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Epicor Software Corporation - 6/11/2013
Epicor Announces Epicor Prism for the Automotive Aftermarket With Integration to Cloud-Based eCommerce Solution
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, today announced
the addition of nearly 20 new features to its Epicor Prism™ business management software for automotive aftermarket parts wholesalers. The newest release
includes enhanced eCatalog functionality and full integration with the robust new cloud-based Epicor® AConneX® CL eCommerce solution.
Among the new features available in the new version of Epicor Prism is Epicor PartExpert® Editor, which enables users to augment their eCatalog data with
additional information to eliminate lost sales, reduce returns and sell parts that otherwise would not display. The solution now also reads multiple hard-media data
formats so users can access the full range of available Epicor PartExpert listings, including power sports applications.
To help users enhance their eCommerce capabilities, Epicor Prism is now fully integrated with the Epicor AConneX CL solution, the next generation cloud-based
electronic trading network that connects thousands of buyers and sellers and offers dramatically improved system speed, responsiveness and sustainability.
Users now can also leverage the full capabilities of the Epicor ListingExpert™ solution, which automates the process of establishing and managing a retail store
on the global eBay Motors marketplace.
"Epicor Prism software has been a driving force behind the success of more than 1,000 vehicle parts wholesalers throughout the years and we continue to
develop innovative new features and functionality to support our users' growth strategies," said Steve Bieszczat, senior vice president, automotive and
marketing, retail distribution solutions for Epicor.
Additional features and capabilities now available with Epicor Prism include:
Compatibility with the latest .NET versions of Epicor WebDocs electronic document management and Epicor Dispatch and Delivery Management System
solutions
Enhanced help screens and related support features
Ability to delete system- and user-generated messages after specified period
Automatic price rounding in Canada to address elimination of penny
Returns processing capability for significantly larger network of stores
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 6/4/2013
Savire and Epicor to Work Together to Support Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, announced today
that Mexican firm, Savire Tecnología y Procesos, experts in process transformation, training and implementation and hosting of tech tools for supply chain
management for manufacturing and distribution industries, has joined the Epicor Inspired Partner Network. The Epicor Inspired Partner Network is structured into
four partner categories based on the sales and services Partners provide -- Reseller Partner, Solutions Partner, Services Partner, and Consulting Partner; Savire
joins as an Epicor Services Partner for enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions.
Savire started operations in 2012 in Nuevo León, Mexico, identifying the need for small and medium-sized companies to achieve higher process management
results. "Our guiding principal is that optimal process management must result in lower costs and increased profits for an organization," said Eduardo Shelley,
of Savire. "For example, buying ERP software without knowing the best practices of the business can lead to a misused or wasted investment, which is why we
believe education is a crucial piece of successful ERP selection and implementation."
From the very beginning, Savire had a team of expert consultants as well as business alliances on board to provide training and education courses. With the
need to integrate all aspects of the business, Savire came to the conclusion that it was important to have a technology leading business software solution and
decided to contact Epicor.
"Epicor in Mexico has a renowned team of professionals, whom I had the chance to meet prior to embarking on our ERP search," said Shelley. "After
researching Epicor and how they differed from other vendors, I was pleased to learn that analysts and critics spoke highly of both Epicor technology and
processes. We realized we had similar industry focus which made the Epicor Inspired Partner Network a great fit for us, as well as its position as a leader in the
small and midsized market, which brings a tremendous advantage today."
Savire initially hadn't set out to become an Epicor Services Partner; however, knowing the Epicor system, how well it adapts to their niche, and the added value
the technology brings to customer's thought process transformation and tool implementations, confirmed Epicor was the best option.
"Our main objective is to have a win-win relationship with Epicor and our customers," added Shelley. "We are consultants with many years of experience, and
our goal is to enable customers to really use and take advantage of the software they've implemented so that it produces the expected return on investment.
Our mission is to improve business operations for our customers, which requires improving processes and educating people."
Savire expects to achieve growth in the Mexican market aligned with Epicor, and in the near future to expand throughout Latin America. The company also
doesn't rule out the possibility of broadening its relationship with Epicor to include sales cycles, resale and support with the Epicor offering at the core.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/29/2013
Epicor Integrated Service Estimator Solution Generating More Than 350,000 Automotive Service Estimates per Month
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, today announced
that the Epicor® Integrated Service Estimator™ (ISE) solution for automotive service businesses is now generating more than 350,000 completed job estimates
per month, reflecting a nearly 150-percent increase since 2012. Epicor ISE is a Web-based mechanical services estimating system that helps tire, transmission,
oil-and-lube and other automotive service specialists increase their share of the general repair and preventive maintenance categories.
"This aggressive growth can be directly attributed to the success users are having in identifying and closing profitable new service opportunities," said Scott
Thompson, vice president, automotive eCommerce for Epicor. "ISE is designed to help businesses drive revenue, efficiency and customer satisfaction at the
service counter, and it's doing exactly that."
According to Thompson, in response to the rapidly growing use of the solution, Epicor is now serving ISE users through a sophisticated new data center that
offers significantly increased capacity and performance.
Currently available through nearly 20 leading automotive point of sale (POS) solution providers, Epicor ISE software helps users increase sales of mechanical
and scheduled maintenance services by reducing the time needed to generate accurate, professional estimates. The solution provides immediate access to the
parts and labor information to complete virtually any automotive repair and allows users to electronically monitor availability and pricing through the industry
leading Epicor seller network of more than 23,000 distributor locations. All parts, labor and supplier pricing information can be automatically imported into the
users' POS-generated estimates, work orders and invoices without the need to rekey information.
Epicor ISE solution provides "one-click" access to the industry-leading Epicor ePartExpert database of more than 8 million parts, 7,500 manufacturer product
lines and 22 million interchanges. Users can also access a comprehensive aftermarket flat-rate labor guide, repair jobs database, and VIN decoder. Hundreds of
pre-bundled service packages enable users to complete estimates in as little as one minute in many cases. The solution also includes a database of OE-
recommended service intervals to help users identify and estimate a broad range of additional jobs.
"Without the ISE solution, many tire dealers, lube shop operators and other service specialists are forced to manually research, estimate and source mechanical
parts and supplies, a process that can require multiple phone calls and 15 to 20 minutes per opportunity," Thompson said. "Our solution automates the entire
process to make the service writer more productive, eliminate errors and improve the customer experience."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/20/2013
Epicor Tallies Two New ERP Deals with Kibsons International and Hana International
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, today announced
that it has won two new contracts in the UAE with Kibsons International and Hana International to deploy its next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP)
solution, Epicor ERP. Kibsons is a fresh fruits and vegetables importer with a processed meat factory in Ajman, while Hana is a global supplier of diesel engine
and agricultural tractor parts. The implementations at both companies will be performed by Epicor Channel Partner, Knowledge Web Consultancy.
Kibsons International will implement the warehouse management system (WMS), distribution, finance and payroll modules of Epicor ERP across two key
locations. The company chose Epicor over other potential vendors for its integrated solutions, compatibility with handheld devices, advanced technology, and
user-friendly, out-of-the-box features.
"We work in an industry where time and quality are of the essence, and we wanted a solution that would support our challenging operations," said Husainy
Sharbat, finance manager for Kibsons International. "After investigating the best in the market we were drawn to Epicor ERP because of its smooth integration,
compatibility with handheld applications, and its ease of use. We expect to see gains in terms of integration, customer and supplier extensions, controls and
reporting as a result of our decision to go with Epicor"
Hana International chose Epicor ERP for its low total cost of ownership, quick return on investment, usability and integration. The company will adopt the
system's distribution, customer relationship management and integrated finance modules.
"The low cost of ownership and swift return on investment offered by Epicor ERP were compelling arguments that ultimately convinced us to choose this
solution," said Majid Sheikh, chairman for Hana International. "Operation-wise, Epicor will boost our reporting abilities and the integration of our resource
management capabilities, two benefits that will prove crucial to the running of our international marketing and distribution centre in the Jebel Ali Free Zone."
"The selection of Epicor ERP by Kibsons International and Hana International is testament to the solutions flexibility and multi-industry capabilities," said Ian
Walker, senior vice president, sales for Epicor in EMEA. "We expect the UAE to remain a key adopter of our solutions, which offer ease of use, scalability, high
productivity and accessibility anywhere through the use of Web 2.0 concepts that facilitate genuine collaboration and dynamic enterprise functionality. Given
today's challenging market, enterprises benefit from solutions that inspire productivity and enable them to focus on growing their business."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/15/2013
Epicor Announces Epicor Payment Exchange Mobile
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, today announced
the availability of the mobile version of Epicor Payment Exchange, a complete payment processing solution for Epicor customers, now available with any smart
phone and Apple iOS device -- iPads, iPhones and iPod Touch.
Epicor Payment Exchange Mobile (EPX Mobile) is a free, downloadable app that runs on mobile devices and allows Epicor customers to accept credit card
payments wherever their consumer is located. EPX Mobile can be used with a specially encrypted card reader to allow businesses to swipe the card right on the
smart phone, lowering their total cost of the transaction and protecting the transaction with advanced security technology. The customer signs with a finger or
optional stylus, and the receipt is emailed directly from the device to the customer.
"The selection of Epicor Payment Exchange was an easy decision for us," said Virgil Cox, owner of Cox Hardware and Lumber. "We were looking for a new
processor due to ever-increasing fees and it was crucial that the new solution was completely integrated with our Eagle solution, that it would also save the
business time and money. Epicor Payment Exchange has delivered a seamless transition for customers and employees. Our company is saving nearly $5,000
per year in fees alone -- Epicor Payment Exchange is a true plus for our business. It's comforting for me to know that our customers' data is secure -- I rest easier
knowing that I'm not storing sensitive customer data locally."
"Epicor Payment Exchange was designed to help our customers lower costs, improve efficiency and easily access information. Now, with the introduction of
EPX Mobile, retailers can accept credit card payments wherever their customers are -- garden centers, sidewalk sales, deliveries and more -- providing even
more flexibility to better service their customers," said Matt Mullen, general manager of Epicor Payment Exchange for Epicor.
Other benefits of the new Epicor Payment Exchange Mobile solution are:
Free to all Epicor Payment Exchange customers
Ability to track sales anytime through secure online access, no waiting for monthly statements
Easy to manage transactions -- simply email the payment log
No third-party processors, relationships, or software to maintain.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/15/2013
New Version of Epicor CMS Solution Expands Features and Functionality for the Automotive Industry
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the general availability of version 6.0 of its Honda Approved Epicor® CMS enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution for the automotive industry, featuring new
functionality and usability enhancements made across all product modules to drive improved business performance. Key highlights of Epicor CMS 6.0 include
new quality control tools, manufacturing execution system (MES) touch screen capabilities now available with Production Manager, and enhancements to
repetitive manufacturing capabilities.
"Epicor continues to expand the functionality of Epicor CMS to help address the increasingly complex needs of automotive manufacturers and businesses that
supply to the automotive industry," says Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing, Epicor. "With this new release, Epicor provides a complete ecosystem
of industry-specific features and products for Epicor CMS that enables our customers to realize even more business value from the solution."
New Quality Control Capabilities for Detail Inspections
New production and quality management features in Epicor CMS provide better control when dealing with detail inspections on the shop floor. Enhancements
include the ability to specify whether or not certain inspection procedures should be mandatory, record those test results with lot or serial number, and use event-
based utilities to allow the operator to report inspection results at the machine. Rather than creating an inspection request when the production threshold is
reached, a notification screen will prompt the operator to begin inspection and then report the results and disposition. The employee tag is also entered to
identify the person performing the inspection.
Touch Screen MES Capabilities Now Available with Production Manager
For those customers looking to collect real-time manufacturing data from the shop floor and/or error-proof production reporting and container label creation, the
latest version of Epicor CMS adds Production Manager to deliver these MES capabilities. Operator touch screen solutions now provide a Microsoft Windows® 8
Metro Style UI (user interface) that supports machine PLC based automation of production reporting to ensure that the right part is in the right container with the
right label, every time. An accurate understanding of the real sources of machine downtime enables well-targeted continuous process improvement activities to
unlock hidden capacity within an organization's plant. Available as an add-on module, Production Manager enables customers to further extend the value of
their investment in Epicor CMS.
ZANINI AUTO GRUP, S.A. is one of the newest customers to adopt Epicor CMS. ZANINI specializes in the development and manufacturing of original
equipment plastic components for the automotive industry and is a worldwide leader in the wheel trim market. "The unique functionality in Epicor CMS that is
tailored specifically to the automotive industry was the key to implementing the solution across our production sites in North America," says Rod Spain, plant
manager, ZANINI. "We needed a comprehensive solution that ensures we are prepared to meet our customers' needs now and in the future, as well as help us
to gain new opportunities with companies such as Honda."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/14/2013
Epicor Announces the Newest Release of Epicor Eagle
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, today announced
the newest version of Epicor Eagle business management software that enables small to medium sized businesses to better understand, manage and improve
their customers' experience, increase competitiveness and improve bottom-line performance. Epicor customers can see live demos of the newest release this
week in the Solutions Pavilion during Epicor Insights global customer conference.
"We serve more than 8,000 business locations across sectors such as Hardware & Home Center, Lumber & Building Materials, Lawn & Garden, Sporting Goods,
Automotive Aftermarket, Farm-Home, and Pharmacy," said Craig McCollum, executive vice president and general manager, retail distribution solutions for Epicor.
"Epicor Eagle is a solution built upon decades of customer input, industry-specific experience and its ability to successfully manage the full spectrum of store
operations. Continuous innovation provides our customers with the competitive advantage necessary in today's fast-paced business environment -- ensuring
continued growth and efficiency."
Epicor Eagle software empowers small to midsize retailers with the tools required to optimize their business and better manage day-to-day operations. The new
release includes the data intelligence required to continuously improve the customer experience, and exceed future business goals. Also, to be previewed during
Insights 2013 is the new release of Eagle Loyalty and Eagle Tablet POS -- both of which will be available later this quarter. Eagle Loyalty is a powerful tool to
help profitably attract, retain and manage customers. Eagle Tablet POS, provides full checkout capability to non-lane personnel, which in return enhances the
productivity of employees. This solution allows employees to capture a sale when and where the customer is ready.
Other enhancements available in the newest version of Eagle include:
Signature Capture: set up to require customer signature when a specified item is added at POS
Special Order Alerts: set up alerts to warn staff of an item that hasn't been received
Importing item lists: capture a list of items using Mobile Inventory
Recurring Suggested Order Report: discount rate policy and backorder rules will be automatically updated when report runs
Sales History Summary Viewer: analyze historical sales, weigh what-if scenarios and export key sales transactions
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/7/2013
Epicor ERP Chosen to Support RE&S Enterprises Growth and Productivity Strategy
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that RE&S Enterprises Pte Ltd, one of Singapore's leading authentic Japanese restaurant operators, has selected the next-generation Epicor enterprise resource
planning (ERP) suite.
Since RE&S was established in 1988, it has built a portfolio of popular Japanese restaurants such as Ichiban Boshi, Ichiban Sushi, Kushin-Bo and Kuriya. The
company has more than 20 years of food and beverage management experience and is supported by an excellent Japanese core team, local management and
staff. With staff strength of 1,400, RE&S has operations in Singapore and additional outlets in Malaysia, Russia and Vietnam. As the food and beverage industry
is extremely competitive, RE&S is under constant pressure to ramp up productivity, boost the quality of its products and services, and meet changing regulatory
requirements. A tightening labor market further necessitates the need to automate processes to eliminate the reliance on manual practices. Therefore RE&S
went on the search for a suitable ERP solution to meet their requirements, size and industry.
"The ERP solution from Epicor will enable us to achieve one point of data entry with accurate and timely outputs that can be used for business analysis," said
Mr. Lim Shyang Zheng, corporate vice president, RE&S Enterprises. "Timely and accurate reports enable management to make informed decisions and
capitalize on opportunities as they surface."
The ERP system implementation is expected to directly benefit users across its outlet operations, central kitchen, logistics and IT backend support as it
incorporates multiple business functions including supply change management and accounting.
Prior to implementing Epicor ERP, RE&S faced "the problem of system overloads which resulted in reporting delays and inaccuracies," said Mr. Lim. Epicor
stood out from other enterprise solution vendors as it was "well-suited for RE&S' requirements and has a built-in platform for future enhancements when needed.
It also did not require a hard-code customization of the system," added Mr. Lim.
RE&S liked the flexibility of Epicor ERP and the extensive functionality they could have for the much-desired improvements in the areas of managing ingredients,
planning and production. The company also saw how Epicor ERP could serve them with better multi-site management. Epicor and its channel partner, Persoft,
were able to demonstrate how their requirements can be met and the advantages the solution would bring.
"We are delighted that RE&S has chosen Epicor ERP to be the preferred solution provider to enhance its competitiveness and operational efficiency," said
Craig Charlton, senior vice president and general manager for Epicor in Asia Pacific. "Epicor is committed to delivering and providing the best of breed ERP
solutions to address our customers end-to-end needs and we look forward to supporting RE&S in achieving their business objectives."
Award-winning next-generation ERP solutions from Epicor designed for organizations across the manufacturing, distribution, services, retail and hospitality
industries provide scalability and flexibility to meet today's business challenges. With high performance, broad functionality and ease of implementation, Epicor
customers get an enhanced information flow and integration, which facilitates manufacturing productivity.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/6/2013
Leading Dubai Based Automotive Parts Distributor A-MAP Selects Epicor ERP
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, has announced a
new contract to deploy Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) at the Dubai headquarters of A-MAP, a leading specialist in the distribution of aftermarket
automotive spare parts, automotive batteries, tires and lubricants. Through the implementation of the next-generation Epicor ERP solution, A-MAP seeks to
boost performance in terms of efficiency, reduced workload, enhanced training and re-training capabilities, extracting complex analysis, generating new
expansion and growth opportunities.
"As a quality and service-oriented company, our objective is to keep our Middle East customers on hold for no more than 45 seconds while looking for their
customer profile," said Asad Badami, managing director for A-MAP. "We also want to be able to see the state of the company's core divisions at a glance,
including warehouse capacity, procurement statistics and delivery schedules. The new ERP system must also easily facilitate in-house training of existing and
new users through an education system, provide advanced accounting functionalities, offer human resource support, and facilitate core business automation.
"Epicor ERP inspired us with its extensive capabilities, offering exactly what we envisioned for our new ERP system," Badami continued. "A-MAP will also
benefit from value-added support and seamless transfer of product knowledge. Epicor has kept to deadlines and worked closely with our IT team to reduce
implementation time wherever possible and we really appreciate this."
With a network of branches and clients spanning five continents, A-MAP's Dubai headquarters needed an enterprise solution that consolidated various critical
functions such as sales, finance, payroll, supply chain management, customer relationship management and human capital management.
"Epicor goes beyond traditional ERP to deliver a genuinely comprehensive solution that can handle diverse, complex tasks, while at the same time providing the
flexibility and scalability needed to grow and expand with the business," said Paul Hammond, regional vice president for Epicor in the Middle East. "Moreover,
Epicor understands the core business of customers like A-MAP and we can therefore provide insights into the industry's best practices which is a key factor that
has given Epicor a significant competitive edge as the ERP solution of choice."
Epicor ERP will be deployed at the A-MAP headquarters in collaboration with MFI Group, a member of the Epicor Inspired Partner Network, who offers IT and
technology consulting through its subsidiary MFI Consulting & Technology. The MFI Group employs over 1,100 employees across 17 countries and has an
annual turnover of USD 50 million.
