The ERP Promise vs. Reality   ERPs promise comprehensive business process automation. They deliver on routine transactions but fall short on exceptions requiring individual attention. Understanding this gap explains why mid-market companies struggle with exception volume despite sophisticated ERP systems.    Reality: ERPs automate rules-based processes, not judgment-based coordination.      What ERPs Do Well   Routine Transaction Processing   Examples:   Standard invoice crea

The Consensus Challenge   AI agent implementations succeed when key stakeholders support the initiative. Understanding who needs involvement, what concerns each has, and how to build alignment prevents initiatives from stalling due to internal resistance.    Failed implementations often fail due to lack of consensus, not technical issues.      Key Stakeholders   Primary Sponsor: Controller or CFO   Role: Champion the initiative, provide budget, remove obstacles  Concerns:  

The Security Question   Controllers worry about sending sensitive ERP data to AI platforms. Understanding what data is transmitted, how it's protected, platform security certifications, and comparison to current practices addresses legitimate security concerns.    Reality: AI agent security is comparable to or better than existing ERP integrations and email communications.    What Data Gets Transmitted   Data Sent to AI Platforms   Customer information:   Name and contact det

The Integration Fear   "Integration will be a nightmare" is a common concern based on past ERP integration experiences. Understanding why AI agent integration is fundamentally different prevents fear from blocking valuable automation.    Reality: AI integration is simpler than most ERP projects by 10x.    Why AI Integration Is Different   Reason 1: Read-Only Mostly   Traditional integration:   Bidirectional data sync  Complex data transformation  Schema mapping required  Data

The Size Question   "We're too small for AI" is a common self-assessment. Understanding volume thresholds, revenue indicators, and organizational readiness determines when size is a genuine constraint versus a misconception.    Reality: 30+ monthly exceptions justify AI regardless of company size.      Volume-Based Assessment   Exception Volume Thresholds   Too small (genuinely):   Under 20 monthly exceptions  Under 10 hours monthly staff time  Less than $5,000 annually in st

The IT Resource Concern   "We don't have IT resources for AI implementation" is a common objection. Understanding actual IT requirements versus perceived needs prevents this from blocking valuable automation.  Reality: Implementation requires 5-10 hours IT support total, not dedicated staff.      What IT Actually Does   Activity 1: API Credentials (1-2 hours)   What's needed:   Create service account in ERP  Generate API credentials (key/secret or OAuth)  Provide credentials