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Epicor Supplier Relationship Management

by | Sep 16, 2020 | Epicor, ERP Benefits & Features, Manufacturing Innovation

Epicor Supplier Relationship Management

Supplier relationship management now reaches far beyond price negotiation. For manufacturers and distributors alike, it shapes purchasing visibility, supplier communication, material continuity, and the speed at which a business can respond when demand shifts or supply tightens.

For many companies, the hardest supply chain lesson of the past several years was not simply that disruption exists. It was that instability rarely arrives in a clean pattern. Demand can weaken in one category, surge in another, and force buyers, planners, and operations leaders to make decisions before the full picture comes into view. In that kind of environment, supplier relationship management becomes less about static vendor records and more about reaction time, supplier accountability, and decision clarity.

The companies that respond best usually share a few traits. They cultivate a broader and more credible supplier base and maintain clearer lines of communication with suppliers. They compare sourcing options faster. They track commitments more carefully. And they work from ERP data that gives purchasing teams earlier warning when lead times slip, supply risks build, or incoming material no longer aligns with current demand.

That matters because supplier relationship management is not only a manufacturing concern. It has direct consequences for distributors as well. When supplier visibility weakens, purchasing signals begin to lose shape. When acknowledgements arrive late or inconsistently, inventory planning becomes less reliable. When sourcing alternatives are unclear, customer service, warehouse timing, and margin discipline all begin to feel the strain. The phrase itself may sound procedural, but the underlying issue is commercial: how quickly can the business recognize supplier risk and respond with enough clarity to protect service and continuity?

For Manufacturers

For manufacturers, Epicor Kinetic includes supplier relationship management inside a broader supply chain framework. Epicor Kinetic SCM gives manufacturers visibility from sourcing to delivery, and Epicor’s SRM capabilities support buyers and procurement teams by helping them request quotes, evaluate supplier responses, and manage the information needed to keep business flow intact.

For Distributors

For distributors, the conversation usually sits inside Epicor Prophet 21. Epicor’s Prophet 21 supply chain management tools operate in terms of purchase management, sourcing and procurement, inventory management, advanced material management, and warehouse management. This fits the realities distributors face every day, where supplier performance affects replenishment timing, fill rates, branch inventory confidence, customer-specific commitments, and the pace of warehouse response.

Supplier Relationship Management for Manufacturers

 

For manufacturers on Epicor Kinetic, supplier relationship management touches sourcing, planning, procurement, and production continuity — not just a vendor scorecard somewhere in the system. When supplier visibility breaks down, the impact moves quickly from purchasing into scheduling, shop floor capacity, and delivery commitments. The discipline has to be embedded in how the ERP environment actually works, not bolted on as a reporting afterthought.

Supplier Relationship Management for Distributors

 

For distributors on Prophet 21, supplier relationship management connects purchasing workflows, inventory velocity, supplier responsiveness, and the downstream service experience. When acknowledgements arrive late or inconsistently, inventory planning loses shape. When sourcing alternatives are unclear, fill rates, warehouse timing, and margin discipline all begin to feel the pressure. The ERP system either gives the purchasing team early warning — or it doesn’t.

From Theory to Operating Discipline

 

The most useful question is does your current ERP environment gives your team enough clarity to compare suppliers on performance, monitor commitments against actuals, surface risk early, and respond before disruption bleeds into production schedules, service levels, or profitability. That is where supplier relationship management stops being a theory and starts working as a strategic operating discipline.

 

A Practical View of Supplier Relationship Management

Supplier relationship management is no longer a side conversation inside procurement. It now affects supply continuity, planning confidence, customer commitments, and the pace at which a business can respond to change. If your team is evaluating Epicor Kinetic, Prophet 21, or the broader ERP strategy around purchasing and supplier visibility, EstesGroup can help you examine where the strain begins and what the system should be doing to support a stronger response.

