Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) programmes are among the most significant investments organisations undertake. They promise efficiency, compliance, and competitive advantage. Yet too often the business case unravels because employees fail to adopt the new ways of working at scale. In fact, industry research consistently shows that user adoption, rather than technology, is the leading barrier to realising ERP value.
This is where Digital Adoption Platforms (DAPs) have emerged as a key enabler. By providing moment-of-need guidance inside the ERP system, DAPs help employees perform complex tasks correctly, adapt to system updates quickly, and avoid reliance on helpdesks or paper manuals. They fill the gap between training and execution, the space where transformation either succeeds or fails.
But like any technology, DAPs are not a guaranteed success. Implemented poorly, they risk becoming just another layer of clutter on top of already complex ERP systems. Implemented wisely, they unlock today’s ERP investment and also prepare organisations for the future of digital enablement.
The pitfalls that undermine DAP programmes
Over-authoring and clutter
The temptation with any guidance tool is to overuse it. Well-meaning project teams create walkthroughs, pop-ups, and tooltips for every possible step. The result is an ERP experience where users feel bombarded with prompts, slowing them down rather than helping them. The principle must be “less, but better.” Focus on guiding the high-value, high-risk processes where adoption challenges are most acute.
No ownership of content
ERP systems are not static. SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, and Workday deliver quarterly or semi-annual updates that change interfaces, add fields, and retire transactions. Without clear ownership for DAP content, guidance quickly becomes outdated, confusing users and eroding trust. Successful organisations treat DAP content like ERP master data: governed, reviewed, and refreshed systematically.
Measuring the wrong things
It is easy to fall into vanity metrics, such as counting how many users clicked on a guide or how many tips were displayed. While these numbers are comforting, they reveal little about business outcomes. What matters is whether employees complete tasks correctly and quickly, whether data quality improves, and whether the volume of “how do I?” tickets decreases.
Privacy blind spots
In South Africa, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA) requires careful handling of any data that could identify an individual. Some DAPs capture detailed telemetry about user interactions, which may constitute personal information if linked to individuals. Organisations must apply POPIA’s principle of minimality, collecting only what is necessary, and ensure adequate safeguards if telemetry leaves the country. Without this, a well-meaning adoption initiative could create compliance risks.
How to get it right today
Avoiding these pitfalls requires discipline and focus. The organisations that succeed with DAPs follow a few core practices.
First, they start small, identifying 5–8 high-value ERP processes where errors or delays are most costly. This might include vendor onboarding, purchase requisitioning, or payroll approvals. By targeting these areas, the DAP delivers a visible impact quickly.
Second, they establish governance. A cross-functional adoption centre of excellence (COE), bringing together IT, HR, and process owners, takes responsibility for authoring, approving, and refreshing guidance. This ensures the DAP evolves alongside the ERP system.
Third, they tie adoption to business releases. Instead of retraining the entire workforce with every ERP update, they use the DAP to deliver short “what changed” prompts directly in the system. Employees learn in the flow of work, and adoption keeps pace with the system itself.
Finally, they treat data privacy as non-negotiable. Usage analytics are anonymised where possible, and data processing agreements are in place for any cross-border data flows. This builds confidence with employees and satisfies compliance requirements.
Shaping ERP enablement with AI, analytics, and adoption platforms
While these practices ensure DAP success today, the more compelling story lies in where ERP enablement is heading. Traditional training methods, such as classroom sessions, e-learning modules, and thick manuals, remain necessary but insufficient. They help employees learn before they act, but they cannot keep pace with the continuous evolution of cloud ERP.
DAPs, by contrast, enable “learn as you do.” They provide contextual support at the moment of need, making adoption part of everyday work rather than a separate activity. This shift from episodic training to continuous enablement aligns with the agile, release-driven reality of modern ERP.
Looking ahead, several trends are set to redefine the DAP landscape:
Integration with process intelligence
Process mining and task mining tools already provide detailed visibility into how ERP processes are executed. Combined with DAPs, they will allow organisations not only to see where employees struggle but to deploy targeted guidance precisely where it is needed. This creates a feedback loop of continuous improvement.
AI copilots and agentic assistance
Major ERP vendors are embedding AI copilots into their platforms. These tools can not only answer questions but also take actions across systems. DAPs are evolving to orchestrate these capabilities, turning static tooltips into proactive assistants. Imagine an AP clerk being prompted not just on how to create a purchase order, but being offered to auto-complete fields based on context.
Cross-application journeys
Few organisations operate a single ERP suite in isolation. Processes often span ERP, CRM, HCM, and legacy systems. Future-ready DAPs will guide employees across these journeys seamlessly, ensuring consistency whether they start in SAP, touch Salesforce, or finish in a custom portal.
Compliance by design
As regulations tighten globally, DAPs will increasingly embed compliance into workflows. Rather than relying on after-the-fact audits, employees will be nudged to capture the right data, follow correct approvals, and respect privacy rules in real time. For South African organisations, this means POPIA compliance can be reinforced continuously, rather than policed reactively.
What leaders should do now?
For executives, the imperative is twofold: maximise today’s ERP investment while preparing for tomorrow’s enablement reality. This calls for a balanced approach:
- Invest wisely:
The right DAP depends on your system landscape. For SAP-focused organisations, Enable Now and its Companion layer may be sufficient. For Oracle Fusion clients, Guided Learning is the starting point — but licensing changes in 2025 need to be factored in. In hybrid environments, where processes span ERP, CRM, and other systems, third-party platforms such as WalkMe or Whatfix often provide the broader coverage and analytics needed.
- Balance short-term ROI with long-term flexibility:
Target a handful of high-value processes for quick wins and visible impact. At the same time, avoid over-customising or overloading the platform, as this can make scaling and future updates harder.
- Stay ahead of vendor roadmaps:
Enablement is not static. SAP continues to evolve Companion, Oracle is restructuring Guided Learning, and Microsoft is embedding AI copilots into its ecosystem. Leaders who track these changes can plan proactively rather than reactively.
- Govern with compliance and innovation in mind:
A DAP is not just a tool, but an ongoing capability. Assign ownership through an adoption centre of excellence to keep content relevant, while also ensuring POPIA compliance for data collection. At the same time, keep an eye on emerging enablers such as AI assistants and process mining to extend value over time.
From pitfalls to possibilities
Digital Adoption Platforms are now considered the missing link between ERP investment and ERP value. Yet, like any strategic tool, they must be implemented thoughtfully. Over-authoring, lack of ownership, vanity metrics, and privacy missteps can all undermine their promise.
The good news is that with a disciplined approach today and a forward-looking mindset for tomorrow, organisations can transform DAPs from simple overlays into powerful engines of enablement. By avoiding today’s pitfalls and embracing tomorrow’s possibilities, leaders can ensure their ERP systems deliver on compliance, efficiency, and true business transformation.
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