A-MAP operates a network of branch offices in China, South Africa and USA, distributing leading brand names such as Solite, Asimco, RBI and Fenix. The
company caters to a global network of clients located in five continents. A-MAP will be deploying the finance, supply chain management (SCM), sales, customer
relationship management (CRM), payroll and human capital management (HCM) modules of Epicor ERP.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/2/2013
Epicor Offers New Mobile Business Solution for Distributors
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, announces the
availability of Epicor® Mobile Business Analyzer, a new mobile business solution to support executive-level decision making for wholesale distributors.
Built on top of Epicor Business Analyzer and designed exclusively for the Apple® iPad®, Epicor Mobile Business Analyzer is a business intelligence application
that provides the critical information that executives and other decision makers require -- available anytime, anywhere. With this app, distributors can access key
business metrics and proactive alerts from their Epicor Prophet 21 wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) system in a single, near real-time
mobile dashboard, across a secure network connection.
Mobile Business Analyzer summarizes a distribution organization's key performance indicators in a clean, crisp display. For example, the top 25 customers by
revenue are shown, along with indications if their business with the distributor is trending up or down at any time. In addition, Mobile Business Analyzer provides
dashboard views of sales and order trends over the past 12 months, including Average Invoice Value, Average Order Value, Cost of Goods Sold, Booked
Dollars, Profit Dollars, Sales Dollars and Profit Percent.
The dimensions of charts and graphs on the Mobile Business Analyzer screen can be changed with the touch of a finger, to easily view data by companies,
customers, locations, product groups, sales reps, and suppliers. Users can also compare business performance between two recent points in time.
"Immediate access to business intelligence is becoming the true competitive weapon of distributors," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing for
Epicor. "With Mobile Business Analyzer, distribution executives are no longer tied to the office for their business intelligence needs. They can have constant
into business trends that impact their decision making."
Mobile Business Analyzer is available as a free download from the Apple App Store. Epicor Business Analyzer and an iPad are required to run the app. Mobile
Business Analyzer will be on display at Epicor Insights 2013, the largest global customer conference in the company's history, taking place at the Gaylord
Opryland in Nashville, Tennessee, from May 13-16.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/24/2013
Enhanced 'Three-Way Match,' Offline Point of Sale Now Available in Epicor Vision Automotive Aftermarket Software
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, today announced
that an enhanced "three-way match" feature, offline point of sale functionality and other important new capabilities are now available in Epicor Vision business
management software for automotive aftermarket distributors and jobbers. Epicor Vision software is a highly flexible solution for aftermarket business owners who
want to control costs and increase sales through extremely efficient inventory management and differentiate their businesses by delivering a superior customer
experience.
The newest release of Epicor Vision includes several refinements to the popular three-way match feature that helps users quickly identify and reconcile
discrepancies between purchase orders, advance shipping notices, receivers, and vendor invoices. Three-way match, which can help distributors save
hundreds of hours annually in manual labor, automatically identifies mismatched units of measure, backorders, part number supersessions, price changes and
incorrect core costs and enables the user to establish variance thresholds for monitoring and approving vendor payments. The new software includes refined
error handling and error correction for ASNs and eInvoices as well as easier tracking and processing of these electronic documents.
"Distributors and jobbers remain strong not only through effective selling processes, but also smart, efficient purchasing and inventory practices," said Steve
Bieszczat, senior vice president, automotive and marketing, retail distribution solutions for Epicor. "Our three-way match feature enables users to avoid paying for
products they haven't received and eliminate potentially thousands of dollars of labor required to manually reconcile each transaction."
Epicor Vision software now also enables users at remote locations to continue business operations after losing connectivity with their main servers. When
Internet connectivity is restored, the remote server automatically updates the main server with transactions that occurred while offline. This offline point of sale
capability can be added to any remote location.
Other new features and functionality available in the new release of Epicor Vision include:
Automatic 5-cent price rounding for cash-only transactions in Canada (to address phase-out of Canadian penny)
Ability to consolidate daily pick tickets by customer and map location into one master invoice and A/R record
Enhanced "ABC" classification with option to use percentages or quantity breaks
Epicor Vision also includes world-class customer relationship management (CRM) tools, a centralized database, comprehensive "central services" functionality,
integrated accounting, and other features that help drive sales, operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.
"Each new release of Epicor Vision reflects the latest input from our users as well as our dedicated product development team," Bieszczat said. "This powerful
solution is designed by and for aftermarket distributors and jobbers who want to maximize their growth, efficiency and profitability over the long term."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/24/2013
New Version of Epicor Wholesale Distribution ERP Solution Expands Features, Functionality and Global Reach
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the general availability of version 12.11 of its Epicor Prophet 21® wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, featuring new Sales Master
Inquiry, DynaChange® Tab Creator, and Container Building functionality, and Accounts Payable automation with doc-link™ for Epicor. Currently available in the
United States, Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, and the Caribbean, Epicor Prophet 21 continues to expand its global
reach with the addition of country-specific functionality (CSF) for Mexico in this new release.
The Sales Master Inquiry window (SMI) is a tool for distributors to analyze their customers' revenues and bookings. Using SMI, the distributor can help discern
problems in the sales cycle, identify opportunities, and then take an action. The window presents information that is not available in Customer Master Inquiry,
and is a powerful tool for executives who like to manipulate data, for sales representatives looking to understand how their customers are trending year over,
and marketing team members seeking to identify target customers for a campaign.
For those customers with the Epicor Portal Designer feature, the new version adds DynaChange Tab Creator functionality. Tab Creator lets a user take an
existing Portal and place it on a new tab that is created within an existing Prophet 21 window. Users can map the retrieval arguments of the portal to fields in the
window, so that the portal will automatically retrieve data based on the current context of the window. This allows the user to be able to access portals without
having to switch out of the window they are in and without having to re-specify the arguments needed to retrieve the portal.
Container Building functionality allows the distributor additional flexibility when dealing with overseas suppliers. By working with suppliers and freight forwarders,
the distributor can help control the flow of goods coming from overseas, by directing which Purchase Orders and line items should be loaded onto containers for
shipment -- allowing better management of incoming inventory to meet the distributor's priorities and stocking levels.
Users looking to automate their Accounts Payables process can do so with new functionality via doc-link for Epicor, an Integrated Document Management
System (IDMS) designed to increase productivity and reduce paper handling. Available as an add-on module, this allows users to scan incoming vendor invoices
and process them through the Epicor Prophet 21 voucher process with automatic document linking capabilities. As the module is designed for use with multiple
monitors, the Accounts Payable staff will be able to greatly increase their efficiency of data entry and have the ability to immediately recall images of a vendor's
documents when working with the vouchers.
"We understand the complex business challenges facing distributors today, and continue to expand the functionality of the Epicor Prophet 21 ERP to empower
our customers to drive further efficiencies and innovation in their businesses," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing for Epicor. "In addition, we
are pleased to extend the benefits of Epicor distribution software to Mexico in this latest release, with functionality designed to support both North American
distributors who are expanding into that country, as well as the unique requirements of regional businesses."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/23/2013
Epicor Now Providing Weekly Automotive Aftermarket eCatalog Updates
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, today announced
that comprehensive weekly electronic catalog updates featuring the latest automotive parts and applications information are now available to distributors,
jobbers and service providers for virtually all of the company's most popular aftermarket business management systems and Web-based solutions. The new
feeds of Epicor PartExpert® data are provided four times per month via the Epicor® Active Updates™ service to help users increase sales and customer service
levels.
This new capability is available immediately to users of Epicor Eagle®, J-CON®, Prism™, A-DIS® and Ultimate™ business management software as well as the
Web-based Epicor Internet AutoParts™, and Epicor Integrated Service Estimator™ solutions. Weekly updates also will be available soon for users of Epicor Vision™
software.
"This new service is a significant step toward near real-time availability of comprehensive, accurate product data to thousands of parts wholesalers and service
providers," said Scott Thompson, vice president, automotive eCommerce for Epicor.
Aftermarket businesses using the Active Updates service will automatically receive complete eCatalog data updates via overnight file transfer. Each update
contains all available data for the Epicor PartExpert suite, including new parts and application information, images and other value-added content provided by
manufacturers.
Epicor eCatalog products are among the aftermarket's most popular parts research tools, being used in an estimated 70 percent or more of over-the-counter and
electronic parts transactions in North America. The engine driving this popularity is the company's extensive set of replacement parts data, now comprising over
8 million parts, 7,500 manufacturer product lines and 22 million interchanges.
"The volume of manufacturer data we receive, validate and publish each month has grown exponentially over the past five years and we have made
tremendous progress in expanding our own capacity for validating and processing this data. The new weekly Active Updates data feeds are another important
investment on behalf of our eCatalog users and industry suppliers," Thompson said.
Active Updates eCatalog feeds are available to users of the following solutions: Epicor Eagle (R. 22.1 or later); J-CON (R. 65.05.20 or later in U.S.; 65.05.22 in
Canada); Prism (R. 13.1 or later in U.S.; 13.2 or later in Canada); A-DIS (R. 67.06.07 or later); Ultimate (R. 9.0.9 or later). A high-speed Internet connection is
required. This functionality is available immediately for all users of the cloud-based Internet AutoParts and Integrated Service Estimator products.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/16/2013
Epicor to Host Its Largest Insights Customer Conference in Nashville
Epicor Software Corporation is hosting the largest global customer conference in the company's over 40-year history, Insights 2013. Epicor expects to welcome
more than 3,000 users of its distribution, enterprise resource planning (ERP), human capital management (HCM), and retail solutions software to Gaylord
Opryland in Nashville, TN from May 13-16.
The global conference brings together Epicor customers, partners, and industry and product experts to collaborate on best practices, plans, tactics, strategies,
solutions and insights. To kick off the conference on Tuesday morning, opening keynote speakers include Epicor President and CEO Pervez Qureshi and
Epicor Chief Marketing Officer John Hiraoka. Qureshi and Hiraoka will share business highlights, market insights and how visionary technology drives business
innovation.
"With our largest conference ever, Insights 2013 will showcase sessions from all aspects of the extended value chain and provide more opportunities for our
customers worldwide to network with each other," said Qureshi. "We are thrilled to engage and collaborate with customers to inspire innovation and creativity to
enable more dynamic user experiences, valuable knowledge and insight that attendees will bring back to their organizations to gain the most benefit from their
Epicor software solutions."
Joe Montana, legendary NFL quarterback and author of "The Winning Spirit: 16 Timeless Principles That Drive Performance Excellence," will provide the
Wednesday, May 15, keynote address. Widely considered as the best NFL quarterback of all time, Montana was twice named the NFL's Most Valuable Player
and led the San Francisco 49ers to four Super Bowl wins, earning three Super Bowl Most Valuable Player awards. He was selected to eight Pro Bowls and
named All-Pro five times. Montana retired from professional football in 1995 and to honor his achievements, he was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in
2000. Montana now brings his lessons of preparation, teamwork and performance under pressure to large and small business audiences as a popular
motivational speaker.
Other Insights keynote presentations will be delivered by Executive Vice President Research and Development Paul Farrell, Executive Vice President and
General Manager Retail Distribution Craig McCollum, Executive Vice President and General Manager Retail Solutions Paul Salsgiver, Vice President ERP
Product Marketing Malcolm Fox, Vice President Technology Strategy Erik Johnson, and Vice President Retail Solutions Marketing Ian Rawlins.
Following the keynote presentations, manufacturing, distribution, retail and services industry leaders will offer sessions on a wide range of topics including cloud
computing, customer service and segmentation, enterprise IT management, human capital management, industrial manufacturing, innovations in wholesale
distribution, and more.
With over 700 sessions, Epicor customers will have the opportunity to select from dedicated education tracks focused specifically on their products and
solutions. Insights attendees will benefit from:
Customized schedule and network with experts for Epicor ERP, Epicor Eagle, Epicor Prophet 21, Epicor Eclipse, and Epicor Retail to explore industry-focused
agendas and real-world collaboration.
Engage and share ideas at the Solutions Pavilion, where partners can highlight new and add-on products and services, and provide hands-on troubleshooting
to address individual questions.
Hands-on training sessions to learn how to get more from their Epicor solutions; also offering extended education sessions Sunday and Monday just prior to
Insights at only $250 (valued at $495).
Ending the conference, customers are invited for an exclusive show at the Grand Ole Opry to entertain music fans across the globe.
For more information, visit insights.epicor.com.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/9/2013
Continental Outdoor Media Deploys Epicor ERP
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Continental Outdoor Media, Africa's largest billboard advertising company has deployed the Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP)
solution to manage its trans African operations.
Consisting of 23 businesses with operations spanning 14 sub-Saharan African countries, including South Africa, Continental Outdoor Media will use Epicor ERP
to automate processes and facilitate the flow of transactions between its operations across the African continent. The implementation was carried out by Epicor
Reseller Partner, New Era Solutions.
"After considering the leading ERP players, Epicor offered the most comprehensive solution at the best price. Its comprehensive asset management capabilities
really stood out for us and its ease-of-use meant that it would be more easily adopted by our users," said James Scott, chief financial officer of Continental
Outdoor Media. "With 28,000 advertising opportunities in South Africa and 14,000 in sub-Saharan Africa the Epicor system's compliance and local language
functionality helps to improve efficiency and makes it possible to operate in different markets with ease."
New Era Solutions, an Epicor Channel Partner for over 10 years, specializes in integrated and customizable IT solutions in partnership with global specialists in
ERP, warehouse management systems (WMS), customer relationship management (CRM) and mobility, offering a single-source solution.
"Epicor ERP helps businesses to be more agile and enables them to adapt quickly to change, manage processes and reduce costs in order to meet demanding
market challenges," said Johani Marais, channel manager for Epicor in Africa. "Continental Outdoor Media will now be able to consolidate data through a
centralised database, streamline their operations and have more control and accountability with every transaction."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/1/2013
Epicor Announces Newest Release of Epicor LumberTrack
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced a
major upgrade to Epicor® LumberTrack™ (formerly from Progressive Solutions), a comprehensive business software solution for lumber and wood products
manufacturers and wholesale distributors. The new version of LumberTrack gives customers advanced customization tools to create role-based user
experiences, simplify screens, streamline data entry, extend data accessibility and support multiple languages.
Epicor LumberTrack is a feature-rich software solution that provides accurate inventory information in real time and integrates all business management functions
for hardwood and softwood sawmills, panel mills, value-added remanufacturers, distributors, wholesalers and brokers. This latest update to LumberTrack offers
the following new features:
User-defined Fields - allows users to extend the functionality of their software by giving them a bank of fields that they can easily customize with data that is
unique to their business or market. These fields can be text, date, numbers or calculated macro commands.
Data Access and Extension - The software's data management system more readily allows data to flow into other applications, such as the Epicor Dispatch and
Delivery Management System™ (DDMS), to extend the functionality into other parts of the business.
Flexible User Interface - The software's new FlexGrid technology allows users to clear screen clutter and customize the information displayed according to their
job function. By displaying only the data they need, users can monitor their KPIs, identify key tasks more quickly and streamline data entry.
Multilingual Support - The new release is architected to support any language, including languages that require double-byte character sets (e.g., Japanese,
Korean and Chinese).
Multiple Windows - Allows users to work on multiple transactions simultaneously.
Export Functionality - Epicor is building on LumberTrack's strong feature set for lumber exporters by adding a new Letter of Credit module.
"Epicor LumberTrack is a proven product that successfully manages many of the top lumber and wood products businesses," said Keith Matterson, vice
president of LumberTrack for Epicor. "In this latest update, Epicor focused on improving the user interface to make LumberTrack that much easier to use and
extendable. LumberTrack works the way you do."
One of the top 10 lumber producers in the U.S., Idaho Forest Group, uses LumberTrack to manage its five mills in Northern Idaho and is a beta site for the new
release of LumberTrack. "The previous version of LumberTrack provided a comprehensive business management solution, and we are excited about the added
flexibility of the new version," said Melody Martz, sales analyst for Idaho Forest Group. "LumberTrack will now give us the ability to customize our application to
capture and display additional information that is most important to us by utilizing enhanced user-defined fields. We can name a field, define its type, and instantly
begin using it system-wide without waiting for an enhancement."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 3/7/2013
Epicor Renews Energy Management Solution to Support Environmental Sustainability
Rebranded Offering Aligns Business Practices to Help Companies Reduce Operational Costs and Energy Impact
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today unveiled
Epicor Energy Management, formerly Epicor Carbon Connect. The rebranded Epicor Energy Management suite provides companies the ability to identify,
analyze, audit, track, manage, benchmark and report on energy consumption, environmental impact and carbon emissions.
According to a report from Gartner, Inc., "Recent economic considerations, such as rising energy prices and burgeoning operating costs, are the primary drivers
for current investments in energy management. In addition, environmental and sustainability considerations are pertinent to the business case for many
companies -- in particular, for those in jurisdictions where greenhouse gases (GHGs) are regulated, or where the brand benefits of improving a company's
sustainability scorecard come into play." (1)
With economic uncertainty, organizations must have a valid means of measuring energy management initiatives to justify continued investment. Epicor Energy
Management helps customers to provide automated reports that demonstrate measurable savings and meaningful measurement of sustainability programs. This
validation translates to justification of further investment and expenditures to support environmental sustainability.
"Epicor Energy Management delivers an integrated assessment of the company's devices and energy usage to give customers a baseline of where they are
now and how to move forward in the future," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing at Epicor. "More importantly, this is a collaboration to help our
customers develop a strategic energy management plan that inspires efficiency across their organization."
As part of the next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, Epicor Energy Management is available on-premise or on-demand. This solution
allows companies to calculate their expected emissions output and budget for their environmental cost factors. Epicor Energy Management is a fundamental
function of an overall financial management and accounting system to enable companies to engage in emissions accounting for regulatory, public relations,
marketing and operational efficiency purposes.
For more information on the Epicor Energy Management solution, visit http://www.epicor.com/Solutions/Pages/Energy-Management.aspx.
(1) Gartner Research Inc. "Energy Management Makes the Difference in Cutting Operational Costs," by Hiranya Fernando, Leif Eriksen, January 30, 2012
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 3/5/2013
Epicor Brings Mobile to Latest Version of the Human Capital Management Solution
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
general availability of its latest human capital management (HCM) solution, Epicor HCM version 5.7.1. Epicor HCM is a complete human resource information
system (HRIS) that automates HR processes, enabling companies to track, manage and analyze employee data throughout the entire employee lifecycle. The
newest release delivers HCM Mobile Connect and enhanced global frameworks with country specific functionality, including detailed Canada profiles.
"Based on customer demand, we are continuing to deliver integrated features to support HCM needs across organizations globally," said Diana Van Blaricom,
senior product marketing manager, human capital management solutions for Epicor. "By adding HCM Mobile Connect and enriched global framework
functionality, organizations have more flexibility and outlook to manage employee operations than ever before."
Extending Platform Flexibility
HCM Mobile Connect provides access to users for daily tasks via Apple® iPad®, iPhone® or Android® devices. With no application installation required, users
can easily login through a device's web browser to prevent companies from needing to support various versions of device applications. Employees can simply
bookmark the URL in the web browser to provide direct entry for the login page. The new mobile features include:
Managers have the ability to respond to time-off requests or balances, approve any workflow routes, manage contacts and take any action that needs approval.
Employees can access pertinent insurance data, update their personal information, submit time-off or leave of absence and click-to-call while searching the
company directory.
Create and update To-Do lists on-the-go.
Designed to meet the needs of any organization, HCM Mobile Connect is offered on-demand as software as a service (SaaS) subscription, hosted or on-premise
license.
