As your business evolves, your enterprise resource planning (ERP) software must do more than keep pace with increasing complexity – it must help you anticipate change and stay ahead of it. While legacy systems like JD Edwards or Microsoft Great Plains may have supported operations for years, their limitations are becoming harder to ignore. To maintain momentum and a competitive advantage, many organizations now require a more scalable, flexible platform that can support complex transactions and future growth. 

The drawbacks of legacy ERP systems

Despite being owned by leading tech companies, JD Edwards and Microsoft Great Plains are in their sunsetting phase, meaning they are no longer a priority for their parent companies and will receive limited long-term support. Built on outdated infrastructure, these systems often require costly hardware upgrades, frequent maintenance, and complex integrations, creating data silos and operational inefficiencies.

As organizations grow or adapt their business models, these constraints become more costly. Legacy ERPs often struggle to deliver timely, accurate data, flexible workflows, or the intelligence needed to support efficient operations and informed decisions at scale. NetSuite addresses these gaps with unified enterprise data, integrated generative AI capabilities, and built-in connectors that support consistent reporting and deeper insights across finance and operations. 

Which ERP is right for you? Let’s connect to explore your best options.

What to look for in a modern, AI-ready ERP 

Beyond cloud architecture and scalability, organizations should evaluate how an ERP uses AI in practical, transparent ways. The most effective platforms embed AI directly into everyday workflows – helping users ask questions in plain language, automate routine tasks, and understand the “why” behind the numbers. Just as important, AI should be governed by existing roles, permissions, and controls, so insights remain trusted and auditable as the business grows. 

The benefits of NetSuite

Staying competitive requires a robust, flexible ERP that can handle project execution, change and performance management, and business process improvement seamlessly. In contrast to outdated, on-premise systems – or systems designed for smaller, less complex companies – NetSuite offers the following benefits: 

            1. Customizable growth: Utilize a modular platform that adapts to your evolving business needs.

2. Resource optimization: Implement automation to efficiently scale processes, resources, and support.

3. AI-powered decision support: Leverage AI to automate tasks, generate insights, and deliver decision-ready information. 

4. Integrated ecosystem: Access a wide range of integrated applications for top-tier functionality.

5. Future-ready capabilities: Support both established and emerging business models with next-gen features.

Read how we helped a growth-focused consumer product company optimize their NetSuite platform to support their business goals. 

CohnReznick’s customized business services

Transitioning to a modern ERP system is a complex, high-impact initiative that requires more than technical execution. CohnReznick combines deep industry knowledge and firmwide resources to help organizations navigate this transition with confidence, aligning technology decisions to business goals and driving long-term value through a collaborative approach that includes:  

Comprehensive assessment

We begin with a comprehensive assessment of your current ERP and business processes, identifying gaps, risks, and opportunities for improvement. This evaluation helps determine how NetSuite or other ERP platforms can best support your operational and strategic objectives. 

Customized implementation strategy

Because no two organizations are alike, we design an implementation strategy tailored to your needs. Our approach addresses data migration, system integration and optimization, and training to reduce disruption and support a smooth transition.

Change management and training

ERP transitions often change how teams work day-to-day. We provide structured change management and training programs to help users adopt the new system quickly, minimizing disruptions and maximizing productivity.

Long-term partnership and ongoing support

Our commitment doesn’t end with your ERP implementation. We provide ongoing guidance, training, and system optimization to help ensure your ERP continues to evolve with your business and deliver value over time.

Asking the right questions for the next step

If you’re ready to transition to a new ERP that can meet your company’s unique needs, consider these questions:  

1. What are your goals and objectives?

Define what you need to achieve with the ERP conversion, such as improved efficiency, better data management, or more timely insights to support decision‑making. 

2. What are your current pain points?

Identify the specific issues and inefficiencies in your current system, including where limited visibility or manual analysis slows decisions. 

3. Do you have the necessary in-house expertise?

Assess whether your current team has the required skills and experience. Evaluate potential downsides of handling an ERP conversion internally, including the ability to configure, govern, and adopt intelligent automation within core workflows.

4. What is the scope of the project?

Define the project’s complexity and scale, including data readiness and process maturity, to determine whether internal resources or external expertise are needed. 

5. How will this impact our business processes?

Assess how the new ERP system will affect your existing workflows and where automation or better access to information could improve consistency and speed.

6. What data needs to be converted?

Decide which historical data is essential to transfer and how data quality and structure will support reporting, analysis, and future insights. 

Our experienced team can help you from initial assessment to post-implementation support. Download our Navigating the ERP Lifecycle playbook to learn what to consider each step of the way.

Conclusion

Transitioning to a cloud-based ERP like NetSuite offers meaningful advantages, but success depends on having the right guidance. CohnReznick helps organizations move from aging or more limited systems to NetSuite with hands-on support at every stage of your journey.  

With NetSuite, organizations move beyond static reports to AI‑driven insights that help teams identify trends, manage risks, and act with greater confidence. 

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