6 uncommon questions about the Infor Velocity Suite answered

Many organizations are currently grappling with a “value void”, a gap between the expected benefits of ERP system modernization and actual business outcomes. 74% of business leaders and software users believe that advanced technologies create business value. However, they are unable to successfully incorporate such technologies into their business processes to fully realize tangible results, leading to this gap. Bridging this gap has been the guiding principle behind Infor Velocity Suite, a strategic bundling of technology, services, and pre-built industry solutions that empower organizations to achieve business value faster and minimize “value voids”.

In this blog, we explore some uncommon questions about the Infor Velocity Suite. We look at how the platform supports micro-vertical applications, how its various capabilities work together, and its approach to customizations, anomaly detection, and implementation prerequisites.

A brief introduction to the Velocity Suite

Infor Velocity Suite has been built on 3 core frameworks:

• Diagnose: Identify inefficiencies through process mining.
• Automate: Streamline workflows through Value+Solutions.
• Optimize: Leverage GenAI for further improvements.

This comprehensive solution is designed for use in multiple industries. Its biggest value-add, of course, lies in its pre-configuration. Infor Velocity Suite comes with embedded business process mapping, pre-defined use cases, and built-in CloudSuite integration. In a previous blog, we explored how organizations can move from theoretical frameworks and blueprints to practical implementation with Infor Velocity Suite.

1. What is the “micro-vertical” strategy, and why does it reduce implementation risk?

As we mentioned in the introduction, Infor Velocity Suite is built for use across multiple industries, with pre-configuration being its biggest value-add. It goes a step further by also being built for micro-verticals. For example, it addresses the differences between applications in an industrial machinery and equipment company versus a plastics fabricator. This is how Infor Velocity Suite delivers industry-complete solutions.

Organizations can get started quickly with a structured methodology pre-mapped to specific niches (i.e. analysis, process mining, recommended solutions, deployment and automation, performance improvements, and continuous improvements). This negates the need to build any solution or system from scratch, saving you both time and money.

2. How does Infor OS act as the “glue” that combines these solutions end-to-end?

The Infor OS platform is the technology backbone of Infor Velocity Suite and provides the indispensable infrastructure needed to make core implementations such as process mining, robotic process automation (RPA), intelligent document processing (IDP), and generative AI successful.

The platform empowers technological success through the following built-in components:

• Intelligent Open Network (ION): The workflow engine that manages processes and triggers tasks across the system.
• Infor Document Management (IDM): Securely stores documents like scanned invoices for easy retrieval.
• Data Lake: Stores massive event data volumes for process mining and AI/ML applications.
• API Gateway: Connects bots and AI models directly to the ERP (M3, CSI, etc.).

To better understand how these components can work together, consider the success story of boat manufacturer XpressBoats. When errors began to negatively impact their delivery times, they used Infor Velocity Suite to diagnose the process and automate for improved results. Fast diagnosis enabled them to maintain production quality, deliver on time, and improve customer satisfaction.

Endries, a global OEM fastener and industrial supply partner, is another success story. They encountered fulfillment delays and inaccuracies because of manual processes. Endries automated their operations using the RPA and GenAI capabilities of Infor Velocity Suite to address these issues. The solution has given them up to 75% efficiency gains, improved scan accuracy, and reduced cost estimation time from days to hours.

3. Am I limited to the “Value+ Catalog,” or can I build my own custom solutions?

The Value+Catalog is only one component focused on automating manual, repetitive workflows through a range of pre-built functions such as sales order creations, AP invoice processing, customer email summarization, and automatic bill of lading.

This solution gives you further options. Infor Velocity Suite has a strong customization and extensibility framework in addition to Value+Catalog. You have the flexibility to go beyond out-of-the box functionality and implement the solution that works for your specific business case. Options include:

• Building custom RPA automations
• Creating your own AI workflows
• Developing custom GenAI prompts

For example, suppose a business wants to automate sales order entries from emails, which they receive as PDF or Excel attachments. Their usual manual entry process is prone to delays and human errors, directly impacting the quality of their customer relations. With the Infor Velocity Suite, the business is able to automate these functions by combining multiple capabilities:

• RPA: A bot monitors the inbox for new emails, validates and creates sales orders.
• IDP: Extracts structured data from attachments.
• GenAI: Interprets and fills any missing details from emails, plus sends personalized customer emails.

4. Can I still see ROI if I just migrated to the cloud and have no historical data?

Yes, because Infor Velocity Suite prioritizes flexibility. While historical data is traditionally a prerequisite to diagnose inefficiencies via process mining, organizations don’t have to adopt all the capabilities at once and can determine timelines as needed.

If you are getting started with Infor Velocity Suite, you can simply begin by automating high-value use cases. As you progress, the system will collect the event data (i.e. timestamps) required for process mining once you have sufficient data.

5. How does “anomaly detection” fix problems upstream before they cause damage?

Infor Velocity Suite empowers your business to build a single source of truth for all your data and receive early notifications, rather than after a workflow disruption occurs. With proactive notifications, you can make swift decisions, take necessary remedial actions, and educate employees for better outcomes.

For example, imagine that a user creates a purchase order for 1,000 units when the historical average is 100. Infor Velocity Suite triggers an anomaly detection alert. The buyer then corrects the mistake at the point of entry itself, instead of dealing with an incorrect order, payment issues, and even excess inventory at a later time.

6. What are the prerequisites, and can I use it on-premise?

Infor Velocity Suite was designed specifically for businesses that already use Infor CloudSuite (i.e. M3Cloud or CSI). As such, multi-tenant Infor CloudSuite customers have access to Infor Velocity Suite’s out-of-the-box capabilities which include AI-driven insights, workspace functions, and enterprise automations.

Continuous digital transformation

Digital transformation is not a one-time project for any business. Economic shocks, changing customer expectations, and AI-led developments are constantly compelling businesses to rethink their technology adoptions and innovate to stay relevant. Infor Velocity Suite takes this volatility into account; it has been designed for organizations who see digital transformation as an ever-evolving process and are looking for a solution that goes beyond simple ERP functionalities.

By bundling diagnosis, automation, and AI-driven optimization, Infor Velocity Suite empowers organizations to move from theory to practice. Organizations are better equipped to reduce cycle times, reduce manual effort, measure ROI, and improve compliance. Early adopters have a head start and are now able to see tangible outcomes. While not every organization can be a first adopter, they certainly can’t afford to be left behind in the “value void.” If you want to learn more about how the Infor Velocity Suite can benefit your business, reach out to us today.