Unison moves core operations to TechnologyOne cloud

Unison has completed a digital transformation with TechnologyOne, moving the New Zealand energy distributor's core operations from on-premise software to a cloud-based enterprise resource planning platform.

The shift covers finance, asset management, human resources, payroll, supply chain and enterprise management for the utility, which serves more than 120,000 customers across Hawke's Bay, Taupō and Rotorua.

Cloud migration

One of New Zealand's larger electricity distributors, Unison has operated for more than a century. It manages more than 11,000km of power lines and more than $700 million in electricity assets, making back-office systems a significant part of its broader network operations.

The move replaces TechnologyOne's earlier on-premise systems with the supplier's SaaS+ enterprise resource planning service. The change gives Unison access to TechnologyOne's integrated product suite, as well as Plus, an AI-enabled tool designed to simplify workflows and present information to staff.

Utility groups across Australasia have been reviewing ageing technology estates as they face pressure to maintain essential services, manage growing asset bases and improve customer service. Cloud-based software has become a common option for organisations seeking to reduce the burden of maintaining internal systems while standardising processes across finance, workforce and supply operations.

For Unison, the change is intended to modernise the internal systems that support field and office teams. The project is expected to strengthen service delivery to local communities by improving access to information and reducing system overhead.

Infrastructure pressure

A senior TechnologyOne executive described the project as part of a broader push by infrastructure operators to update critical systems.

"Utility providers are under increasing pressure to modernise critical systems while continuing to deliver essential services to communities. Unison is leading the way in modernising critical infrastructure operations in New Zealand by adopting TechnologyOne SaaS+, a fully managed platform that reduces complexity, supports continuous innovation and enables teams to focus on operational priorities rather than maintaining underlying technology," said Ben Sheehan, Country Manager, New Zealand, TechnologyOne.

Unison's technology team said the work was closely tied to the operational demands of running a large electricity network. Its systems support administrative functions as well as the coordination required for network maintenance, asset oversight and staff management.

"Unison has powered communities for over 100 years, and this transformation strengthens the systems that support our network and people every day. Moving to the cloud gives our teams faster access to information, reduces system overhead and increases operational efficiency across the field and office. TechnologyOne's SaaS+ model enables us to keep focusing on our core service - delivering reliable electricity to the communities we serve," said Sharon Jarvis, IT Projects & Solution Manager, Unison.

Digital foundation

The migration also gives the utility a new digital foundation as it continues to invest in infrastructure and customer service. In network businesses such as electricity distribution, enterprise software changes can have broad effects because they touch procurement, workforce management, asset records and financial controls, alongside day-to-day operational planning.

New Zealand utilities have been under pressure to improve resilience as communities expect reliable service and faster responses to disruptions. For distributors with widespread physical networks, data quality and system integration are increasingly linked to how efficiently maintenance work, payroll, purchasing and reporting are carried out.

Unison's latest technology overhaul sits within a broader sector pattern, as infrastructure owners seek to update internal systems without disrupting frontline services for households and businesses across regional networks.