You do not have to treat ERP modernization as a choice between keeping everything unchanged and replacing the entire system. A September 22, 2026, partner-content summary from ERP Today describes a conversation about extending stable systems and assembling interoperable, best-fit applications instead of defaulting to a monolithic replacement. That is a possible strategy, not a verdict for every organization: the right path depends on what needs to change, what the existing ERP can still support, and the cost and risk of operating each alternative.
What the conversation proposes—and what the available account establishes
ERP Today identifies the participants as Eric Helmer and Krista Glantschnig of Rimini Street and Eric Kimberling, CEO of Third Stage Consulting. Rimini Street’s page identifies Helmer as its EVP and Global Chief Technology Officer and Glantschnig as Product Marketing Director. The publisher’s description frames the discussion around three ideas: moving away from automatic “rip and replace” decisions, extending stable and fully depreciated systems where appropriate, and using interoperable components from multiple vendors.
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That description is not independent evidence that any of these approaches is best, and it does not provide organization-specific analysis, comparative results, or implementation data. Rimini Street’s embedded video was not accessible in the available material, so the full discussion and individual speakers’ detailed arguments could not be verified. No detailed conclusions or direct quotations should therefore be attributed to the speakers based on the summary alone.
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Before choosing an architecture, identify the business capabilities or processes that are failing to meet current needs. A system can be old yet still support critical processes reliably; a newer system can still be a poor fit if its workflows, controls, or data model do not suit the organization. Conversely, stability alone does not make a system adequate when the business needs capabilities it cannot provide.
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- Define the gap: Specify the process, user, reporting, compliance, or operational problem that modernization is meant to address.
- Separate requirements from preferences: Distinguish essential capabilities and deadlines from desirable interface or technology changes.
- Map dependencies: Identify which applications, integrations, reports, and teams rely on the ERP functions under consideration.
- Set success measures: Decide how the organization will judge whether the change solved the original problem, before selecting a solution.
Compare the main modernization paths
| Path | When it may fit | Questions to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Retain the current ERP | Core processes remain serviceable and the organization has no unresolved requirement that demands a change. | Will the vendor continue to support the product and meet security, compliance, and operational needs? What are the ongoing support and maintenance costs? |
| Extend the current ERP | The existing system remains useful, but a defined capability gap can be addressed through an extension or connected application. | Can the extension integrate reliably without making upgrades, support, or data governance harder? Who owns the resulting interfaces? |
| Replace the ERP | Critical requirements cannot be met acceptably through the current system or a bounded extension, and the organization can manage the transition. | What will migration, process redesign, integration, training, and parallel operation require? How will data quality and business continuity be protected? |
| Use a multi-vendor, composable architecture | Different products appear to fit distinct needs better than a single suite, and the organization can govern the combined environment. | Are interfaces and data portable? Who is accountable when a cross-vendor process fails? Can the organization operate and secure the full application landscape? |
These are decision paths, not rankings. A system’s depreciation status is an accounting fact, not proof that retaining it is cheaper overall. Likewise, a new cloud system is not automatically lower-risk or lower-cost once implementation, integrations, migration, and ongoing operations are considered.
Test whether an extension or best-fit component is genuinely viable
Adding a focused application can avoid changing ERP functions that still work, but it shifts more responsibility to integration and governance. Evaluate the whole operating model, not just the feature that a new product supplies.
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- Process fit: Check whether the component supports the complete workflow, including exceptions and approvals, rather than only a demonstration scenario.
- Integration: Determine how data moves, how errors are detected and recovered, and whether interfaces are documented and supportable.
- Data portability: Establish which system is authoritative for each important record and how data can be exported or moved if a vendor or product changes.
- Security and compliance: Assess access controls, auditability, data handling, and applicable regulatory obligations across every connected system.
- Lifecycle and support: Confirm product roadmaps, support responsibilities, upgrade dependencies, and the cost of maintaining interfaces over time.
- Operational ownership: Assign responsibility for incidents that cross vendor boundaries, changes to integrations, and end-to-end service levels.
Account for migration and lifecycle risk
A replacement can concentrate risk in a major migration; a multi-system approach can distribute change while increasing the number of integrations and vendors to manage. Neither pattern eliminates risk. Compare the realistic costs and failure modes of each proposed path over its useful life.
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- Estimate the business impact of downtime, delayed processes, inaccurate data, or a failed cutover; identify what recovery options exist.
- Check whether the proposed approach depends on skills, vendor commitments, or interfaces that the organization may not be able to sustain.
- Make security and compliance requirements explicit, including how responsibilities are divided among vendors and internal teams.
- Use a bounded pilot or staged rollout where appropriate, with clear exit criteria and a rollback or continuity plan.
The available summary supplies no named statistics, quantified savings, or measured migration outcomes. Any business case should therefore rely on the organization’s own cost estimates, requirements, and risk assessment rather than inferred results from the conversation’s promotional framing.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Make the decision conditional and reviewable
A useful ERP decision record states the business problem, the options considered, the assumptions behind the estimates, and the risks accepted. It should also identify what would trigger a different choice—for example, a support change, a new compliance obligation, a failed integration, or a process requirement the current system cannot meet.
The published conversation’s premise is that automatic replacement is not the only way to modernize. Whether retaining, extending, composing, or replacing ERP is sensible depends on evidence from the organization’s own requirements and ability to support the resulting system. The source account does not settle that choice or establish detailed recommendations by any individual participant.
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