Increasing Global Framework Support
The new country specific functionality profile provides unique needs based on the users location. Enhancements allow users to:
Modify fields and labels based on the employee location the user is viewing.
Configure the system to show or hide certain menu items and specific codes in select lists.
Run standard reports that can be labeled to country specific functionality.
Location-specific home pages help deliver a blend of relevant communication and corporate standards at each site. Further, the HCM version 5.7.1 release
features a specific country profile for Canada. The features include employee data fields and select regulatory reports, including the Employment Equity Act
Report.
The latest version of Epicor HCM is available as an integral part of the Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite, as well as an independent, end-to-end
solution. Epicor HCM is supported on Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012, leveraging those system environments to take advantage of the latest server technologies.
Available as on-demand software as a service (SaaS), hosted, or on-premise license, Epicor HCM can be deployed according to organization requirements
without compromising functionality.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 3/4/2013
Epicor Cited as a Point-of-Service "Leader" by Independent Research Firm
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced it
has been positioned as a "Leader" in a recent evaluation by Forrester Research, Inc. to assess the state of the point-of-service (POS) market.
George Lawrie, vice president, principal analyst with Forrester, and author of the report writes, "Orchestrating the retail brand experience, from returning goods to
picking up online orders, means enabling consumers and store associates to exploit information sources ranging from context-sensitive messaging to price
comparison services to peer recommendations on social networks. Forrester has found that the latest generation of point-of-service solutions serenades the
consumer by orchestrating store devices, enterprise resources, and community services into a retail brand symphony."(1)
Epicor was among the select companies invited to participate in The Forrester Wave™: Point-Of-Service, Q2 2012 report published February 7, 2013, and
designed to help application development and delivery professionals select the right partner for their needs in implementing large-scale point-of-service systems.
Forrester evaluated 10 significant POS vendors against 70 criteria grouped by current offering, vendor strategy and market presence. Epicor was cited as a
leader, achieving the top rank for "market presence" with the highest possible score for implementation scale, and the highest score for architecture under the
"current offering" criteria.
According to the report, "As might be expected given its experience in specialty retail implementations, Epicor has the most impressive pickup and delivery
functionality. The solution also offers multicountry and multilanguage capabilities, superior line-busting, a wide choice of deployment options, and experience with
large-scale implementations." (2)
"Being recognized as a leader in point-of-service solution is, in our opinion, a testament to the strength of our end-to-end retail software suite," said Ian Rawlins,
vice president, product marketing, retail software solutions for Epicor. "Epicor retail software solutions are leveraged by the world's leading retail brands -- from
store to retail enterprise applications that enable retailers to integrate sales channels, order management, POS systems, inventory, and other operations for
access to the right information at the right time."
Epicor Retail Store is an integrated suite of applications that optimize transactions and customer engagement, in store and across channels, with unrivalled
flexibility. Developed using the Microsoft .NET platform, Epicor Retail Store is a complete store-system suite with a wide range of high real-time, central ROI
applications including enterprise selling, return/exchange management, customer relationship management (CRM), and mobility functionality.
(1, 2) Forrester Research, Inc. "The Forrester Wave™: Point-Of-Service, Q2 2012" by George Lawrie (February 7, 2013)
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 2/28/2013
Central Services, Enhanced Accounting Features Now Available Through Epicor Vision Automotive Aftermarket Software
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail, and services organizations, has introduced a
new version of its Epicor Vision™ business management software that enables automotive replacement parts distributors to provide pricing, parts maintenance
and other "central services" to independent jobbers who utilize the Epicor Eagle® store management solution. Epicor Vision software also allows distributors to
operate their own stores without the need of a separate business management solution.
The new central services capability helps independents reduce labor expenses and enhance their competitive position through the availability of comprehensive
pricing updates, sales-based stocking recommendations, parts maintenance and other critical information. The addition of central services complements Epicor
Vision software's existing hosting capability, which enables independents to operate their stores using the distributor's server.
"With Epicor Vision software, you have a choice in how to best support the operational needs of your independent customers while at the same time using this
single solution to run your company stores," said Steve Bieszczat, senior vice president, automotive and marketing, retail distribution solutions for Epicor. "This
level of versatility is unmatched among aftermarket distribution software."
In addition to the new central services feature, this release extends the software's timesaving graphical user interface to all areas of the integrated accounting
package, including a full range of Accounts Payable functions. Other key new enhancements include spreadsheet upload capability for transfers, orders and
credit memos covering multiple customers; the ability to stage automated purchase orders well in advance of anticipated business needs; and an expanded
range of warehouse sourcing options by customer.
Epicor Vision software now also enables users to integrate Epicor Vista® parts demand intelligence to dramatically improve purchasing and stocking decisions
based on local and regional demand for specific parts. By incorporating this information, users can more effectively customize local inventories based on actual
part consumption, anticipate and address emerging service trends, and increase sales, margins and customer loyalty.
"By choosing the Epicor Vision solution, distributors of all sizes can take a 'no limits' approach to business management and market intelligence," Bieszczat said.
"The range of capabilities and competitive advantages continues to grow with each new release based on user input and extensive market research."
Epicor Vision software is a highly flexible and scalable solution for distributors and jobbers who want to control costs through extremely efficient inventory
management and differentiate their businesses by delivering a superior customer experience. Already in use by several leading automotive aftermarket
distributors, the system features world-class customer relationship management (CRM) tools, a centralized database, integrated accounting, and other features
that help drive sales and operational efficiency.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 2/21/2013
Epicor and CNRG Announce First Epicor Eagle Hosted Conversion
Home Hardware Center Live With Software as a Service Hosted Environment
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the company's first major implementation of Epicor® Eagle® delivered in a software as a service (SaaS) hosted environment. Home Hardware Center, the first
retailer of Central Network Retail Group (CNRG) to undergo the hosted solution conversion, successfully completed integration in early February 2013.
CNRG, founded in Mississippi in 2011, was formed with the goal of assembling partnerships with strong retail brands and developing strategic formats to
leverage a best-in-industry management and technological infrastructure. The company operates 41 home center and hardware stores in seven Southern
states -- 38 of those currently operate using Epicor solutions. CNRG strives to offer consumers regional merchandise selection and availability provided by
independent hardware chains and home centers while taking advantage of the merchandising efficiencies enjoyed by national chains.
"CNRG is a multi-brand, multi-format retailer in the hardware and home center industry," said Boyden Moore, president of CNRG. "Many of our acquisitions have
been Epicor customers and we needed to pull them together. We challenged the team at Epicor to come up with a solution that made more sense to us. We
feel strongly that a cloud-based or hosted solution provides a better infrastructure for the speed and flexibility our company needs. Epicor was able to fulfill that
requirement by offering us the Epicor Eagle hosting service for our 21 Home Hardware Center stores. The transition from our server to the hosted server was
extremely smooth."
Home Hardware Center, based in Mississippi, is the first CNRG retailer to make the switch. "The conversion and go-live was an absolute success," said Jimmy
Smith, chairman of CNRG and founder of Home Hardware Center. "The integration with our multi-store layout was fast and seamless. There was no downtime,
all our stores and terminals were up and running first thing Monday morning."
"We are pleased to announce the successful implementation of the hosted Epicor Eagle solution in partnership with CNRG," said Craig McCollum, executive
vice president and general manager, retail distribution solutions for Epicor. "In today's businesses, every resource must be weighed in order to operate at
maximum efficiency with cost effectiveness at the top-of-mind. Hosted solutions can provide significant time savings over on-premise environments, which allows
for more time to focus on driving business initiatives and serving customers."
CNRG's Home Hardware Center now runs their business from a highly error-tolerant datacenter environment by subscribing to the Epicor Eagle hosting service.
"We believe with Epicor Eagle hosting our data and our business is safer than it has ever been," said Smith. The company's critical business data is located in
an Epicor Tier-4 datacenter that provides significant redundancy and fault-tolerance in regards to power, network circuits, backups, security, and server
hardware.
The latest version of the Epicor Eagle software includes the comprehensive hosting capability that enables businesses, like CNRG, to offer use of their software
to independent retail members. This important feature allows for the support, growth, increased efficiency, and safety for the retailers. All proprietary information is
protected for each business using the Epicor Eagle hosting service.
For more information regarding Epicor Eagle hosting service please contact Epicor at 888-463-4700 or your Epicor representative.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 2/14/2013
Epicor Leads in Market Share of POS Software Vendors
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, announced today
the company has been named one of the leading vendors of point of sale (POS) software, as recognized by independent retail management consulting firm
Boston Retail Partners (BRP) in its 14th Annual POS Benchmarking Survey.
BRP surveyed more than 500 North American retailers for the survey, soliciting responses from October through December 2012 to gain insight into their planned
initiatives, priorities, and future trends. Respondents were generally C-level executives or VP/directors of store systems or information technology. Nearly two-
thirds of the survey respondents fell into the specialty category with the remainder in other lines of trade such as general merchandise, grocery, and
convenience and fuel. Of the retailers surveyed, the breakdown in size based on gross annual revenue included a broad selection of Tier 1, 2, and 3 retailers
with nearly 60% above $1 billion and even 23% above $5 billion.
When retailers were asked what vendor software they used for traditional POS, Epicor was one of the top responses.
The survey also sought to identify key trends, new challenges and opportunities facing retailers in their POS deployments, including mobile and cross-channel --
which align with Epicor Retail current product offerings and key strategic initiatives Epicor has in place to ensure it continues to deliver new and emerging
capabilities. (See Epicor Unveils Multi-Year Strategic Plan to Fuel Growth in the Retail Technology Sector).
According to survey results, retailers are looking at mobile POS and customer-facing mobile solutions as a focus for 2013 -- with more than half of the retailers
increasing their spending in these two areas. Retailers are planning to increase their reliance on customer-owned mobile devices with more than half of the
retailers surveyed indicating that these devices may account for up to 50% of the point-of-sale technology devices used by the end of 2014. BRP notes, "The
possibilities continue to expand as mobile can be used for customer service, as a sales channel, and to provide in-store product information."
Additionally BRP says that retailers are seeking real-time integration across all channels and touch points to offer customers the omni-channel support, enabled
through centralized technology platform for store, mobile, and web. According to BRP, "To support the omni-channel experience, retailers need tight integration
across multiple systems and a strong Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) Layer provides this. This technology is what enables a true omni-channel environment
and ensures exceptional customer service while retailers simplify their support structure and lower costs."
"Point of sale technology plays a key role in helping retailers best serve their customers across all channels," said Ian Rawlins, vice president of marketing and
business development, retail software for Epicor. "Through mobility, cross-channel support and the underlying SOA architecture that enables this all, Epicor is
committed to providing retail technology solutions that enable retailers to fully run and drive their business and meet customers' evolving needs."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 2/14/2013
Epicor Chief Executive Honored for Supply Chain Innovation
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that its President and Chief Executive Officer Pervez Qureshi has been named a 2013 "Pros to Know" award winner by Supply & Demand Chain Executive
magazine, an international B2B publication that provides mission-critical editorial to address the issues and challenges of the supply chain.
Honoring the supply chain's best and brightest, Supply & Demand Chain Executive's "Pros to Know" include professionals proactively working to improve
business functions in a number of categories -- including manufacturing and production output; procurement; logistics; risk mitigation strategies; sourcing;
financial operations; packaging and distribution; transportation; and more.
Now in its 13th year, the Supply & Demand Chain Executive "Pros to Know" awards recognize both ends of the supply chain. This includes honoring the
"providers"; e.g., individuals from software firms, service providers, consultancies or academia who helped their supply chain clients or the supply chain
community prepare to meet industry challenges. Qureshi was named in this category. Also recognized are "practitioners"; e.g., those supply chain executives
who demonstrated leadership by managing risk in the supply chain; provided competitive advantage; and delivered value to the bottom line.
"The efforts that a number of the industry's leading executives continue to take to improve their business's functionality and in turn, progress the global supply
chain -- this was one of the main reasons we started the 'Pros to Know' awards in the first place," said Barry Hochfelder, editor, Supply & Demand Chain
Executive.
"Epicor continues to develop next-generation enterprise solutions that will support business operations on a full range of supply chain management capabilities
within a single integrated platform, ultimately helping to grow suppliers' revenues and profitability," said Qureshi. "On behalf of all Epicor employees, I am honored
to have Supply & Demand Chain Executive recognize our contributions to innovation in the industry."
For the 2013 "Pros to Know" list, the publication's editorial selection committee reviewed close to 400 entries to find the applicants that best fit the criteria.
Submission information criteria for the provider entries included:
What does the nominee believe to be the key challenges facing their customers and their supply chains in the year ahead and how is the nominee working with
them to meet those challenges? Please cite an example of the impact that these projects or initiatives are having for those customers.
How can supply chain, as a function, be better aligned with a company's broader corporate strategy?
The full list of 2013 "Pros to Know" awards winners is now available on www.sdcexec.com. The expanded awards coverage featuring Qureshi and other
winners will appear in the March 2013 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine and online thereafter.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 2/5/2013
Carrier West Selects Epicor to Advance Its Business to the Next Level
HVAC Distributor to Implement Epicor Prophet 21 ERP to Increase Efficiency and Streamline Business Processes
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Carrier West of Denver, Colorado, has selected Epicor Prophet 21 enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to increase business efficiency and
streamline processes for overall performance. Carrier West will join many of the most successful HVAC distributors in North America that use an Epicor ERP
system to improve warehouse, order and inventory management; purchasing automation; financial management; and reporting and business intelligence
analysis.
With four locations in Colorado and 110 employees, Carrier West has been providing HVAC equipment for the residential and commercial markets in Colorado
and Wyoming since 1991.
Having observed Epicor working with other Carrier distributors, Carrier West representatives decided to participate in the 2012 Epicor Insights Users Conference,
attended by more than 1,500 fellow distributors from multiple industry segments. According to Roger Lee, CFO of Carrier West, "We came out of the meeting
with an understanding of how Epicor is focused on distribution with investment dollars, technology, and a vision for the future of the industry. We decided to
introduce our management team to Epicor and their software solutions. After several days of evaluations, it became obvious that Epicor provided us with the
best alternative to not only operate our company today, but could become our technology partner of the future."
Carrier West users will benefit from a fully integrated solution that incorporates a Microsoft Windows®-based platform and SQL Server® database offering in-
depth data analytic tools for ease of retrieving information, and built-in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) capabilities to drive additional revenue. In
addition, the Epicor ICE Business Architecture will give Carrier West the ability to mobilize its staff and make them more proactive regarding customer needs.
"Carrier West is a good example of what we can do for Carrier group members," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing for Epicor. "The Epicor
Prophet 21 ERP solution includes many tools to make Carrier distributors more productive, including their own custom design of screens and fields, and in-depth
system alerts and workflows, as well as the ability to streamline their front counter sales. And we will deliver lean business consulting to help them drive waste
and errors out of their day-to-day processes."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 1/24/2013
M-TEK Chooses Epicor for Complex Electronics Manufacturing
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that M-TEK, a UK-headquartered electronics sub-contractor offering full turn-key manufacturing and test services, has selected the Epicor next-generation
enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to support its complex service offering and rapid expansion.
Founded in 1996, M-TEK offers a wide range of services to original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) that rely on high quality electronics manufacturing. From
initial design and prototyping to volume manufacture, testing and electro-mechanical assembly, the management team has worked hard to make the business as
successful as it is, doubling its revenue in the last two years, continuously hiring talent, investing in new machinery, investigating and implementing new
processes, and subsequently growing M-TEK's portfolio of value added services.
"The business challenge we face is having our current ERP system support the plethora of specific requirements dictated by our OEM's most technically
challenging designs and complex builds," said Frederick Kayrouz, general manager for M-TEK. "In parallel, the addition of high calibre talents and business best
practices implemented in the operations, process engineering and supply chain business units have further strained our ERP backbone. Hence our ERP system
needed to be phased out and replaced to ensure we can continue to provide the granular details that our customers need in terms of manufacturing operations,
lifecycle traceability and supply chain management. Our existing system is really a finance package with an ERP module, substantiated by a number of our own
in-house developed software solutions to support the required additional functionality."
M-TEK wanted a solution that would not only support its core functional requirements out of the box, but that could continue to support the business as it grows,
help and direct staff to perform seat oriented tasks more efficiently, and allow new functions such as real-time metrics monitoring through dashboards and custom
reports, full product development and lifecycle management and support, as well as customer portals.
"We want our customers to be able to consult their dedicated components stock levels in our bonded stores and monitor live order progress. This ultimately
gives them the increased confidence of having selected the right partner who is in return offering them a 24-hour unrestricted visibility of their dedicated
manufacturing slots and the progress and completion rate of their outstanding order book," added Kayrouz. "Equally, we want to better plan and control the
progress of project elements that we sub-contract to off-site business units working under the M-TEK umbrella. Epicor is going to give us internal and external
visibility of the business in a way that has not been possible before."
M-TEK reviewed a number of solutions before selecting Epicor, and considered upgrades from its existing supplier. The management team decided the time
investment needed to update its existing systems meant there was negligible cost difference in implementing a new system, but much greater value in appointing
Epicor as a new end-to-end solution, over others considered.
"We've reached a size where we need staff performing specific roles at a higher throughput -- we are no longer a few people with many hats," concluded
Kayrouz. "Epicor is a system that will put all the knowledge of the business in the hands of every user, when they need it, and allow them to work much more
efficiently and intelligently towards the set targets."
"Epicor offers customers across a wide range of verticals a huge range of functionality straight out of the box," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product
marketing at Epicor. "Time and time again customers are telling us that they want industry best-practice processes coupled with the flexibility to configure a
solution to the specific needs of their business. Epicor is proving itself to deliver on those needs, by giving customers absolute control over their ERP solution."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 1/15/2013
Epicor Unveils Multi-Year Strategic Plan to Fuel Growth in the Retail Technology Sector
Key Initiatives Include Support for Global Market Requirements, Cross-Channel Retailing, and Cloud to Enhance Market Share and Expand Global Footprint
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today unveiled a
multi-year strategic plan to grow its market share and expand its global footprint in the retail technology space, here at the NRF 2013, the industry's premier retail
technology showcase.
Recognized as the No. 1 vendor of point of sale (POS) software among the top 250 largest specialty soft goods and hard goods retailers by an independent
research and advisory firm(1), Epicor is the retail technology partner of choice for thousands of retailers -- from Aeropostale and Build-A-Bear Workshop, to
General Nutrition Centers, True Value Company and Under Armour.
The multi-year strategic plan is designed to enable Epicor to maintain and grow its leadership position, and is initially focused on four strategic priorities: global
expansion, cross-channel execution, and continuing investments in both POS and enterprise cloud technology. To support these initiatives, the company has
allocated significant new resources in the form of monetary investments and the addition of new personnel.
The key initiatives align with new and emerging requirements in the retail sector, one of which is retail globalization. According to a survey of 326 major
international retailers conducted by CBRE, the globalization of the retail sector continued to gain steam in 2012, with almost half (47%) of the retailers in the
survey having a presence in The Americas, Europe Middle East and Africa (EMEA) and Asia Pacific.(2)
To this end, Epicor has established a new international business development, sales, services and support unit to support the globalization requirements of
retailers doing business in APAC, Latin America and EMEA. Epicor will also look to partner with local resources to support in-region sales, services and support.
The company is committed to supporting global market requirements in its core applications, and Epicor also will ready its end-to-end retail technology suite for
global deployment.
