AI and beyond: ERP trends for Australian and New Zealand mid-sized businesses

For many mid-market businesses, ERP plays a vital role in driving smarter operations, faster decisions, and sustainable, data-driven growth.

As the technology backing ERP software advances, leaders are asking forward-looking questions: What could we unlock by upgrading? Which capabilities will give us longevity and flexibility? How do we ensure the system fits how we work today, and scales with where we’re going tomorrow?

Whether you’re ready to modernise, outgrowing basic tools, or wanting to bring disconnected applications together, the ERP you choose now will shape how your business runs for years to come.

Here are three areas where ERP platforms are redefining the impact they can have on mid-market businesses, along with what to prioritise as you evaluate the path ahead.

1. Practical AI that drives real value

There’s a lot of hype around AI, and what it can do for your business. Many AI vendors promise their customers the world, only to fall back on a ‘it will get better any day now’-type statement if the delivered features don’t match the hype.

For mid-market businesses in industries like construction, manufacturing and wholesale distribution, any new AI functionality needs to be practical, add value, and be minimally disruptive to existing processes.

Here are some of the practical AI functionality leaders could expect:

AI Assistant: Make the everyday easier

Query the system to help with your everyday tasks. For example, “Who are my top five customers in southern NSW?” and receive an immediate response to help plan your next customer interaction.

AI Automation: Automate more of the work

AI will be able to automate data entry for accounts payable, bill entry, and expense management. It extracts key details like supplier names, amounts, due dates, and automatically enters them into the system, saving manual data entry and reducing errors. In the future you’ll also be able to build your own AI agents to suit your business needs.

AI Advisor: Practical insights to help you make the best decisions

AI will provide predictive thinking capabilities to help you identify future opportunities. For example, demand planning and time series forecasting for a high-demand holiday period.

Nearly four in five (78%) wholesale distribution businesses plan to adopt or expand the use of AI in ERP systems, and 35% have already implemented AI into business processes. This figure is expected to increase; awareness of AI technology will continue to grow, and AI features will improve and become more valuable over time. .

What does this mean for mid-market businesses?

AI features will help your teams automate tasks like invoicing, payment reconciliation, stock forecasting, or identifying data anomalies before they become a problem. It enables you to tap into insights, and positions you to act quickly.

AI automation reduces admin, and lifts performance across finance, procurement, operations, and customer service. It gives your people time back, so they can focus on work that really moves the needle.

An example of automation can be seen in MYOB Acumatica customer Lights & Tracks . While not yet AI-enabled, Michael and his team lifted revenue by 18% and cut admin hours by 62% after ERP implementation. This foundation sets a baseline for upcoming AI automation features to amplify these gains further.

2. Modular ERP architecture in 2026

Composable, modular ERP is becoming the default approach for modernising ERP systems. Instead of a single rigid suite, you assemble interoperable capabilities around a core software platform, and extend them through open marketplaces. This lets you upgrade or swap components without disruption , and deploy two‑tier ERP models that pair a global backbone with lighter, regional instances, where agility and local compliance matter.

Leading vendors are doubling down on clean‑core standards, modular extensions, and cloud delivery so organisations can scale faster, customise safely, and shed technical debt. They are modernising critical workflows first, then iterating in smaller, lower‑risk increments

Features of modular ERP platforms include:

Composable, modular ERP marketplaces with APIs

Enabling safe plug‑in of extensions (e.g. tax engines, WMS, CPQ) without customising core code, so upgrades land faster and with less regression risk.

Two‑tier ERP orchestration

Pairing a global backbone with regional instances for subsidiaries and channel partners, including intercompany, consolidation, and data‑residency controls. This allows customers across various regions to move with agility while HQ maintains a centralised view and roadmap.

Event‑driven integration and real‑time analytics layers

Sending operational signals into the ERP “decision core”, supporting live dashboards and scenario planning without massive data migrations.

Localisation and compliance pack

Shipped as modules (e.g. e‑invoicing formats, payroll, regional tax rules), so organisations can meet mandates without heavy custom work; for example, PINT A‑NZ e‑invoicing requirements.

What does this mean for mid-market businesses?

Moving to a more flexible, modular ERP is the first step towards modernisation. Instead of reinventing the wheel, teams can switch on modular extensions from a marketplace. For example, a wholesale distributor can introduce an advanced warehouse management system as a module and keep their core ERP, preserving their data and processes.

For mid-market businesses, the delivery of localisation and compliance as modules rather than one‑off customisations, is critical. With e‑invoicing in the PINT A‑NZ format mandated for B2G from 2025, modular “local packs” mean you stay current as rules evolve, without re‑engineering the core.

An example showcasing the power of modular ERP architecture is MYOB Acumatica customer Ainscorp. They centralised their orders management and inventory, and applied modular lot‑tracking capabilities to meet compliance requirements. This enabled end‑to‑end traceability during product recalls and demonstration of strong controls in a supplier audit, supported by unified dashboards and faster reporting. As they continue to grow, Ainscorp can add further modules and customisations as they see fit, without disrupting the core process.

3. Seamless data and analytics in real-time

Real‑time analytics and digital twins continue to graduate from buzzwords towards a practical reality, as ERP capabilities evolve. Early adopters are already tying digital‑twin models to ERP data to reduce downtime, rebalance supply, and stress‑test plans.

ERP features for real-time analytics and digital twins to expect in 2026 include:

Streaming data pipelines and in‑memory analytics

These intake IoT, operational, and financial data into ERP for live dashboards and continuous close insights.

Digital‑twin scenario modelling

For supply chains, production lines, and service networks. Simulate disruptions, resource constraints, and demand shifts, then select the optimal plan.

Closed‑loop orchestration

Pushes decisions back into execution systems (e.g., MES, WMS, TMS), enabling automated adjustments to schedules, routes, or purchase plans based on twin outputs

Role‑aware, real‑time KPI alerts

Embedded in ERP workbenches, surfacing anomalies and opportunities to planners, finance, and operations leaders.

What does this mean for mid-market businesses?

For Australia and New Zealand’s mid‑market, this shift unlocks practical, low‑risk improvements. Start with live operational dashboards to replace spreadsheet reconciliations, then pilot targeted twins (e.g. inventory and production line scenarios) where downtime or stockouts hurt most. 45% of decision-makers report that siloed systems limit growth; real‑time ERP visibility addresses this while laying the groundwork for simulation‑driven planning as data quality improves.

An example of real-time analytics providing real value is MYOB Acumatica customer Polynovo, who saved over $80,000 each year by streamlining reporting processes. By moving away from manual spreadsheets and disconnected tools, they gained more visibility, faster access to insights, and fewer overheads.

Thinking ahead for your business in 2026

If you’re starting to look at new ERP options, or even just wondering if your current system will keep up, it helps to ask the right questions:

• Does this system match the way we work?

• Will it grow with us as our business changes?

• Is there embedded practical AI that helps improve the everyday actions of me and my team?

• What kind of local support is available?

• Can I see real proof that it works for businesses like mine?

To learn more about how ERP can help your business in 2026, speak with an expert today.

Information provided in this article is of a general nature and does not consider your personal situation. It does not constitute legal, financial, or other professional advice and should not be relied upon as a statement of law, policy or advice. You should consider whether this information is appropriate to your needs and, if necessary, seek independent advice. This information is only accurate at the time of publication. Although every effort has been made to verify the accuracy of the information contained on this webpage, MYOB disclaims, to the extent permitted by law, all liability for the information contained on this webpage or any loss or damage suffered by any person directly or indirectly through relying on this information.

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