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5 Reasons to Visit BOOTH 40 at CONNECT 2023

5 Reasons to Visit BOOTH 40 at CONNECT 2023

Do you have questions about your Epicor Prophet 21 ERP software performance or its underlying technology? Come see us in Booth 40 this August in Dallas at P21WWUG CONNECT 2023! EstesGroup is proud to be a GOLD SPONSOR for this year’s event!

EstesGroup P21WWUG 2023
EstesGroup’s mission as an Epicor Prophet 21 consultancy and cloud services provider is to help you build valuable partnerships that not only help you meet your goals but also bring you unexpected wins! With this in mind, we’re bringing a few of our best P21 consultants to Texas this August so that you can get your questions answered. Visit us at BOOTH 40 to learn the latest tips, tricks, and best practices for your enterprise resource planning (ERP) projects!

Here are five reasons to visit our Epicor Prophet 21 consultants in BOOTH 40 at P21WWUG CONNECT 2023:

1. Build industry-specific roadmaps for your ERP super users.

Don’t hit the P21 road without roadmaps that are based on real-life scenarios and success stories. Come visit our team to learn how EstesGroup customers have leveraged our expertise for ERP and IT success. Come ask to be introduced to the companies that trust us with all of their Epicor Prophet 21 needs. Our customers can save you time and money by showing you how a partnership with EstesGroup gave them not only the map but also the road to win the race against the fierce competition they face in today’s market!

  • Receive guidance on integrating Prophet 21 with other business systems and processes and on advancing your business with the latest technology.
  • Discuss strategies for inventory management, demand forecasting, supply chain optimization, and more (if you can think IT, we can do IT!).

2. Learn the trends at CONNECT 2023 and then set the trends for 2024.

Come talk to our Prophet 21 experts to gain valuable industry insights and stay updated on the latest trends in distribution. Discover why “THE CLOUD” is one of the most controversial trends shaking the industry.

  • Learn about strategies for digital transformation and automation in distribution.
  • Explore our comprehensive solution showcase to discover cutting-edge solutions tailored for distribution.

3. Get inspired to set your ERP system on fire — with the fastest cloud on the market.

Come work with our consultants to develop innovative strategies and best practices to optimize distribution operations through cutting-edge cloud-based technology. Explore EstesGroup’s track record of successful Prophet 21 implementations and cloud migrations to ECHO, our managed hosting solution.

  • Learn about the benefits of managed hosting services for Prophet 21 from EstesGroup.
  • Discover the latest advancements in cloud hosting and its impact on distribution operations.

4. Add your IONS to CONNECT 2023

CONNECTIONS. CONNECTIONS. CONNECTIONS. Booth 40 will be the ultimate place for you to network with industry peers, exchange ideas, and build valuable connections. Charge and recharge your strategies by learning from the P21WWUG community!

  • Get hands-on demonstrations of advanced features and functionalities of Prophet 21.
  • Receive personalized consultations on how to leverage Prophet 21 for business growth.

5. Hear “IT” straight from the horse’s mouth.

There’s nothing like the inspiration you feel when you hear a success story in person. Join us to learn from real-world success stories and case studies shared by our technology experts. Find EstesGroup IT road warriors in Dallas this summer, and you’ll hear stories about the distribution industry that you’ll never forget! Considering a cloud migration? Our cloud consulting team has seen it all!

  • Discuss specific pain points and challenges with EstesGroup’s experienced consultants.
  • Take advantage of exclusive knowledge (and offers!) available only at the P21WWUG CONNECT 2023 booth! (P.S. EstesGroup has earned a reputation as the most helpful Epicor Prophet 21 consultancy and cloud provider for a reason… if you can’t make it to Booth 40 this August, schedule a little time with us to hear what you missed — our ERP and IT consultants are available 24x7x365 and would love to help your business!)

Will you be at “The WWUG” this August?

Attending P21WWUG CONNECT 2023 is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for distribution industry leaders. The Prophet 21 World Wide User Group hosts this event annually. In 2023, there will be exciting new technology and third-party solutions for wholesale distribution businesses to explore.

At this year’s EstesGroup booth, you can gain knowledge, explore solutions, and connect with experts in your field. These activities will empower you to drive growth, efficiency, and success in your everyday use of Epicor Prophet 21.

P21WWUG brings together a community of like-minded professionals, including super users, consultants, and industry experts. This year’s CONNECT event offers you an excellent chance to network and exchange insights with peers using Prophet 21.

At P21WWUG CONNECT 2023, Epicor may share the latest updates, enhancements, and future development plans for Prophet 21. Super users can learn about upcoming features, improvements, and technological advancements. You will gain a competitive edge by staying informed about your software’s direction.

Your super users can learn from experienced industry professionals who have successfully implemented Prophet 21. As an attendee, you can join sessions or panel discussions. Experts in these sessions will share their strategies, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they have learned. This will provide you with valuable insights so that you can improve your own implementation and usage of P21.

