Epicor ERP - A tool that is as powerful as the amount of time you put into it
Software Version
9.05.702A
Modules Used
- Core modules (Quote to Cash) including Enhanced Quality and InSite Manifest
Overall Satisfaction with Epicor ERP
Epicor is being used here across the whole organization from quoting to receiving cash from our customers and then reporting the results of manufacturing by our accounting department to the management team and others.
We are at the tail end of the implementation stage and have had multiple users using the system to enter and update data, as well as contribute to the customization process to mold it to our way of doing business. We have been able to "scrub" data in our current system through this process making it stronger and more useful as we go.
The Epicor ERP system addresses the current business problems we have with having multiple databases that don't always talk to one another so we end up having to enter data several times and risk entering it incorrectly in one of the databases as well as not having the ability to mine the data efficiently and effectively.
With Epicor, everything is integrated as well as being real-time. There will be no more waiting for someone to enter the days work before we can analyze the results. Dashboards will be created so managers have the data they need, when they need it.
We are already seeing benefits from the system every day through finding new ways to look at the data thus helping us with decision making!
It has already given our management team insight to the possibilities of what they can expect in the future.
- The Epicor ERP system has the ability to be as customized as the business using it wants to customize it. If you want to see a particular field on a screen, you can add it. If the piece of data you need is something that is unique to your business, there are user defined fields in each table to add it where appropriate and display it where you want to see it. Each and every area is customizable without having to pay someone from Epicor to add it to the software and because of the way the customizations sit on a different layer from the base code, you don't have to worry so much about upgrading the base software each and every time a new release is available. Just upgrade and go. You may need to update your customizations, depending on when they were created but it shouldn't stop you from doing business and keeping up with the latest changes.
- There are multiple ways of looking at the data either through reports or through dashboards or both. The data can be easily exported to an Excel spreadsheet, if necessary, and manipulated there for analysis. Updatable dashboards allow data to be viewed/changed/entered using a grid type of layout so multiple records can be worked on at one time without having to access them one by one.
- Epicor listens to their users and they are continually working on improving their product while still supporting those that are not ready to jump to the next level. The latest version of their software, E10, addressed the issue of performance measured by the speed of transactions in the system. By looking at the architecture of the language it was initially structured with and seeing the problems with the exchange between Progress and SQL, they chose to move to an all SQL platform, thus improving the throughput and eliminating the handshaking process.
- Through partnering with their user groups, both internationally and regionally, Epicor is helping to educate their users in by providing staff that is knowledgeable in the software to present at programs (Insights Annual user conference, regional user group meetings, virtual/regional summits, etc.) and/or training sessions. Users are encouraged to participate and are gaining valuable knowledge.
- Their software support team is still needs improvement though they have come a long way from where they were 5 years ago. Difficult support questions can take a long time to get a resolution and then is "fixed" in the most current version of the software. To upgrade for some is a difficult chore because they have not taken on the task staying up-to-date and are several versions behind. Major upgrades such as from Vantage 8 to Epicor 9.05.xxx, can take months of testing because of the structure changes.
- Epicor does a great job at selling the software and showing what it can do, but it does not do a good job at showing the path needed to getting there. Most companies think that it is just a piece of software and all they need to do is put their data in then it will work. That is far from the truth. The system is an open design and each process can be done in multiple ways, so a company has to review each process and set up how they want to use it which takes time and can't be done "overnight". Epicor does not do a good job in explaining this to potential customers. This sets the customers up for a huge disappointment and failure when they want the software to act the way it did in the demonstration right "out of the box" and it won't because it was customized for the demonstration.
- Epicor's consultants are not the best choice for a company who is in the process of planning and implementing the software. Most of the Epicor customers I have talked to who have used Epicor's consulting team have not had success with them. Almost all of the companies have chosen to hire another 3rd party consulting company to help them complete their implementation.
- Epicor comes with some standard reports/dashboards, but most have to be developed by the customer who purchases Epicor. Most customers that I have talked with have expressed that they would like to see more reporting whether in report form or dashboards that can be customized, if necessary, to meet the business' needs.
- Though we are not live on the software yet, we are already seeing an impact just by analyzing our current data that has been mined from our current system and input to Epicor. By using queries and validating the processes, we are correcting errors in both systems, many of these have a direct effect on the bottom line. Because we are at the stage where we are running direct simulations of our processes, we can look at how it being done in our current systems and how it will be done in Epicor. What we are seeing is cost savings as well as improved efficiency in how we do things.
- Our current manufacturing data is not real time, with Epicor, we will be able to see the effects of manufacturing as it is occurring, thus able to avoid costly mistakes such over running parts, running the wrong part, or using the wrong material to manufacture the part. Our communications with our customers will also be improved since our customer service reps will not have to "track down" where a job is and how much has been completed (if any) to get an answer for the customer. They will have more efficient visibility as to where the parts are in production.
- Global Shop,Infor
At the previous company where I cut my teeth on Epicor, we evaluated Global Shop at the same time we evaluated Epicor. They were using Infor's Mapix at the time. Thought Global Shop would have worked for the company, it wouldn't have been much different than Mapix was.
We were looking for a software that could grow with the company. We had to pay and outside consulting team to develop an new process we wanted customized for our business and when we tried to upgrade, we would have to pay to have these processes reprogrammed.
We saw that we were able to customize the Epicor software to meet our needs without having to be "tied" to someone if we wanted to upgrade the base software. It made us more self sufficient and effective.