IT Service Providers: Partner Program for Revenue and Growth

7 min read

Multidata, the ERP provider behind the flexible MD-Premium Framework, has revamped its partner program as part of a comprehensive brand relaunch. The focus is on IT service providers, system houses, and distributors that need to map complex business models in industries such as distribution, logistics, and food in a way that is stable and scalable over the long term. Rather than pure reselling, Multidata combines the next-generation MD-Premium ERP framework with the industry expertise of its partners.

What is It-service-providers?

It-service-providers is a concrete priority for companies in 2026 because it directly shapes software modernization, operational stability and managed services. This article uses synaforce as an example to show which requirements, figures and operational steps matter in practice.

The Most Important Points in Brief

“We aim to provide our partners with even more tools to succeed in the market,” says Peter Hartl, CSO at Multidata. At its core, the initiative seeks to offer IT service providers and system integrators a scalable foundation for recurring service-based revenue streams. The days when partner programs were limited to discount tiers and license commissions are over in specialized industries. Today, success in the ERP sector hinges on expertise rather than mere license keys.

Growth Through Partnership

The expanded partner program aims to support IT service providers, consultants, and industry experts in implementing complex ERP projects in specialized markets. In sectors such as value-added distribution or food wholesale, standard ERP systems often fall short. Complex processes like dynamic pricing, batch and expiration date management, or deposit handling require specialized solutions that traditional vendors can only address through extensive customization.

Multidata is leveraging a model that aligns with the growing trend of ERP modernization among SMEs. While partners contribute their market and process expertise, Multidata ensures the ongoing development and stability of the framework. According to Statista’s forecast, the German ERP market is expected to grow by 17 percent to approximately €2.5 billion by 2029. At the same time, 52 percent of German SMEs still operate their ERP systems on-premises, while 45 percent plan to migrate to the cloud. This creates a thriving growth market with clear modernization needs for partners.

The program offers technical resources, a dedicated business partner zone, assigned account managers, joint marketing initiatives, and tailored training sessions. The goal is not just to assist partners on individual projects but to help them establish recurring service and managed ERP models.

This approach enables partners to transform one-off implementation projects into scalable business models, distinctly differentiating themselves from competitors focused solely on license sales or project-based work.

Success stories such as ADN Distribution in the IT distribution sector and vierlande in the food wholesale industry demonstrate how MD-Premium can integrate highly automated processes, EDI connectivity, dynamic pricing, route planning, deposit handling, and traceability into a seamless end-to-end system. For channel partners, this provides a blueprint for developing complex, growth-oriented business models.

“With our new partner program, we are offering, alongside our next-generation flexible ERP system, a robust network that delivers added value and opens up expanded business opportunities for IT service providers and system integrators.”
– Peter Hartl, CSO Multidata

Flexibility and Innovation as Key Factors

The MD-Premium Framework is designed as an open application framework that adapts to existing workflows. It is based on Oracle, PL/SQL, .NET, and XML, enabling partners to implement ERP, CRM, and logistics functionalities-including EDI integration, automation, and custom extensions. Its applications span from IT distribution to fresh-food logistics. The platform particularly excels in scenarios involving high transaction volumes, customized partner formats, and requirements for batch and expiration date management, traceability, or deposit return processes.

Its open architecture allows for the long-term stable operation of tailored industry solutions without additional migration costs or update risks. IT service providers and system integrators thus retain the freedom to incorporate innovative enhancements and adapt them to market needs. This distinguishes MD-Premium from monolithic ERP systems, where every customization can jeopardize future updates.

For those facing a similar decision: The question SAP Migration or Alternative currently occupies many mid-sized companies. Multidata consciously positions itself as a framework provider that empowers its partners rather than creating dependency.

“We provide partners with everything they need not only to support existing customers but also to develop new business areas,” explains Hartl. “From integrating EDI and CRM tools to fully automated sales processes. Our flexible models make it easy for our partners to create independent solutions and achieve long-term success.”

For more information, please visit the Multidata website: www.multidata.info.

Partner Profiles: Who Benefits from the New Program

The program is tailored to three typical partner profiles. First, system houses with experience in complex ERP projects who want to add an alternative to SAP or Microsoft Dynamics to their portfolio. Second, industry consultancies with a deep understanding of processes in distribution, food retail, or logistics, aiming to provide their clients with a technological foundation for their consulting services. Third, specialized IT service providers looking to establish managed ERP services and succeed in a growing market with recurring revenue streams.

