Constellation ShortList™ Enterprise Application Platforms from non-ERP vendors
Executive Summary
The era of Infinite Computing has cast a spell over business best practices, creating uncertainty about what the best practices of the 21st century are. Architecturally unlimited compute and storage, coupled with cheap networking and the ubiquity of smartphones, create the realm for new strategies on how enterprises manage their value chains. The answer cannot be the best practices of the past, stemming from the finite computing era and being baked into today’s standard software.
At the same time, enterprises cannot and should not build all of their enterprise automation from scratch. Instead, they need to look at the different opportunities in their value chains to digitally transform and/or disrupt best practices, both in-house and in the market. This experimentation must be enabled by platforms of their standard software vendors (aka the SaaS vendors) by an enterprise application platform (EAP) that enables enterprises not only to integrated and extend—but also build new enterprise automation that runs along their existing capability portfolio. Thus, enterprises can adopt new best practices that enable seamless digital transformation.
Constellation has covered the EAP platform vendors since February 2021 (see here: https://www.constellationr.com/research/platforms-rule-enterprise-application-success-2020s), but originally covered this aspect from an ERP vendor perspective. Since then, many vendors who are not ERP vendors have stepped forward and provided EAPs with strong integration and build capabilities, meriting an additional shortlist in the fast-growing EAP space.
Threshold Criteria
Constellation considers the following criteria for these solutions:
- Have more than 600 customers
- Provide out-of-the-box integration for the Top 5 ERP vendors (SAP, Oracle, Workday, Infor, and Microsoft)
- Support at least three continents
- Support the key EAP usage scenarios:
- Extend
- Integrate
- Build
- Have a track record of implementing AI capabilities for EAP automation.
- Have a clear roadmap for further expanding their EAP capabilities with AI in the next quarter.
The Constellation ShortList
Constellation evaluates more than 20 solutions categorized in this market. The Constellation ShortList is determined by client inquiries, partner conversations, customer references, vendor selection projects, market share, and internal research.
- IBM Cloud Pak for Business Automation
- Nextworld Enterprise Applications Platform
- OpenText AppWorks
- Pega Low Code App Development
- Salesforce Platform
- ServiceNow Now Platform
- Snaplogic Intelligent Integration Platform
- UI Path Apps
- Workato Workflow Apps Builder
Frequency of Evaluation
Each Constellation ShortList is updated at least once per year. Updates may occur after six months if deemed necessary.
Evaluation Services
Constellation clients can work with the analyst and the research team to conduct a more thorough discussion of this ShortList. Constellation can also provide guidance in vendor selection and contract negotiation.