Another Epicor initiative aligning with a key focus for retailers in 2013 and beyond is cross-channel execution. Underscoring its importance to retailers, Ebeltoft
Group´s 2012 Global Cross Channel Retailing report says, "For most market leading retailers and their challengers, cross channel will be an imperative, not an
option."(3)
Epicor has been a leader in cross-channel execution solutions for many years. Existing proven solutions include Epicor Retail Enterprise Selling and Multi-
Channel Transaction Adapter solutions that enable a seamless cross-channel fulfillment capability. To take these solutions to the next level and further
differentiate its cross-channel capabilities, Epicor plans to deliver a single, integrated order management and fulfillment solution across channels and offer
eCommerce and Mobile Commerce integrations leveraging the Epicor Retail Multi-Channel Transaction Adapter (MCTA) and Order Management Systems. Epicor
also will focus on expanding eCommerce and cross channel sales and partner integration.
"Our multi-year strategic plan outlines the key priorities for Epicor to develop and expand its capabilities to meet the new and emerging needs of advanced
retailers," said Ian Rawlins, vice president, retail marketing and business development for Epicor. "It's important to communicate this vision both internally and
also for our valued retail clients, and execution is key. To enable us to achieve our strategic goals and make good on these commitments, we're investing
millions of dollars to make certain we have the right resources in place to ensure success. To this end, in fiscal 2013 alone, Epicor is expanding its retail
development organization by more than 30%."
The additional development resources will support Epicor commitments in cloud-based architecture development, the other initiatives outlined in the multi-year
strategic plan. To support best-in-class scalability, the company will leverage cloud-based technologies across the Epicor Retail Enterprise product suite and will
focus on leveraging cloud-based transaction logic for a unified single enterprise transaction platform to support centralized POS and cross-channel transactions.
Last year, a study from IBM revealed 70 percent of mid-sized businesses plan to deploy cloud technology to improve IT systems and lower costs.(4) Retail, with
a highly distributed environment, with hundreds and sometimes thousands of physical locations, thousands of distributed associates and often millions of
consumers all needing access to up-to-date and integrated information and transaction systems, is the ideal environment to leverage a cloud infrastructure.
Together these strategic initiatives represent a significant multi-year commitment by the organization and will enable Epicor Retail to maintain and expand its
market leadership position in general and specialty retail markets on a global basis.
(1) IHL Group, "A Retailers Guide: POS Software for Softgoods Retailers" (Sept. 26, 2012) and "A Retailers Guide: POS Software for Hardgoods Retailers"
(Sept. 28, 2012).
(2) How Global is the Business of Retail?, CBRE, April 2012,
cbre.com/AssetLibrary/120413%20How%20Global%20is%20the%20Business%20of%20Retail%20-%20Executive%20Summary.pdf.
(3) 2012 Global Cross Channel Retailing, Ebeltoft Group, June 2012, shop.org/c/document_library/get_file?folderId=164&name=DLFE-988.pdf.
(4) Inside the Midmarket: A 2011 Perspective, IBM, 2011,
304.ibm.com/businesscenter/cpe/download0/214954/Inside_the_MM_UK_report.pdf.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 1/14/2013
Epicor Introduces New CRM Offering to Support Retailers' Efforts to Foster Customer Engagement and Loyalty
Key Features Such as Out-of-the-Box, Multidivisional Support in a Single Database and Loyalty Program Automation Help Retailers Keep Their CRM Resolutions
in the New Year
Retail Software Solutions
NRF 2013 -- Booth 1805 Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services
organizations, today introduced Epicor Retail CRM 7.0, the newest retail customer engagement tool in the market leader's product portfolio that offers
streamlined customer views and robust loyalty functionality for simpler, more automated customer relationship management (CRM) program management.
Completely redesigned, Epicor Retail CRM 7.0 allows retailers to leverage customer data and loyalty program-generated content and simplifies CRM tasks for all
retail personnel -- from the executive suite to the selling floor. The newly revamped Epicor Retail CRM 7.0 solution boasts comprehensive loyalty program
automation, sophisticated query tools, and support for the needs of today's multidivisional retail enterprise.
With Epicor Retail CRM 7.0, loyalty program functionality is automated, eliminating manual processes to save retailers time and effort. As retailers set rules for
different loyalty program tiers, Epicor Retail CRM 7.0 automatically upgrades, downgrades, terminates or renews membership types. This allows for more flexibility
in loyalty program design, and supports more timely and accurate membership data as qualifications change in real-time. Additionally, it enables personnel to
focus on more significant value-added loyalty program tasks.
Epicor also brings new query tools to market in its latest CRM offering; these tools are the heart of the system -- used to select which customers to run queries on
for targeting purposes. Based on a new, graphical flow chart design, querying now includes step-by-step counts of customers so users can see how each
criteria selected or identified affects list counts. Designed for visual thinkers, the tool is easy to understand and relate to, offers faster debugging of list criteria if
anticipated customer counts do not materialize, and tasks that previously required multiple queries can now be achieved via a single request.
Finding one CRM solution that offers support for multiple divisions and/or multiple brands is a key requirement for many retailers today. With true multidivisional
support right out of the box and no customization required, Epicor Retail CRM 7.0 gives retailers a complete omni-channel and holistic view of customers across
brands, channels and continents. Information resides in a single database with the option to limit access as desired -- providing the ability to isolate customer
information for security purposes or integrate it across divisions or geographies. This single view of the customer across divisions and brands reduces effort and
time required to maintain multiple databases, offers franchise markets exposure to true CRM capabilities, and provides a foundation for Epicor to support multi-
tenant CRM.
"From a new user interface built on an Epicor Retail SOA foundation to an overall more modern look, feel and robust new functionality on all levels, Epicor Retail
CRM 7.0 will truly transform how retailers work with and consider all things CRM," said Dave Burton, product director CRM and services, Epicor. "Multi-division
capabilities open up a whole new world of possibilities to many retailers who currently operate without a holistic view of customers across their brand family, while
new query functionality and loyalty automation will astound CRM power users and make ramp-up easy for 'CRM newbies.'"
Retailers Stay Top of Mind with Consumers with CRM
For years, savvy retailers have come to rely on Epicor Retail CRM to drive profits and better understand consumer behavior and shopping patterns. One such
customer is award-winning fashion jewelry and accessories retailer charming charlie. Using the Epicor Retail CRM platform, the retailer is piloting a new rewards
program to improve customer engagement, gain a stronger understanding of shoppers' habits, leverage customer data to make better business decisions, and
drive improved sales.
"Using Epicor Retail CRM to collect and analyze customer information, our email subscriber base continues to grow as customers respond to our CRM
initiatives," said Kim Lewis, CRM director, charming charlie. "All of our program metrics have improved -- to the tune of a 600% increase in email delivery year-
over-year this past quarter. That kind of growth is staggering!"
Specialty retailer A.C. Moore also recently implemented Epicor Retail CRM to strengthen customer relations and support future loyalty/reward initiatives.
Leveraging the Epicor Retail CRM solution, A.C. Moore now has a 360-degree view of its customers, arming the retailer with a broad set of complementary tools
to build and manage loyalty programs, execute and manage campaigns and promotions, analyze customer data and transaction information across sales
channels, segment and manage lists, and analyze and measure the impact of CRM efforts. Designed to support multiple sales channels, Epicor Retail CRM
allows A.C. Moore to focus on its omni-channel CRM initiatives to support more simplified and seamless customer interaction via real-time connectivity across all
channels.
"We understand investing in today's most intuitive and robust technology allows our team to attain a clear, consolidated view of our customer base so we can
better cater to them through whichever channel they prefer to shop," said Dewey Goodrich, vice president of IT Operations for A.C. Moore. "Epicor technology
provides the right tools to unveil one 'version of the truth' across all retail systems, enabling us to understand and connect with our customers."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 1/14/2013
The Jones Group Inc., Leverages the Power of Mobility With Epicor Retail Mobile Store
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, announced today
that The Jones Group Inc. (formerly Jones Apparel Group) (NYSE: JNY), a Fortune 500 company and designer, marketer and wholesaler of branded clothing,
shoes and accessories, is leveraging the power of mobility to enhance operations and better serve customers from anywhere throughout its physical store
locations.
Through its internationally recognized brands and licensing agreements, The Jones Group Inc. represents more than 35 of fashion's most enduring and inspiring
brands such as: Nine West, Jones New York, Anne Klein, Rachel Roy, Stuart Weitzman, Easy Spirit, Enzo Angiolini, Givenchy, Judith Jack and Albert Nipon.
The company joins a growing list of other "upwardly mobile" retailers leveraging the powerful award-winning Epicor® Retail Store offering. Fully mobile-enabled
for easy deployment and use on Apple® iPad®, iPod® and Windows® mobile devices, Mobile Store brings information directly to sales associates' fingertips -- to
serve customers from anywhere on the floor. With Mobile Store, retailers can create and complete transactions from anywhere -- the sales floor, dressing room,
sidewalk, special event, pop-up store, kiosk, etc. Associates can access on-hand inventory and quickly find out-of-stock items to be delivered or picked up
without ever having to leave the customer. Store personnel also gain efficiencies with Mobile Store to perform day-to-day inventory management functions such
as receiving, shipping, and physical inventory processing.
Now in pilot across numerous stores, The Jones Group has armed store associates with iPod devices complementing traditional registers. Using the iPod
devices, store associates are free to assist customers on the floor, "untethered" from the register. Customers paying via credit card can be completely checked
out by the associates using the iPod devices, and pick up their receipt via a centralized printer in the store.
"At The Jones Group, we're committed to doing all we can to make the in-store shopping experience interactive and efficient, and we view mobile as key to
enhancing our store operations and customer service efforts," said Scott Bowman, group president of Global Retail and International Development of The Jones
Group. "Armed with a simple mobile device such as an iPod, our store associates have all the same functionality as they have on a traditional register -- right in
the palms of their hands."
"The mobile device has given rise to the empowered consumer, but retailers are using mobility strategically to gain competitive advantages as well," said Ian
Rawlins, vice president of marketing and business development, retail software for Epicor. "Leading retailers such as The Jones Group are embracing mobile
solutions to transform their retail operations and enhance the in-store shopping experience to meet the needs and expectations of today's connected
consumers."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 1/9/2013
Epicor Invites Retailers to Help Raise Funds for the Retail Orphan Initiative
Epicor Invites Retailers to Help Raise Funds for the Retail Orphan Initiative and Take Home a build-a-bear smallfrys Stuffed Animal NRF Show Attendees Invited
to Do a 'Beary' Good Deed to Benefit a Very Good Cause
Retail Software Solutions
Normally you wouldn't expect to see bears, bunnies and sock monkeys roaming the New York City area, but that will all change in a few days when the retail
elite meet at the annual NRF show at the Jacob Javits Center, January 13-15.
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, will be giving away
build-a-bear smallfrys to benefit the Retail Orphan Initiative (RetailROI). The Build-A-Bear Workshop® stuffed animals will be looking for new loving homes at the
Epicor booth (#1805) during the annual NRF show, in exchange for a $10 donation to RetailROI.
RetailROI works to raise awareness and provide real solutions for the more than 400 million vulnerable children worldwide. Funds raised at the Epicor booth will
support the organization's many initiatives to supply grants to charities that provide hands-on efforts in areas ranging from orphan and foster care to adoption
support and child rescue from human trafficking.
"I recently had the honor of participating in a RetailROI vision trip to Liberia, and saw firsthand the tremendous opportunities and the help that we can offer --
from building classrooms to fixing property walls to ensuring every child has a desk," said Diane Cerulli, director, retail marketing for Epicor. "The impact of
RetailROI is life-changing for children and institutions. I'm hopeful the build-a-bear smallfrys will draw enough donations during NRF to hit our fundraising goal of
$10,000."
RetailROI is a charitable foundation under the umbrella of the Giving Back Fund, which was established to help the 400 million orphaned and vulnerable
children worldwide. It works to fund and bring awareness to the enormous needs of the orphans worldwide, to encourage other companies (retailers, vendors,
manufacturers) to create internal programs to support mentoring, adoptions and foster parenting and to create avenues for volunteers to get involved. In
addition, RetailROI seeks to provide opportunities to leverage their core strengths and abilities to help other charities in need in their local communities.
"Each of us can make a change in the world, and many times even the smallest gestures can make a big difference," said Greg Buzek, president of IHL Group
and donor trustee for the Retail Orphan Initiative. "The NRF Epicor/Build-A-Bear Workshop endeavor is just one small gesture to help make a difference in the
lives of these children. The funds will be used to directly provide classrooms and computers for three schools we work with in the country of Liberia -- and donors
can track our progress via video postings and blogs at RetailROI.org."
In addition to donating at NRF Epicor Booth 1805, retailers may also contribute donations and take home a Build-A-Bear Workshop furry friend at RetailROI's
annual SuperSaturday Analyst Day, which will take place Saturday, January 12 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the PwC Auditorium in New York City.
Epicor Retail Solutions
Epicor provides advanced solutions for retailers seeking to streamline processes, integrate channels, leverage intelligence and inspire customers, to maximize
profitability. The Epicor Retail end-to-end suite is designed to meet the evolving merchandise and service expectations of today's connected, cross-channel
shoppers, and the business requirements of the most demanding softgoods, hardgoods and specialty retail environments in a variety of industries including
apparel, footwear, discount, general merchandise, automotive aftermarket, lumber and building materials, nursery, and pharmacy. Thousands of leading
companies -- from Aeropostale, Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and Build-A-Bear Workshop, to General Nutrition Centers, True Value Company and Under
Armour -- trust Epicor to help them remain current, competitive, and consistently strong.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 12/19/2012
A.C. Moore Selects Epicor Retail CRM to Enhance Customer Loyalty; Sees Rapid Implementation in Approximately 100 Days
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
specialty retailer A.C. Moore has selected and implemented Epicor® Retail Customer Relationship Management (CRM) to strengthen customer relations and
support future loyalty/reward initiatives.
With 141 stores along the East Coast, A.C. Moore Arts & Crafts, Inc. brings families together for fun through creativity. In addition to traditional craft products, the
organization is well-known for its selection of scrapbooking, jewelry, floral, yarn, art supplies, children's craft kits and educational toys, as well as ready-made
frames and custom framing.
In keeping with its strong devotion to being customers' first choice for product selection, value and service that inspires and fulfills unlimited creative possibilities,
A.C. Moore wanted to better understand its customers and strengthen engagement through a richer customer experience. To do this, A.C. Moore needed to
bring data together from disparate systems as well as bring analysis of that data in-house. To meet these goals, company executives selected Epicor Retail CRM
to unify customer data, enhance point of sale (POS) functionality, and establish a foundation to support their vision for more robust customer engagement. The
company is also leveraging Epicor Retail CRM web extensions to integrate its CRM platform with its e-commerce channel.
"We knew that for A.C. Moore to be successful we needed a partner that could help us break down the various silos of data and give us one view of our
customers from all channels, which would then provide A.C. Moore a more intuitive ability to be in synch with its most important commodity -- our customers. We
felt confident that Epicor could help us achieve our goals," said Kathy Bailey, Executive Vice President of IT Operations for A.C. Moore.
Fast Time to Implementation
Rolling out a new CRM platform is a significant undertaking. Yet retailers need solutions that can be deployed in a streamlined fashion to deliver a quick return
on investment (ROI). The Epicor Retail CRM solution and related functionality was deployed in approximately 100 days.
"We moved quickly to get this initiative in place to bring better service, marketing outreach, and the 'endless aisle' to our shoppers," said Mike Lyons, Vice
President - Customer Loyalty for A.C. Moore. "To meet our tight implementation requirements, Epicor worked swiftly and demonstrated their expertise by having
systems up and running smoothly in record time. We're extremely pleased with Epicor professionals, who worked unbelievably fast to meet our rigorous
timeframe."
The Epicor Retail CRM Solution
Prior to Epicor, A.C. Moore leveraged store systems from multiple vendors across multiple databases, which lacked the efficiency, convenience and streamlined
experience they desired for employees and customers alike. Leveraging the Epicor Retail CRM solution, A.C. Moore now has a 360-degree view of its
customers, arming the retailer with a broad set of complementary tools to build and manage loyalty programs, execute and manage campaigns and promotions,
analyze customer data and transaction information across sales channels, segment and manage lists, and analyze and measure the impact of CRM efforts.
Designed to support multiple sales channels, Epicor Retail CRM technology allows A.C. Moore to focus on its omnichannel CRM initiatives to support more
simplified and seamless customer interaction. With real-time connectivity across all sales channels, Epicor Retail CRM provides the ability to offer an all-around
world-class shopping experience based on the retailer's most current customer data.
"We're committed to investing in today's most intuitive and robust technology to attain a clear, consolidated view of our customer base so we can better cater to
them -- whether they're shopping in-store or online," said Dewey Goodrich, Vice President of IT Operations for A.C. Moore. "Epicor technology provides the right
tools to really understand our customers by unveiling one 'version of the truth' across all retail systems."
"During a down economy, consumers are extremely sensitive to where and how they are spending their money; and they realize retailers will go to great lengths
to cater to them to win their business. To continue to keep their patronage and earn their trust, retailers need to do everything possible to ensure a rich,
rewarding shopping experience. A.C. Moore's investment in Epicor Retail CRM is a winning strategy to cultivate stronger customer connections that will keep its
patrons coming back for more," said Ian Rawlins, vice president, retail product marketing for Epicor.
Epicor Retail Solutions
Epicor provides advanced solutions for retailers seeking to streamline processes, integrate channels, leverage intelligence and inspire customers, to maximize
profitability. The Epicor Retail end-to-end suite is designed to meet the evolving merchandise and service expectations of today's connected, cross-channel
shoppers, and the business requirements of the most demanding softgoods, hardgoods and specialty retail environments in a variety of industries including
apparel, footwear, discount, general merchandise, automotive aftermarket, lumber and building materials, nursery, and pharmacy. Thousands of leading
companies -- from Aeropostale, Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and Build-a-Bear Workshop, to General Nutrition Centers, True Value Company and Under
Armour -- trust Epicor to help them remain current, competitive, and consistently strong.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 12/18/2012
Crescent Electric Selects Epicor Wholesale Distribution ERP to Advance Its Business to the Next Level
Epicor Eclipse Solution to Power 9th-Largest Electrical Distributor in U.S.
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Crescent Electric Supply Company of East Dubuque, Illinois, has selected the Epicor® Eclipse™ wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP)
solution to increase business efficiency and streamline processes for overall performance.
With 120 locations in 26 states, 1,600 employees, and more than $900 million in annual revenues, Crescent Electric is one of the largest independent distributors
of electrical hardware and supplies in the United States. Serving contractors, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), and the maintenance, repair and
operations (MRO) needs of commercial, industrial, institutional and utility customers since 1919, the company is currently ranked #9 in Electrical Wholesaling
magazine's "Top 200."
Crescent Electric has had a custom in-house developed ERP system since 1965. The Epicor solution will provide the company with a scalable business
management system for 1,200 users initially. Epicor Eclipse is the premier operating system in the electrical distribution industry, as over 50 percent of Electrical
Wholesaling's "Top 200" currently run the solution. Epicor will allow Crescent Electric to optimize operating efficiencies by:
Providing a Windows-based system that is extremely user-friendly and easy to learn and operate;
Providing enhanced features not currently available to Crescent Electric, such as job queues, signature capture, mobile proof of delivery and wireless
warehouse management;
Reducing operating expenses with document management, online reporting and drill-downs, and minimizing postage for shipping documents to and from the
general office;
Streamlining time-consuming processes such as customer billing, direct PO reconciliation, AP/PO reconciliation, A/R collections, inquiries and research; and
Improving access to real-time information so employees can make faster, more informed decisions.
