How Manufacturers Can Get More Value From Infor VISUAL, Without Replacing It
Many manufacturers have years of useful data inside Infor VISUAL, but still rely on manual Excel work to answer everyday questions. Start with one question and check approved access to the data you need.
A practical first step is to name one valuable business question, then check approved access to the data needed to answer it. For one manufacturer, a read-only API fed reporting while VISUAL stayed in place.
That project kept VISUAL as the operating source. What works for your setup depends on its version, permissions and supported access routes.
The questions the data should already answer
Many manufacturers have years of useful data inside Infor VISUAL, but still rely on manual Excel work to answer everyday questions:
- Which customers have gone quiet?
- Which accounts deserve attention?
- What changed this month?
- Are we tracking the right KPIs?
The problem usually is not a lack of data. The problem is that the data is difficult to use.
A practical first step
Instead of assuming a replacement project, start with one valuable question and check what VISUAL data you can use. An approved export or a read-only connection may let you test the answer.
For example, a manufacturer can start by:
- building a live management dashboard around the KPIs that actually matter;
- identifying customers whose purchasing pattern has changed;
- organizing customers into useful sales segments;
- giving salespeople clearer account priorities and messages;
- removing repetitive reporting work from senior managers.
Keep VISUAL in place
A reporting layer can leave VISUAL as the system of record. The access path and operational impact still need checking against your installation.
For one manufacturer, a custom read-only API fed a live dashboard without writing data back to VISUAL. That is a project fact, not a default connection method. I check the version, permissions and supported access paths before proposing a way to use your data.
Start small and specific
The best first project is usually small and specific: one reporting burden, one customer question, or one operational blind spot. When that produces a useful result, the company has a clearer path to the next improvement.
One Canadian industrial manufacturer took exactly this path: a read-only connection into Infor VISUAL, then live KPIs, then a lapsed-account review, then six customer segments with clearer sales playbooks. Read the full case study.[1]
Wallai helps Canadian manufacturers turn approved ERP data into practical tools for leadership and sales teams, starting with one question and a checked access path.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to replace Infor VISUAL to get better reporting?
Not necessarily. First check your VISUAL version, permissions and the question you need to answer. In one documented project, an approved read-only API fed reporting while VISUAL stayed in place. An export or another supported route may be better for your installation.
Is a read-only connection safe for the ERP?
Read-only access limits writing back, but it does not by itself settle security or operational risk. For one manufacturer, a custom read-only API supplied a dashboard. I check permissions, data quality and the supported access method for each VISUAL setup before recommending a connection.
What is a good first project?
The best first project is usually small and specific: one reporting burden, one customer question, or one operational blind spot. When that produces a useful result, the company has a clearer path to the next improvement.
Bring one VISUAL question worth answering.
If your team is still exporting VISUAL data into Excel to answer basic business questions, bring that to the free 15-minute call. We'll identify one useful place to start.
Talk to SteveSources
- Wallai, "Case Study: Turning Infor VISUAL Data Into Live KPIs and a Clearer Sales Strategy," July 29, 2026. wallai.ca/insights; figures also published on the Wallai proof page.