ERP System Architecture AGENTS.md Template

Overview

This AGENTS.md Template provides a copyable operating manual for AI coding agents to govern ERP system architecture projects. It supports both single-agent work and multi-agent orchestration across ERP modules, data pipelines, and external integrations. The template sets explicit roles, memory rules, and handoff protocols to keep ERP work auditable, governable, and aligned with data governance and security standards.

Direct answer: Use this template to define who does what in ERP AI-assisted workflows, how they hand off, and how governance is enforced across tools, data sources, and production components.

When to Use This AGENTS.md Template

• Starting a new ERP modernization project with AI agents or a greenfield ERP integration.
• Coordinating multiple ERP modules (Finance, Inventory, HR, CRM) via a common agent orchestration model.
• Establishing governance for data mapping, API usage, and tool access in an ERP AI pipeline.
• Setting up project-level operating context so single-agent and multi-agent work remains auditable and replayable.

Copyable AGENTS.md Template

# AGENTS.md

Project Role: ERP Architecture Orchestrator. Oversees multi-agent ERP workflows, data lineage, and integration governance.

Agent roster and responsibilities:
- Planner: designs ERP integration strategy, data flows, and module handoffs.
- Implementer: builds connectors, scripts, workflows, and data pipelines.
- Researcher: gathers ERP data dictionary, API specs, vendor docs, and regulatory constraints.
- Reviewer: verifies architecture conformance, data governance rules, and security controls.
- Tester: validates end-to-end ERP scenarios, data integrity, and performance metrics.
- Domain Specialist (Finance, Inventory, CRM, HR): provides domain rules, validation criteria, and artifact reviews.

Supervisor / Orchestrator:
- ERP Orchestrator coordinates all agents, enforces tool governance, memory rules, and escalation paths.

Handoff Rules:
- Each completed task yields a summary, artifacts (design docs, data mappings, API references), and a decision log. The next agent begins with the context plus reference to the data sources and source-of-truth.

Context, memory, and source-of-truth:
- Use a single source of truth: ERP data dictionary, API specs, and repository schemas. Memory stores only relevant artifacts with timestamps and traceable references.

Tool Access and Permissions:
- Agents may call approved tools (REST clients, DB connectors, file editors with audit logs). Secrets must be retrieved from a secured vault and rotated per policy.

Architecture Rules:
- Modular ERP layers: IAM, Finances, Inventory, Supply Chain, CRM, HR, and Analytics. Favor loosely coupled services with well-defined contracts.

File Structure Rules:
- Keep module boundaries clear; avoid duplicating data models across modules.

Data, API, or Integration Rules:
- Use stable APIs with versioning; record data mappings and transformation rules; respect field-level access controls.

Validation Rules:
- Validate data integrity, schema conformance, and end-to-end workflow success with rollback points.

Security Rules:
- Enforce least privilege, rotate secrets, and log all privileged actions. Do not bypass security reviews.

Testing Rules:
- Include unit, integration, and end-to-end ERP workflow tests; mock external services where safe; reproduce production events in dev/staging.

Deployment Rules:
- Gate deployments through CI/CD with staging validation and rollbacks if critical tests fail.

Human Review and Escalation Rules:
- Any production-impacting change requires human review and sign-off from domain specialists.

Failure Handling and Rollback Rules:
- If a step fails, revert to last known-good state, preserve artifacts, and notify the orchestrator.

Things Agents Must Not Do:
- Do not deploy directly to production without approval.
- Do not bypass data governance rules or skip test cases.
- Do not modify source-of-truth data outside defined pipelines.
- Do not operate outside assigned roles or shared context.

Recommended Agent Operating Model

The ERP architecture model defines clear roles, responsibilities, decision boundaries, and escalation paths. The Planner designs the strategy; Implementers execute against defined contracts; Researchers supply domain knowledge and data context; Reviewers verify conformance; Testers validate outcomes; Domain Specialists provide subject-matter constraints. The Orchestrator enforces memory rules, handoffs, and tool governance. Escalation paths route issues to domain specialists or a human-review board when necessary.

