiveness.
Let’s explore major areas where Epicor was recognized in 2024.
Generative AI in ERP: Transforming Enterprise Intelligence
Generative AI (GenAI) refers to AI models that generate new content, automate tasks, and enhance data analysis. In ERP systems, GenAI can optimize workflow automation, predictive analytics, and decision support.
Why it matters
ERP systems generate vast amounts of data. By leveraging GenAI, businesses can:
- Automate manual and repetitive tasks (e.g., summarizing reports, generating forecasts).
- Enhance knowledge discovery by surfacing relevant insights.
- Improve workflow design and execution for increased operational efficiency.
Epicor’s role
Epicor integrates AI-driven automation into core ERP functionalities, helping manufacturers and distributors streamline processes, reduce errors, and make data-driven decisions faster.
Sustainability in ERP: Embedding ESG into Business Operations
With increasing regulatory pressure and stakeholder expectations, organizations must track, report, and minimize their environmental impact. Sustainability in ERP ensures that businesses can integrate ESG data into their core operations.
Why it matters
- Companies need to comply with carbon regulations and sustainability reporting mandates.
- Tracking emissions, energy usage, and supply chain sustainability is crucial.
- Investors and consumers favor businesses with strong sustainability credentials.
Epicor’s role
Epicor has embedded sustainability tracking and ESG reporting tools within its ERP suite. This helps companies:
- Monitor environmental impact with real-time data
- Ensure regulatory compliance across global markets.
- Optimize supply chain decisions to reduce waste and carbon footprint.
By integrating sustainability at the ERP level, Epicor enables enterprises to align profitability with environmental responsibility.
Extended Planning & Analysis (xP&A): Smarter Financial Forecasting
xP&A (Extended Planning & Analysis) builds upon traditional financial planning & analysis (FP&A) by extending real-time forecasting to all areas of business, including operations, supply chain, and HR.
Why it matters
- Businesses need data-driven decision-making for financial stability.
- Agile planning is critical in volatile economic conditions.
- xP&A enables scenario modeling and forecasting beyond finance.
Epicor’s role
Epicor’s cloud-based FP&A tools offer
- Deeper financial insights with real-time drill-down capabilities.
- Automated forecasting for better planning accuracy.
- Seamless integration with ERP financials to enhance reporting.
- With xP&A, business leaders can respond proactively to financial risks and opportunities.
Cloud ERP for Manufacturing: Enabling Agility & Scalability
Cloud ERP for manufacturing integrates production, supply chain, inventory, and financials into a unified digital ecosystem—hosted in the cloud.
Why it matters
- Scalability & cost-efficiency – Cloud ERP reduces IT overhead.
- Real-time insights – Connected data enables faster decision-making.
- Integrated supply chain management – Enhances logistics, procurement, and inventory tracking.
Epicor’s role
Epicor’s manufacturing-focused cloud ERP empowers businesses to:
- Optimize production planning and inventory management.
- Gain real-time supply chain visibility to reduce delays and disruptions.
- Adopt AI-driven analytics for predictive maintenance and quality control.
By transitioning to cloud ERP, manufacturers can future-proof their operations and stay agile in a competitive market.
AI-Driven ERP: The Future of Smart Business Operations
AI in ERP enhances automation, predictive analytics, and decision-making, making enterprise systems more intelligent and responsive.
Why it matters
- AI-driven ERP reduces manual effort and improves efficiency.
- It enhances real-time decision-making using predictive insights.
- AI-powered automation minimizes errors, delays, and inefficiencies.
Epicor’s Role
Epicor integrates AI capabilities across its ERP solutions, including:
- Automated workflows for procurement, finance, and operations.
- AI-driven demand forecasting to optimize inventory.
- Predictive maintenance tools for manufacturing equipment.
By embedding AI into ERP, Epicor enhances productivity, reduces operational costs, and supports data-driven business strategies.
Epicor’s recognition in the 2024 Gartner Hype Cycle for ERP underscores its commitment to delivering next-generation enterprise solutions. By leveraging AI, sustainability, xP&A, cloud, and smart automation, Epicor continues to help businesses stay ahead of technology trends and drive long-term growth.
As ERP strategies evolve, business leaders must adopt a future-ready approach, embracing technologies that enhance agility, efficiency, and competitive advantage. With a decade of recognition in Gartner’s Hype Cycle, Epicor remains a trusted partner in shaping the future of ERP.
