EstesCloud, Author at EstesGroup

5 Ways Cloud Deployment Changes SYSPRO ERP

by EstesCloud | Feb 16, 2023 | Cloud, Distribution, ERP Consulting, ERP Implementation, Hosting, Managed IT Services, SYSPRO

SYSPRO ERP Cloud Deployment vs. On-Premise Infrastructure

Top manufacturers and distributors are choosing private or hybrid cloud deployment for enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. This is especially true for cloud-ready ERP systems, like Epicor Prophet 21 and SYSPRO ERP. On-premise deployment can be limiting in the fast-paced world of manufacturing and distribution. Competition is fierce, cybercrime is rampant, and compliance regulations demand visibility and competition.

Fortunately, cloud deployment of ERP systems like SYSPRO offers you a competitive edge with increased visibility, improved growth potential, enhanced control, long-term scalability and affordability. Moreover, fully managed ERP hosting in a data center gives your business speed, reliability, and a written 100% uptime service level agreement (SLA).

SYSPRO cloud-ready ERP helps your business leverage data while protecting it, and a private or hybrid cloud deployment ensures scalability, security, and long-term success. For instance, you can increase control and scalability while gaining valuable insights into every part of your manufacturing or distribution business. You gain insight into everything from inventory management to customer relationship management.

Are you cloud-ready but not fully in a cloud of your own? Read on to learn more about why cloud computing is the top trend for companies running ERP software systems like SYSPRO. Business owners, leadership teams, and steering committees continue to look to managed cloud hosting partners like EstesGroup. Why? Most importantly, you can get the ERP consulting and cloud services you need with a 24x7x365 support team ready to serve you throughout your ERP deployment or cloud migration journey. This ensures a good foundation for long-term success with both your software and your technology.

What a Private or Hybrid SYSPRO Cloud Looks Like

Manufacturers and distributors are constantly looking for ways to increase visibility, growth, control, and long-term success. One of the most effective strategies for achieving these goals is to invest in a managed hosting solution for your ERP system. SYSPRO managed hosting provides an array of benefits that can help manufacturers and distributors reach their business objectives.

Benefits of an Estes Cloud Deployment for SYSPRO ERP

An on-premise deployment might be the right decision for your business. However, EstesGroup has seen the following outcomes for manufacturers and distributors that choose to shift to managed hosting solutions. In addition to SYSPRO, we have created success stories for many other complex enterprise resource planning systems. Talk to us to learn more about successful cloud migrations in Epicor Kinetic, Epicor Prophet 21, and Sage ERP.

You can stay competitive in your industry by keeping up with digital transformation trends.
You get instant access to valuable tools that let you control and analyze security and compliance.
You can now gauge success with improved KPI tracking, benchmarking, and monitoring.
You can easily customize your business strategy with new access to remote worker enablement tools, offering employees ultimate portability.
You can quickly increase or decrease your cloud complexity with consumption-based pricing with no ingress or egress costs.
You will instantly gain a valuable external team of SYSPRO enterprise resource planning consultants and technology experts. Your internal team gets everything you need to support both immediate and long-term business goals.

What is SYSPRO in EstesCloud?

EstesCloud hosting (ECHO), also known as a private cloud for SYSPRO or hybrid cloud solutions for any ERP system, is a cloud-based service that provides businesses with the ultimate access to enterprise resource planning software and its related services. SYSPRO is a cloud-ready ERP and is easy to deploy in an external data center. Your EstesGroup data center meets your needs for everything from cybersecurity to backup and disaster recovery. EstesCloud managed cloud services help your business by taking care of your technology while also providing ERP consultants that are always just a phone call away.

With SYSPRO managed hosting, customers can enjoy the benefits of having their own dedicated server without the need to purchase or maintain hardware. The service also includes 24/7 support, automated backups, and scalability options so businesses can easily scale up or down as needed.

1. Increased Visibility

The first benefit of managed ERP hosting for SYSPRO ERP is increased visibility. Access to real-time data on operations, customers, suppliers, and inventory levels, gives manufacturers and distributors good data. You can make informed decisions quickly and accurately. This allows you to respond quickly to changes in the market or to customer demands while also staying ahead of competitors.

Additionally, with SYSPRO’s cloud-based platform, they can access this information from anywhere at any time – giving them greater flexibility when making decisions or responding to customer inquiries.