"We feel it is critical that we provide our employees with the best tools possible in order to deliver unparalleled service to our customer base," said Martin
Burbridge, president and CEO of Crescent Electric. "Our order processing and business software is one of the most fundamental tools we use every day, and
while our mainframe system has served us well for many years, we feel the time is right to move to a new generation software offering. Therefore, we have
partnered with Epicor to leverage the Eclipse solution to advance our operations to the next level of excellence. It will allow us to do our jobs better, faster and
with a greater degree of accuracy, and our customers will benefit from the change in vastly improved customer service and data access. We will gain many
features that would take years to build if we remained on our current system, and every employee of Crescent Electric will be a part of this move to drive our
company to greater efficiency and profitability."
"With 1,200 users, Crescent Electric Supply Company joins many other over 1,000 user Epicor Eclipse installations, and provides a testament to our ongoing
commitment to this industry-leading solution for the electrical wholesale distribution market," said Kevin Roach, executive vice president and general manager,
ERP Americas for Epicor. "According to Crescent Electric executives, critical factors in their decision included a compelling return on investment, and proof of
concept that included a data conversion. Input from the company's recent acquisitions of Stoneway Electric Supply and BA Electric Supply, who already utilized
Eclipse, was also extremely valuable."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 12/13/2012
Epicor Recognized as a Leader in the Nucleus Research ERP Value Matrix
Epicor Recognized as a Leader in the Nucleus Research ERP Value Matrix
Assessment Based on Usability and Functionality for Traditional ERP and Cloud Solutions
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced it
has been positioned by Nucleus Research in the "Leader" quadrant of the 2012 second half Technology Value Matrix for ERP vendors based on evaluation of
its next-generation Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.(1)
"The new Epicor ERP solution has been built on service oriented architecture (SOA), using Microsoft® .NET technologies which, along with its embedded tools,
provides for a flexible and extensible ERP system. Its more than 70 integrated modules provide functionality for manufacturing, distribution, retail, hospitality and
services companies," said Gabriel Gheorghiu, principal analyst, Nucleus Research.
Epicor ERP is a new breed of solution designed to offer extensive usability and agility in support of application-to-application integration and business-to-business
collaboration, key to enabling the delivery of information throughout the enterprise. Built on the Epicor ICE Business Architecture, the innovative business
architecture supports multi-tenant Software as a Service (SaaS) deployments of Epicor ERP. Epicor delivers the same solution on-premise or in cloud, in both the
single-tenant and multi-tenant SaaS model for small to large manufacturers and distributors.
"Our positioning as a leader reflects our dedication to developing business solutions that enhance everyday operations and inspire new levels of success for our
customers," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing at Epicor. "Epicor ERP continues to enable business to maximize productivity and drive agile,
effective operations."
According to Nucleus Research, vendors in the "Leader" quadrant have invested in both functionality and usability features that are likely to deliver the greatest
potential returns.(2) Epicor was ranked in the "Leader" quadrant among other vendors including Infor, Microsoft Dynamics, Oracle, Plex Systems, Sage and SAP.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 11/27/2012
Epicor Wins Gold in Best in Biz Awards 2012
Independent Panel of Judges From Top-Tier News, Business and Technology Publications Determined Winners
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the company has been named a gold winner in the company category of "Fastest Growing Company of the Year" in the Best in Biz Awards 2012, the only
independent business awards program judged by members of the press and industry analysts. More than 400 entries were received in this year's awards
program, from a wide array of public and private companies of all sizes and from a variety of industries and regions in the U.S. and Canada.
This is the first year Epicor has won in the esteemed Best in Biz Awards. "We are honored to be recognized by the Best in Biz Awards," said Pervez Qureshi,
president and CEO for Epicor. "This award is a result of our ongoing commitment to provide unparalleled innovation in our technology, software, and services.
With a strong commitment to customer success -- our growth is evident in our focus to empower customers with the right tools to successfully drive their
businesses to achieve success."
Epicor offers a comprehensive range of services with its enterprise software solutions, providing a single point of accountability to promote rapid return on
investment and low total cost of ownership. Epicor enterprise software solutions provide the scalability and flexibility to meet today's business challenges, while
inspiring enterprises to achieve even greater success in the future.
Best in Biz Awards 2012 honors were presented in more than 50 categories, including Company of the Year, Most Innovative Company of the Year, Executive of
the Year and Best New Product of the Year. Winners of Best in Biz Awards 2012 were determined by an independent panel of 32 judges from top-tier news,
business and technology publications, as well as broadcast outlets and analyst firms, such as ABC, BusinessWeek, Computerworld, USA Today and ZDNet. For
a full list of gold, silver and bronze winners in Best in Biz Awards 2012, visit: http://www.bestinbizawards.com/2012-winners.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 11/20/2012
Epicor ICE Business Architecture Now Extended to Wholesale Distribution ERP Solution
Epicor Prophet 21 Users to Benefit From Enhanced Mobility, Accessibility and Interactivity
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the availability of the Epicor ICE business architecture for the Epicor Prophet 21® wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.
Epicor ICE is a modern and visionary technology developed by Epicor that enables Prophet 21 users with enhanced levels of mobility, accessibility, and
interactivity among business applications. Epicor ICE acts as a connector and an application builder, providing distributors with access to the latest applications
and technical capabilities while still taking advantage of Prophet 21's industry-leading distribution functionality.
Building on SOA Innovation and Expertise
Epicor has long believed that enterprise software should evolve its functional and technological capabilities independently. Moreover, business-critical
applications like ERP have to be robust platforms that enable users to easily and continuously adapt to constantly changing business scenarios. Epicor's
approach to software development is designed to ensure customers stay competitive. The parallel focus on ERP functionality and Epicor ICE technology drives
parallel benefits in business efficiency and agility. With the advent of Epicor ICE, businesses gained a highly sophisticated standards-based platform for low-cost
integration and high-end performance that offers unprecedented user productivity and a rapid return on investment (ROI). Epicor ICE redefined business
architecture by exploiting both the social and technical aspects of Web 2.0 technologies and fusing them with modern SOA to deliver a solution designed for
people, built for business, yet ready for change.
"Epicor ICE brings some amazing capabilities to Prophet 21," said Erik Johnson, vice president, technical strategy for Epicor. "With Epicor ICE, distributors can
work when, where, and how they want to work -- field sales representatives can manage opportunities from their smartphone, executives can analyze financial
data using spreadsheets, and anyone can find data in Prophet 21 through a search engine -- all without ever having to sign in to the Prophet 21 application."
Epicor ICE brings together the necessary components to start leveraging the benefits of this new technology "out of the box," including:
Enterprise Search - a search engine that brings the personal Internet experience to the workplace, providing remote employees with access to all Prophet 21
data from one simple search field
Dashboards - an application that allows distributors to easily push out updateable dashboards of user-specific information from Prophet 21 to mobile devices
such as smartphones, tablets, or any Web browser-enabled device
Business Activity Queries - a tool that enables point-and-click access to the data tables in Prophet 21 for the purpose of mapping data to other applications with
drag-and-drop simplicity.
"Distributors can now extend the benefits of Prophet 21 to the entire organization, even to those people who don't typically work directly with ERP systems
today," said Kevin Roach, executive vice president and general manager, ERP Americas for Epicor. "When more employees are collaborating around your
business data because they have easier access to it, you become a more informed, efficient, and innovative company. With Epicor ICE, data becomes much
more relevant because information is in a view specific to the employees' needs. They can stop making decisions based on insufficient data, and your company
can work smarter and faster."
Current Prophet 21 customers may contact their Epicor customer account manager to discuss specific hardware and software requirements for Epicor ICE.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 11/7/2012
BlackHawk Industrial Selects Epicor Wholesale Distribution ERP
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today
announced that BlackHawk Industrial Distribution Inc. of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, has selected the Epicor® Prophet 21® wholesale distribution
enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to increase business efficiency and streamline processes for overall performance.
BlackHawk Industrial is a recently formed industrial distributor that is rapidly growing in the industrial marketplace. The company is currently
implementing a very active buy-and-build strategy in the highly fragmented, $400 billion industrial distribution industry. In the past two years,
BlackHawk has jumped to #33 on Industrial Distribution magazine’s “Big 50 List” and #28 on the MDM.com “Big 50 List.” To date, BlackHawk
has acquired eight industrial distributors (including Duncan Industrial, Tool Service, Kendeco and several others that are currently Epicor customers),
and has been actively involved in leading industry organizations such as Affiliated Distributors (AD) and Industrial Supply Association (ISA).
The Epicor solution will provide BlackHawk Industrial with a scalable business management system for 420 users initially, incorporating a Microsoft
Windows®-based platform and SQL Server® database to improve warehouse, order and inventory management; purchasing automation; financial
management; and reporting and business intelligence analysis.
“We believe that the implementation of the Epicor platform will contribute to our strategy of creating an extremely flexible but customer-focused
industrial distributor,” said Bill Scheller, CEO of BlackHawk Industrial. “The decision to select the Epicor Prophet 21 solution was driven by
BlackHawk Industrial’s rapid growth, which demands an effective and fully integrated software platform to act as our business system’s foundation.
We believe that the industrial distribution industry has over 100,000 independent distributors, with the majority of these companies being small,
regionally focused, family-owned, or owner-operated businesses. We see a tremendous opportunity to use our Epicor system to build a business
of scale that is ‘big enough to serve’ yet is ‘small enough to care.’”
“With 400+ users to begin with, BlackHawk is already a substantial installation of Epicor Prophet 21,” said Kevin Roach, executive vice president and
general manager, ERP Americas for Epicor. “We look forward to growing with them as they continue to set the standard for technical service and
customer care across the industry and with organizations such as AD and ISA.”
AD is a dynamic community of 500+ independent distributors and manufacturers of construction and industrial products with collective annual sales in
excess of $23 billion. Functioning like a cooperative, AD leverages collective economics of scale to make collaborative investments in people, programs
and technology that drive growth, reduce costs and foster long-term marketing partnerships. ISA is the top trade association for the maintenance,
repair, operations and production (MROP) supply channel, committed to bringing channel partners together and fostering an environment that allows
for a free flow of communication to better understand the needs of the manufacturer, distributor, industrial manufacturers representative and service
provider. AD and ISA include hundreds of current Epicor customers, with approximately 40 percent of AD members and 60 percent of ISA members
using Epicor distribution software solutions.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 10/30/2012
Epicor Introduces New System Backup and Recovery Solution
Designed for the Midmarket, Affordable and Turnkey Service Provides Peace of Mind With Immediate Access to ERP Systems and Critical Data Restored in
Hours
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today introduced its
new System Backup & Recovery solution, which offers customers an affordable and comprehensive solution to ensure their Epicor enterprise resource planning
(ERP) systems are readily available in case of major system issues or disaster.
Designed with small and mid-sized businesses in mind, the solution provides midsized customers with an alternative to traditional backup and recovery solutions
that can be overly complex and priced out of reach. With Epicor System Backup & Recovery solution, customers pay a minimal set-up fee and a monthly fee
based on the number of Epicor users. Additional fees are assessed only in the event that a customer needs the failover system brought on-line. The solution is
available to Epicor ERP, Epicor Vantage, or Epicor Vista customers running Microsoft SQL Server.
ERP Systems Often Left Vulnerable, Exposing Organizations to Devastation
Despite ERP systems' widespread recognition as the backbone of business operations, they are often left vulnerable, exposing organizations to devastating
productivity losses and missed opportunities due to system downtime. While it varies according to industry segment, it is estimated that every hour of downtime
can cost businesses thousands, and even millions of dollars. Also organizations can face penalties and sanctions for non-compliance with regulatory and
shareholder requirements for business continuity.
Backup and restoration can assist organizations in addressing compliance requirements as well as reducing operational risk, a growing concern for businesses
today. In a joint Forrester Research and Disaster Recovery Journal survey, 82% of Business Continuity decision-makers and influencers feel that their
organization's risk level is increasing. The top risks are an increasing: 1) reliance on technology; 2) business complexity; and, 3) frequency and intensity of
natural disasters... These perceptions map to business reality; as in the past five years, more than 60% of companies invoked Business Continuity plans at least
once, and more than one-quarter invoked these plans three or more times.(1)
Real-time Backup Service and Turnkey Recovery Solution
The Epicor System Backup & Recovery solution utilizes proven technology and all software and data are stored in a secure off-site Tier III data center. The
turnkey solution encompasses installation, configuration, monitoring and emergency response. A copy of the customer's Epicor ERP version is stored on-line and
a software agent is installed on their Epicor ERP server. Next, a secure connection is made between the customer's server and the Epicor enterprise-class data
center to support data backup and failover. On a continuous basis, data from the customer's on-premise Epicor ERP database is backed up in real-time to the
Epicor data center and monitored 24/7. In the event a customer needs the failover system brought on-line, Epicor provides access to the system and critical
data within two to four hours, depending on number of users and other various factors.
"Any amount of downtime can be severely damaging to a business' bottom line and its reputation," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing at
Epicor. "When a businesses' ERP system goes down, or in the event of a disaster, data and productivity must be restored as quickly as possible. Where every
second counts, the Epicor System Backup and Recovery solution provides a turnkey solution to support business continuity."
Epicor System Backup & Recovery solution is provided by the Epicor Managed Services team of more than 60 experienced team system architects, application
and technical support experts. The Epicor Backup & Recovery solution is supported 24/7/365 days a year from 3 global operation centers.
(1) Forrester Research, Inc., " Build The Always-On, Always-Available Extended Enterprise," Stephanie Balaouras and Rachel A. Dines, Aug. 8, 2012
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 10/17/2012
Integrated Technologies Targets Growth With Epicor ERP
Access to Real-Time Data Described as "Instrumental to Our Future"
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that Integrated Technologies Ltd, a UK specialist in the contract design and manufacturer of medical, diagnostic and laboratory instruments used across the
world, has selected Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) to support its continued expansion.
Headquartered in the UK, Integrated Technologies employs 110 people, and has a manufacturing facility in China. With growth of 20% expected in the next 12
months and plans to expand its sales and servicing division in the United States, Integrated Technologies wants to replace a mixture of discrete software
applications and spreadsheets, with a single ERP solution capable of helping it address several challenges.
"We've used a combination of spreadsheets and a small finance system to run the business to date," said Tom Cole, CEO at Integrated Technologies Ltd. "This
has worked for us in the past, but now we need more efficient systems that will give us access to real-time information, give us better stock control and allow us
to fully embrace lean manufacturing, without risking delays for our customers."
Currently Integrated Technologies lacks full visibility of the status of materials, which has led to large stock holdings of components to reduce the risks of holding
up customer orders. Using spreadsheets makes giving accurate lead times a complicated process, especially for urgent orders, without time consuming manual
analysis to calculate changes to the production schedule.
"The advanced planning and scheduling features or Epicor ERP will allow us to reduce our stock holding, improve lead times, and have better cash flow,"
added Cole. "As we take orders, we will be able tell customers when they will be delivered immediately, not just make estimations based on previous
experience."
Epicor ERP will be used throughout the organisation, at all sites, replacing all existing sales, manufacturing and finance systems, as well as integrating with the
specialist design applications used by Integrated Technologies' electrical engineers.
Integrated Technologies reviewed a number of solutions before selecting Epicor ERP. The ability to provide real-time information and visibility throughout the
system was seen as a key differentiator, as well as its ease of use. Integrated Technologies also plans to make extensive use of dashboards, to give staff
access to key performance indicators relevant to their role.
"Times of expansion are when it can be easy to lose control of what is happening in an organisation," said Malcolm Fox, vice president, product marketing at
Epicor. "Taking the decision to replace systems early can be a key part of securing success as it becomes harder to keep track of all the moving parts in a
company. But more importantly the visibility and agility offered by a next-generation solution, such as Epicor ERP, allows you to make quick decisions to take
advantage of new business opportunities as they arise."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 10/16/2012
Epicor Recognized as No. 1 Vendor of POS Software Among Top 250 Largest Specialty Soft Goods and Hard Goods Retailers
Epicor Recognized as No. 1 Vendor of POS Software Among Top 250 Largest Specialty Soft Goods and Hard Goods Retailers by Independent Research and
Advisory Firm
Underscoring Its Retail Technology Leadership, This Marks the Second Consecutive Year That Epicor Is Ranked the No. 1 Vendor Overall for Both Specialty
Retail Soft Goods and Hard Goods Retailers by IHL Group
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the company has again been named the leading vendor of point of sale (POS) software for both specialty soft goods retailers and hard goods retailers -- as
recognized by global research and advisory firm IHL Group. This marks the second consecutive year that Epicor has been ranked the No. 1 vendor overall in
both studies.
The annual rankings conducted by IHL are based on the following criteria: Number of accounts in the top 250, number of POS licenses, and combined retailer
revenue.
Epicor was ranked first over Oracle, MICROS, SAP and Fujitsu in IHL's POS Software for Softgoods Retailers -- a report that evaluates vendors of POS software
installed among the leading 250 North American retailers in the specialty soft goods space, including apparel, jewelry, luggage and shoes. Epicor has been
named the leading vendor of POS software in IHL's POS Software for Softgoods Retailers for the last seven years in a row.
In IHL's POS Software for Hardgoods Retailers report, Epicor remained in first position for a second consecutive year, topping Oracle, Fujitsu, MICROS and
JDA. The report evaluates vendors of POS software installed among the upper 250 retailers in hard goods segments -- such as books, electronics, DIY and
sports.
"Epicor has clearly distinguished itself among a very crowded group," said Greg Buzek, founder and president of IHL Group. "Our analysis indicates a key driver
for technology innovation in this market is anything that helps organizations capitalize on emerging trends -- and scalable, integrated systems with a mobile focus
are helping retailers streamline operations and provide a rich in-store customer experience."
"Retailers taking full advantage of industry-leading retail technology from Epicor to effectively run and manage their operations are delivering a greater customer
experience across all sales channels," said John Hiraoka, executive vice president and chief marketing officer for Epicor. "We are honored to once again be
recognized as the leading POS vendor in both IHL's specialty soft goods and hard goods rankings."
Epicor provides advanced solutions for retailers seeking to streamline processes, integrate channels, leverage intelligence and inspire customers, to maximize
profitability. The Epicor Retail end-to-end suite is designed to meet the evolving merchandise and service expectations of today's connected, cross-channel
shoppers, and the business requirements of the most demanding softgoods, hardgoods and specialty retail environments in a variety of industries including
apparel, footwear, discount, general merchandise, automotive aftermarket, lumber and building materials, nursery, and pharmacy. Thousands of leading
companies -- from Aeropostale, Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and Build-a-Bear, to General Nutrition Centers, True Value Company and Under Armour -- trust
Epicor to help them remain current, competitive, and consistently strong.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 10/15/2012
Epicor Completes Acquisition of Solarsoft Business Systems; Reports Preliminary Fiscal 2012 Financial Results
Combined Annual Revenue Approaching $1 Billion With Solarsoft; Strong Revenue and Synergy Execution Drive Approximately 14% Year-Over-Year Adjusted
EBITDA Growth
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that it has completed its previously announced acquisition of Solarsoft Business Systems. Epicor also announced preliminary financial results for its fiscal 2012
full year ended on September 30.
