ERP event shows firms need basics before AI adoption

More than 200 delegates attended Lumenia Consulting's ERP HEADtoHEAD Dublin 2026 event, highlighting continued demand for ERP modernisation across a wide range of industries.

Discussions at the two-day event focused on the relationship between artificial intelligence and enterprise resource planning. Speakers, software suppliers and users returned to a common theme: companies need sound processes, reliable data and clear governance before they can use AI effectively in ERP programmes.

Attendees came from sectors including manufacturing, construction, hospitality, utilities, wholesale and distribution, energy and renewables, telecommunications, and research and development. They ranged from small and medium-sized businesses to large international groups, reflecting broad interest in replacing or upgrading core business systems.

While AI drew much of the attention, the event also addressed more established ERP project challenges, including business readiness, change management and data preparation. An industry panel shared experiences from recent implementations and offered practical lessons for organisations planning their own projects.

The emphasis on fundamentals suggests many businesses are still at an early or transitional stage in bringing AI into operational systems. Natural language interfaces and workflow tools featured in demonstrations and presentations, but the wider discussion pointed to a need to address underlying data quality and internal controls before expecting results from newer software features.

This comes as ERP suppliers increasingly frame product updates around AI functions. For customers, the issue is often less about access to new tools than whether their organisations are ready to use them within existing finance, supply chain and operational processes.

Ian O'Toole, Managing Partner at Lumenia Consulting, said the tone of the event showed many organisations have already moved beyond debating whether to modernise their ERP estates.

"This year's event highlighted a clear shift in the market. Conversations are no longer centred on whether organisations should modernise their ERP landscape, but how quickly they can do it. There was a genuine sense of momentum amongst delegates, many of whom are embarking on their own transformation programmes or preparing to begin them in the near future," O'Toole said.

The event has been running since 2010 and serves as a comparison forum for ERP suppliers and buyers. Its Dublin edition brought together buyers evaluating options, vendors demonstrating products, and partners outlining implementation approaches.

Vendor rankings

Delegates also voted on supplier presentations during the event. Infor, with strategic partner Anthesis, won the Best Vendor Demonstration Ireland 2026 award with an overall satisfaction score of 92% for its presentation of Infor CloudSuite.

GenetiQ placed second with 91%. Binary ranked third with 89% for its demonstration of Microsoft Dynamics F&SCM.

The rankings provide a snapshot of which suppliers resonated most strongly with attendees, though the broader conversation focused less on software scoring and more on implementation discipline. Across the industries represented, businesses appeared to be weighing technology choices against the operational effort required to prepare for major systems change.

That includes reviewing business processes, aligning stakeholders and resolving data issues that can slow projects or limit the value of new systems after go-live. In that sense, the event's central theme was not simply AI adoption, but the practical groundwork needed to support both AI initiatives and wider ERP change.

O'Toole said that point came through clearly across the programme.

"AI was naturally a major focus across the two days, but one of the strongest messages to emerge was that organisations still need to get the fundamentals right. Strong processes, quality data and effective governance remain essential foundations for both successful ERP projects and future AI initiatives," he said.