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Latest Version Epicor Multi Warehouse Tips And Tricks

Latest Version Epicor Multi Warehouse Tips And Tricks

by | Mar 19, 2020 | Epicor, Epicor 10, ERP Benefits & Features

Epicor E10 Multi-Warehouse Inventory Management

 

Epicor E10 adds optimal supply chain functionality to your manufacturing business by providing comprehensive inventory management strategies, all within a single management system.  For example, the new ability to move parts between warehouses without assistance from the office allows for improved supply chain execution.  Inventory management is one of the core challenges in managing the data of an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system.  Epicor’s version 905 ERP Inventory Management module has historically presented a number of its own unique challenges to employees in the warehouse and in the stockroom.  Epicor limits inventory transactions to the warehouses related to a given part.  In version 905, these limitations prevented inventory workers from making necessary part warehouse transactions without the assistance of an individual with access to Epicor’s part maintenance form.  Fortunately, Epicor’s latest version E10 multi-warehouse inventory management provides companies with much needed solutions.

 

The Goods on Goods in Epicor E10

 

Epicor’s latest version supplies users with many tips and tricks for inventory management.  For manufacturers, tracking everything from raw to finished goods accurately and efficiently is critical to developing strategy based on company data.  Epicor’s inventory transaction programs, such as Quantity Adjustments, Job Receipt to Inventory, and Inventory Transfer, are used to affect the inventory levels of parts in varying ways.  But these programs require the parts in question to possess a “Part Warehouse” record setup, in the part master record, to be able to transact against the warehouse in question. 

 

In the past, record setup characteristically posed challenges to inventory workers since the individuals responsible for part maintenance were required to directly modify the part master record and add the necessary Part Warehouse to allow for the necessary transactions to occur.  In the most recent versions of Epicor’s E10 solution, however, the key inventory screens now possess the “right-click” capability to add allowable warehouses to the given part records, without the need to run to a data steward to make the changes. 

 

Let’s assume you had the following part – 10001000:

The part 10001000 has a primary warehouse of “Main”:

In fact, “Main” is the only warehouse tied to this part:

Epicor limits inventory transactions to the warehouses related to a given part—in this case, since the only warehouse linked to part 10001000 is the “Main” warehouse, inventory transactions are limited to the “Main” warehouse:

A Quick Right-Click Tip for Multiple Warehouse Management

 

To resolve the warehouse limitation, Epicor provides the ability to link additional warehouses to a given part with a simple right-click.

 

For example, from the Inventory Transfer screen, right-click the Warehouse field and select Open With…Add Warehouse:

Elsewhere, from the Quantity Adjustments screen, right-click the Warehouse field and select Open With…Part Warehouse Entry:

In all cases, the above steps open a screen that allows the user to assign an existing warehouse to the part.  Selecting the additional warehouse and clicking the “OK” button is all that is required to link the new warehouse to the part:

Looking at the part maintenance screen, the new warehouse has now been added:

The user will need to right-click once more and select “Refresh List” to refresh the dropdown values:

But once accomplished, the warehouse worker can now select from the new warehouse in question:

Waring the Warehouse Wares with Epicor

 

The word “ware” comes from a twofold etymology of caution and production, and Epicor E10 helps your business ware your wares: your manufactured goods are protected by a trustworthy and proven inventory management system across the entirety of your supply chain and beyond.  Epicor’s Inventory Management module effortlessly integrates with other cost-saving features.  Epicor’s version 10 Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) application greatly expands on many of 905’s capabilities, simplifying multiple warehouse management for manufacturers.  The E10 version introduces many new tips and tricks for you to learn—features integrated to help your business stay profitable and competitive within the manufacturing industry.  E10’s new ability to add part warehouses at the time of creating an Epicor inventory transaction streamlines your business process and saves your team time and effort.  Epicor’s Inventory Management module works with other new E10 features to boost performance, profitability and growth, leading to dependable success at every step along the manufacturing line. 

 

Looking for more tips in navigating Epicor E10’s capabilities?  To learn more about multiple warehouse inventory management or other manufacturing management strategies, contact us.  EstesGroup is a Managed IT Services and ERP provider with comprehensive solutions for your business needs.