For each of these profiles, Multidata offers customized entry options. Registered partners benefit from lead routing and access to training, certified partners are authorized to implement projects independently, and strategic partners collaborate with Multidata to develop go-to-market campaigns. Advancement to the next level is clearly defined and tied to specific competence and revenue thresholds.

ERP Modernization as a Driver

The numerous migration projects underway in Germany’s SME sector are creating a growing market that system partners can serve in the coming years. Many mid-sized companies have been using their current ERP systems for 10 to 15 years without any significant upgrades. As a result, the technology is reaching its limits: cloud integration proves challenging, and regulatory requirements such as the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD), the Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), and new customs and supply chain regulations are overwhelming the legacy architecture.

For these businesses, the question is no longer whether to migrate, but when and to which platform. Framework-based providers like Multidata are positioning themselves as an alternative to the traditional SAP ecosystem. Companies that wish to avoid heavy reliance on SAP will find in MD-Premium a solution that allows them to maintain control over their processes while simultaneously establishing a modern technological foundation. This represents a compelling argument for system partners during customer discussions.

What Success in a Partner Program Specifically Means

Successful partner programs are not measured by the number of contracts concluded, but rather by the quality of the projects that are implemented. For Multidata, every partner project must lead to a customer who uses the framework long-term, expands it, and recommends it to others. This requires partners to have a deep understanding of their customers, to apply the framework approach correctly, and to avoid the trap of forcing standardized ERP logic into the framework.

To prevent this, Multidata invests in structured training sessions, regular partner calls, and joint project reviews. These measures reduce the error rate during implementations and ensure that references such as ADN and vierlande do not remain isolated cases, but instead serve as models for many other partner projects. For IT decision-makers evaluating a Multidata project, the quality of the partners thus becomes a decisive selection criterion alongside the technology itself.

Competitive Landscape for Channel Partners

IT system houses and channel partners are facing intensifying competition in the ERP space. Traditional SAP partners are engaged in price wars over migration projects, while Microsoft Dynamics partners are confronted with growing competition from low-code platforms. Specialized industry-specific vendors are vying for niche markets. In this environment, a Multidata partnership offers clear differentiation: an open framework with deep industry focus, particularly well-suited for high-margin projects in distribution, logistics, and food.

For partners looking to shift their business model from one-time license sales to recurring service revenues, this represents an attractive path. Managed ERP contracts with multi-year terms provide predictability for both the customer and the system house. The MD-Premium framework architecture makes such contracts economically viable, as ongoing developments and industry-specific customizations can be maintained sustainably over time-without requiring a full migration project with every update.

The Long-Term Outlook

The ERP market will continue to undergo significant transformation over the next five years. Cloud migration, AI integration, ESG reporting requirements, and new regulatory mandates are compelling businesses to modernize. Framework providers like Multidata argue that not every modernization requires a leap into a large SaaS suite; often, adopting a customizable platform is more cost-effective and less risky. For partners who can credibly advocate this approach, a substantial market share opportunity is emerging.

Multidata has established the organizational foundation through its partner program to successfully position partners in this growing market. Whether this strategy will succeed remains to be seen over the next 12 to 24 months, once the first projects initiated under the program go live. The signs are promising: an established framework with customer references, a clearly structured program featuring three partner tiers, and a burgeoning market seeking alternative ERP solutions.

Recommendations for Potential Partners

For IT service providers considering joining the Multidata Partner Program, a structured evaluation based on four key questions is advisable. First: Does the industry focus align with your existing customer base? Those already serving clients in distribution, food retail, or logistics have a natural entry point. Second: Are your technical competencies compatible with Oracle, PL/SQL, and .NET technology stacks, or would entering require training investments?

Third: How large is your project portfolio, and does it justify building Multidata expertise? Fourth: Can the framework be integrated into your current service offering, or would it potentially displace competing products? Honest answers to these four questions help ensure an appropriately scaled onboarding process and enable early identification of whether the partnership can be sustainable in the long term.

Those who decide to join should invest from the outset in joint account planning with Multidata. The most successful channel partnerships are not born out of opportunism but rather from the deliberate selection of customers where the framework delivers genuine value. A first joint reference project-with clear expectations and open knowledge sharing-lays the foundation for a long-term, successful collaboration. Multidata provides structured onboarding processes and dedicated contacts who support partners from the initial proof-of-concept phase through to productive implementation.

Frequently Asked Questions

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