In today’s global economy, tariffs can shift overnight — and for distributors, those changes ripple quickly across pricing models, supplier relationships, and customer expectations. While tariffs are nothing new, the pace and complexity of trade updates in recent years have made it harder for teams to react quickly and plan confidently.
Strategy: Establish contingency plans for sourcing and logistics
Strategy: Collaborate closely with trade compliance experts and consultants
The Tariff Challenge: Limited Visibility, High Stakes
Tariff exposure often hides in plain sight. Vendor records might show countries of origin or product categories, but few ERP systems offer a clean, consolidated view of which suppliers are likely to be impacted by new tariffs — and what those impacts could mean financially.
Procurement and finance teams are often left piecing together spreadsheets, customs data, and supplier intel to make urgent decisions. And by the time a potential risk becomes clear, the cost implications may already be felt.
Oversight, Strategy, and Control: Three Ways to Get Ahead of Tariff Risk
1) Invest in Strategic Supplier Diversity
By diversifying your supplier base across multiple countries or regions, you reduce reliance on any one source that may become tariffed. Your ERP system should help track and categorize suppliers by region, and your team should regularly audit where your critical parts or products are coming from.
2) Improve Cross-Functional Visibility
Tariff risk isn’t just a procurement issue — it touches pricing, forecasting, inventory, and even customer experience. Integrating trade visibility into dashboards accessible to operations and finance leadership is key. This means making tariff exposure a regular part of your supply chain reporting, not a fire drill when changes hit.
3) Use Purpose-Built Tools for Trade Risk Management
Rather than rely solely on generic ERP reports, modern distributors are turning to specialized tools that augment their ERP environment. These tools often bring in external data, enrich vendor records with AI insights, and suggest actionable strategies like pre-purchasing inventory or temporarily shifting pricing models.
If you use Epicor Prophet 21, there’s a new solution available that may be worth exploring: the Recurrency Tariff Manager.
This lightweight dashboard plugs directly into your P21 system and uses AI to analyze your vendor list for likely tariff exposure. In under 15 minutes, it can show you where you’re at risk — and help you take action, whether that means sourcing alternatives, adjusting purchasing, or planning pricing changes.
It’s a smart way to bring clarity into a complex challenge — without requiring months of development or a full system overhaul.
Managing tariff risk isn’t just about compliance or cost control. It’s about building resilience into your operations — so that when change comes, you’re prepared. By improving visibility, sharing insights across teams, and using the right tools, you can turn tariff challenges into strategic opportunities.
If you don’t want to explore things like how to manage tariff risk in distribution ERP without industry experts helping you the mitigate risks, our team at EstesGroup is always available to help you make sense of your data and identify the right tools for your ERP and business strategy.
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As of version 2026.1, Epicor’s Kinetic ERP will no longer contain a smart client deployment, and the user base will communicate with the application exclusively through a web browser.
Depending on the extent of customizations to the UI and to components like dashboards, conversions may take a significant amount of time in modification and testing.
That said, what are key differences?
The user communicates with Epicor in a new User Interface (UI)
Runs in a browser instead of a fat client
Runs on web-centric devices—not limited to a traditional computer screen and now available on tablets, phones, etc.
Epicor components and business objects can be accessed through a mobile app—not limited to Epicor’s own apps
UI can be customized, but has no C# code, so heavy lifting must be off-loaded to BPMs and Functions
So you want to know more Epicor Kinetic UI tips and tricks for when the rubber meets the road? The EstesGroup Epicor Kinetic consulting team recently covered some technical areas of concern that can help you migrate to a better place moving forward.
In helping customers move to Kinetic, we’ve encountered countless requests for various items of the Epicor Kinetic UI “tips and tricks” variety—something like: “Can Classic dashboards be automatically converted to Kinetic?”
The answer is “yes, but…”
An easy way to generate the Kinetic application is via the Tools/Deploy Dashboard option. You can preview the dashboard or generate the application when you’re satisfied with it. This does convert a lot of things well, but you’ll notice something immediately with the trackers when you preview the Kinetic dashboard.
The filter field(s) in the very first tracker will appear in a slide-out panel when the dashboard opens. Filtering may or may not actually work. Notice there is no OK button in this example.
Other panels have had different issues. And once the panel is discarded, the user can never access it again until the dashboard is restarted. Also, if there are multiple queries/trackers on the dashboard, the subsequent trackers will never fire. It might seem disheartening at first blush, but there are workarounds.
