A strategic software product for E-ON is RIX – Retail Internet Exchange. This software has been used for about 20 years (after many improvements and expansions) by dozens of companies. It covers transactions such as Sales Force Automation, financial management (General Accounting & financial reporting), project management, warehouse management, fixed asset management, and more. It is a comprehensive ERP system offered as Software as a Service and is available from E-ON's public Data Center. In other words, users utilize the software via the internet for all their transactions, whether issuing invoices and shipping documents or processing and even generating the company’s balance sheet.
The integration of Artificial Intelligence into a company's ERP systems has positive impacts on its operations through Automated Execution of Repetitive Tasks, Predictive Analytics, and the use of Chatbots and Virtual Assistants.
It is now a fact that the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) into Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems can significantly enhance the efficiency of a business's operations, lead to more well-informed decision-making, and improve overall performance at every level.
The first area of positive impact is the automated execution of repetitive tasks under the guidance of fixed or variable algorithms. Examples of such tasks include transactions like data entry, invoice processing, and order fulfillment. For example, we know that every month we need to issue a specific invoice to a particular customer under conditions X and Y (where X = monthly purchases and Y = current price list). Another example is monitoring the customer's warehouse and automatically placing an order if stock levels fall below a certain threshold. Note: we are referring to the customer's warehouse stock (which we can view online), not our own stock in our warehouse.
The next example of leveraging AI is predictive analytics: You can forecast demand, inventory levels, and customer behavior if internal or external changes occur. Example: The ERP system communicates with weather data and suggests starting purchases and sales of stock influenced by temperature, such as ice cream, snow equipment, etc. Clearly, with these new dimensions (i.e., external data and AI algorithms), you can achieve optimal allocation and utilization of resources – neither overstocking nor understocking at the right times, or starting production at the ideal point in sync with demand (Just-in-time procurement and manufacturing). As a result, you achieve optimal pricing of revenues and excellent supply chain management.
A third area in ERP systems that benefits from Artificial Intelligence is the use of chatbots and virtual assistants. You can provide personalized customer support through relevant knowledge-based Q&A systems, executed without human intervention. This improves the productivity of your employees on routine matters (e.g., "how to place an order," "what special prices or conditions can I get," etc.). The response to customers is immediate and error-free.
To ensure that the aforementioned features function correctly in an ERP system like RIX from E-ON, it is essential to choose the appropriate Artificial Intelligence technologies. These include:
Machine Learning: For tasks such as pattern recognition, classification, and prediction.
Natural Language Processing (NLP): For understanding and responding to natural language.
Computer Vision: For analyzing images and videos.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA): For automating repetitive, rule-based tasks.
The utilization of Artificial Intelligence starts with small and simple projects and then scales up to solutions that handle large volumes of data and complex transactions.
E-ON recommends starting with small and simple steps and then scaling up the utilization of Artificial Intelligence. You can begin with one or two pilot projects to implement AI on a small scale, testing its feasibility and benefits for your business. Afterwards, refine and optimize the AI models based on your observations and results. Typically, in the second phase, you will address scalability issues, meaning you will need AI solutions capable of handling increasing volumes of data and transaction complexity.
It goes without saying that at E-ON, we carefully consider the ethical implications. We ensure that AI algorithms are impartial and avoid discriminatory practices towards customers, employees, and related transactions. Each algorithm provides transparent and understandable behavior parameters. Furthermore, sensitive data is protected with the utmost care, and the entire process complies with relevant regulations.
E-ON aims to integrate Artificial Intelligence with existing ERP systems, specifically RIX. We use appropriate APIs to connect AI components with the ERP system. We synchronize data to maintain consistency between AI models and the ERP database. Additionally, we design a seamless user interface that incorporates AI-supported functions to achieve the perfect user experience.
Finally, we provide Training and Support: We train your employees on AI concepts, benefits, and potential challenges. We offer Change Management plans to address resistance to change and ensure a smooth transition to the new state. Additionally, we provide ongoing Technical Support for the implementation and maintenance of AI components.
By following these steps, we are confident that we can help you effectively leverage Artificial Intelligence to optimize ERP – RIX and explore new opportunities beyond typical accounting and commercial transactions.
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