2. Improved Growth Potential

Another advantage of a hybrid cloud deployment option is improved growth potential. With a cloud-based ERP system like SYSPRO, manufacturers and distributors have the ability to scale up or down as needed. Basically, you won’t need to purchase additional hardware or software licenses. This allows you to save money while still being able to expand your operations as needed.

3. Enhanced Control

SYSPRO managed hosting also brings enhanced control over operations. Manufacturers and distributors gain complete control over their data security measures. This includes encryption protocols that help protect sensitive information from unauthorized access or misuse.

Furthermore, with its built-in disaster recovery capabilities, you can ensure that all data is backed up regularly. If there were ever an issue, your systems could be restored quickly without any disruption in service. This keeps operations running smoothly, even during unexpected events such as power outages or natural disasters.

4. Long-Term Success

Finally, one of the biggest advantages associated with a private ERP cloud is a long-term success thanks to scalability and affordability. Many private or hybrid cloud solutions operate on a pay-per-use model, enabling you to only pay for what you need when you need it. That way, you can avoid dealing with the massive upfront costs associated with purchasing the hardware and software licenses needed to maintain your own cloud network.

5. An EstesGroup Partnership

Ready to get started with a partnership that will bring you immediate access to the best SYSPRO consultants and technology experts in the nation? If you’re ready to get started with your own private or hybrid ERP cloud deployment, EstesGroup can help. We provide fully managed IT and cloud services to all companies across all industries that are using enterprise resource planning software. Connect with us and get access to a team of ERP consultants with years of experience in cloud services and managed IT. We are dedicated to helping you succeed with your ERP project.

Let's Talk. Schedule a Free Consultation Today.

Going for the Gold at P21WWUG CONNECT 2023

by EstesCloud | Feb 11, 2023 | Distribution, Epicor, ERP Consulting, Hosting, Prophet 21

EstesGroup is proud to be a gold sponsor for the P21WWUG CONNECT 2023 conference in Dallas, Texas.

That’s metal! This year, Estes is going for the gold as Gold Sponsor of the ultimate educational and networking event for anyone in the distribution industry! Are you attending the P21WWUG CONNECT event this year? “The WWUG” is the annual event for the Prophet 21 Worldwide User Group, and offers a veritable goldmine of information and assistance for Epicor P21 users.

Gold Sponsor Dallas P21WWUG CONNECT 2023

P21WWUG CONNECT 2023 at the Sheraton Dallas

Sunday August 20th – Tuesday August 22nd

LEARN MORE & REGISTER FOR P21WWUG CONNECT

Why should you attend P21WWUG CONNECT this year?

If you’re digging for P21 information, the P21WWUG is the place to be – the Epicor Prophet 21 user group has a heart of gold, and their members are famous for sharing their treasures.

“The user group hates to be sold to, but loves to be helped.”

Are you tired of coming to a trade show booth only to have someone try to sell you something? Come check out our booth. We’re not gold diggers. We bring our most knowledgeable Epicor Prophet 21 consultants to our P21WWUG CONNECT booth each year. This allows us to help your company right from the start, as we hope to be the ERP consultancy that brings great value to your team, whether you need a little help fine-tuning your system or full implementation and deployment services, on-premise or in a cloud environment.

EstesGroup is bringing a goldmine of assistance to P21WWUG CONNECT 2023 in Dallas.

Is reporting a concern? Whether you’re looking to know more about SSRS, Crystal Reports, business intelligence or data mining, we can help you dig out your information and find a veritable mother lode. Gain valuable insights into your ERP software and its underlying technology while networking with peers, meeting new vendors, and enjoying Dallas, TX, one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Do you need custom solutions for Prophet 21 ERP? Dynachange? Business rules? Do you need a well-wrought solution to a rare problem? We can help talk you through it – our technical knowledge is as good as gold.

Are you panning for answers to your P21 functional issues? Sales orders, inventory management, purchasing & receiving, finance? We can promise many nuggets of information. But all we ask is that you don’t kill the golden goose (visit our P21WWUG CONNECT booth to learn more!).

Are you in need of a safe place to stash your treasure? EstesGroup is the gold standard when it comes to Epicor Prophet 21 hosting. Our customers give us a gold star. Ask us to introduce you to the distribution companies that we have helped during our 20+ years as one of the leading ERP consultancies in the nation!

So come find us at this year’s most significant event for companies in the distribution industry: P21WWUG CONNECT 2023 in Dallas, TX.

It’s a well-known fact that all that glitters isn’t gold. But we’re not peddlin’ iron pyrite – we have some genuine value to offer. We won’t give you the shaft. And this gold ain’t no dye job – this bad boy goes all the way down to the roots!