Interested learning more about Epicor ERP and how proper Part Setup is paramount to your business? Download our Part Setup & Manufacturing Best Practices White Paper today.

Get an Epicor ERP Part Setup & Manufacturing Best Practices Whitepaper Today

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Prophet 21 Rebate Management is Right On the Money

Prophet 21 Rebate Management is Right On the Money

by | Feb 24, 2020 | ERP Benefits & Features, Prophet 21

Right on the Money: Epicor Prophet 21 for Rebate Management 

 

Achieving profitability through distribution management software has never been easier.  With the technology available in Epicor’s Prophet 21, automation can quickly optimize workflow across the distribution spectrum.  In the critical area of rebate management, Prophet 21 rebate management modernizes supplier administration by streamlining the process of tracking and collecting.  This, in turn, minimizes administrative costs and maximizes overall profitability for your business. 

 

Prophet 21 Leaves No Money on the Table 

 

With Mardi Gras upon us, if you were a Mississippi gambler playing your odds on one of the French Quarter’s finest felts, you’d want to maximize whatever deals were available—without showing your cards prematurely or leaving any money on the table.  In a similar shake, the key to successful rebate management lies in the ability to define a robust set of conditions based on varying supplier parameters.  This allows for automated downstream processing and transactional accuracy.  This minimizes the internal costs of administering rebates, while maximizing those available.  Prophet 21’s vendor rebates support a similar strategy of capitalizing on what’s available, leaving no money on the vendor’s proverbial felt. 

 

mardi gras retail store discount management

 

Prophet 21 Makes Payables Playable  

 

Because Prophet 21 is a highly configurable application, it can meet the needs of a variety of different vendor scenarios.  Setup for rebates begins with the overall system settings.  The System Settings form allows users to configure enhanced rebate functionality.  Under the general settings within the Account Payable business area, “Enhanced rebate functionality” can be enabled.  This sets the stage for further downstream system configuration. 

 

Financial settings are made at the company level, where default general ledger accounts for rebates and rebate allowances are defined.  Subsequent settings occur at the vendor and customer levels.  Prophet 21 rebate tracking can be enabled for individual vendors—and this allows P-21 users to differentiate between rebate-applicable and non-rebate-applicable suppliers.  Further settings at vendor level enable the user to override the rebate and the rebate allowance accounts defined at the company.  At the vendor level, rebate variance-handling settings can also be defined.  At the customer level, the default rebate location can be optionally defined.  

 

The jackpot of P-21’s automated rebate functionality resides within the Sales Pricing pages.  A number of possible rebate methods can be defined within these screens, including the following: 

 

  • The Value Method: This specifies a cost-after-rebate value, which is subsequently compared to the base cost at the time of invoicing to determine a rebate amount. 
  • The Multiplier Method: This allows you to specify your costs as a percentage of the primary supplier cost, with the remaining value at time of invoicing resulting in your rebate.
  • The Flat Method: This allows for a flat rebate amount to be placed against the supplier cost.

 

When automated rebate capture is not possible, you can determine manual rebates through Prophet 21’s Manual Rebate Entry screen.  For payments, P21 supports check and debit memos, which are applied with the AP module as if they were cash receipts.  Beyond automated and manual rebates, Prophet 21’s EDI solution supports outgoing rebate requests to vendors and incoming rebate payments from them.  And in the event that a rebate needs to be reversed, the Rebate Reversals screen allows you to completely reverse the original posting. 

 

Prophet 21 Means You Don’t Have to Gamble to Grow   

 

Epicor Software Corporation has a strong reputation for providing powerful functionality for the distribution industry.  With real-time tracking and optimal automation, Prophet 21 immediately boosts profitability and enables further success by bringing cloud and e-commerce technology to any distributor looking to grow or transform business.  With fast implementation at minimal investment, Prophet 21 ERP allows you to keep your purse strings tight and leave no money on the table, especially when deployed through P21 managed hosting in EstesCloud. 