A relatively easy way to do this is this procedure in Dashboard Entry:
Copy the dashboard to avoid changing the original, perhaps add a “K” to the end of the dashboard ID, or some other scheme
Load the new copy of the dashboard
Delete all trackers on the dashboard
Preview the dashboard and make sure it runs okay, other than the missing trackers
Save the dashboard
Create the Kinetic application (Tools/Deploy/Application)
Open the new Kinetic application and add the trackers back in
Adding the trackers manually may sound like a lot of work, but it’s not too bad. Plus, you can add some nice functionality.
Need more guidance? Sign up to get our Ultimate Epicor Kinetic UI Tips and Tricks Guide!
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Human errors in procurement can be costly. A single missed purchase order update or a small data error in your Epicor ERP system can lead to massive consequences: halted production lines, costly expedited shipping, and stressed-out teams scrambling to solve avoidable problems.
Ultimately, supplier portals promise visibility—but at the cost of complexity. This is when chaos enters your business. Your suppliers don’t want to log into another system. Your team doesn’t want to manage one either. So, what happens next? What can you do?
Manual data entry, siloed communication, and outdated procurement practices can quickly break even the best ERP workflows.
For Epicor Kinetic users, these inefficiencies often result in procurement disruption in Epicor:
Lost or incomplete purchase orders (POs)
Incorrect quantities and missed delivery windows
Delayed production schedules and manufacturing downtime
Expensive last-minute freight solutions
Frustrated suppliers and strained vendor relationships
Benefits of an AI-Driven Procurement Process
If you are a supply chain manager working in Epicor Kinetic, you’re constantly balancing lead times, vendor performance, inventory levels, and production timelines. However, even the most experienced professionals run into one common challenge: procurement errors start small and escalate fast.
Fortunately, you can adopt an AI overlay like Leverage AI for Epicor Kinetic procurement and instantly discover tangible benefits. By infusing Epicor with real-time intelligence and automation, manufacturers can expect immediately resolution to errors and disruptions:
Near-Perfect Procurement Accuracy: Automated data handling means far fewer mistakes. No more botched part numbers or missed entries – the AI captures and validates information for you. Reducing manual entry can eliminate a vast majority of errors, ensuring that what goes into Epicor is right the first time. This accuracy prevents costly issues like wrong orders or invoice disputes, keeping your supply chain aligned and efficient.
Real-Time Supply Chain Visibility: With AI continuously updating Epicor, you gain live visibility into every purchase order’s status. At any moment, you can see which POs are confirmed, in production, in transit, or delivered – without calling or emailing anyone. This real-time insight lets your team manage by facts, not guesses. Potential delays surface early (with AI alerts), so you’re never caught off guard by a late shipment. In the fast-paced world of Epicor ERP supply chain management, this immediacy is key. If you experience procurement disruption in Epicor, you see it as it happens, and you see the reasons why.
Fewer Production Delays: Most importantly, AI-powered procurement protects your production schedule. With the system watching for risks (late parts, low stock, transit holdups), you can act in time to prevent line stoppages. Manufacturers maintain higher supply chain stability because materials arrive on time more consistently. When issues do occur, they’re resolved faster thanks to early warning signals and a complete view of the supply situation. The business impact is game-changing: more on-time deliveries to your customers, less last-minute scrambling, and confidence that your ERP operations are resilient.
Disrupt the Disruption with AI for Epicor ERP
You’ve already made a smart move by running your business on Epicor Kinetic—a powerful platform that gives your teams the tools to build, produce, and deliver with confidence. But as every manufacturer knows, even the best ERP system can’t solve every challenge on its own. An AI solution doesn’t just prevent problems – it streamlines the whole procurement workflow. Buyers and planners spend less time on data entry and status tracking, and more on strategic tasks like sourcing and supplier development. Automation can shrink the PO cycle time significantly, meaning you carry less safety stock and incur fewer expediting fees.
In a time when agility is everything, manufacturers who lead with innovation will outperform the rest. If your Epicor Kinetic team is tired of firefighting procurement issues, it’s time for a change that’s simple, supportive, and built for the real world.
With an AI solution, your ERP system AND your suppliers get a voice in the matter of supply chain collaboration.