Our expertise has been forged over many years as technicians, end users, system administrators, ERP consultants, and IT managers. Ask us about IT – we’re worth our mettle.

See you at P21WWUG CONNECT 2023!

We highly recommend that you do. It’s worth its weight…in gold… If you’d like to see the pot o’ gold cloud hosting solution for enterprise resource planning software now, please fill out the form below, and we’ll create a custom demo for your company. EstesGroup is a leader in merging enterprise resource planning consulting with cutting-edge technology, including everything from cybersecurity and backup and disaster recovery to full-service management of private and hybrid clouds.

How to Respect Data Privacy in 2023

by EstesCloud | Jan 25, 2023 | Disaster Recovery, HIPAA, Managed IT Services, Network Security, Security

Data Privacy Week is an annual expanded effort from Data Privacy Day — taking place from January 22 – 28, 2023. The goal of Data Privacy Week is to spread awareness about online privacy among individuals and organizations. The goal is twofold: to help citizens understand that they have the power to manage their data and to help organizations understand why it is important that they respect their users’ data.

As a Data Privacy Week Champion, EstesGroup recognizes and supports the principle that all organizations share the responsibility of being conscientious stewards of personal information.

Data Privacy in 2023: The Story of You that You Wish to Tell

All of your online activity generates a trail of data. Websites, apps, and services collect data on your behaviors, interests, and purchases. Sometimes, this includes personal data, like your Social Security and driver’s license numbers. It can even include data about your physical self, like health data – think about how a smartwatch counts and records how many steps you take. If you are a company owner, you hold the responsibility of protecting your employees and customers by keeping your business data private with the help of cybersecurity solutions that follow compliance regulations.

While it’s true that you cannot control how each byte of data about you and your family is shared and processed, you are not helpless! In many cases, you can control how you share your data with a few simple steps. Remember, your data is precious, and you deserve to be selective about who you share it with!

How Businesses Can Respect Data Privacy

Respecting the privacy of your customers, staff, and all other stakeholders is critical for inspiring trust and enhancing reputation. According to the Pew Research Center, 79% of U.S. adults report being concerned about the way their data is being used by companies. By being open about how you use data and respecting privacy, you can stand out from your competition.

Be transparent about how you collect, use, and share consumers’ personal information. Think about how the consumer may expect their data to be used. Design settings to protect their information by default. Communicate clearly and concisely to the public what privacy means to your organization, as well as the steps you take to achieve and maintain privacy.

Learn More About Data Privacy Week

About Data Privacy Week

Data Privacy Week began as Data Privacy Day in the United States and Canada in January 2008 as an extension of the Data Protection Day celebration in Europe. Data Protection Day commemorates the Jan. 28, 1981, signing of Convention 108, the first legally binding international treaty dealing with privacy and data protection. NCA, the nation’s leading nonprofit, public-private partnership promoting cybersecurity and privacy education and awareness, leads the effort in North America each year.

About the National Cybersecurity Alliance

The National Cybersecurity Alliance is a non-profit organization on a mission to create a more secure, interconnected world. We advocate for the safe use of all technology and educate everyone on how best to protect ourselves, our families, and our organizations from cybercrime. We create strong partnerships between governments and corporations to amplify our message and to foster a greater “digital” good.

Learn how a private or hybrid cloud strategy can help your business with data privacy management today. Please fill out the form below to schedule a free consultation with our ERP, IT or Cloud Services experts, and we’ll do all we can to help your business run better!

ERP Vendor Bender: How To Manage Vendor Relationships

by EstesCloud | May 4, 2022 | ERP, ERP Consulting, ERP Implementation, ERP Selection

Managing ERP Management from Selection to Upgrade

Your business is not alone. Manufacturers and distributors operate in an interconnected web that is often as expansive and elusive as the internet, or even the galaxy. Add constant digital connectivity to this already complex network of relationships, and you are in need of a strategy for managing the people behind the technological world you’ve created by implementing an enterprise resource planning (ERP) software and its supporting third-party applications.

ERP Software Vendor Relationship Management

Your ERP world begins with your original ERP vendor, the publisher of your enterprise resource planning software. Due to updates to the ERP system itself and also to the expectations of implementation and ongoing support, your ERP vendor relationship is key to the success of your implementation.

With the weight and breadth of your ERP system in mind, are you on a vendor bender? Read on to see how an independent ERP consultancy (like EstesGroup) helps manufacturers, distributors, and other businesses running robust business applications manage vendor relationships.