 

 

Want to learn more about Prophet 21’s distribution features? Read our blog on Prophet 21 Rental Management.

Manufacturers are in Love with Epicor ERP

Manufacturers are in Love with Epicor ERP

by | Feb 3, 2020 | Epicor 10, ERP, ERP Benefits & Features, ERP Risks and Challenges, ERP Selection

ERP!  ERP!  How do I love thee?  Let me count the ways!

 

I’ve often remarked that the best way to get a company to fall in love with their legacy ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system is to implement a new one.  When I was a customer, we moved from one of Baan’s flagship products to Epicor’s Vantage 803.  ERP implementation is an exercise in nostalgia…  With uh or ah or awe, does anyone out there remember Baan, or Vantage, for that matter?

 

I do remember the end user community at cutover:  “Well, back in the Baan days we could do this, and we could that, and oh, I miss the Baan days…”— Folks who had never had a good thing to say about their enterprise system were suddenly swooning over it, now that it was on the outs.

 

Having heard nothing but complaints about our legacy ERP up until cutover, I didn’t know what to tell them.  At a loss for words, I found myself quoting Lord Alfred Tennyson: “’Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.”

 

I soon discovered that most end users in your average manufacturing company are not especially fond of nineteenth century British Romanticism, especially at cutover weekend.

 

Most companies don’t exactly love their ERP systems, even in a friendlies sort of way.  I knew one fellow who had the source code of his ERP heavily modified to suit his exact needs.  Of course, he loved his ERP—every time he used it, he was looking in a mirror.

 

For the rest of us, ERP is more like finding a roommate rather than a soulmate.

 

Even still, there are a lot of things about Epicor ERP’s Epicor 10 platform that can spur admiration—even affection.  Last year, I wrote an article about Epicor’s E10 platform, looking to answer the question: “what’s it good for anyway?” It turns out that E10 is good for a lot of things:

 

In this series, we will further expound on the core capabilities mentioned above, and work to explain how these capabilities distinguish Epicor E10 from its competitors.

 

What’s it good for anyway?

 

Companies in the midst of a software selection cycle are looking for things to love about a given system—things that will differentiate an ERP system from its competitors and that will ultimately help raise the business to greater levels of performance.  With the New Year moving right along and Valentine’s Day on the horizon, are you ready to love your ERP in 2020 style?   Whether you’re looking for some new Epicor E10 roomies or looking for someone to draw hearts around a new flame of a system, the EstesGroup team is ready to help you love the ERP you’re with.

Interested in learning more about Epicor ERP 10 customizations and how good consultants can help manufacturing companies? Give us a call.

 

Latest Version Epicor Multi Warehouse Tips And Tricks

Epicor ERP Multi-Level Pegging & Supply Chain Management

by | Jan 29, 2020 | Epicor 10, ERP, ERP Benefits & Features, Manufacturing Innovation

Blessings and Curses of Supply Chain Inventory

 

Inventory. That word can hold a lot of different meanings for manufacturing companies. Production Personnel see it as the ingredients for making their products. Supply Chain Professionals base much of their career on it. Accountants see it a major corporate cost. Executives see it as both an expense and potential sales.

 

All of these views are correct and each hold merit. Without inventory, parts can’t be built. Without parts to sell, companies can’t grow. As Inventory can represent a significant expense, managing these costs efficiently can increase the bottom line and offer significant competitive advantages.

 

The key to an optimized inventory is only buying what you need, when you need it. While simple in concept, the execution can be very, very difficult. For those manufacturing companies that manufacture products with a deep Bill of Material, managing the what and when of raw materials can become a monumental undertaking.

 

It is that very example that Epicor can provide a powerful tool with their Multi-Level Pegging Process. Going beyond just looking at the material demands of the top-level assembly, the multi-level pegging process will calculate the material needs of all of the indented bill-of-materials on a job. Have a part that takes a manufactured sub-assembly, and that sub-assembly takes another sub-assembly to make it? The Multi-level pegging process will capture all of those materials demands. And Epicor displays all the pertinent information regarding those materials on their built-in Multi-level Pegging Dashboard.