Epicor completed its acquisition of Solarsoft Business Systems for $155 million which was funded with cash on hand and a draw on an existing revolving credit
facility of $69 million. As previously stated in the news release "Epicor to Acquire Solarsoft Business Systems," issued on September 13, 2012, the acquisition of
Solarsoft extends Epicor's position as a leading provider of complete end-to-end enterprise business solutions for discrete manufacturing and distribution and
wholesale management solutions in key vertical industries including lumber and building materials, automotive, and print and packaging. Jefferies & Company,
Inc. acted as sole financial advisor to Epicor Software Corporation.
"This acquisition strengthens our leadership in the manufacturing and distribution segments worldwide," said Pervez Qureshi, CEO and president of Epicor. "The
addition of Solarsoft extends our innovative software offerings to a broader range of customers and industries -- from automotive parts to packaging to life
sciences, from food and beverage to electrical components to lumber and building materials. These solutions, which enable customers to monitor business and
boost operating efficiency, are well aligned to Epicor offerings. We are pleased to have completed this acquisition slightly ahead of schedule and excited to
begin the process of integrating Solarsoft with Epicor."
Epicor also announced that based on its preliminary financial data(1), the Company expects total revenue for fiscal 2012 to be in the range of $866 to $870
million, compared to fiscal 2011 pro forma total revenue of $847 million, an increase of 2-3% from fiscal 2011. The Company expects Adjusted EBITDA to be in
the range of $220 to $222 million for fiscal 2012 representing a 14% increase over the prior year Pro Forma Adjusted EBITDA of $194 million which was driven
by increased revenue, as well as synergies achieved from the 2011 merger of Activant and Epicor. The Company expects the net loss for fiscal year 2012 to
range from $36 million to $42 million as compared to a net loss of $56 million from Inception to September 30, 2011. In addition, the Company expects net debt to
be approximately $1.2B as of September 30, 2012, yielding a net leverage ratio of approximately 5.4x.
Americas revenues grew approximately 4% in fiscal 2012 as compared to the prior year, with solid performance in both high-end Retail and ERP while low-end
Retail continues to be challenged from weakness in the construction and housing markets. International revenues declined approximately 2%, however, Asia
Pacific grew significantly year over year offset by a decline in EMEA due to the ongoing challenging economy. Next-generation Epicor ERP (formerly Epicor 9)
revenue growth was in line with the overall business, and is expected to accelerate in fiscal 2013. Lastly, maintenance revenues grew steadily with renewal
rates stable in the mid-90%.
Based on Solarsoft's financial results, Epicor expects to achieve additional annual revenues of $85 million and EBITDA of $25 million from Solarsoft, which
includes $3 million of expected synergies from the acquisition. On a pro forma combined company basis, fiscal 2012 revenues including Solarsoft would have
been $953 million, Adjusted EBITDA would have been $246 million and net leverage would have been 5.5x.(2)
"Despite the challenging economic environment, particularly in Europe, we believe our strong performance in fiscal 2012 demonstrates that our product offerings
continue to gain market share," said Qureshi. "We continue to expand the reach of our enterprise business solutions for manufacturers, distributors, retailers and
service organizations globally, selling into more markets than ever before, and as a result sales pipelines are strong. Epicor's growth is driven by our deep
understanding of the industries we serve and clear focus on customer satisfaction that drives business inspiration and innovation. Our recently launched
'Business Inspired' brand and messaging fully supports our customer-centric focus and core values -- to deliver solutions and services that increase customer
productivity and efficiency, freeing them to focus on growth and differentiation and inspiring new possibilities for their businesses."
All results should be considered preliminary pending Epicor's filing of its annual report on Form 10-K. Epicor is also scheduled to host a conference call in mid-
December to discuss its fiscal 2012 fourth quarter and full year financial results. A news release will be distributed at a later date with further information and call
details.
(1) The 2011 Epicor financial data included in this news release is presented as if the Epicor and Activant combination had occurred on October 1, 2010 without
the effect of purchase accounting adjustments. Please see "Non-GAAP Financial Measures" below for further information.
(2) Expected pro forma figures using middle of the fiscal 2012 Adjusted EBITDA range.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 10/10/2012
Epicor Wins Best ERP Systems Provider at Inaugural Asian Manufacturing Awards
Epicor Next-Generation ERP Has Been Selected as the Standout ERP Solution for Manufacturers in Asia at Awards Ceremony Held in Singapore
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced it
has won 'Best ERP Systems Provider' at the inaugural 2012 Asian Manufacturing Awards held at Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore. The Asian Manufacturing awards
recognize products, solutions and services that are enabling excellence in manufacturing performance in the region.
Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) software was recognized by an international panel of expert judges, who analyzed and ranked the
nominations on behalf of the award hosts, The Manufacturing Group of publications at Contineo Media. In assessing the submissions, the judges looked for
nominee solutions that exhibited deep functionality, high performance, ease-of-use and ease of implementation, that have delivered enhanced information flows
and integration to facilitate manufacturing productivity, efficiency and quality benefits for a wide client base. Nominees also had to demonstrate new market
initiatives and innovations.
In presenting the award Contineo Media stated, "Providing automation and integration of key business processes, enterprise resource planning (ERP) software
has become a key operational efficiency enabler for today's manufacturing companies."
"Manufacturers in the region are under constant pressure to ramp up productivity, boost product quality, meet new regulatory requirements, and also be
acknowledged as socially and environmentally responsible members of their communities," said Raymond Wong, CEO, Contineo Media. "Companies such as
the ones represented and recognized here tonight are playing an increasingly important role in the transformation of the region's manufacturing capabilities."
The Epicor submission outlined the deep functionality offered to manufacturers across Asia, its innovative, 'Visionary' and industry focused technology, as well
as dedication to supporting education in Asia through collaborative programs with the Beijing Institute of Technology and Pusan National University, Korea.
Craig Charlton, senior vice president and general manager, Asia Pacific, Epicor, said, "It is a great achievement to be recognized by an international panel of
expert judges at the inaugural Asian Manufacturing Awards. Our innovative Next-Generation ERP software solution offers leading functionality for manufacturers
across Asia and the popularity of our award winning ERP solution continues grow. Epicor continues to invest in the region and we look forward to taking part in
next year's Asian Manufacturing Awards."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 10/4/2012
Tempsens Instruments Selects Epicor ERP to Streamline Processes
Seamless Integration and Standardized Processes to Improve Operational Efficiency
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Tempsens Instruments, a leading manufacturer of temperature sensors and accessories in India, has selected the Epicor next-generation enterprise
resource planning (ERP) solution. With the new software in place, Tempsens Instruments wants to streamline and automate its manufacturing processes in order
to improve operational efficiency. The Epicor solution will be implemented by Epicor Authorized Partner, CorporateServe Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
With world-class manufacturing facilities in India, Germany and China, Tempsens Instruments focuses on supplying the highest quality products delivered
promptly at very competitive prices. By building on its outstanding reputation, Tempsens Instruments aims to become a world leader in the manufacturing of
temperature sensors and accessories.
"Our objective is to continue providing outstanding thermal engineering products and take our customer relationships to the next level primarily by streamlining
processes through standardization and automation," said Vinay Rathi, director for Tempsens Instruments. "Also we aim to upgrade as well as simplify processes
at our extensive facility in Udaipur. This will represent a significant step towards achieving further operational efficiency and capacity. We believe that Epicor will
assist us in our journey to become one of the leading temperature sensor manufacturers globally."
CorporateServe Solutions Pvt. Ltd (CorporateServe), an authorized Epicor channel partner, is a decade-old ERP services company with headquarters in
Gurgaon, India. The strength of CorporateServe lies in its focused approach towards ERP business. "Epicor offers advanced, next-generation ERP solutions
that help organizations become more competitive," said Vinay Vohra, chief executive officer for CorporateServe. "We are proud to be a part of this project and
our dynamic team of ERP specialists will ensure the successful implementation of Epicor ERP for Tempsens Instruments."
"Epicor ERP is an industry-leading manufacturing solution offering extensive functionality, proven ease of use and the latest technology, which will enable
Tempsens Instruments to achieve standardization, scalability and operational efficiency," said Vineet Fogat, country manager for Epicor India. "Our partner
CorporateServe Solutions has an excellent track record of successful ERP implementations and will drive Tempsens Instruments' roll-out of Epicor ERP to
support the company's growth strategy now and well into the future."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 10/3/2012
Efore Selects Epicor ERP for Operations in Finland and China
Leading Electronics Manufacturer Cites Ease-of-Use and Broad Functionality as Key Factors in Its Selection of Epicor
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Efore, a leading company developing and manufacturing customized power products for electronics, has selected the Epicor next-generation enterprise
resource planning (ERP) solution for operations in Finland and China.
Founded in 1975 in Finland, Efore provides power products for telecom, industrial electronics and electric vehicles. The company began the search for a new
ERP solution after realizing that its current system was in need of updating. A key deciding factor for Efore in selecting Epicor ERP included the solution's ease-
of-use and broad functionality. Efore reviewed several ERP providers during the selection process.
"We evaluated eight ERP providers, and after careful and detailed consideration of two specific solutions we decided on Epicor ERP," said Antti Turunen, ERP
project manager for Efore. "The most important criteria for us were that the system is easy to use, and that it includes broad functionality covering all the
processes that our business requires. This means that customizations can be kept to a minimum. We also wanted the ERP vendor to be directly involved in the
implementation instead of using an external partner."
Efore will be able to automate many business processes with the new Epicor solution. In addition to daily users of Epicor ERP, other knowledge workers will
have access to data and reports residing in the ERP via login through the Enterprise Search facility.
"After the system is in place, we will be able to react much quicker to challenging situations, even before things happen," said Turunen. "Epicor will become a
production critical system because everything, from forecasting sales to automated purchasing and financial management, will be managed through Epicor ERP
worldwide."
"Our ability to provide a broad ERP solution that covers Asian and European business requirements was important to Efore," said Matti Pulla, regional director for
Epicor in Finland and the Baltics. "The functionality in Epicor ERP will support Efore's global growth strategy because of the visibility and agility the solution
offers, that will allow them to make quick decisions and take advantage of new business opportunities as they arise."
"In today's global, increasingly regulated and competitive business landscape manufacturers like Efore, serving the electronics industry, must keep pace with
customers' changing demands and stay a step ahead in terms of product quality, manufacturing costs, and on-time deliveries," said Malcolm Fox, director,
product marketing for Epicor. "Epicor ERP is a flexible and scalable solution that offers robust capabilities focused on reducing costs, streamlining processes,
and improving customer responsiveness across the enterprise -- key to enabling manufacturers to adapt quickly to maintain market leadership."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 9/25/2012
Wright Tool Company Selects Epicor ERP to Advance Its Business to the Next Level
Epicor Continues to Deliver Robust Solutions to Manufacturing and Distribution Customers With National Industry Associations
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Wright Tool Company of Barberton, Ohio, has selected the next-generation Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to increase business
efficiency and streamline processes for overall performance.
Founded in 1927, Wright Tool Company manufactures a complete line of more than 4,000 professional-grade hand tools for the industrial, contractor and MRO
(Maintenance, Repair and Operations) markets, and has been actively involved in leading industry organizations Industrial Supply Association (ISA) and
Specialty Tools and Fasteners Distributors Association (STAFDA) for nearly 20 years. Wright-manufactured products are U.S.-made and carry lifetime guarantees
against defects in workmanship.
The decision to choose the Epicor ERP solution was driven by the ease-of-use functionality and the ability to receive real-time information to make better
business decisions, according to Wayne Snyder, director of engineering and quality control at Wright Tool Company.
"The Epicor team's detailed presentation delivered an integrated solution that we believe will streamline processes and enhance our business productivity," said
Snyder. "The Epicor ERP solution provides features to fit our needs and, more importantly, we're looking forward to customer relationship management (CRM)
that will allow us to receive the most up-to-date information on orders, inventories and other vital tools to deliver beyond our customers' expectations."
"We're delighted to provide Wright Tool Company with an all-encompassing enterprise solution that will support business operations on a full range of supply
chain management capabilities within a single integrated platform," said Malcolm Fox, director, product marketing for Epicor. "Epicor provides the ability to
access the right information from an accurate source, empowering our customers to make the most informed decisions possible."
For over 80 years, Wright Tool Company has put its customers on the forefront of innovative product offerings for a range of industries including Refinery, Power
Generation, Distribution & Transmission, Mining and Wind Turbines. As part of its continued commitment to excellent performance and support of these
industries, Wright Tool is a vendor and member of ISA and STAFDA. STAFDA is a not-for-profit educational trade association comprising distributors,
manufacturers, and rep agents of light construction, industrial and related products. ISA is the top trade association for the maintenance, repair, operations and
production (MROP) supply channel, committed to bringing channel partners together and fostering an environment that allows for a free flow of communication
to better understand the needs of the manufacturer, distributor, industrial manufacturers representative and service provider.
With both manufacturing and distribution members engaged to improve the entire industrial supply chain, ISA and STAFDA include hundreds of current Epicor
customers. In fact, approximately 60 percent of ISA members are already using Epicor distribution software solutions, as are nearly 200 STAFDA members. "The
recent partnership with Wright Tool is a good example of the total, end-to-end supply chain solution that Epicor now offers for both manufacturing and
distribution members of ISA and STAFDA. As a manufacturer using our ERP solution, Wright Tool can take advantage of better connectivity, communication
and interoperability with its many distribution customers who are also using Epicor applications. Both sides win," said Kevin Roach, executive vice president and
general manager, ERP Americas for Epicor.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 9/13/2012
Epicor to Acquire Solarsoft Business Systems
Acquisition Extends Leadership Position in Key Vertical Markets and Expands Portfolio of Solutions and Capabilities for Cloud and Managed Services Delivery
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced it
has agreed to acquire privately held Solarsoft Business Systems from Marlin Equity Partners. Solarsoft is a specialist in midmarket enterprise resource planning
(ERP) and management systems for manufacturing and distribution.
The acquisition of Solarsoft, expected to close in 45 days, extends Epicor's position as a leading provider of complete end-to-end enterprise business solutions
for discrete manufacturing and distribution and wholesale management solutions in key vertical industries including lumber and building materials, automotive,
and print and packaging. Solarsoft's best-in-class manufacturing execution systems (MES) and intelligence solutions provide extended capabilities to measure,
monitor and optimize production and manufacturing operations through real-time data collection, analysis and performance tracking whether in a single facility or
across a globally distributed enterprise. Solarsoft's solutions and expertise in process manufacturing will allow Epicor to accelerate initiatives in the highly
regulated food and beverage, pharmaceuticals and healthcare industries. Additionally, Solarsoft brings significant expertise and resources to support the delivery
of both Solarsoft and Epicor cloud-based ERP, software as a service (SaaS), hosting, and managed services offerings.
"Solarsoft shares our customer-centric focus and product strategy to protect customer's investments in our solutions, while delivering unprecedented choice and
flexibility," said Pervez Qureshi, president and CEO of Epicor. "The acquisition is an excellent fit culturally and from a technology standpoint. Both companies
offer deep industry expertise, and are committed to building long-term relationships with customers, providing next-generation capabilities and enabling
technologies -- on-premise, on-demand, hosted, or in the cloud -- that customers need as their businesses evolve."
Solarsoft delivers modern enterprise software and IT services to manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers in North America, Europe and Asia, and has over
400 employees, almost 2,000 customers, and annual revenues of approximately $90 million. From automotive parts to packaging to life sciences, from fresh food
to electrical components to lumber and building materials, Solarsoft delivers systems that make connections across sales, purchasing, finance, inventory and
warehouse management, logistics, manufacturing resource planning (MRP) and quality control departments to help customers monitor the business and boost
operating efficiency. These solutions are well aligned to Epicor offerings, strengthening leadership in the manufacturing and distribution segments worldwide.
"We are pleased to join forces with Epicor, a recognized leader in enterprise software with a long, successful history of bringing visionary ERP solutions to the
market," said Shawn McMorran, CEO of Solarsoft. "Collectively we will have over 22,000 customers and combined revenues approaching one billion dollars
annually, making us part of one of the largest enterprise software providers worldwide. Combined with Epicor, our increased scale, expanded solutions portfolio,
enhanced service offerings, and global infrastructure will drive even greater value to our customers, now and in the future."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 9/10/2012
Epicor Next-Generation Cloud ERP Solution Now Available
Expanded Cloud Offering Provides Flexibility to Meet the Growing Demand for SaaS ERP Among Midmarket Organizations
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
expanded availability of its next-generation cloud enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) being
held September 10-15 in Chicago, IL. Epicor ERP is multi-tenant software as a service (SaaS) solution now available to midmarket manufacturers, distributors and service organizations.
"Based on the market response and success with Epicor ERP Express Edition, our SaaS ERP offering for smaller manufacturers and distributors, we're excited
to now extend our ERP cloud solutions to larger organizations," said Chad Meyer, director, product marketing for Epicor. "Increasingly we are seeing a demand
from businesses looking for an advanced cloud-based ERP solution. Providing unprecedented deployment flexibility, Epicor ERP is available on premise, hosted
or in the cloud. Epicor is the only vendor to have designed and deployed a full featured multi-tenant SaaS and on-premise version out of a single product to its
customers."
Strategic Approach to Cloud ERP Portfolio
According to a report from Gartner, Inc., "Enterprises continue to push SaaS investments, as SaaS encompasses 17.9% of the overall IT enterprise application
software budget."(1) As more buyers look to cloud-based enterprise applications for faster implementations, lower IT overhead and cost savings, it is important
that they consider offerings that provide the fit, flexibility and scalability their business will require. Furthermore, a recent Forrester Research report noted, "With
this increased investment and greater importance to business operations, sourcing and vendor management executives are taking a more strategic approach to
SaaS deployments, realizing that one-off, business-led purchases typically result in redundancy, contractual/cost inefficiencies, and even security/compliance
risks."(2)
Epicor next-generation ERP was developed on a multi-tenant service-oriented architecture (SOA), the foundation enables Epicor ERP to be deployed in multi-
tenant SaaS, single-tenant (hosted), and on-premise -- making Epicor ERP a truly unique offering. Customers can select the edition and deployment model that
works best for them and as they evolve have the peace of mind that their ERP solution has the flexibility and functionality to accommodate their future requirements and growth.
Leveraging Epicor Express Success
Launched in May 2010, Epicor Express is a cloud computing success story, a comprehensive SaaS ERP system specifically designed for job shops and small
manufacturers and distributors. The solution provides the broad functionality for managing opportunities, orders, operations and accounting in one integrated
solution. Additionally, embedded business intelligence functionality provides real-time insight into business performance and key metrics. Epicor Express is
licensed on a simple, straightforward subscription basis with minimal up-front costs. The affordable monthly fee is inclusive of software, hardware, support,
training resources, system maintenance and upgrades.
(1) Gartner, Inc., "Agenda for Software as a Service, 2012," Robert P. Desisto, February 28, 2012
(2) Forrester Research, Inc., "TechRadar™ For SVM Professionals: Software-As-A-Service, Q4 2011," Liz Herbert, January 3, 2012
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 8/16/2012
IO Electronics Aims High With Epicor ERP
Epicor Solution for Electronics and High Tech Organizations Selected to Help Achieve Aggressive Four-Year Growth Plan
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that IO Electronics Ltd, a UK sub-contract electronics manufacturing solutions company, has selected the Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning
(ERP) solution for the electronics and high tech industries. The new Epicor ERP solution will support the company's aggressive rate of growth, as well as future
expansion plans.
IO Electronics specialises in PCB and cable assembly production. The company also offers prototyping, testing and finished product assembly. IO is already
acquiring customers faster than at any other time in its ten-year history, has recently taken on additional premises and is planning a new production line later in
2012.
