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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It’s a natural human tendency to put off unpleasant tasks like mowing the yard, taking out the trash, or addressing the deadline to move entirely from Epicor’s Classic user interface to their new browser-based Kinetic framework.
Entirely understandable, the attachment to years’ worth of carefully tailoring the ERP environment to your company’s needs is hard to give up. Just when you’ve gotten it “just right,” you’re being reset back to level 1, like a video game that suddenly loses all the lives you’ve built with great effort and ingenuity.
But like a lot of things in life, change doesn’t have to be bad. For one, it gives us a chance to reevaluate the choices we’ve made in the past.
That process you installed ten years ago—is it still meeting your needs? Could it be ditched or improved? Is there a better way?
And some of the modifications done to your system might have been tortured into the old user interface in ways that weren’t optimal, but were a way you COULD get what you wanted. And that code was often s-l-o-w.
Since the latter days of ERP10, Epicor has been introducing new tools like the REST API and Epicor Functions that give us better ways to interact with Epicor Business Objects and better places to put heavy-lifting development on the server side where it belongs.
And all your old work isn’t lost. BPMs still work the same way. Dashboards, and even some screen customizations, can be converted with some tweaking. Yes, all that C# code will disappear, but you can convert most all of its functionality to better forms in the new customization layers and functions.
The secret weapon in this fight?
prep·a·ra·tion – the action or process of making ready or being made ready for use or consideration
The time to begin the journey is likely not a month before the deadline, for several reasons.
The learning curve for transitioning from old to new can be steep. Although many of the concepts are the same or similar between the two environments, they can be expressed in very different ways.
Before starting to convert a Classic application’s customization that has very much complexity, you’ll likely want to document what the old one does and how it does it, complete with data accessed, UD fields added, C# script processes, and so on. Many Epicor ERP installations are not well documented, and this is a good excuse to do a good thing.
Evaluating the old processes and decisions about whether to promote them or instigate some redesign will take a while.
And then, the actual conversion work can be a slow slog if you have a lot of it to do.
All this might seem insurmountable, if not merely daunting. But there’s still time—the first deadline is still over a year away at this writing.
Gather your resources. Identify your team. Get support from management. Make a plan—and realize it might evolve. And as if eating an elephant, take one bite at a time.
Epicor has good documentation for their Application Studio environment via the Help information accessed from the Kinetic menu. Going to Insights will help, as will joining online user groups like www.epiusers.help.
As always, we’re here you help when you need it. The EstesGroup ERP and IT teams will extend assistance in whatever form you need, a jumpstart, specific application conversions, or project management.
Just give us a shout when you need us.
What does Epicor 2026.1 mean for your business?
EstesGroup is a leading Epicor ERP consultancy that blends elite Epicor Kinetic expertise with cutting-edge technology, AI, and cloud services. There are a bundle of technical challenges to work through and decisions to make when uplifting any custom elements of your Epicor Classic UI to Kinetic. Get your questions about Epicor 2026.1 answered now by our ERP experts. Don’t miss out on insights gained in our “Uplifting Epicor Classic UI to Kinetic” webinar with industry experts.
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Fill out the form below to receive your copy of Uplift Epicor Classic UI to Kinetic UI – Questions and Answers. We’ll send our help guide straight to your inbox so you can start planning your upgrade with confidence.
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.
In today’s data-driven business landscape, creating custom reports in Epicor ERP is crucial for informed decision-making. However, this process can be more challenging than expected. Let’s dive into the best practices for developing custom reports that meet your exact needs and leverage Epicor’s powerful capabilities.
Assessing the Need for Custom Reports in Epicor ERP
Before embarking on custom report development, consider whether it’s truly necessary. Simply replicating legacy system reports or providing vague instructions like “make it happen” often leads to disappointing results. Instead, a strategic approach is key to unlocking the full potential of Epicor ERP’s reporting features.
Key Elements for Specifying Epicor Reports
To ensure your custom reports deliver maximum value, focus on these critical components:
Query Logic
Define the precise data set your report should return. For example, “all active parts in Part Class X” or “uninvoiced sales order miscellaneous charges.” This foundational step guides the developer in structuring the underlying query effectively.
Filters
Determine if your report requires filtering options, such as by part, supplier, or site. This flexibility enhances user experience and report functionality within the Epicor ecosystem.
Groupings
Specify how you want data grouped in your report. For instance, “group by site and customer” provides a clear organizational structure for your information.
Sorts
Within your groupings, establish sorting preferences. This impacts the query structure and data presentation. Examples include “sort by invoice number” or “alphabetically by part number.”
Fields & Field Order
Identify the specific Epicor ERP fields containing relevant data and their desired order in the report. For calculated fields, provide the exact formula (e.g., past due = due date – current date).
Sample Data
Ensure your development environment contains representative data for testing. This might involve creating sales orders with miscellaneous charges to accurately model your reporting requirements.
Visual Mockup
A visual representation of your desired report layout significantly aids developers in organizing the output. When transitioning from a legacy system, adapt the old report format to align with Epicor’s capabilities.