 

Strategic information such as the quantities needed, and material status is provided in an easy-to-read format. Additional details such as is the material currently available, is it on order, or has it been generated are also displayed.

For those companies wishing to optimize their inventory, having the materials at the right quantities at the right time, the Epicor Multi-Level Pegging process provides a powerful tool for manufacturing and material professionals to achieve that lofty goal.

 

This functionality is only part of what the Multi-Level Pegging process can do for your company. Talk to us to learn more tricks.

 

Do you have questions about Multi-Level Pegging and Supply Chain Management? Let us know, Contact Us Today.

Why Buy an ERP Software?

Why Buy an ERP Software?

by | Oct 4, 2019 | Epicor, ERP Benefits & Features, ERP Consulting, Managed IT Services

Why Buy an ERP Software?

Businesses who are happy with the money they’re making and don’t wish to grow or to improve their relationships with their customers often don’t think about the need for ERP software. However, those businesses are few and far between. For the rest of us, the need for streamlined business processes has never been greater. ERP software helps businesses remain competitive by providing tools necessary for operating efficiently.

Why Do We Need an ERP System?

Gone are the days of companies have an employee or a department specifically devoted to manually entering information. Gone are the days when customers only had one choice when it came time to order the products they need. Today’s business processes must be done quicker and more efficiently than ever in order for a company to keep pace with its customers’ demands. An ERP package helps you to provide quick, accurate, and efficient service to your customers by providing a centralized hub in which all of the data from the various departments is managed.

The following symptoms show that your business is ready for an ERP package:

  • You’ve outgrown your business software and it is no longer capable of doing all of the things you need it to do.
  • Your existing business processes often result in missed deadlines, wasted materials, unused machines or labor, and other inefficiencies.
  • You need to track data across existing systems or in multiple departments and you’re unable to do so.
  • You don’t have the transparency you need in all aspects of your business to make informed decisions as to future opportunities.
  • Your employees are often tied up with tasks that could be automated.
  • There is little communication or information sharing between the various groups in your organization.
  • You’re spending too much on licensing fees, staffing, training, operations, and labor all for the sole purpose of integrating multiple applications.

Should Every Business Buy an ERP Package?

The simple answer to this question is: Yes. While small to medium businesses may be able to get by on a patchwork of different software, multiple systems are less effective for your business processes as they quickly become outdated and also require a lot of manual and duplicate entries. ERP systems streamline the various processes you use in your day-to-day operations, working off the same, shared database. This not only gives you a complete view of all of your processes and how they relate to one another, but also improve collaboration and provide you with the analysis you need to make decisions that will impact your bottom line.

Additional reasons why every business should buy an ERP package include:

  • Automated management of business tasks which free up employee time for other critical work.
  • Reducing errors that come with manual entry, saving your company’s precious resources, including money and time.
  • Increased productivity due to real-time coordination between groups within your organization.
  • Creation of a clear audit paper trail that can withstand the compliance regulations of your industry.
  • Reduction of labor costs and IT expenses.
  • Improving customer relationship management by allowing your sales department to have the information they need about the customers they deal with and the information they need to know about inventory and availability.
  • Flexibility to handle organizational growth and its impacts to each individual department.
  • Knowing that your software is up-to-date, secure, and maintained and that there is support available if you should have any questions.

We Can Help

EstesGroup is the leading consultancy for enterprise resource planning and Epicor products, including Epicor Kinetic ERP and Prophet 21. We also provide ERP consultations for SYSPRO and Sage ERP, and we provide the highest level of help to your team regardless of what system you select for your business. We will not guide you toward our own products if they are not a good fit for you. Contact us today for a free, in-depth consultation so that we may discuss your business processes with you and find a solution that will advance your company’s initiatives.

Are you looking for an ERP system, or do you have questions about what ERP is best for your business?