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Integration Evolved: Mandant’s MATRIX, Coupa, and the Future of ERP

Today’s post is written by guest author Mark Newman. As the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at Mandant, Mark works on numerous integration projects and has been key to designing and building Mandant’s SAP® ERP Accelerator for Coupa. Mandant is a certified App Marketplace Partner whose product enables accelerated and seamless integration of your ERP application to Coupa.

Integration. I’m sure you’ve seen this word everywhere recently, and there’s a good reason for it. Integration is at the heart of business success today. In our fast-paced world, every department must be fully integrated to hit business goals, and to do that, your Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and spend management tools need to be in sync. The problem? Most ERP integrations require modifications, resulting in overspending 65% of the time. With ever-changing business needs and new solutions being added to the mix routinely, you need not only effective integration but continuous integration that ensures you keep pace without breaking the bank. Mandant’s ERP Accelerator for Coupa can help. Here’s how.

65% of companies overspend to modify their ERPs for usability.

Improving integration: Skip the middleman

Many organizations now leverage one (or more) on-premise and cloud-based ERP systems to help navigate increasing operational and regulatory complexity. However, when it comes to integrating a spend management platform such as Coupa, companies must integrate multiple systems (e.g., ERP), both current and legacy, with new solutions.

To achieve a multi-system integration, middleware is often used. As the name implies, it sits between two solutions and helps facilitate a smooth integration. However, a traditional middleware solution is naturally limited in its scope and lacks business functionality. Consider a company connecting a legacy ERP to a new spend management platform. Finding the right solution can facilitate this transition and get finance teams up and running quickly.

But what happens when they need to connect multiple cloud-based systems or newer, hybrid tools leveraged both in-house and via the cloud? The integration complexities become a significant challenge as each integration requirement relies on a separate middleware source.

Using Mandant’s ERP Accelerator for Coupa helps companies skip the messy middleman. Mandant gets involved at the start of the Coupa implementation project to take ownership of these complexities. ERP application integrations are “off the shelf,” empowering companies to select the integration business scenarios they need while being fully managed by Mandant integration experts. Not only does this substantially reduce the cost of integration, but it minimizes the time required for the complete implementation.

Connecting the dots: Beyond point-to-point connections

As ERP connections become more complex, companies increasingly need tools to integrate additional solutions. For example, customers using Coupa’s Total Spend Management platform may benefit from using SAP® tools that help them pull in other data to enrich current processes. If integration tools can only make point-to-point connections — one system to another — they may lose important context. This means every time a new point-to-point connection is added, new configurations must be made to the previous connections in order for all systems to work properly. You end up with a complex spider web of surface-level integrations that are not only time-consuming but costly.

With Mandant’s ERP Accelerator, full context integration comes standard. Companies can connect multiple tools to enhance existing business spend operations and set the stage for procurement process evolution. This provides progression beyond point-to-point connections. Instead, multiple systems can be connected and integrated so they provide maximum value.

MATRIX full context integration

By managing and mapping multiple connections across business networks, Coupa customers and prospective customers can leverage the benefits of enhanced integration without the complexity of rapidly expanding point-to-point frameworks.

Bridging the gap: Getting IT on board

One of the biggest challenges for companies looking to integrate new systems with incumbent ERP applications is IT. Often, solution purchases are made purely from a business perspective: costs and benefits are analyzed, options are considered, and if the math makes sense, the C-suite goes ahead with new investments.

But this process often leaves out IT teams. These teams are responsible for taking this new solution, understanding it, and using it to fully implement new functionality without causing undue stress on systems or users. Put simply, this is no easy task. With Mandant’s ERP Accelerator, getting up and running takes just a few days, with the burden of integration shifting from in-house teams to the proven Mandant solution — in turn giving IT both peace of mind and time to focus on strategic work.

Making the move with Mandant & Coupa

When it comes to integration, success isn’t static. Instead, it requires the steady introduction and application of new interfaces to facilitate both streamlined processes and data analysis. True integration requires continuous support, and with Mandant’s ERP Accelerator, businesses have the tools and expertise to make that happen. As Coupa updates, so does the Accelerator — ensuring new features and existing interfaces work in sync.

No complex tech. Just insanely fast ERP integration with Mandant.