How AI is moving into the ERP world

Clippy was perhaps the most successful bomb in computer history. First appearing in Microsoft’s Office 97, the “virtual assistant” interpreted user actions and made suggestions to improve the workflow via an animated paperclip. Its success came from being included in every version of Office for a decade. Its failure came from being almost universally reviled by its users.

Clippy’s problem was that it was entirely too far ahead of its time. Its suggestions weren’t terribly useful because the systems that governed its attempts to help its users weren’t robust enough. Users felt Clippy got in their way far more than it ever aided them.

Today, that’s changed. Computers are orders of magnitude more powerful than they were when Clippy debuted, and the software that runs on them is vastly more sophisticated. Today’s AI systems have become genuinely useful, and WorkStream Technology is embracing their capabilities.

Modern workflows require a great deal of speed and efficiency from workers. Any system that enhances their ability to work quickly can become integral to the company. At WorkStream, we’ve been anticipating the implementation of AI to intercept workflows and make them more efficient.

One example of an area AI can bring improvements is invoice processing. Ask just about anyone who deals with invoices, and they’ll tell you it’s a pain! Each invoice must be meticulously examined to ensure mistakes don’t overcharge — or undercharge — clients. This is a long and, frankly, boring process. But what if it doesn’t have to be?

Employing AI to process invoices means those with no errors can be quickly approved without human input, leaving only those with problems to be manually reviewed. The time-saving, and some would say sanity-saving, potential is enormous.

AI assistants, also known as chatbots, help people get answers to questions that arise through the course of their work. If a worker needs to know how to approve expense reports or what deductions are currently being taken out of their paycheck, rather than track down a supervisor or HR, they can simply ask the office chatbot for a quick, efficient answer.

These functionalities are impressive, and even more significant changes brought about by AI are on the horizon. But with these new innovations comes the need for workers to understand what they are, what they can do and how to use them to the best effect. That’s where WorkStream comes in.

The core of our business is software consulting. As Oracle and Workday partners, we help companies transition to those systems, including security configuration, data conversion, and report and integration development. AI promises to bring workplace functions and efficiencies that are unimaginable in today’s environment. As AI systems begin percolating through the Workday and Oracle ecosystems, WorkStream will be ready to help users transition to working with the new technologies.

If you’re looking for a Managed Services provider that’s on the cutting edge of service and technology, contact us.