CONNECT 2023 features hands-on training sessions and workshops. These sessions can help super users deepen their understanding of Prophet 21 functionalities and explore advanced features. Learning from experts and discovering new ways to leverage the software can enhance team member skills and efficiency.

P21WWUG CONNECT 2023 provides a platform for new P21 users and super users alike. This venue facilitates collaboration and idea exchange between professionals who face similar challenges. Participants at the event can gain valuable insights and potential solutions by engaging in discussions, roundtable sessions, or informal conversations.

RPA DNA – What is Robotic Process Automation?

RPA DNA – What is Robotic Process Automation?

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is a new software technology that has the potential, in conjunction with AI technologies, to transform business processes, policies, and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems.

Robotic Process Automation RPA

RPA removes workers’ mundane, time-consuming tasks so that they can alternatively focus on innovation and creation. With RPA, software robots, rather than humans, quickly and efficiently perform data system tasks. Simple software robots can log in to data systems, locate and move files, insert and alter information in data systems, and assist in analytics and reporting.

More advanced software robots, especially if they have AI technology, can interpret, organize, and make decisions in a cognitive, human-like way. Businesses will discover that RPA technology is relatively inexpensive to implement, and it is business-ready and scalable.

A variety of different industries — in manufacturing, finance, and healthcare — can benefit from adopting RPA technology into their business operations and processes. The benefits of RPA technology are expansive, and these benefits carry over into ERP system implementations and ERP processes. Ultimately, with RPA, businesses can focus on improving their workplace atmospheres so that they are more efficient and productive.

What are the benefits of Robotic Process Automation (RPA)?

As businesses seek to automate their work flows to become more efficient and productive, Robotic Process Automation (RPA) will continue to transform workplace atmospheres and advance processes and operations while increasing production and profits. By implementing RPA technology, businesses will realize the following benefits:

  • RPA is initially inexpensive to implement and is ready for use, with minimal coding, by most data systems.
  • RPA eliminates some of the monotonous, arduous tasks that fatigue workers.
  • RPA eliminates human error and encourages speed, efficiency, and accuracy of repetitive tasks.
  • RPA adapts to meet increased production needs and ultimately reduces costs and increases production.
  • RPA creates a happier working atmosphere in which employees can focus on customer relations and innovation rather than mundane tasks.
  • RPA encourages a strong increase in rate on investment (ROI).
  • RPA promotes consistent compliance with industry and government standards.
  • RPA enhances security by eliminating human interaction with sensitive, private information.
  • RPA can automatically generate reports and analytics that businesses can use to improve their processes and operations.

How does Robotic Process Automation (RPA) integrate with ERP systems?

Enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems are essential for businesses to tailor their workplace atmospheres, and by utilizing Robotic Process Automation (RPA), businesses can automate and reappropriate mundane tasks to software robots rather than humans.

Users will be able to realize the full benefits of ERP systems and focus on more foundational tasks while RPA accomplishes lower-skilled, mundane tasks. ERP systems will experience similar benefits that businesses have when integrating Robotic Process Automation (RPA). Some areas that ERP operations can utilize and benefit from RPA include:

  • Accurate data capture and transfer
  • Assistance with and automation of data migration
  • Inventory and supply chain management
  • Real-time data sharing
  • Real-time analytics and reporting necessary for compliance

Why should businesses integrate their ERP systems with RPA technology?

Many companies are hesitant to implement Robotic Process Automation (RPA) or fear that RPA will eliminate workers. RPA is cost-effective and easy for businesses to implement and integrate into their ERP systems. RPA software increases speed, productivity, and efficiency of processes and operations while encouraging a happier workplace atmosphere.

RPA doesn’t replace humans. It certainly is more consistent and reliable, but there will always be a need for human interaction. Although RPA will eliminate many of the lower-skilled, mundane tasks that humans must perform, workers will still be responsible for higher-skilled, fundamental tasks. As RPA streamlines workplaces and ERP systems, humans will be able to focus on more complex, meaningful tasks that will help businesses grow and maximize profits.

Combining an ERP system with new cloud-based technology allows businesses to experience all the benefits of both while approaching the future with automation and efficiency. Businesses will see cost reductions and great increases in rate on investment (ROI).

ERP systems with integrated RPA technology encourage streamlined workplace atmospheres, innovation, competitiveness, and ultimately, business growth. RPA lets workers enjoy their coffee, innovate, and communicate with customers while it does the grunt work.

Looking for answers to questions about how new technology can help your business? Meet with our team to learn how cloud-based solutions and services can help you achieve your goals!

5 Ways Cloud Deployment Changes SYSPRO ERP

5 Ways Cloud Deployment Changes SYSPRO ERP

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. 

Cloud Deployment SYSPRO ERP

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.

Going for the Gold at P21WWUG CONNECT 2023

Going for the Gold at P21WWUG CONNECT 2023

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

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.