"We have seen fantastic growth in recent years and now have 35-40 regular customers coming to us for our expertise and quality of service," said Andrew
Cridland, managing director at IO Electronics. "We have aggressive growth plans to double annual turnover in the next four years, and that is why we are
investing now in Epicor ERP."
IO Electronics' existing ERP solution has been used for 10 years. Many of the company's core processes are managed in this system, but it is not flexible,
meaning that key information such as project costing, quotations and the tracking of orders takes place in other applications such as Microsoft Excel. This
creates islands of information that are quickly out of date.
"Taking on a new site and expanding our business means the sharing of information and communication across the company risks becoming fragmented and
affecting our efficiency," added Cridland. "With Epicor we will have all information available to the departments that need it in real-time. As our operatives finish a
task they will update Epicor ERP, meaning we can track the progress and location of any production run across any of our four facilities."
Another key challenge facing IO Electronics is that it sometimes holds excessive stock, something it is confident Epicor ERP will resolve. The existing solution is
unable to maintain a list of parts that links multiple suppliers and customer production run projects through a single component code. This means that high levels
of stock exist for certain parts that are shared across products, because they use separate unlinked codes. If these codes were linked it would be possible to
aggregate stock figures. Epicor ERP will help address this problem through single part codes, which in turn improves the management of production planning
and allows the provision of substitute components.
The IO Electronics team reviewed six different ERP solutions before selecting Epicor. Many of the companies met the core requirements of the project, but
where Epicor excelled was the level of additional features available out of the box. IO Electronics could see uses for many of these both now, and as it strives to
reach its future growth objectives. The team also liked the way that Epicor could be tailored to the needs of each user, and had tight integration with Microsoft
Outlook.
"Achieving growth targets requires a lot of components to come together and move in unison," said Malcolm Fox, director, product marketing at Epicor. "For
many companies this is about people, processes and strategy, but technology plays a key role too. You have to review your production technology platform and
software to be sure it is not going to hold you back as you embark on a growth strategy. Any weak link can bring the best laid plans to a halt -- once that
momentum is lost it is hard to get it back."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 8/14/2012
Epicor and Tour de Force CRM Announce Strategic Alliance to Deliver Sales Force Automation to Wholesale Distribution Market
Enhanced Capabilities Offered for Epicor Prophet 21, Epicor Eclipse and Epicor Prelude Customers
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced a
strengthened alliance to deliver enhanced customer relationship management (CRM) and sales force automation (SFA) capabilities to wholesale distributors
through a strategic alliance with Tour de Force CRM Inc. The Tour de Force CRM application integrates with industry-leading Epicor Prophet 21, Epicor Eclipse
and Epicor Prelude enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions for wholesale distribution.
Epicor has long provided embedded CRM capabilities for its wholesale distribution ERP systems. The SFA and business intelligence features provided by Tour
de Force CRM are very complementary to the Epicor offerings.
"Prophet 21 CRM is a great fit for the majority of distribution organizations and includes a wide range of functionality to better manage contacts, marketing
activities, and sales force automation," said Kevin Roach, executive vice president and general manager, ERP Americas for Epicor. "Through our alliance with
Tour de Force CRM, we now will also bring to market a best-in-class solution for distribution organizations with more advanced needs, such as appointment and
expense tracking, event marketing, and project management."
"What really differentiates Tour de Force CRM from generic CRM solutions is that it was designed specifically for distributors," said Matt Hartman, president and
CEO of Tour de Force CRM. "In fact, 80 percent of the Tour de Force CRM user base is in distribution. So the solution works the way distributors need it to
work."
Strengths of the Tour de Force CRM solution include complete mobile access to sales force automation tools and information, and the ability for distributors to
configure the system to their specific processes.
"This strategic alliance with Epicor to deliver enhanced sales force automation to the wholesale distribution market has been long awaited," said Hartman. "We
have a long history of integration with Epicor Prophet 21, Epicor Eclipse and Epicor Prelude, as well as a strong customer base among users of all three systems.
To be recognized as a recommended provider allows us to further expand the CRM integration points with all three ERP offerings."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 8/1/2012
Saudi-Based Golden Chip Company to Implement Epicor ERP Solution
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations today announced
that its next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution will be deployed at the production facility for Saudi-based smart card manufacturer Golden
Chip Company (GCC).
Total iCS, an Epicor value-added reseller (VAR) based in Saudi Arabia, will carry out the implementation of Epicor ERP at Golden Chip's state-of-the-art
manufacturing site in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. Golden Chip Company produces its complete range of card products, services and solutions for a variety of
applications and business requirements.
Golden Chip Company selected Epicor due to its ease of use; ability to handle the complete production cycle; low total cost of ownership; advanced features
and technology; exceptional user interface; and, compatibility with operational objectives.
"Epicor stood out from the start because it is one of the top ten developers of ERP systems for manufacturers in the world," said Adel Al Jabr, general manager,
Golden Chip Company. "We realized that the structure of the Epicor ERP system was best suited to our objectives and manufacturing operations."
"Epicor proved to be the best fit for the Golden Chip Company manufacturing requirements," added Anish Kanaran, regional director for Epicor. "The Epicor
ERP suite is capable of handling and optimizing Golden Chip's entire production cycle including workflows, inventory tracking and quotations."
Golden Chip Company is a leading manufacturer of Smart cards, RFID cards, Magnetic Stripe cards as well as a complete range of Card products, Services &
Solutions in the Middle East & Africa (MEA) region. Golden Chip Company is a part of AL JABR Group of Companies. AL JABR Group is based in Dammam,
Saudi Arabia and is one of the largest business houses in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Epicor markets a broad range of enterprise software products mainly
targeted at mid-sized companies. Its ERP software solutions are used around the world in manufacturing, distribution, services, retail, and hospitality
environments.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 7/17/2012
MESL Microwave Ltd Set for International Growth Supported by Epicor ERP
Flexible Reporting and Intuitive User Interface Key to Selection of Epicor
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that MESL Microwave Ltd, a UK designer and manufacturer of microwave components and sub-systems for the Aerospace, Space and Telecommunications
industries, has selected the Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. The new deployment will replace all existing systems to give a
fully integrated quote-to-cash ERP solution, including advanced planning and scheduling, sales and reporting.
Formed in the 1960s, MESL Microwave Ltd went through various stages of ownership before becoming a privately owned company in 2007. Since then the
company has gone from strength to strength, with 80% of its business in international markets, 100 employees and an annual turnover in the region of £ 10m
(GBP).
"We continue to see great opportunities for growth ahead of us, and we want to get in place the systems that will both support and accelerate it," said Sharon
Hepburn, finance director at MESL Microwave Ltd. "Following the change in ownership in 2007 we've made the best we can of the systems inherited, but we
are at a stage in our development where we know there are process efficiencies we can make that will increase our capacity as a business -- our business
systems are central to realising that goal."
MESL Microwave's current solution consists of an MIS system for MRP (manufacturing resource planning) supported by multiple separate databases and
spreadsheets to track and manage tasks that could not be built into the MRP software.
"This meant we had lots of isolated information and everybody did not have access to the information needed to make decisions," added Hepburn. "Upgrading
the existing system was going to be complicated and expensive, we wanted a new system that would be flexible and grow with us in the future."
MESL conducted a full market review and then invited five companies to demonstrate their solutions before finally selecting Epicor. Key to the selection of
Epicor was its flexibility to easily adapt with the business as its requirements evolve through business process management and workflows, its consistent and
intuitive user interface, and the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management module.
"We have many users with different reporting needs, some high level, some very detailed, but our existing solution meant individual reports were trying to be all
things to all people," said Hepburn. "With the Enterprise Performance Management module, staff and management will get exactly the information they need, in
real-time, presented in a suitable format, whether it is a dashboard, graphs, or detailed report. Because all the information is held in one unified system, we will be
able to quickly analyse and make the decisions needed to aid our growth and be more responsive to customers."
"Too much information can be as much of a barrier to effective business management as too little," said Malcolm Fox, director, product marketing at Epicor.
"With Enterprise Performance Management we give each user the level of information granularity they need and can be easily customised through self-service.
Because all the information is presented in real-time from a single underlying data source, staff and managers can be confident in the decisions they make based
on what is presented to them, shortening decision-making and lowering risk."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 7/10/2012
Epicor Global Business Software Solutions to Utilize the Power of SQL Server 2012
Unveiled at the 2012 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference, Epicor ERP and Epicor iScala Customers to Benefit From Stronger, Faster Analysis of Business
Data
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced at
the 2012 Microsoft Worldwide Partner Conference (WPC) that the newest versions of the next-generation Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) and Epicor
iScala business software offerings will both support Microsoft Corp.'s SQL Server 2012.
ERP Software Designed to Inspire Innovation
"SQL Server 2012 was developed to give customers high-performance data warehousing, enhanced security features, and greater uptime for mission-critical
workloads," said Eugene Saburi, General Manager, SQL Server Product Marketing, Microsoft. "Epicor has a proven history of delivering ERP systems built for
SQL Server, and shares our view that companies of all sizes -- small businesses to midmarket organizations, to global enterprises -- will benefit from SQL Server
2012 data platform innovations."
The next-generation Epicor ERP was first introduced in 2008 and to date been selected by more than 3,000 customers in 63 countries worldwide spanning the
manufacturing, distribution, retail and services industries. Built on the Epicor True SOA™ architecture that leverages Microsoft .NET, the software is designed to
offer extensive flexibility, usability, and agility in support of application-to-application integration and business-to-business collaboration, key to enabling the
delivery of information throughout the enterprise. SQL Server 2012 is expected to be generally available to Epicor ERP customers in September 2012.
Epicor iScala is a business solution designed for the worldwide divisions and subsidiaries of multinational corporations and large local or regional companies that
need to collaborate with customers, suppliers, sister organizations or other partners to achieve operational and business excellence. Epicor iScala offers
organizations -- including the chemical and pharmaceutical, industrial machinery, light engineering, electronics, automotive components, consumer packaged
goods and hospitality industries -- integrated ERP, supply chain, manufacturing execution systems (MES), field service, project management, payroll and other
capabilities, all built on a collaborative business framework leveraging Microsoft .NET and Web services. SQL Server 2012 is expected to be generally available
to Epicor iScala customers in September 2012.
Delivering on the Promise to Empower Faster Business Intelligence
"The role of database technologies has changed remarkably in recent years, with innovations such as SQL Server 2012 that are making business intelligence
more personal," said Erik Johnson, vice president, technical strategy for Epicor. "We continue to harness the new capabilities of SQL Server 2012 to bring our
global customers increased flexibility, collaboration and power to inspire innovation in throughout their businesses.
"We announced our commitment to SQL Server 2012 last year at WPC 2011, and our plans to uplift the Epicor Enterprise Performance Management (EPM)
suite to take advantage of the enhanced levels of performance, availability and security; to employ its productive management and development tools; and, to
deliver the next-generation for doing ad hoc business intelligence (BI) data analysis and bring pervasive insight to business users," said Johnson. "We've
already delivered on the promise to leverage the rapid data exploration and visualization capabilities, in-memory computing capabilities for faster data analysis
and navigation to extend what a business user can achieve without requiring they have any in-depth knowledge of traditional 'BI lingo' like OLAP, Cubes,
Measures or Dimensions."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 7/5/2012
Datum Alloys Chooses Epicor to Meet International Needs
Multicurrency and Business Process Management Features Key to Selection
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that Datum Alloys, an international distributor of high-tech stainless steel and nickel alloys to industries as diverse as aerospace and medical, has selected the
Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to replace its bespoke manufacturing and finance solution in three countries.
Founded in 1993 by Ben Scott, Datum Alloys has grown into a £5m (GBP) international alloy processing and distribution company headquartered in the UK, with
offices in Singapore and the US. Currently running on isolated systems for its manufacturing and finance departments in each country, the company sought an
ERP solution that would improve reporting and stock visibility, allow multicurrency accounts and enforce business processes.
"In selecting Epicor we believe we have found a solution to meet all of these goals," said Ian John, operations director at Datum Alloys. "We've reached a point
where we have outgrown our custom-built system and continuing to develop it further would get us into a position where we were reliant on the developers; we
didn't want that risk. We needed a new system that would incorporate finance, stock control, traceability and flexible reporting out of the box."
Epicor will replace all existing software, providing a full quote-to-cash ERP implementation, with multi-currency local accounting for each country. One of the key
reasons for selecting Epicor was Enterprise Performance Management, which will enable improved reporting and decision making across regions at a topline
and granular level. Additionally, business process management features will allow Datum Alloys to precisely replicate its processes and business rules, for
example on customer discounts and approvals, and automatically enforcing them across the organisation at the point of entry.
"Our staff are fantastic, but our business rules are enforced by trust alone," added John. "As we grow it is important to have our systems reflect the way we run
the business, and to be able to update those rules quickly and easily without external consultants -- Epicor gives us that flexibility."
Epicor was selected by Datum Alloys because it was considered to have the strongest out of the box feature set and multicurrency support following a review of
the leading ERP suppliers. Many competitors either lacked key features, or charged them as add-ons pushing the cost of implementation substantially above
that of Epicor. Force 9 Solutions, an Epicor value-added reseller, will implement the solution firstly in the UK, hosted at a data centre, and then in Singapore and
US, with a total of 25 users worldwide.
"The excellent demonstration sessions we had with Epicor really opened our eyes," explains John. "We threw questions at other vendors who said their solution
could do what we asked with some coding, but Epicor just did it then and there in the room, even changing existing screens and workflows. It showed us how
powerful the application was, and that we would be able to make future changes ourselves."
"Business process management allows you to make sure your Epicor solution reflects your business, and enforces the rules and workflows you need," said
Malcolm Fox, director, product marketing for Epicor. "Using BPM it is easy to quickly allow new discounts, change thresholds or entire business processes
without costly external consultants, or touching the underlying code of the application. By building this flexibility into Epicor, it allows organisations to react
quickly to external situations or process changes, instantly enforcing those revisions across the enterprise."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 6/26/2012
Epicor Continues to Expand Distribution-Specific Functionality in Latest Version of Wholesale Distribution ERP Solution
Wholesale Distributors to Benefit From Business Intelligence, Demand Planning and Rewards Program Features Now Available With Epicor Prophet 21
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the general availability of version 12.9 of its Epicor Prophet 21 wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, featuring new Customer Buying
Trend Analysis, Demand Replenishment Planning, and Rewards Program functionality.
The Customer Buying Trend Analysis module for Prophet 21 applies a series of Six Sigma statistical models to determine a distributor's customer/item
combinations that have a proven, consistent buying pattern. The system then reports on which of these customers' buying habits are trending up or down the
fastest, and the resulting financial impact. The system also proactively alerts the distributor as to which customers have stopped buying and how many sales
dollars were missed. Epicor distributors are using this functionality to anticipate customer issues and recover tens of thousands of dollars every year that would
otherwise have been lost.
Demand Replenishment Planning provides analytical tools to support purchasing stock now for long-term future requirements. Customer demand forecasts are
generated out one year to determine future needs; purchase quantity is then based on need at the anticipated time of receipt of material. Future Stock Analysis
Inquiries and Future Stock Analysis Reports in Prophet 21 allow distributors to see the changing stock position of an item over the next year, to help in planning
for these future needs.
The Rewards Program option allows distributors to reward their customers for buying targeted items. A distributor can identify items or groups of items for which to
offer rewards, based on product group, discount group, price family, or supplier, and can determine how quickly customers will be rewarded for purchasing these
items or groups of items. The distributor also has the ability to limit rewards to customers who belong to a specific category.
Two types of rewards are available with the new version:
Incentive points can be offered for purchases, which can be redeemed for other charge (non-physical) items such as training sessions or premium trips offered
by the distributor to customers.
Co-op rewards can be earned and then redeemed for credit for advertising expenses that the customer has incurred, based on the distributor's/supplier's
guidelines for joint advertising. The redemption of co-op rewards will create a credit on the customer's account.
"With these advanced functionality modules in our Prophet 21 wholesale distribution ERP, Epicor continues to lead in the distribution software space," said
Kevin Roach, executive vice president and general manager, ERP Americas for Epicor. "The Customer Buying Trend Analysis is more than simply a lost
customer report; it provides the intelligent, proactive information that wholesale distributors need to protect customers who may be at risk. The Demand
Replenishment Planning functionality allows distributors to accurately predict their inventory needs over the long term, and with the Rewards Program module,
distributors can cultivate customer loyalty and compete more aggressively in their markets without having to pay an outside vendor for these programs."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 6/26/2012
Badgequo Selects Epicor to Drive Future Growth
Supply Chain Management and Remote Worker Features Key to Selection
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that Badgequo, a UK-based manufacturer and distributor of cosmetics and toiletries throughout Europe, has selected the Epicor next-generation enterprise
resource planning (ERP) solution to support its aggressive growth plans over the next five years.
Badgequo has already achieved fantastic growth since being purchased by Kai and Linda Arter in 2006. The company has gone from seven to 26 employees,
and revenue has grown 60% in the last three years to £ 8m (GBP), with 2013 revenues expected go above £ 10m (GBP). The company has its head office and
warehousing in the UK, an office in Hong Kong, remote workers in Spain, France and Italy, and recently opened a new subsidiary in Germany with five
employees.
"When we purchased Badgequo the company had just a simple sales ledger application, so we moved quickly to implement an ERP solution, but it has been
difficult to keep it updated to reflect the process and other changes in the business as we have grown," said Kai Arter, group managing director at Badgequo.
"We deal with major high street retailers where quality of service and on-time deliveries are critical. We are achieving this but it is arduous work, so we need to
move to an ERP system that will deliver consistently in these areas with minimum effort."
Badgequo imports many of its products from China, so supply chain visibility has become a key issue, with delays potentially impacting large orders if stock is not
allocated correctly. Additionally, Badgequo employees work throughout Europe and Asia, so it is critical they have access to Badgequo's ERP solution whether
they are in the office or on the road, something not currently possible.
"We have visibility of our supply chain now, but it is a complex process to access the information and analyse it before we can act," explains Arter. "We need to
get to a position where we have instant and perfect visibility of whether stock is allocated, on the shelf or on the water, and when it will become available."
Badgequo reviewed the entire ERP market before selecting Epicor, which it believed offered the best value for money and feature set for the company's long-
term future. One of the most impressive features was the way that software could be delivered remotely to all its offices and home users through a variety of
devices. Currently Badgequo remote users cannot access their ERP solution, leading to importing or rekeying of information in the UK. With Epicor ERP, sales
teams throughout Europe will now be able to advise customers about real-time stock availability and confirm expected delivery dates at the same time as orders
are placed. Suppliers will also be directly updating the system through the Epicor Portal Supplier Content Pack, ensuring full visibility of the supply chain.
"Epicor ERP will give us extra flexibility and functionality at a price the competition could not match-it will grow with us and change with our processes, without
the need for expensive customisations or modifications," added Arter. "In some ways it is a sledgehammer to crack a nut right now, but it is excellent value for
money compared to the competition. It will allow us to implement features we've not used before such as HR management, product development workflows and
others, at no additional cost."
"When your business is growing at the rate of Badgequo, you need systems that work for you, not against you," said Malcolm Fox, director, product marketing
for Epicor. "The challenge is that when growth is strong, there is never a good time to replace systems. At Epicor, we've designed our solutions to scale and
evolve with companies so that customers see us as a long-term partner, and can get up and running as soon as possible, with best practice processes for
vertical markets available straight out of the box."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 6/20/2012
Electronics Manufacturer Elmdene International Selects Epicor to Streamline Operations
Company-Wide Solution and Improved Reporting Set to Improve Operational Efficiency
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that Elmdene International Ltd, a UK-based manufacturer of electronic products for the Security, Access Control, CCTV and Fire Industries that are used around
the world, is to implement the Epicor next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to replace its existing manufacturing and finance systems, and
improve operational efficiency.