Relationships that Bring Value to Your Business

You strengthen your business every time you add a valuable relationship to your network. EstesGroup begins every relationship with PAIR (Passion, Accountability, Integrity, Respect), our core-value approach to business consulting. We nurture this core system to build and support our partnerships with companies like yours, and some of these relationships span decades. We also apply our value system to ad hoc projects, so if you choose to work with our ERP or IT consultants, you’ll experience our core values, even if all you need is a free dark web scan.

P is for Passion, an energy-based value.

Passion gives your software or technology project life from selection all the way through to deployment and ongoing support. Here are a few traits that you can nurture in your business culture, in order to promote passion in your project:

Positivity: Culture is everything in ERP implementation. Happy users result in happy customers, happy budgets, and a promising future.
Reciprocity: Your vendor relationships particularly should never be one-sided. Two-sided relationships create the strong bridge that allows your ERP system to close gaps.
Competitiveness: Passionate teams win. While your ERP software project might not feel as exciting as the Super Bowl, it unfolds in similar drama, regalia, and celebration. Hopefully, you’ve chosen an ERP software vendor that will be along for the entire journey, including every win.

A is for Accountability, a value of action.

Think of how public you are as a business owner. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had someone on your right, and someone on your left, who would improve your reputation every step of the way? Here are three things to ask if you suspect that your ERP vendor doesn’t want to be accountable for any failures in your project’s future:

Does your software vendor fully support your ERP system at every level, from purchase to replacement?
Does your vendor provide resources and training materials beyond introductory materials that promote the software sale?
Does the vendor take time and care to help you establish goals that meet your expectations and budget requirements?

I is for Integrity, a value with vast repercussions.

Do you trust your ERP vendor? Does this same level of trust apply to the consultants you’ve chosen to assist you with the implementation? Here are some things that your software vendor and your ERP implementation team should share:

Helpfulness
Trust
Communication
Collaboration

R is for Respect, a value of resourcefulness and resources.

Respect creates an extended network of resources, since it’s the moral ground of community-building activities and outcomes. There shouldn’t be false hope here. You should respect your vendors because they are known experts in the field and because they sincerely want to help you achieve your goals.

In ERP, Strategy Comes from Strength

Strategic partnership is key to survival in today’s competitive world of manufacturing and distribution, especially in regard to vendor relationships. Talent can feel sparse when you’re struggling through an ERP implementation and deployment.

A good vendor provides a roadmap for your software use. Recommendations should include deployment options. If an ERP vendor only offers a SaaS (Software as a Service) option, then you know advice is weighted with vendor profits in mind. Sadly, many ERP buyers are swayed to sign up for all services a vendor is trying to sell. A good vendor relationship begins with open communication, honesty, and customer-focused interaction.

The Vendor to Buyer Connection

There may come a day when you realize that your vendor was a bad decision or a necessary evil. If you do have conflict with your software vendor, then you might need relationship management techniques that promote a healthier relationship with the company that sold you your ERP system. An independent consultancy can provide the skilled mediation required to strengthen your vendor partnerships. Here are a few of the ways your relationship can go from sweet deal to buyer’s remorse:

Vendor negativity toward how you choose to implement and deploy your enterprise software
Buyer remorse as you venture into the fine print of your contract
Vendor favoritism toward other customers
User-level disappointment in the ERP project and management

An ideal vendor will give you the best price on the software, and might even throw in a flexible payment plan or a loyalty discount. An ERP system is a large investment that will influence how your company operates for years to come. A good vendor will help you manage your immediate cash flow and guarantee your future profits.

A vendor should provide wealth and resources that you wouldn’t otherwise have available to your business. Hopefully, your investment comes with access to materials and resources that include best practices, project roadmaps, and user-focused activities that help you find the support you need throughout your ERP implementation.

After the Software, the Software Vendor Relationships

Good relationships result in good business. Many business owners looking to buy an ERP software, like Epicor Kinetic, Epicor Prophet 21, Sage, or SYSPRO, need guidance. Advice is needed when it comes to the business application, and it’s also necessary when it comes to the people behind the software.

Do you need help getting on the same page as your vendor? Contact us, and you’ll find the most helpful consultants in ERP, managed IT, and cloud services for businesses. Are you in a business application deployment or cloud migration dilemma? Click here to watch a video on public vs. private cloud ERP deployment options. EstesGroup has been trusted for nearly two decades by businesses throughout North America. With the experience that has come from our own relationships, we’ll help you build and manage yours throughout your ERP or technology project.