P21WWUG CONNECT 2023

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.

License to Go Live: Accessing Epicor License Info

License to Go Live: Accessing Epicor License Info

Manufacturing a License to Be Different

No two Epicor implementations are quite the same.

One of the primary reasons for the differences between the configuration of two Epicor® Kinetic environments has to do with licensing. The Epicor® application has a broad suite of licensed modules, and most customers do not license the exact same Epicor® modules. So, how do you decide how to drive your Epicor® license?

Epicor License Info Epicor Kinetic Data Management

Considering the complexities and capabilities of manufacturing and distribution companies, Epicor® has created ERP systems for these industries that are ready for the unique challenges business owners face, from office to factory to customer. Each Epicor® application is a many-headed hydra, and with each head comes different modules and different capabilities. The number of heads determines the character of the monster. 

If you are an enterprise resource planning (ERP) consultant, it is important to understand which modules are licensed, as this affects your options for helping a customer solve its many business problems

If you are an ERP system user, it is similarly helpful to understand which Epicor® Kinetic modules are licensed, when working with support and troubleshooting unexpected behavior.

As you will see, the modules you license impact the behavior of the system, and unexpected behaviors might actually be explained by the underlying Epicor® license.

In the past, accessing Epicor® licensing was a bit of a pain. You needed to be able to access the Kinetic application server’s admin console to be able to gather licensing information. This required additional access levels and many additional steps. 

Epicor Admin Console Epicor License Info

Now, as a function of Epicor’s more recent versions, you can access licensing information directly from the application. 

When logged into the application itself, you can access Epicor® license information through the Epicor® Company Configuration module by simply navigating to the “License” tab and clicking the “Retrieve License Info” button to load the Epicor license information that would previously be retrieved via the Epicor® Admin Console:

Epicor Company Configuration License

You no longer need access to the Epicor® Application server to extract this information. All you need is the appropriate Epicor® security permissions to access the Epicor Company Configuration screen. 

As with any Epicor® grid, you can also export the license into a spreadsheet format, using the “Copy to Excel” or “Copy All Include Labels” commands.

Epicor License Labels

This new functionality makes it much easier to get licensing information at the tip of your fingers, when working with Epicor® support or your customer account manager.    

Do you need to get your Epicor® Module list in a hurry? Are you chasing down an issue with support and need the details now? Look no further than the Company Cig screen, and be on your way to fast and good answers about your system. 

How to Use Technology to Manage Freight Costs

How to Use Technology to Manage Freight Costs

Freight costs are more important than ever in our turbulent times. With ongoing inflation, and the possibility of a recession looming, runaway freight costs threaten to take distributors’ profit margins for a ride.

Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) solutions often lack proper tools within the base software for managing freight costs and often must rely on third-party applications and web sites to manage and execute carrier pricing. With a potential recession on the horizon, it is more important now than ever to recover costs and protect profits. Companies go to great lengths to negotiate freight rates with carriers but often fall short on execution of the rates resulting in paying higher costs. A better solution is needed, especially in light of the challenges that a recession will bring.

Freight Costs business concept: Small cardboard boxes with a plane flies above world map. Concept of transportation, international freight, global shipping, goods or services remotely. overseas trade, regional
ShipSource

November 30th @12PM – 1PM (EASTERN)

ShipSource: Using Technology to Manage Freight Costs During a Recession

On November 30th, at Noon (Eastern), Ron Cope of ShipSource will discuss the techniques necessary when using technology to manage freight costs during a recession. The session will focus on things you can do to improve freight execution and become more efficient to control spending.

Companies spend significant time, resources, and money to license and install shipping software. Efficient and fully-functional shipping solutions are a must in the distribution industry in general and in the Epicor Prophet 21 community, in particular. Moreover, there is a need in the P21 industry for custom platforms that meet clients’ needs, that are integrated immediately, and can go live within days.

ShipSource is an authorized distributor of the ShipVia multi-carrier transportation management system, and has been providing Prophet 21 shipping solutions since 2005. ShipVia was created to meet the Prophet 21 shipping needs of the P21 distribution community, by providing a robust rating engine that can be deployed quickly at affordable pricing.

Tailored to fit the corporate growth initiatives and financial strategies, the solution supports a robust solution and a rapid implementation. If you are looking for a solution that supports rating for all your carriers and can be fully implemented within days, then ShipSource has the system for you.

Meet Ron Cope of ShipSource at ESTES INTEGRATE 2022

Ron Cope has more than 35 years of experience with transportation management. Currently, Ron is the President of ShipVia, the manufacturer of the ShipVia transportation management software program and ViaDUCT integration software. Ron is also the Managing Partner of ShipSource that is licensed to distribute the ShipVia software products.

Ron Cope

Ron Cope, ShipSource

Ready to keep your freight costs in your control?

ERP Integration Software Event