Recommended Project Structure

erp-architecture-agents-md-template/
├── docs/
│   └── architecture-notes.md
├── agents/
│   ├── planner/
│   │   └── readme.md
│   ├── implementer/
│   │   └── readme.md
│   ├── researcher/
│   │   └── readme.md
│   ├── reviewer/
│   │   └── readme.md
│   ├── tester/
│   │   └── readme.md
│   └── domain-specialist/
│       └── readme.md
├── src/
│   └── orchestrator/
├── data/
│   └── erp-data-dictionary.json
├── tests/
│   └── integration/
├── configs/
│   └── erp-config.yaml
├── secrets/
│   └── vault-config.json
└── README.md

Core Operating Principles

• Maintain a single source of truth for ERP schemas and data mappings.
• Favor explicit, auditable handoffs with complete context artifacts.
• Enforce tool governance and least privilege for all actions.
• Isolate domain-specific logic and maintain strict module boundaries.
• Ensure repeatability and replayability of ERP AI workflows.

Agent Handoff and Collaboration Rules

• Planner → Implementer: handoff with data mappings, contract definitions, and API specs.
• Researcher → Planner: handoff with data dictionary findings and regulatory constraints.
• Reviewer → Tester: handoff with validation criteria and risk notes.
• Domain Specialist → Implementer: handoff with domain rules and validation tests.
• Orchestrator: coordinates memory, artefacts, and access to tools; records handoffs in the logs.

Tool Governance and Permission Rules

• Command execution is restricted to approved REST clients and DB connectors with access logging.
• File edits must go through a versioned workflow and be auditable.
• API calls must respect rate limits, auth scopes, and contract versions.
• Secrets must be retrieved from a vault; never hard-code credentials.
• Production changes require CI/CD gates and human approval where applicable.
• External service access must be whitelisted and monitored.
• All actions are subject to an approval gate before deployment to staging or production.

Code Construction Rules

• Follow ERP module contracts; do not bypass validation layers.
• Use data validation schemas for all input transforms.
• Prefer idempotent operations for integration steps.
• Document every transformation rule and data mapping in the repository.
• Include rollback hooks in every deployment step.

Security and Production Rules

• Enforce least privilege and audit trails for all ERP agent actions.
• Rotate secrets on schedule and after role changes.
• Mask sensitive data in logs and artifacts.
• Separate staging and production environments with explicit data governance guards.

Testing Checklist

• Unit tests for each ERP module integration.
• Integration tests that exercise cross-module data flows.
• End-to-end workflow tests with synthetic ERP data.
• Data integrity validation and schema conformance tests.
• Performance tests for key ERP data pipelines.
• Rollback and disaster-recovery tests.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

• Skipping memory rules and source-of-truth references.
• Bypassing domain specialist validation for ERP rules.
• Overloading a single agent with multi-module responsibilities.
• Uncontrolled tool access or secret exposure.
• Ignoring deployment gates and rollback plans.

Related implementation resources: AI Use Case for Xero Reports and Business Performance Insights and AI Use Case for Corporate Event Managers Using Slack To Orchestrate Day-Of Venue Tasks Across Multi-Department Teams.

FAQ

What is the purpose of this AGENTS.md Template for ERP system architecture?

It provides a copyable, project-level operating manual to govern AI coding agents across ERP architecture with clear roles, handoffs, and governance.

How does multi-agent orchestration work in ERP workflows?

Agents assume defined roles (planner, implementer, researcher, reviewer, tester, domain specialist) and are coordinated by the ERP Orchestrator to maintain context, data integrity, and governance across ERP modules.

What are the key handoff rules between ERP agents?

Handoffs include a complete context summary, artifacts, and a decision log; the next agent resumes with the updated memory and references to the source-of-truth.

What are the security and production considerations for ERP agents?

Secrets management, access controls, production safeguards, and audit trails are required. Changes must pass reviews and deployment gates.

How is testing and validation performed for ERP agent work?

Unit, integration, and end-to-end tests with data integrity checks and rollback plans are required; validation criteria are defined in the template.