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. The practical first step is read-only access to the data you already own, not a new ERP.
A practical first step is not replacing your ERP. It is connecting to the information already inside it, safely and read-only, then using it to answer one valuable business question.
This approach keeps VISUAL in place. There is no rip-and-replace project, no major retraining program, and no need to disrupt operations.
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 a replacement project, connect to the information already inside VISUAL, safely and read-only, and use it to answer one valuable business question.
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
This approach keeps VISUAL running as the system of record. There is no rip-and-replace project, no major retraining program, and no need to disrupt operations.
The connection itself is read-only: data is read out of the ERP, and nothing is written back. Wallai's working rule for every build is the same: engineers connect by API, read-only, and nothing in your ERP changes without your say-so.
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 existing ERP data into practical tools for leadership and sales teams, without changing the systems they already rely on.
Frequently asked questions
Do we need to replace Infor VISUAL to get better reporting?
No. A practical first step is connecting to the information already inside VISUAL, safely and read-only, then using it to answer one valuable business question. There is no rip-and-replace project, no major retraining program, and no need to disrupt operations.
Is a read-only connection safe for the ERP?
A read-only connection reads data out of VISUAL without writing anything back, so the ERP keeps operating exactly as it did. Wallai's engineers connect by API, read-only. Nothing in your ERP changes without your say-so.
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.
Find my biggest winSources
- 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.