Why Integrating with Multiple ERPs Doesn’t Have to Be a Nightmare

Running multiple ERPs? Migrating to a new one? You’re not alone, and you’re probably feeling the pain. Legacy systems, new platforms, and everything in between can turn your AP process into a tangled mess. But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be this way. At DataServ, we’ve spent decades helping companies like yours simplify AP automation, no matter how complex their ERP environment. Let’s show you how.

The instinct might be to build AP automation directly into your ERP. After all, it’s where your financial data lives – shouldn’t that be the logical place to handle invoice processing?

Not quite.

At DataServ, we’ve been integrating with ERPs for decades. And we’ve seen what happens when AP automation is hardwired into ERP systems: higher costs, slower updates, less flexibility, and a world of pain every time your ERP environment shifts. That’s why we take a “pre-ERP” approach to AP automation – because what you need is agility, not entanglement.

Let’s break it down.

The Pitfalls of ERP-Based AP Automation

When companies try to hardwire AP automation into their ERP, it’s like building a house on quicksand. It might look stable at first, but as soon as your ERP environment shifts, whether it’s an upgrade, a merger, or a new system, you’re back to square one. We’ve seen this happen time and again: high costs, frustrated users, and processes that just don’t flex with your business.

When companies try to build AP automation directly inside their ERP, it often leads to:

High Costs and Long Timelines
Custom-building AP functionality into your ERP (especially systems as complex as Oracle or SAP) requires significant time and IT resources. Implementation drags on, costs pile up, and ongoing maintenance becomes its own full-time job.
Poor User Experience
ERPs are built for accounting, not for people. Your team ends up navigating a maze of screens and workarounds, slowing down approvals and creating frustration.
Hard-Coded Logic That Doesn’t Flex
When your AP process is baked into your ERP, it’s stuck there. Change your ERP, and you’re rebuilding from scratch.
Difficulty Handling Multiple ERPs
If your organization runs multiple ERPs (common after acquisitions or in multi-division enterprises), you’ll be duplicating efforts, or worse, running siloed AP systems with no centralized visibility or reporting.

Want a deeper dive into why ERP-based automation tends to fail? This article breaks it down, with real-world examples of cost overruns, upgrade nightmares, and why your ERP should never be your AP system.

Why DataServ Is Pre-ERP (on Purpose)

DataServ was built to sit upstream from your ERP, not inside it.

What does that mean?

It means we handle all the capture, digitization, validation, routing, matching, and approvals for your invoices before they ever touch your ERP. Then, once everything is clean and approved, we hand off the data to your ERP for payment and recordkeeping.

This gives you a single point of entry, control, and visibility, no matter how many ERPs you’re running or how many times you change them. By sitting upstream from your ERP, DataServ gives you the agility to handle invoices across any system, any time. No hard-coded logic. No costly rebuilds. Just clean, efficient AP automation that adapts to your business.

We call it being ERP agnostic. You’ll call it a game-changer.

Multiple ERPs? No Problem.

Mergers and acquisitions often result in organizations juggling two, three, or even more ERP systems. Instead of forcing everyone into one platform overnight, or trying to build AP workflows into each system, DataServ lets you centralize your AP process right now.

Think managing multiple ERPs is impossible? Think again. We’ve helped clients navigate everything from SAP and Oracle to homegrown systems and industry-specific platforms like Penta and Prophet 21, all at the same time. One client even had three ERPs running simultaneously after a merger, and guess what? Their AP process never missed a beat.

Whether your ERP setup is centralized, fragmented, or in transition, DataServ keeps your AP running smoothly.

Change ERPs Without Rebuilding Your AP Process

ERP conversions are inevitable. Businesses grow. Systems age out. Strategies evolve. But here’s the thing: your AP automation doesn’t have to go through a tear-down every time your ERP changes. With DataServ, you can connect to your legacy system now and your future ERP later, no disruption required. While your IT team works through the conversion, your AP team keeps humming along.

We’ve had clients move from JD Edwards to SAP, from Microsoft Dynamics to Oracle, or consolidate multiple ERPs after a merger, all without interrupting invoice processing.

That’s the power of staying pre-ERP.

Key Benefits of the DataServ Approach

ERP Agnostic: Integrates with any ERP (or multiple ERPs) without breaking a sweat.
Cloud-Based: No on-prem installs. No server headaches. Just seamless automation.
Single Point of Truth: Centralized AP visibility, no matter how many systems you’re running.
Faster Implementation: Skip the complex workflows. Get up and running in record time.
Future-Proof: When your ERP changes, we don’t. Your AP process stays rock-solid.
Custom Fit: Tailored configurations for specialized platforms like Penta and Prophet 21.

Let’s Talk ERP (Or ERPs, Plural)

Running multiple ERPs? Facing an ERP conversion? Don’t let your AP process get caught in the chaos. With DataServ, you get flexibility, scalability, and peace of mind, no matter where your business goes next. Ready to simplify your ERP chaos? Let’s talk.