Как выстроить ERP и бюджетирование в агробизнесе: опыт перехода, интеграции, Ирина Карпова АгроТерра

Irina Karpova, Deputy General Director for Economics, Finance, and Information Technology at AgroTerra. CNews FORUM Cases 2026: Experiences of IT Leaders. The presentation centers on the idea of ​​a systemic digital transformation of an agricultural holding: from an outdated and highly customized platform to a more manageable architecture based on 1C ERP and 1C budgeting. The rationale for the transition was not simply to replace the vendor or update the accounting system, but to create a more transparent, sustainable, and scalable model for managing data, budgeting, and actual accounting. Particular emphasis was placed on the fact that for modern businesses, not only the transactions themselves are critical, but also the quality of structured data, as this forms the basis for further analytics and automation. The key concept in terms of architecture is the separation of functions between systems. Budget assumptions, business models, and calculation blocks were integrated into 1C ERP, while scenario planning, analysis, and closing were integrated into the BI system. This approach allowed for a more logical architecture: the accounting system is responsible for the calculation and reference basis, while the analytical framework handles scenarios, comparison of options, and management analysis. This is not simply a technical distribution of functions, but a management solution that reduces duplication and simplifies control. A significant result of the implementation was the transparency of the budget model. Budgets were converted to a driver-based approach, individual calculation blocks were automated, and integration with external data sources increased the reliability of calculations. A significant effect is the reduction in the risk of data loss or substitution and the creation of a digital trace at all stages of the budget process. This strengthens control, makes the process verifiable, and increases trust in budgeting results within the company. A separate section of the presentation is devoted to the fact that automation is viewed here not as an end in itself, but as a tool for improving management quality. A high degree of automation has reduced budget preparation time, increased data security, and reduced operational risks. It is emphasized that automation must be based on a pre-built architecture and properly assigned system roles; otherwise, instead of achieving results, it can lead to increased process complexity. A strong practical section focused on the automation of annual closing. An important conclusion was made here: before launching such processes, data migration mechanisms and individual components must be tested in a test environment. In a real project, a situation arose where, during annual closing, the system began recalculating each month anew, even though the months had already been closed sequentially. This demonstrated that even with the formally successful implementation of intermediate stages, an annual scenario can reveal hidden architectural and configuration risks. Another important point is the need for a phased but disciplined migration. It was noted that archiving data from the old system proved critical, as the foreign solution had immediately disabled the data. This served as practical confirmation that the decision to preserve historical information should be made in advance, rather than at the time of transition. This experience demonstrates that migration is not simply about transferring data, but about managing business continuity and preserving its memory. A separate conclusion was reached: regulatory and reference information should be organized before switching to ERP, not after. An important methodological emphasis was also made: it's best not to overly customize non-core processes if the out-of-the-box solution already includes best practices. Otherwise, the company wastes resources on refining secondary functions instead of focusing on the core business. This point is especially important for complex holding structures, where there's always the temptation to adapt the system to familiar but less-than-efficient processes. Overall, the presentation demonstrates that successful digital transformation in agribusiness relies on three pillars: proper architecture, high-quality data, and a willingness to change not only the system but also the process itself. The key practical implication of this experience is that ERP migration and budgeting implementation are only effective when a company carefully considers integrations, reference books, system responsibilities, and shutdown scenarios in advance. This is what creates the basis for transparent accounting, managed analytics and sustainable development.