AccuPRO ERP Modernization & Transforming Legacy Systems
Q&A with Colm Scannell of Chadwicks Group (Ireland), joined by Paul Cranston of J2 Interactive, a partner of Chadwicks and of InterSystems.
InterSystems Impact Award 2026 | Winning Category: Supply Chain
Colm Scannell, IT Director of Chadwicks Group, shares the experience of Chadwicks from modernizing their enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform, an initiative recognized with an InterSystems Impact Award 2026in the Supply Chain category.
Q1: How has Chadwicks Group’s AccuPRO ERP Modernization initiative transformed daily operations and created new opportunities for innovation?
A1: AccuPRO has transformed daily operations by replacing a text-based ERP experience with a modern, browser-based platform that is easier to learn, easier to use and accessible across a range of devices. This has reduced the training effort required for new colleagues, improved user adoption and enabled more efficient branch operations by giving users faster and more intuitive access to the information and processes. The introduction of APIs and a more open architecture have created opportunities for greater integration, advanced analytics and AI-driven innovation, giving Chadwicks a modern platform capable of supporting the business for the next decade and beyond.
Q2: What role did the relationship between Chadwicks Group and J2 Interactive play in driving technological innovation, and how did they overcome modernization challenges?
A2: The partnership with J2 Interactive was pivotal in modernizing Chadwicks’ 40-year-old Accustar ERP system into AccuPRO. J2’s technical leadership and expertise with InterSystems IRIS enabled Chadwicks to create a modern, device-independent interface and expose legacy functionality through RESTful APIs. This collaboration fueled rapid innovation across credit control, inventory, and logistics. The main challenge—preserving core business logic—was overcome by leveraging J2’s end-to-end modernization strategy.
Q3: How has the adoption of InterSystems IRIS as a data platform empowered Chadwicks Group’s digital transformation and AI readiness?
A3: It was mapping legacy data structures to objects in InterSystems IRIS that made the new AccuPRO system more adaptable and integration-friendly. This leap improved data accessibility and structure, positioning Chadwicks for AI-driven supply chain and pricing optimizations. The challenge was ensuring data consistency and accessibility during the transition, which was solved by gradually rolling out features and keeping old and new systems in sync with each other.
Q4: What specific technological advancements in the AccuPRO modernization have enabled seamless user adoption and zero downtime, and what opportunities do they unlock?
A4: The introduction of a REST API layer and the consolidation of multiple text-based screens into a single, intuitive browser-based view were game changers. These advancements eliminated risky data migrations and enabled a gradual, disruption-free rollout. Staff needed little to no formal training, ensuring seamless adoption. The main challenge was balancing modernization with ongoing business needs, but a user-centered design kept workflows operating smoothly and opened the door to future enhancements to AccuPRO.
Resources
For more about Chadwicks Group’s ERP modernization and its significance, see:
https://www.j2interactive.com/blog/2026/02/chadwicks/
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Sponsored by InterSystems and selected by an independent panel of judges from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).