By automating the routine back-and-forth with suppliers, an AI solution speeds up the entire communication loop. Procurement disruption in Epicor is disrupted; the chain of chaos ends. Suppliers respond through their preferred channels and the information is instantly logged for your team. You suddenly know the feeling of no data latency, and you experience the peace of knowing that nothing important is lost. This transparency builds trust – suppliers see you investing in seamless collaboration, and your team is suddenly free from days of waiting, free from the lost time of chasing your supply chain.
No Native Handshake, No Problem: Making Epicor Kinetic and Prophet 21 Work Together
Running both manufacturing and distribution operations? You might find yourself juggling Epicor’s two flagship systems: Epicor Kinetic (for manufacturing) and Prophet 21 (for distribution). While these platforms weren’t designed to talk to each other out of the box, getting them to communicate doesn’t have to give your IT team nightmares.
Different ERP Systems, Different Strengths
Think of Epicor Kinetic as your manufacturing maestro – handling production schedules, materials, and shop floor activities with robust features for BOMs and shop floor control.
Meanwhile, Prophet 21 excels at distribution – managing inventory, supply chains, and sales orders with streamlined workflows designed specifically for distributors.
They’re like siblings raised in different households – related but with distinct personalities and skill sets. Both use Microsoft SQL Server behind the scenes but speak somewhat different languages when it comes to sharing information. Epicor Kinetic uses a service-oriented architecture with a comprehensive REST API, while Prophet 21 operates through its Middleware API with OData services for queries and transaction processing. So, how do you get Epicor Kinetic and Prophet 21 to join forces?
Option 1: Use Epicor’s Own Toolbox
Automation Studio: This low-code platform is embedded in both systems and lets you build “recipes” that automatically sync data between systems without heavy programming.
Integration Cloud: Epicor’s cloud solution offers pre-built connectors for both platforms, though P21’s connector has some limitations with filtering capabilities.
Option 2: Bring in a Mediator
Third-party platforms like DCKAP Integrator can bridge the gap with drag-and-drop simplicity and pre-built error handling.
Custom API integrations work well for companies with technical resources who need complete control over their data mapping.
Traditional EDI exchanges can handle batch transfers of orders and invoices when real-time sync isn’t required.
Best Practices for Using Kinetic and P21 Systems Together
If you’re taking on this integration project, keep these best practices in mind:
Divide and conquer: Let each system do what it does best – Epicor Kinetic for manufacturing, P21 for distribution.
Start simple: Use Epicor’s built-in tools before diving into custom development.
Establish clear rules: Decide which system “owns” which data (your “source of truth” for customers, inventory, etc.).
Map your journey: Document which fields need to sync, how frequently, and in which direction.
Test thoroughly: Simulate real-world scenarios to ensure the integration handles both successful transactions and errors gracefully.
Roll out gradually: Start with master data sync before tackling complex transactions.
Keep an eye out: Monitor your integration points and optimize as needed.
Case Study: Seamless Order-to-Manufacturing Flow
A metals distributor using Prophet 21 for sales and inventory acquired a fabrication company running Kinetic. Rather than forcing everyone onto one system, they integrated the two platforms:
Customer orders entered in P21 automatically create work orders in Kinetic.
As manufacturing progresses, status updates flow back to P21.
When products are completed, inventory is updated in both systems.
The sales team can provide real-time production updates without switching applications.
They used Epicor’s Automation Studio to build this workflow, allowing each division to keep using the software best suited for their operations while maintaining a single view of the customer order.
Result: Order fulfillment time decreased by 35%, and customer satisfaction scores jumped by 22%.
Case Study: Building Business Intelligence
A building materials company with manufacturing (Kinetic) and distribution (P21) divisions struggled with inconsistent reporting until they integrated their systems:
Sales data from P21 now automatically feeds production planning in Kinetic.
Inventory levels stay synchronized across both platforms.
Financial reporting consolidates data from both systems for accurate forecasting.
Result: Inventory carrying costs decreased by 18%, and the time to generate company-wide reports dropped from days to minutes.
Do you have a good reason to use Epicor Kinetic and Prophet 21 together?
EstesGroup is here to help! While Epicor didn’t design these systems to seamlessly integrate, new tools make connecting them entirely achievable. With the right approach, you can create a unified ecosystem that handles both manufacturing and distribution without missing a beat. The result? Less manual data entry, fewer errors, and a smoother operation from production floor to customer door.