Leveraging Epicor ERP’s Advanced Reporting Tools
Epicor offers robust reporting solutions like Epicor Data Analytics (EDA) and Epicor Financial Report Writer. These tools integrate seamlessly with your ERP system, providing real-time insights and customizable dashboards.
Optimizing Report Performance
To ensure your custom reports run efficiently:
Use appropriate indexing strategies
Implement smart data caching
Leverage Epicor’s built-in performance optimization features
Ensuring Data Security and Compliance
When developing custom reports, always consider data security and regulatory compliance. Epicor ERP provides robust security features to protect sensitive information while allowing authorized access to critical business intelligence.
Continuous Improvement and User Feedback
Implement a feedback loop to continuously refine your custom reports. Regular user surveys and performance metrics can help identify areas for improvement and ensure your reports evolve with your business needs.
Gain Optimal Performance by Mastering Custom Reports in Epicor ERP
By following these best practices and leveraging Epicor ERP’s powerful reporting capabilities, you can create custom reports that provide accurate, timely, and actionable insights. Remember, the key to success lies in clear specifications, strategic planning, and a deep understanding of your business requirements.
Stay ahead of the curve with Epicor ERP’s advanced reporting solutions and drive your business towards greater efficiency and profitability.
I once had an Epicor go-live brought to its knees by an administrative snafu – as cutover weekend neared, the Epicor admin refreshed the Epicor production environment with a copy of the Epicor Pilot database. Such a step is not uncommon in an Epicor cutover. But this had not been the first time that a production refresh had occurred, and there had been subsequent customization activities developed since the last Epicor database refresh. As such, there were several Epicor user-defined fields that were present in the Pilot database but new to Production. This small discrepancy created unexpected hardship to all involved.
Chaos to Resolution in Epicor
The net result for the Epicor core team that was cutting over to the new system over the weekend was a litany of cryptic Epicor error messages, abysmal system performance, and a near mutiny by the Epicor user community. After roping in a few Epicor administrative experts, we were able to discern the discrepancy, regenerate the data model, and move beyond this hurdle. But the memory of that small Epicor system administration rule-of-thumb gone wrong stuck with me, long after the project had wrapped up.
One reason for this latent memory is that it finds itself refreshed by new instances – just recently, I found an end user reaching out to me over some cryptic errors in a test environment, an Epicor environment that had just recently been refreshed from a seed database. My first question: “Did you regenerate the Epicor data model after refreshing the Epicor database?” Problem solved, albeit this time, without the pitchforks and torches.
Echoes of CRC Errors
Does this issue sound familiar? For those of us whose Epicor administrator duties go back to Epicor 905, Epicor Vantage, or some earlier Progress-based version, these issues might be likened to the familiar “CRC errors” that once plagued our Epicor custom solutions. In that case, a field had most often been added to the database, and that field caused an existing Progress-based compiled assembly to malfunction. The table structure at the database level did not match the table structure at the application level, and chaos ensued.
Sometimes, the resolution to an Epicor issue is simple. In this case, a simple Epicor admin policy would be to regenerate the data model when refreshing an Epicor environment. This ensures that you will not have any mismatch with your Epicor UD fields, and that the users can jump in without issue.
This is especially true in an environment where custom solutions are being developed, as is the case with many Epicor implementation projects, where changes are most often occurring. This can also be the case in Epicor projects that are heavy in the use of the Epicor Product Configurator module, or longtime Epicor customers who have undergone a significant amount of Epicor customization.
Post-Model Regen
Now that you’ve regenerated the data model, don’t forget the subsequent step of retrieving a copy of the Epicor database’s data model, so that the application server in question can store it locally, for use by the application itself. At a minimum, the Epicor admin should recycle the application pool for the application server instance in question – this is accomplished from the administration console. Now, I’ve had some administrators tell me that it is preferable to start and stop the ERP application pool, rather than simply recycle it. The difference between stopping and recycling an IIS application pool demands its own article, so I will stop at mentioning this controversy for the time being, without discussing its resolution.
Epicor Cutover Success
The art of efficient Epicor system administration often boils down to steering clear of preventable pitfalls. The instance described here serves as a prime illustration of a minor adjustment that can avert substantial issues. By ensuring the proper regeneration of the data model and taking the necessary steps to maintain database consistency, ERP administrators can fortify their systems against disruptions.
Do you need help with your Epicor cutover or are you looking for more admin tips?
If you find yourself seeking guidance in the realm of ERP administration, don’t hesitate to reach out. Our Epicor Kinetic consultants can assist you in navigating the intricacies of your ERP environment, ensuring smooth operations and enhanced productivity for your organization. EstesGroup brings your company functional, technical, and custom solutions for Kinetic ERP. Manufacturers will benefit from our full-suite of services and solutions, including on-premise expertise and 24/7/365 IT and ERP consultants. From third-party integrations to private cloud and hybrid cloud managed services, Estes provides everything your team needs to succeed before, during, and after go-live.
