Infor LN Implementation | Getting Started with CloudSuite

Specifically, what challenges does CloudSuite address?

In our projects, we repeatedly encounter similar starting points: legacy ERP systems, growing international demands, and processes that no longer integrate seamlessly.

Challenge	Strategic Approach
Innovation bottleneck: New features, integrations, or innovations can only be implemented with significant project effort.	With automatic updates, you'll always stay up to date—without the need for major upgrade projects.
Lack of transparency: The lack of real-time data on locations, inventory, or orders makes decision-making difficult.	Real-time data aggregation, enterprise-wide analytics, and a data lake connect cloud and legacy data.
Complex manufacturing processes: Variant production, project-based production, and international multi-site structures must be managed in parallel.	Integrated variant and bill of materials management supports project-based, shop-floor, mass, and assembly manufacturing.
High IT and maintenance costs: Customizations and older release versions make further development and operation more difficult.	Reduced capital expenditures, lower total cost of ownership, and less internal maintenance effort.

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What it takes to successfully implement Infor LN

An Infor LN implementation is considered successful if it meets business requirements, is technically robust, and can be further developed over the long term.

Our approach is based on five key principles:

At the heart of the implementation is a system that accurately maps the core processes of discrete manufacturing. These include CRM, sales, procurement, planning, manufacturing, inventory management, projects, service, quality, and finance.

It is precisely this functional depth that makes Infor LN the functional core of many implementation projects.

CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise is not just about ERP transactions. Integration, data flows, extensibility, analytics, and future scalability are also key components of the implementation.

The result is not an isolated solution, but a robust platform architecture.

Which additional modules are relevant depends on the industry, process maturity, and target vision. Typical additions include, for example, analytics, CPQ, Factory Track for standard shop floor and warehouse processes, supplier integration, or the ZWF customs module for foreign trade and customs processes.

For more complex or highly customized processes, where standard logic is insufficient, we rely on our own solutions for mobile warehouse management and shop floor/production data acquisition.

We establish transparency regarding goals, scope, and approach early in the project to ensure that implementation projects can be planned realistically. To this end, we work with our clients to define a robust target vision, structure requirements, and create a solid foundation for the project using fit-gap analysis, requirements specifications, and a migration strategy.

To implement projects more quickly and in a more structured manner, many companies also rely on preconfigured best-practice approaches and standardized project modules. The Infor Implementation Accelerator helps set up processes, templates, and project procedures more efficiently and mitigate typical implementation risks early on.

For us, it is not just the successful implementation itself that matters, but above all that the solution remains stable, manageable, and capable of long-term development even after go-live. That is why we address issues such as training, support, updateability, scalability, and ongoing optimization early on in the project.

What we bring to the table

Extensive project experience with Infor LN

Custom add-ons and apps – updatable and cloud-ready

Extensive expertise in integration

Experience with migrations, multisite structures, and international rollouts

Key Features of Infor CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise

Accurately mapping complex manufacturing processes

Many ERP systems reach their limits when they need to support different manufacturing logics simultaneously and map customer-specific processes. Infor LN supports complex manufacturing scenarios such as ETO, MTO, CTO, ATO, as well as variant and hybrid manufacturing.

Standardize globally, remain flexible locally

Infor LN helps standardize processes across international operations without losing sight of local requirements. This is particularly relevant for manufacturing companies with a global presence.

Strong in project-based business and customer-specific solutions

When cost estimation, project logic, and manufacturing are closely intertwined, a purely administrative ERP system is often insufficient. Infor LN provides significantly deeper support for project-oriented and customer-specific processes.

Multi-site and multi-company operations under control

Many companies find that their ERP system can no longer keep up when it comes to efficiently managing multiple plants, subsidiaries, or international locations. Infor LN truly shines in such environments.

Locations, subsidiaries, intercompany processes, and international rollouts can all be consolidated into a single, integrated ERP model.

Granular permissions for complex organizations

Infor LN supports a flexible role- and permission-based model. Permissions can be managed not only by department, but also by function, location, company, or area of responsibility.

This provides greater security, transparency, and control in day-to-day operations, particularly for corporate groups and international companies.