The communication between the client application and its server is a fundamental consideration for any ERP system, but every ERP has its own peculiarities when it comes to how this communication occurs, especially when it comes to processing asynchronous tasks.
Within the context of Epicor’s Kinetic ERP system, the communication of asynchronous tasks is accomplished via the interaction between Epicor’s system agent and task agent. The system agent and task agent form an interconnected framework that manages asynchronous processing and background tasks, ensuring smooth operation and scalability of the Epicor ERP environment. An in-depth explanation of their relationships and roles can help your company leverage your ERP system to its fullest capabilities.
System Agent
The Epicor system agent, a part of the Epicor application, ensures smooth communication between the ERP system and the task agent. Understanding the Epicor system agent, including its key functions and relationship with the Epicor application is important for businesses seeking the maximum benefits from their ERP.
The system agent is a logical entity within the Epicor application that schedules and manages background tasks. It is defined at the application level and serves as an intermediary between users or the system and the task agent.
Epicor System Agent Key Functions
Task Scheduling: Handles the scheduling of recurring tasks, such as generating reports, running MRP (Material Requirements Planning), or processing batch jobs.
User Interface: Users interact with the system agent through the Epicor client to submit tasks or manage schedules.
Delegation: Delegates tasks to the appropriate task agent on the application server for execution.
The system agent operates within the Epicor application and communicates with the task agent(s) for task execution. It ensures tasks are queued and sent to the correct server or task agent.
The Epicor Task Agent
After the Epicor system agent communicates tasks, the Epicor task agent is integral for execution, logging, and monitoring within the ERP system. Through the Epicor Administration Console (EAC), users can easily configure and manage task agents on the application server. The task agent communicates directly with the Epicor application for transparent task reporting.
The task agent is a service running on the Epicor application server that executes the tasks queued by the system agent. It is responsible for carrying out the actual processing work.
Task Agent Key Functions
Task Execution: Executes tasks such as report generation, data exports, or process workflows initiated by the system agent.
Multitasking: Supports concurrent task processing by managing multiple queues or threads.
Logging and Monitoring: Logs task execution details and provides monitoring capabilities for administrators.
Task agents are configured and managed on the application server through the Epicor Administration Console (EAC). Multiple task agents can be deployed for load balancing and redundancy
The task agent acts as the execution engine for tasks managed by the system agent. It processes instructions received from the system agent and reports back the status or results of the tasks to the Epicor application.
The system agent, task agent, and Epicor application work together for seamless ERP system performance regarding task generation, delegation, execution, and completion.
Task Submission:
A user submits a task (e.g., generating a financial report) in the Epicor application interface.
The system agent queues this task for execution.
Task Delegation:
The system agent identifies the appropriate task agent on the application server and sends the task to it.
The task is hereby delegated.
Task Execution:
The task agent processes the task, utilizing system resources on the application server.
The task agent logs the task status and output, providing updates to the system agent.
Task Completion:
The system agent retrieves the task results from the task agent.
The system agent makes the task available in the Epicor application for the user to access.
Task-in, Task-out: Examples of Epicor Task Processing
The system agent is essential for efficient report generation while the task agent ensures smooth MRP processing.
Epicor Report Generation:
Users schedule a monthly sales report via the system agent.
The system agent queues the task and sends it to the task agent.
The task agent retrieves data from the database, generates the report, and stores it for user access.
Epicor MRP Processing:
The system agent schedules MRP runs during off-peak hours.
The task agent processes the large data sets, calculates demand, and updates inventory levels in the database.
Benefits of Epicor Task Management
The system agent, task agent, and the Epicor application streamline the ERP system, providing efficiency, scalability, and reliability.
Efficiency: Tasks are processed asynchronously, minimizing delays in user interactions with the Epicor application.
Scalability: Multiple task agents can be deployed to distribute workload across servers.
Reliability: Tasks are queued and processed independently of user sessions, reducing the risk of task failure due to client-side issues.
The system agent, task agent and Epicor application perform important roles in forming a powerful framework for the Epicor ERP system. Together, they simplify task management, including task generation, execution, and reporting.
Understanding how these three components work together is essential for businesses to optimize their operations, improve the reliability of their systems, and scale their ERP systems.
Are you ready to optimize your ERP system and streamline Epicor task management? Contact us today, and we’ll help maximize your ERP investment with the ideal setup.
