What 2026 Will Reveal About Your ERP Workflows and Why It Matters
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Something important is happening across higher education. Leaders are realizing that the question is no longer about which system a campus is running. The real question is whether the workflows behind that system still make sense for the institution they are trying to become.
For many, the answer is uncomfortable. It is not the ERP that is slowing down the institution. It is the layers of inherited processes around it, shaped by years of turnover, workarounds, outdated integrations, and decisions made for a campus that looked very different than today. As 2026 approaches, long standing workflows are beginning to collide with the realities of modern operations, and the gap is becoming impossible to ignore.
Why Legacy Workflows Are Becoming the Hidden Roadblock
Most campuses did not choose outdated workflows. They accumulated gradually, shaped by moment-to-moment needs. A temporary workaround became routine. A manual check became standard practice. A spreadsheet became the only source of truth. Over time, these fragments created an operational maze that still functions, but only because a handful of people know how to navigate it.
Meanwhile, everything around those workflows changed. Enrollment strategies have shifted. Financial aid complexity grew. Students began expecting fast, digital services. Leaders required interconnected, real-time insights. Hybrid delivery created new demands for integrated systems. The workflows stayed the same, but the expectations around them did not. That mismatch is now creating the pressure campuses are feeling.
Why 2026 Represents a Turning Point
This moment is not just about modernization. Several forces are converging at the same time, making outdated workflows more visible and more disruptive.
1. Leadership now depends on connected, real-time data
Decision making today requires immediate clarity across enrollment, aid, finance, and retention. Workflows built on manual checks simply cannot deliver the pace leaders need.
2. Staff transitions are exposing undocumented processes
As experienced staff retire or change roles, institutions are discovering how much knowledge lives in personal memory rather than shared documentation. Each transition reveals another process no one else fully understands.
3. Institutional priorities now cross traditional departmental boundaries
Student experience, automation, digital engagement, and planning are interconnected. Workflows designed for siloed units cannot support the level of coordination required today.
Together, these pressures are turning legacy workflows from a background nuisance into a strategic risk.
Where the Cracks Are Beginning to Show
The signs rarely appear all at once. They show up quietly in dozens of daily decisions.
- Manual routines that require multiple spreadsheets
- Integrations that break with small data field changes
- Reporting delays that slow down leadership visibility
- Workarounds that quietly become entire processes
- Critical steps understood by only one or two people
These challenges are often blamed on the ERP. In reality, the ERP is functioning as designed. It is the processes around it that have remained unchanged for too long.
What Modern, Integrated Operations Actually Look Like
Modernizing operations does not automatically mean replacing the ERP. In many cases, the more strategic step is redesigning the workflows so they are flexible, documented, and aligned with how today’s campuses operate.
Institutions making progress are focusing on a few core shifts:
1. Reducing unnecessary manual steps
Any process that requires downloading, reentering, or reconciling data introduces risk. Standardization and automation create consistency.
2. Designing workflows around the full student journey
Admissions, aid, registration, and services are connected experiences. Clean transitions require processes that move information across the lifecycle.
3. Automating repetitive work
Automation keeps routine tasks predictable and frees teams to focus on higher value responsibilities.
4. Improving visibility across departments
When teams can see the same data and understand the same processes, decisions become faster and more confident.
5. Bringing in specialized expertise when needed
Campuses no longer attempt to hire every technical skill in house. A blended model of internal talent and external expertise provides agility without overextending teams.
What Leaders Should Prioritize Next
Institutions preparing for 2026 are taking three practical steps to make modernization manageable.
1. Redesign workflows before investing in new systems
Replacing an ERP without reviewing workflows simply moves old problems into a new environment.
2. Shift documentation from personal memory to institutional knowledge
Continuity and clarity protect the institution from disruption when staff transitions occur.
3. Build flexible operating models that can adapt quickly
As campus needs evolve, workflows must evolve with them. Flexible frameworks help institutions respond without rebuilding from scratch.
The Path Forward
Legacy workflows are not harmless inefficiencies. They affect student experience, staff capacity, and the institution’s ability to respond with confidence during high stakes moments. Retiring them is not about abandoning the systems colleges rely on. It is about ensuring those systems are supported by well-designed processes that reflect how higher education operates today.
Institutions that begin this work now will enter 2026 with a stronger operational foundation, clearer data, and greater agility. Those that continue relying on inherited processes will face bottlenecks and gaps that make planning far harder than it needs to be.
Modern operations are not defined by which ERP a campus uses. They are defined by how well the workflows around it support the institution’s goals.
Preparing for the Next Step
Campuses planning for 2026 can benefit from modernizing workflows, simplifying integrations, and strengthening operational support across ERP and campus systems. If your campus is starting to see similar workflow gaps, our team is always open to a conversation. Connect with us to explore what modernization could look like for your institution.
