News & views - 180Systems

The Billion-Dollar Simplicity Paradox

November 2, 2026 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

I recently found myself reading about the history of Cabbage Patch Kids, as it was a famous doll when I was a kid and wanted to learn more. Kudos to the beauty of curiosity. One minute you’re reading about business, and the next you’re learning how a doll with a name, a birth certificate, and an adoption story became one of the biggest toy phenomena of the 1980s. Let’s dissect this for a second. Someone took a stuffed doll, gave it a personality, convinced people they weren’t buying it but adopting it, and created an extraordinary commercial success. Meanwhile, the […]

Replacing Microsoft Dynamics GP: Why 2029 Is Closer Than It Looks

October 28, 2026 | 0 Comments | Alex Miles

For organizations still using Microsoft Dynamics GP, 2029 may seem like plenty of time to replace the system. In ERP terms, it isn’t. Selecting and implementing a new ERP is a significant undertaking, which is why organizations should start planning now. Microsoft is encouraging GP customers to move to Dynamics 365 Business Central (BC), but BC should not be viewed as a simple upgrade. Moving from Microsoft Dynamics GP to BC is effectively a new ERP implementation, with configuration, integrations, data conversion, testing, and training all needing to be addressed. If you are going through that effort, it makes sense […]

Every Acquisition Tells Two Stories

October 19, 2026 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

I stumbled across this painting while visiting Halifax and found myself standing in front of it much longer than I expected. For those of who know me, know that I am an art enthusiast who takes great joy in interpreting art as it fits my current situation. In this case, I should probably apologize to the artist because I’m almost certain my interpretation has very little to do with what they intended. Then again, perhaps that’s the beauty of art. We all bring our own experiences with us, and sometimes the painting says more about the person looking at it […]

The Most Expensive Meeting in M&A Happens After the Integration Is Over

M&A Lessons Learned Get Lost After Integration

October 18, 2026 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

Every acquisition seems to end in a familiar way. The major milestones have been completed, the critical systems are working well enough to support the business, and the integration team is finally able to take a breath. After months of navigating difficult decisions, competing priorities, and the inevitable surprises that accompany every acquisition, there is a sense that the hardest part is finally over. It is usually at that point that someone suggests holding a lessons learned meeting before everyone disappears back into their day jobs. I have attended many of those meetings over the years, and they are almost […]

Demonstration Evaluation and 180's Selection Process Automation (1)

ERP Demonstration Evaluation

October 18, 2026 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

As you may already know, we have automated our selection process. In this blog, we are just going to focus on the demonstration evaluation. Our process includes a script for every demonstration. A script is essential, as it compels the vendors to focus on what our clients deem most important rather than giving their usual demonstration of what they do best. It also enables comparison between systems. We usually have two demonstrations: 1) Requirements Demonstration based on a subset of the most important requirements in the RFP. 2) Business Process Demonstration based on business processes linked to requirements. In both […]

Change Control Is Where ERP Projects Get Tested

September 22, 2026 | 0 Comments | Alex Miles

Every ERP implementation eventually reaches the same point. Training and testing begins using real scenarios and someone says: “The new system doesn’t do what our current system does.” No matter how thorough the requirements gathering process was, new requirements will emerge during implementation. Some are legitimate gaps. Some are misunderstood requirements. Others are simply users discovering a different way of working. This is where a strong change control process and a strong project manager become critical. One of the project manager’s most important responsibilities is preventing emotional decisions. Users will naturally want immediate answers and, in many cases, every requested […]

What Is MCP and Why It Matters for ERP

September 21, 2026 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

MCP (Model Context Protocol) is yet another 3-letter technology acronym that you are going to hear a lot about over the next few years. MCP is a way for AI to interact with your ERP system without needing to know the underlying database or API (application programming interface – a connection between computers or software programs). A typical architecture per ChatGPT is as below: You would use natural language like you’re probably already doing with ChatGPT or Claude to get what you want such as finding out the number of available units of a certain inventory item or asking for […]

180 Selection Process Automation

September 21, 2026 | 0 Comments | Michael Burns

We have been doing selection projects for 20 years and have fine-tuned the methodology over the years to be as efficient and effective as possible. But that was before Claude AI. We have now changed how we do it, not what we do. Improvements include: Maintain a requirements library across multiple industries. In the past, when working in Excel for a specific client, we did not concern ourselves whether another RFP contained a similar or the same requirement. Now, we need to merge these requirements and group them logically or the requirements library will become too big and cumbersome to […]

ERP Is an Organizational Stress Test

September 16, 2026 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

One of the interesting things about working across different ERP transformations is realizing that the technology is often the least surprising part. Systems behave more or less the way systems behave. They require configuration, testing, data, integrations, training, and a healthy tolerance for meetings with acronyms. What varies dramatically is the organization surrounding the technology, and I have become increasingly convinced that an ERP implementation is one of the most effective organizational stress tests a company can put itself through. We usually assess ERP readiness by looking at technology, resources, data, timelines, scope, and whether the organization has enough people […]

The Best Integrations Leave Some Things Alone

September 16, 2026 | 0 Comments | Amanda David

I have always admired people who restore old homes. Not the television version where someone walks through the front door, knocks down three walls, installs a kitchen the size of a small airport, and declares the house “modernized.” I mean the people who spend hours carefully restoring the original hardwood floors, repairing old stained-glass windows, or bringing century-old brickwork back to life. They understand something that is surprisingly easy to forget. Just because something is old or different doesn’t mean it needs replacing. Sometimes the goal isn’t to make the house look new. Sometimes the goal is to preserve the […]