Distribution leaders operate in a demanding environment already facing tighter margins, higher customer expectations, workforce constraints, and growing operational complexity. These challenges are further shaped by continued M&A activity, shifting economic conditions such as tariffs. At the same time, AI is everywhere in the conversation, yet still difficult to connect to day‑to‑day operations.

What’s different now is that Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become practical and embedded. Technology companies are evolving to meet these demands. Infor is one of them, through the Infor Velocity Suite. Intelligence and automation are built directly into systems where distributors work- Infor CloudSuite Distribution (CSD). At NSA, this reflects our long‑standing belief in the Human Side of ERP, now reimagined for the AI era, where technology does the heavy lifting so people can focus on judgment, relationships, and moments that matter most.

The Reality
Across distribution, leaders confront a familiar mix of challenges, processes that rely heavily on manual effort; teams stretched too thin, and caution around investing in new technology without clear returns. This cycle often led to a baggage of customizations and technical debt.
Order entry, invoicing, credit management, and customer communications often depend on workarounds, undocumented tribal knowledge, and exception handling that do not scale. At the same time, experienced resources are harder to find, and existing teams are asked to do more with less.

The priority is clear, operate more efficiently, empower people, and modernize without disrupting the business. This is where the Velocity Suite fits naturally.
AI, GenAI, and RPA—In Business Terms
For many distributors, Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems have long been the system of record, great at tracking transactions, but not always designed to adapt quickly to how work actually happens. This is where AI fills the gaps. Rather than replacing ERP, AI extends it, handling the gray areas where legacy systems rely on manual work, judgment calls, and workarounds.

AI does not need to be abstract to be effective:
• RPA (Robotic Process Automation) automates repetitive, rule‑based tasks, reducing manual effort and errors.
• AI analyzes data to surface patterns, recommendations, and insights.
• Generative AI creates useful content- summaries, emails, and guidance using real ERP data.

Within the Infor Velocity Suite, these capabilities work together, embedded directly into CSD workflows, so users don’t need to learn new systems or change how they work. Together, these capabilities provide a clear, practical path to demystifying AI within the Infor ecosystem.

Start with Insight—Process Mining
Every successful initiative begins with clarity. Infor Process Mining reveals where time and effort are truly being spent, highlighting bottlenecks, rework, and delays across core distribution processes.
Rather than guessing where to start, organizations can focus on improvements that deliver immediate impact and build confidence early.

Remove Friction with Embedded Automation
With priorities identified, Infor RPA reduces the manual work that slows teams down. This is especially impactful in areas where legacy ERP processes depend on emails, documents, and manual rekeying.
Automating activities such as customer order creation, purchase order acknowledgements, proof of delivery digitization, invoice processing, and bank statement ingestion directly from email allows teams to spend less time rekeying data and more time managing exceptions and serving customers, all within CSD.

Smarter Decisions with Embedded GenAI
Generative AI in the Velocity Suite supports users where decisions happen.
Inside CSD, it improves note quality, summarizes customer and vendor interactions and notes, drafts communications like dunning letters, and enables an ERP‑focused assistant that provides quick answers by asking questions in natural language and receiving guidance without leaving the workflow. By analyzing historical data and product attributes, GenAI can recommend substitutes or upgrades and provide relevant product insights during customer conversations, enhancing engagement without adding complexity.
This isn’t about replacing people; it’s about reducing friction and helping teams act with consistency and confidence.

From Insight to Action
As organizations mature, AI agents help move from decision support to controlled automation.
In areas like credit management, embedded agents can evaluate orders on hold, release those that meet defined criteria, and flag others with clear recommendations. Buyers can stay on top of missing information on orders, pricing margins, acknowledgement deviations, and mismatched invoices using agents. For vendor management, agents can evaluate and compare suppliers, support negotiations, and identify opportunities for discounts. These speed workflows while keeping teams in control.

Delivering Results—The Human Side of ERP, Reimagined
For over 40 years, NSA has helped distribution customers translate technology capabilities into real business outcomes. By combining deep industry experience, Infor’s embedded technology, and a pragmatic approach, organizations are seeing value early and building momentum over time. And these use cases are only the beginning, AI continues to unlock opportunities across forecasting, sales effectiveness, financial operations, and supply chain decision making as distributors evolve.

This is the Human Side of ERP, now powered by practical AI.
Whether you are just beginning to explore AI or looking to build on what you already have, NSA is ready to help you move forward with clarity, confidence, and results.
Let’s explore where embedded intelligence and automation can make an immediate difference to your distribution business.