Why the Cloud Makes All the Difference

Regular, automatic updates from Infor
Faster access to new features without the need for major projects
Access to new services (analytics, integration, extensions)
Access to innovations such as the Infor Velocity Suite with process mining, Value+ automations, and GenAI

No need to manage your own servers and databases
Updates, patches, and monitoring handled by Infor
IT focuses on processes rather than infrastructure

Flexible scaling to accommodate growth or seasonal peaks
High availability and performance through cloud-based operations
Global deployment without local system environments

Hosted on Amazon Web Services
Up-to-date security standards, certifications, and backups
Centralized user and permissions management

Cloud-compatible extensions instead of extensive customizations
Fewer update dependencies
Improved maintainability and future-proofing

Differences from the on-premises solution

Criterion	Infor LN On-Premise	CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise
Operation	In-house data center	Cloud Services by Infor
Updates	Manual, project-based upgrades	Regular, automatic updates
Scaling	Hardware-dependent	Flexible and tailored to your needs
Safety	Responsibility lies with the customer	Centralized Cloud Security
Customizing	Significant changes to the standard code	Extensions & Low-Code
Integration	Custom interfaces	Standardized Integration (ION)
Analytics	Often separate BI solutions	Integrated Cloud Analytics
Speed of innovation	Low	High

Data & Analytics as a Strategic Advantage of the Cloud

With CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise, companies also have access to the Infor Data Lake as a central, cloud-native data repository.

The data lake collects and consolidates ERP and process data from Infor LN and connected systems, serving as the foundation for:

Advanced analytics and reporting (e.g., using Infor Birst)
AI-powered analytics and automation
Process insights and continuous optimization following migration

For which companies and manufacturing scenarios is the implementation suitable?

The implementation of Infor CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise is particularly well-suited for companies in the discrete manufacturing sector that want to standardize complex processes, scale internationally, and continue to develop them over the long term.

Controlling complex discrete manufacturing processes

This includes manufacturers whose processes go beyond simple standard production and who have a high need for end-to-end planning, control, and transparency.

Coordinate multiple locations, plants, or companies

As globalization advances, the complexity of processes, data flows, and responsibilities also increases. Infor LN supports precisely these types of multi-company and multi-site scenarios.

Building a future-proof ERP foundation

This solution is particularly useful in cases where existing system landscapes have become too customized, require too much maintenance, or lack scalability.

Combining industry-specific requirements with standardization

Especially in the upper mid-market and enterprise sectors, it is rarely just about standard processes. What matters most is striking a balance between proven industry logic, the ability to roll out solutions internationally, and a system landscape that is easy to manage.

Project-based and custom manufacturing

This implementation is particularly well-suited for companies that manufacture to order and need to integrate project management, cost estimation, and production.

Typical industries

Industrial manufacturing

Aerospace

Construction

Vehicle Manufacturing

Project-based manufacturers

Discrete manufacturers with an international presence

For which manufacturing scenarios is the implementation particularly well-suited?

Engineer-to-Order (ETO): When custom products, project-specific requirements, cost estimation, and technical coordination are closely interrelated.
Make-to-Order (MTO): When manufacturing and procurement are managed on a per-order basis, and transparency regarding deadlines, materials, and capacity is critical.
Configure-to-Order (CTO): When variants need to be managed in a structured manner and a standard product needs to remain flexibly configurable.
Assemble-to-Order (ATO): When prefabrication and final assembly need to be combined efficiently.
Shop Floor and Variant Manufacturing: When production control, bills of materials, work plans, and variant logic must all come together within a robust ERP framework.
Hybrid manufacturing scenarios: When companies need to manage multiple manufacturing approaches simultaneously, such as mass production in one area and project-based manufacturing in another.

An Infor LN implementation is particularly effective in situations where in-depth domain expertise, organizational complexity, and long-term scalability are all required.

This is how an Infor LN implementation typically proceeds

To ensure a successful Infor LN implementation, we bring together business requirements, technical parameters, migration issues, and organizational changes at an early stage. This allows us to establish transparency regarding dependencies, critical processes, and project risks as early as the design phase—from defining objectives through to stable operations following go-live.

Phase 1: Current Situation and Target State

The first step is to determine what goals the Infor implementation is intended to achieve.

Companies often switch to Infor LN because their existing ERP systems offer only limited support for complex manufacturing processes, international structures, or project-oriented workflows.

Especially when multiple countries or plants are involved, it is important to clarify early on how the global template, local requirements, and rollout phases will be integrated.

Typical topics:

Current System Landscape
Business Processes and Pain Points
Locations, Plants, Subsidiaries
Strategic Objectives of the Implementation
Scope of the First Project Phase

Phase 2: Technical Concept and Requirements Specification

In the next step, we work with our clients to define the functional and technical requirements in detail. In doing so, we map out target processes, prioritize requirements, and refine the project scope to ensure that initial vision statements are transformed into a robust implementation plan.

Typical topics:

Specifications and Requirements Specification
Mandatory and Optional Requirements
Roles and Responsibilities
Prioritization by Phase 1 and Subsequent Phases
Initial Distinction Between Standard, Extension, and Special Requirements

Phase 3: Fit-Gap Analysis

The fit-gap analysis is one of the most important steps in the implementation process. It identifies which requirements are covered by the standard, where adjustments are needed, and which issues can be resolved through organizational or process changes.