Cybersecurity Insurance Policy Pleasantries

by EstesCloud | Apr 26, 2022 | Cloud, Managed IT Services, Network Security, Security

Do you feel like your business insurance policy will cover you in the event of a digital disaster? If you’re online, you’re at risk, and small and medium businesses that engage in e-commerce are especially vulnerable to threats. To prepare for zero-day cyber attacks and other threats, you can enroll in a cybersecurity insurance plan. Let’s have a look at how you can protect yourself against losses by using cyber security solutions and cybersecurity insurance together.

Cybersecurity Insurance Estes Cloud Security

How much cybersecurity insurance coverage do you need?

Your coverage should match your maximum level of acceptable losses. Your risk increases as your online presence grows, and each year cybercrime gets smarter, with novelty attacks arising from talented dark web lurkers.

Hackers never rest, and security software IT companies must match their energy and their creativity. As a business owner, you face the great responsibility of securing your servers, your networks, your employees, and your customers. Even with everything protected by cybersecurity software solutions or by SECaaS (Security as a Service) management, you’ll want to ensure that your insurance coverage offers some hope if and when digital disaster strikes.

Know your cyber risks
Know your cyber threats
Know how much cyber insurance coverage you need
Know how the cyber security landscape is evolving

What is cybersecurity insurance?

Like healthcare insurance can’t prevent you from getting sick, cybersecurity insurance can’t prevent you from getting hacked. Therefore, your first step should be to buy a comprehensive cybersecurity solution. Do not trust a default security installation or setting. Zero-day attacks, often in the form of ransomware, evolve beyond the fundamental levels of cybersecurity. A basic security assessment, including a dark web scan, is a free service from a managed IT service provider like EstesGroup, and can reveal any issues that could result in a breach. Before you buy cybersecurity insurance, assess your risks and know your current threats.

Your next step is to invest in a comprehensive cybersecurity insurance plan. Understanding that insurance coverage is an aftereffect activity, like cleaning up downed trees following a thunderstorm. Breach cleanup can be as simple as credit monitoring or as complex as lawsuits and shutdowns.

Some industries regulate the level of protection you need. If you’re unsure about your industry compliance regulations, talk to EstesGroup consultants. In most cases, cyber incidents can be prevented by following the strict government guidelines that govern your industry.

In the event of a security breach, a cybersecurity insurance plan can help you redeem your losses, protect your reputation, and recover damages.

Cybersecurity insurance should include coverage for the things that matter most to your business operations, from server to remote worker:

System or network takeovers
Financial losses
Data breaches
Sensitive information theft
Data theft
Ransomware extortion payments
Company losses
Customer information breaches
Personal information and identity theft
General liability
Business interruption

If you store sensitive data on-premise or on a local server, you’ll need more comprehensive coverage since in-house and local systems are easily breached. Consider storing your data in a private cloud or a hybrid cloud platform for enhanced security and lower cyber insurance requirements. A good data center will offer a 100% SLA (service level agreement) and carry the risk of the losses mentioned above for you, which means you don’t have to worry about a cyberattack. The cloud provider and data center are mitigating these risks for you.

A managed service provider scans the cybersecurity insurance policies and insurance companies for you.

Cybersecurity insurance plans are a common loss for companies because business owners often overspend, thinking more money invested means lower risk. Don’t get tricked by the nefarious ways of fly-by-night cybersecurity insurance agents. EstesGroup is here to help you navigate relationships with cybersecurity professionals. Some of the experts you need to plan your cybersecurity policies and protocols are in-house at EstesGroup. And when it comes to things like cybersecurity insurance, the Estes team can serve as your liaison so that you get the best rates, the best services, and the best future for your business.

Is your business safe?

If you have a level of cybersecurity insurance that falls in your comfort zone, and if you have security services in place that will indeed protect your data in an attempted breach, then you will operate as a trusted business in the digital world. If you’ve suffered losses to your business or to your reputation because of a security breach, please reach out to us. Sometimes even the best solutions fail, and our managed IT services team can help you recover from disaster and surface vulnerabilities as they develop in your business.

How much does insurance cost your business every year? 2022 cybersecurity insurance rates are skyrocketing as the digital landscape is becoming more dangerous for American businesses. Even small businesses can benefit from liability coverage. Let’s begin a conversation about how digital transformation can help secure your business. We even protect the insurance firms!

Let's talk about how to protect your business.