Digital transformation is reshaping agriculture, creating opportunities to boost efficiency and enable smarter decision-making. However, migrating from legacy systems to modern cloud-based ERP solutions presents significant challenges that can make or break a transformation journey.
John Melland, CEO of Levridge, offered his unique insights from experiencing an ERP migration firsthand in the webinar Modern ERP for Grain: Transform Operations and Drive Efficiency.
As CFO of Arthur Companies before joining Levridge, Melland experienced as a customer the real-world challenges of an ERP implementation and learned important lessons for success.
"When you think about digital transformation and your ERP transition, it is not a light task; It's a big undertaking," Melland said.
Agribusinesses frequently encounter challenges along the way, especially if unprepared for the common pitfalls.
"The biggest implementation challenges really come down to two things: transferring your data from your old system to your new system, and helping your users manage change," Melland said.
Success requires more than technical expertise — it demands careful planning, stakeholder engagement and realistic timelines.
Challenge 1: Data migration
Data migration represents the most complex aspect of ERP implementation.
"Data migration takes a long time, up to a year," Melland explains. "All of the data has to come out of the old systems and into the new system."
Complexity grows with multiple legacy systems. When businesses move from two different systems, it's not as simple as taking data from one ERP and plugging it into another. It requires extracting data from multiple sources and reconciling information stored differently across systems.
The data that needs to migrate includes what Melland called "master data," like customer records, vendor records, GL accounts, as well as transactional data, like open contracts, trades, scale tickets and unpaid settlements.
Solutions for data migration success
- Allow adequate time: Arthur Companies took 12 months from start to go-live
- Partner with experts: Work with experienced implementation partners
- Prioritize data quality: Clean and standardize data before migration
- Test extensively: Validate accuracy through multiple test cycles
Challenge 2: Change management
Understanding user engagement is key for change management. Different user groups respond differently to technology changes.
"Usually IT and accounting folks seem fairly engaged," Melland said. "It may be the merchandisers or agronomists that are less engaged. You have to have champions, people that are leaders who will help the various teams."
Melland recommends designating champions to serve as change advocates, training leaders and go-live support within their departments.
Solutions for change management success
- Identify champions early: Select influential team members from each department
- Customize engagement: Different roles require different approaches
- Communicate benefits: Help users understand personal advantages
- Provide ongoing support: Change management continues beyond go-live
Challenge 3: User training
"Training wise, moving to a new system is a big deal," Melland said.
Transitioning from decades-old systems to new interfaces requires comprehensive preparation.
"Getting everybody on the system, testing it out and practicing really helps for going live," Melland said.
Taking structured approach to practice builds competence and confidence while reducing anxiety. Melland said Levridge partners provide training through work streams: commodity accounting, agricultural sales, risk management and GL/AP/AR. Each includes hands-on practice with realistic test cases.
Solutions for user training
- Work stream based training: Organize around functional areas
- Hands-on practice: Extensive test environment opportunities
- Realistic scenarios: Create test cases mirroring daily work
- Ongoing education: Learning continues after go-live
Success metrics and results
It's important to define ERP implementation success clearly with established measurable criteria focused on business continuity.
For Arthur Companies, the primary success metrics for their ERP implementation were uninterrupted customer service, grain receiving operability, payment authorization and mobile app operability.
The implementation succeeded remarkably with all results achieved within a week.
"We were able to receive grain and apply those tickets to contracts on day one, Melland said. "We didn't hit the grower settlement on day one. We hit it on day two, but I'd say that was a win in our book. And growers were able to see details on the bushel app later that week."
Digital transformation in agriculture is no longer optional — it's essential for competitiveness. Melland's experience with Arthur Companies demonstrates that with proper planning, expert partnership and commitment to both technical and human elements, companies can successfully transform operations while maintaining business continuity.
Practical insights from someone who's experienced ERP migration from both the customer and vendor perspective provides invaluable guidance for organizations embarking on digital transformation.
The question is whether your organization is prepared to successfully navigate the challenges of ERP modernization. With the right approach to data migration, change management and user training, organizations can take the next step in agriculture's digital future.