Typical topics:

Standard coverage in Infor LN
Assessment of critical gaps
Decision on extensions and add-ons
Template and rollout capabilities
Avoiding unnecessary complexity

Phase 4: Solution Design and Implementation

Based on the analysis, we develop the functional and technical solution design. Now the target vision is transformed into a feasible project model.

Typical topics:

Process Design
Client, Company, and Location Structure
Permissions and Roles
Interfaces and Integrations
Reporting, Analytics, and Extensions

Phase 5: Testing, Training, Cutover

Before the system goes live, processes, data, and responsibilities must be thoroughly validated. This includes testing, training, and thorough go-live preparations.

Typical topics:

Testing strategy and key user testing
End-user training
Cutover planning
Data validation
Go-live approval

Phase 6: Hypercare, Support, Optimization

The implementation doesn't end with the go-live. It is only during the stabilization phase that the true viability of the processes, support model, and expansion strategy becomes apparent.

Typical topics:

Hypercare
Support and user guidance
Troubleshooting and fine-tuning
Release and update support
Gradual rollout of additional features

Discuss the project approach

Migration, Integration, and Change

Not every legacy data structure should be fully migrated. The key factor is which master and transaction data are actually relevant for future operations.

A well-defined migration strategy reduces complexity, improves data quality, and establishes a solid foundation for the go-live.

Typical topics in this step:

Cleaning of master and transaction data
Defining the relevant data scope
Handling historical data
Test migrations and validation
Cutover planning for go-live

In many implementation projects, Infor is not the only system component. Especially in mature IT environments, existing applications, shop floor systems, BI solutions, logistics systems, and external partner integrations must be seamlessly integrated. In the Infor LN environment, standardized integration and messaging mechanisms play a key role in this process.

Typical areas of integration:

Integration of third-party and legacy systems
Exchange of master and transaction data
EDI and partner communication
Data transfer to warehouse, service, or shop floor processes
Integration of CRM systems for lead, quote, and customer processes
Integration of CAD and PLM systems for design data, bill of materials, and change statuses
Foundation for reporting and analytics

CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise runs on AWS and supports various operating models to meet different requirements for security, scalability, and compliance.

Client Models: Multi-Tenant vs. Single-Tenant

Infor offers a variety of operating models:

Multi-tenant: Standardized, cost-effective, automatic updates
Single-tenant: Greater isolation, more control, e.g., for regulated industries

The appropriate model depends, among other things, on compliance requirements, the degree of customization, and the size of the company.

Offline Capability in the Cloud

A common concern with cloud projects is: What happens if the internet goes down?

Especially in manufacturing or warehouse operations, processes cannot come to a complete standstill.

Where appropriate, we make targeted use of offline functions:

Warehouse Management: Picking lists can be saved and locked locally
Offline processing on mobile devices (SQLite)
Automatic synchronization when the connection is restored
Production (BDE): Orders are made available locally so that production can continue

Important: Not all processes can be run offline (for example, stock transfers require up-to-date inventory data). Our architecture ensures that mission-critical processes remain stable even during temporary outages.

A successful Infor implementation does not end with the technical go-live. Training is a key success factor, especially in implementation projects, as companies, key users, and end users often lack practical experience with Infor’s logic. It is therefore crucial to build knowledge in a structured way and to integrate new processes into daily workflows at an early stage.

Key success factors:

Early involvement of business units
Structured key-user training
Role-based training
Transparent communication
Post-go-live support

Next Steps

You would like to check,

whether your current ERP landscape is future-proof?
whether CloudSuite Industrial Enterprise supports your processes?
which migration strategy makes the most sense?

Schedule a consultation

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions About the Infor LN Implementation

This depends heavily on the initial situation, the scope of the project, its international nature, and the integration environment. Smaller, clearly defined implementation projects can be completed much more quickly than international rollouts involving complex data migration, multiple locations, and additional modules. Typically, projects take between 12 and 24 months to complete.

No. In many projects, it makes sense to start with a clearly defined core scope and roll out additional modules, add-ons, or locations in later phases. The key is to structure Phase 1 in such a way that the go-live remains manageable while also establishing a viable overall vision.

It is a key component of the implementation. The fit-gap analysis identifies which processes are covered by the standard system, where there are actual gaps, and which requirements need to be addressed from an organizational, procedural, or technical perspective. It helps prevent unnecessary complexity early on.

After the go-live, a hypercare or stabilization phase typically begins. During this time, users receive close support, questions are answered promptly, processes are fine-tuned, and opportunities for optimization are identified. Only then does the solution transition to a regular support and ongoing development phase.

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We will be happy to present solutions for your industry and your processes. Talk to the specialists for SMEs.

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