Distributing throughout the world, Elmdene manufacturers a variety of power supplies, sounders and detection and hold-up devices. With a turnover in excess of
£10m (GBP), and operating in a highly competitive market Elmdene's management team wants to ensure it provides customers with the best possible value,
whilst closely monitoring margins and its supply chain performance.
"Our existing systems have served us well, but we are now at the point where they risk holding us back," said Rick Hellaby, procurement director for Elmdene.
"As we continue to grow it becomes even more important to keep a tight control on costs and have full visibility of what is happening across sales,
manufacturing, finance and the supply chain."
Currently Elmdene has to manually extract information from its systems in order to prepare management reports that are key to the business, such as margin
analysis on production runs and stock-level projections. Additionally the finance team has to regularly rekey information or manually intervene in processes in
order to keep the business running smoothly.
"Extracting data to then manipulate, means it is out of date as soon as the extraction is complete. Also, wherever our teams have to rekey or manipulate data,
there is always the chance for human error," explained Hellaby. "By replacing our outdated systems with a fully integrated ERP system, our staff can focus on
higher value tasks that are rewarding for them, customers and the business, rather than fighting with systems."
Elmdene will be using Epicor to replace all existing systems including a number of spreadsheet-based reports and processes, giving the company full visibility and
control of all business operations in one place. Epicor is based on a single unified data model and has been architected from the ground-up using service-
oriented architecture (SOA). This gives customers complete control over the way they define business processes to meet their individual business needs, while
also providing industry specific 'best-practice' processes out of the box. Customers can also easily integrate with other legacy applications where needed without
needing to make code-level changes to the software.
"Visibility is at the heart of improving operational efficiency," said Malcolm Fox, director, product marketing for Epicor. "Buying software is not enough, it has to
be implemented and integrated properly, so that it gives a single up-to-the-second view of the whole business. Only then can management truly understand what
is happening and make decisions that improve customer experience and the wider business."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 6/13/2012
Epicor to Showcase Award-winning Loss Prevention/Sales Audit Offerings at NRF LP Expo
Epicor to Showcase Award-Winning Loss Prevention/Sales Audit Offerings to Combat Retail Fraud and Shrink at the NRF LP Conference & EXPO
Protection Through Detection: Epicor Retail Loss Prevention and Sales Audit Continues to Gain Traction With Today's Top Retailers
WHAT:
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, will showcase its
award-winning loss prevention offering -- the choice of the world's leading brands in the fashion/accessories and specialty retail space. Designed to arm loss
prevention professionals with effective, proven technology tools to swiftly address internal theft, while maintaining an employee-friendly workplace, Epicor
solutions offer key capabilities needed to effectively track and detect patterns of potentially fraudulent behavior, and report and analyze transactional data to
identify issues of interest and POS transaction fraud such as post void, gift card, and refunds.
Epicor will showcase its powerful Epicor Retail Loss Prevention solution and the Epicor Retail Sales Audit solution, along with capabilities for payment security
systems that allow host applications to benefit from payment card reporting without risking breach of sensitive information. Also featured will be Epicor Loss
Prevention Services, delivered via a dedicated team of experts which enables retailers to efficiently and cost effectively address Loss Prevention goals and
initiatives amid limited human resources and budget constraints.
WHEN:
June 20-21, 2012
WHERE:
NRF Loss Prevention Conference & EXPO
Ernest N. Morial Convention Center - New Orleans
Epicor Booth #1311
Estimates suggest that close to half of all retail dollars lost to shrink are attributable to internal fraud. Protection against loss means detection. Any serious effort to
combat loss must involve comprehensive POS data analysis (data mining) to identify unauthorized discounts, invalid returns, and cash shortages.
Epicor Retail Loss Prevention streamlines and accelerates the entire loss prevention, detection and case management process. This exception-based analysis
tool uses a central database of transactions provided by Sales Audit to automatically detect patterns of fraudulent activity. It is designed to enable faster fraud
identification, better case management, improved investigator productivity, greater staff awareness, and higher profitability across the chain. Key features include
an event dashboard, 80+ KPIs to help retailers establish exception rules, case management, scoring schemas to weight different types of events, store groups,
and extensive Web-enabled standard reporting as well as ad hoc reporting.
The Epicor Retail Sales Audit solution ensures the integrity and accuracy of head office information systems that rely on transactional data. Sales Audit receives
all transaction data in a central repository, treats it to a consistent and robust set of business rules, and then quickly feeds all validated data directly to the head
office systems that require it.
Epicor provides advanced solutions for retailers seeking to streamline processes, integrate channels, leverage intelligence and inspire customers, to maximize
profitability. The Epicor Retail end-to-end suite is designed to meet the evolving merchandise and service expectations of today's connected, cross-channel
shoppers, and the business requirements of the most demanding softgoods, hardgoods and specialty retail environments in a variety of industries including
apparel, footwear, discount, general merchandise, automotive aftermarket, lumber and building materials, nursery, and pharmacy. Thousands of leading
companies -- from Aeropostale, Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and Build-a-Bear, to General Nutrition Centers, True Value Company and Under Armour -- trust
Epicor to help them remain current, competitive, and consistently strong.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 6/12/2012
Epicor Retail Executive to Speak on Mobile Payments for Merchants at 2012 Mobile Money Forum
Panel Will Focus on the Latest POS Trends and Technology to Support Mobile Payments
WHAT:
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
Duncan Taylor, director of Product Management, Customer Transaction Solutions for Epicor Retail, will be a featured speaker at the upcoming 2012 Mobile
Money Forum.
Taylor will participate in a panel discussion titled, "Understanding the Possibilities and Pitfalls of Mobile Payments for Merchants." The session will cover the
latest point of sale (POS) trends and technology from the merchant perspective as they face the challenge of choosing a payment system from a daunting array
of options. The panel will discuss the benefits and challenges of adopting a mobile payment system, the business case, and whether/how these systems can be
integrated with existing systems and back-office functions.
WHEN:
11:30 a.m. ET June 14, 2012
WHERE:
2012 Mobile Money Forum
June 13-14, 2012
Omni Mont-Royal Hotel, Montreal
Now in its third year, the 2012 Mobile Money Forum brings together speakers and delegates for two days of networking, presentations, demos and discussions
on the evolution, trends and key issues in the mobile money ecosystem. The 2012 Mobile Money Forum will give attendees the opportunity to hear about and
discuss the impact of mobile money in the North American, European and international markets with speakers and delegates from the financial, telecom, mobile
commerce and other related sectors.
Epicor provides advanced solutions for retailers seeking to streamline processes, integrate channels, leverage intelligence and inspire customers, to maximize
profitability. The Epicor Retail end-to-end suite is designed to meet the evolving merchandise and service expectations of today's connected, cross-channel
shoppers, and the business requirements of the most demanding softgoods, hardgoods and specialty retail environments in a variety of industries including
apparel, footwear, discount, general merchandise, automotive aftermarket, lumber and building materials, nursery, and pharmacy. Thousands of leading
companies -- from Aeropostale, Aftermarket Auto Parts Alliance and Build-a-Bear, to General Nutrition Centers, True Value Company and Under Armour -- trust
Epicor to help them remain current, competitive, and consistently strong.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/24/2012
Epicor Announces Agreement to Acquire Assets of COGITA Holdings Limited
Positions Epicor as Leader in Delivery of ERP Software for Australian and New Zealand Market
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced it
has entered into an agreement to acquire substantially all of the operating assets and intellectual property of New Zealand-based partner COGITA Holdings
Limited. Under the terms of the agreement, nearly all of COGITA's employees will be offered employment by Epicor. The company is also acquiring customer
contracts, related intellectual property, and certain other assets of COGITA, including the strategic office locations in Auckland, New Zealand and Adelaide,
Australia. The transaction is anticipated to close by May 31, 2012.
COGITA has consistently been one of the most successful Epicor channel partners, winning the Epicor "Global Partner of the Year" award as the top revenue
producer worldwide the past four years. COGITA also received "Top Revenue Producer" and "Largest Transaction" honors for Asia Pacific at the recent Epicor
2012 Channel Partner Awards. With the acquisition of these assets, Epicor will now have a direct presence in the New Zealand market and will become one of
the largest enterprise software companies in the region. The COGITA operations will join the existing Epicor operations in Australia, bringing the total number of
Epicor employees to approximately 100, serving more than 600 customers in the region.
A leader in delivering end-to-end manufacturing and distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions to midmarket organizations in New Zealand and
Australia, the success of COGITA's partnership with Epicor has been built on a foundation of common values beginning with a mutual focus on customers and
high quality service. As its customers continue to expand regionally and globally, Epicor has recognized the significant value in providing direct service and
support not just in New Zealand, but anywhere Epicor customers are doing business.
"COGITA and Epicor have a long and successful history of delivering complete, end-to-end solutions and award-winning services to the markets we serve," said
Craig Charlton, senior vice president and general manager of Asia Pacific for Epicor. "In Australia and New Zealand, COGITA has emerged as one of the
premier providers of enterprise business applications, particularly for the manufacturing sector. We believe that bringing their experienced sales and consulting
organization together with the global strength and strong regional presence of Epicor will provide immediate benefit to our mutual customers."
"We are very pleased to be joining Epicor, a company that has distinguished itself through its commitment to delivering innovative, industry-specific solutions and
single-point accountability," said Becky Gagas, former director of operations for COGITA and newly appointed director of New Zealand operations for Epicor.
"While they are one of the largest global software providers, they are keenly aware of the opportunity the Australian and New Zealand market represents. With
the acquisition, our customers will now have direct access to increased resources, not only in Australia and New Zealand, but wherever they do business."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/17/2012
Winzer Corporation Selects Epicor to Provide Wholesale Distribution ERP for National Network of 1,000 Users
Epicor Distribution Solution to Assist Fastener Franchisees Across the Country
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Winzer Corporation of Dallas, Texas, has selected the Epicor® Prophet 21® wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution as the IT
backbone to advance its business to the next level.
With four distribution centers and nine branch locations, Winzer Corporation is a diversified national distributor of maintenance and repair items to the industrial,
fleet and automotive marketplace, providing access to more than a million different fasteners, tools and other supplies. Winzer sells to a broad range of
customers through a network of independent franchise owners -- the only model of its kind in the fastener industry. These 500+ franchisees will have direct
access into the Epicor wholesale distribution ERP to enter their own orders and service their customers.
The decision to choose the Epicor platform was driven by the solution's alignment to a broad range of business requirements, according to Rich Funkhouser,
vice president of information technology for Winzer. "Beyond delivering products to customers as quickly and efficiently as possible, it is critical that Winzer
franchise owners have the most up-to-date information and tools available," says Funkhouser. "The Epicor wholesale distribution solution provides the features
and, more importantly, the benefits that we were seeking for the Winzer organization. In particular, we believe the integration of the Epicor solution will play a key
role in accomplishing our goals of providing real-time status on orders, inventories and other key aspects of franchise-customer needs."
"The national scale and scope of Winzer Corporation, totaling 1,000 users, make it one of the largest Epicor Prophet 21 installations to date," said Kevin Roach,
executive vice president and general manager, ERP Americas for Epicor. "Winzer saw that Epicor could configure a wholesale distribution ERP solution that
would best fit their business. They were impressed with our technology and vision. We were also able to provide a highly customized hardware configuration to
meet their requirements and show that we could support a comprehensive, long-term IT partnership."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/15/2012
Dennison Trailers Hits the Road With Epicor ERP
Other Suppliers "Lacked Key Features for Our Industry"
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that Dennison Trailers, a designer and manufacturer of high quality commercial trailers in the UK & Ireland, has selected the Epicor® next-generation enterprise
resource planning (ERP) solution to upgrade a number of systems that have built up in the company's recent history.
Dennison Trailers is a family owned business with factories in Lancaster, UK and Naas in Ireland. As well as producing a range of semi trailers for the general
haulage sector and container handling industry, the company has a range of specialist trailers, including those for carrying plant machinery and tipping
applications. The company has an annual turnover of approximately £28 million (GBP).
Epicor will replace dedicated finance, manufacturing and 'clocking in' software used by employees, as well as dozens of spreadsheets, allowing Dennison
Trailers to respond better to customer requirements and be more efficient in its adherence to industry regulation.
"At the heart of our systems review was the desire to improve operational efficiency," said Aidan Kinsella, managing director at Dennison Trailers. "Currently we
have spreadsheets for tasks such as maintenance management and parts tracking, which are audited and tightly regulated. By bringing all operational areas into
one application environment, we can be more efficient, have one version of the truth and be certain that we'll continue to meet regulatory requirements as the
business grows."
Dennison Trailers reviewed three systems before selecting Epicor. Dennison highlighted the highly configurable nature of Epicor ERP, well equipped standard
modules such as MRP, and the user interface, as key to its selection. Other suppliers either lacked key features or they had to be purchased as additional
modules. The Epicor solution will be implemented by Epicor partner, Aspera Solutions, which specialises in deploying solutions for the manufacturing and
distribution sectors.
"A major factor in our decision was the way the Aspera team engaged with our staff and 'Dennison-ised' the presentations so they were talking our language,"
added Kinsella. "We didn't just meet the sales team, but the operational people with whom we would be working to implement the solution."
There will be 15 main users of the Epicor ERP solution, but all staff will be logging their hours and tracking workflows on the system. This flexibility in the Epicor
licensing model for manufacturing floor users, also made the company stand-out from the competition.
"Our customers often request customisations to our products, which leads to many varients and complicated tracking requirements," concluded Kinsella. "We
believe Epicor will improve the service we can offer customers not only in the sales and manufacturing process, but also aftersales service when our customers
have queries about their trailers."
"For many of our customers, their aftersales business can be as complicated as manufacturing their products in the first place," added Malcolm Fox, director,
product marketing for Epicor. "Epicor has tightly integrated parts, batch, service tracking and quality assurance features that allow us to provide an ERP solution
that meets the needs of some of the most demending manufacturing applications, including transport, electronics and aerospace."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/8/2012
Epicor Introduces Customer Profit Analyzer Application
Business Intelligence Tool Allows Distributors to Segment Their Customer Base
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the introduction of the Epicor® Customer Profit Analyzer, a business intelligence solution that reveals a distributor's most profitable (and least profitable)
customers. Based on an equation that considers a combination of factors, Epicor Customer Profit Analyzer allows a distributor to easily understand the gap
between customers' transactional "gross margin" and the company's net profit.
"Understanding which customers are the most and least profitable -- and why -- can result in significant net profit growth for any business," said Kevin Roach,
executive vice president and general manager, ERP Americas for Epicor. "In contrast to traditional Activity-Based Costing systems, which are often prohibitively
complex and too costly to implement, Customer Profit Analyzer provides a simple tool for distributors looking to segment and analyze their customer base to drive
adjustments in their business strategy."
Using data available in a distributor's Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, Customer Profit Analyzer answers such critical questions as:
Can you identify your top 10 most profitable customers? If so, what are you doing to protect those customers from ever leaving your company?
Do you currently know how many of your customers are unprofitable?
Do you know which group of customers is the biggest drain on your business, and what you need to do to fix the issue of eroding margins?
Customer Profit Analyzer provides all of this information in an intuitive dashboard view, while also indicating which customers' performance is trending up or down
the fastest. The application creates a virtual P&L for each customer, tying cost to customer activity. This level of business intelligence allows corrective action to
be taken before a downward trend becomes a major issue.
The Customer Profit Analyzer dashboard instantly reveals the top and bottom customers by profitability and trending action, along with a letter grade for each.
Each distribution business has the ability to select which factors have a material impact on the customer rating -- including sales, gross profit percent, number of
order lines, outstanding days past due, average invoice value, credit status, etc. -- and the "weight" that each factor should hold. The application will then
categorize each customer accordingly, based on the data in the ERP system. All customers are evaluated by the same set of rules, providing a foundation for
determining how to maximize the relationship with each customer going forward.
"By referring to the letter grade automatically assigned to each customer, sales reps should better understand the 'rules of engagement' when it comes to
discounting or other customer requests. Decisions about business relationships will no longer be made by 'gut feel,' but rather, will be based on factual data,"
said Roach.
Customer Profit Analyzer is available as an on-premise or hosted solution with Epicor Prophet 21® and Eclipse™ ERP systems.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/8/2012
Epicor to Bring On-Demand ERP to the Windows Azure
Epicor to Sharpen Its Next-Generation Epicor ICE Business Architecture With Windows Azure and SQL Azure
INSIGHTS 2012 - Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations,
today announced a strategic alliance with Microsoft Corp. whereby Epicor® will use Windows Azure to expand on-demand delivery of its next-generation
enterprise resource planning (ERP) suite worldwide. The Epicor ICE Business Architecture will also benefit from Windows Azure and SQL Azure.
Epicor and Microsoft share a common vision for cloud computing and building business applications that are delivered the way people want to work; virtually any
place, any time on any device. With the open and flexible Windows Azure cloud platform, applications can be quickly built, deployed and managed across a
global network of Microsoft-managed datacenters -- using virtually any language, tool or framework.
Unveiled at Insights 2012, the third major release of Epicor ICE will provide platform as a service (PaaS) and infrastructure as a service (IaaS) offerings using
Windows Azure. The flexible service-oriented architecture (SOA) of Epicor ICE provides connectivity across a wide range of Epicor business software solutions
for the manufacturing, distribution, and services industries, enabling more customers to leverage Epicor Extend solutions delivered via the cloud.
Epicor first introduced Epicor ERP, its breakthrough next-generation enterprise business software solution in 2008. The solution, designed for growing
companies in domestic and global markets, was built on Epicor ICE, which fused modern Web 2.0 technologies with Epicor True SOA™ -- a flexible, standards-
based software architecture for creating and defining business process as reusable "services" to deliver an enabling business platform that offered new levels of
flexibility, usability, and agility in support of application-to-application integration and business-to-business collaboration.
"A consistent leader in adopting forward-looking technologies from Microsoft, Epicor is now ready to take advantage of Windows Azure and SQL Azure to
deliver a pre-configured virtual environment that simplifies implementation and enables more customers to use the cloud," said Walid Abu-Hadba, corporate vice
president, developer and platform evangelism, at Microsoft. "The power of Windows Azure and SQL Azure will give Epicor customers and partners even more
choice, flexibility and scalability with Epicor business software solutions -- whether delivered on-premise, hosted or in the cloud."
"Epicor was an early adopter of Windows Azure at its inception," said Erik Johnson, vice president, product marketing for Epicor. "And we have worked with a
number of Epicor ERP customers to test the benefits of Windows Azure and SQL Azure, which we view as the next game-changers for cloud computing. We
are pleased with the performance, scalability and flexibility of these technologies and look forward to leveraging the benefits of Windows Azure to provide our
customers with extended capabilities and rich consumer-driven experience today's end users require."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 5/1/2012
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin Selects Epicor to Support Non-Profit Retail Operations
Robust CRM, Point of Sale and Audit and Operations Management Capabilities to Support Overall Efficiency and Improved Engagement With Donors and
Shoppers
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, Inc. has selected the Epicor suite of retail solutions to support its growing retail operations.
The largest Goodwill operation in the world, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin has been providing services since 1919. Over 5,000 Goodwill
employees work in 70 locations throughout 23 counties in southeastern Wisconsin and metropolitan Chicago. The organization manages a growing chain of
retail thrift stores, which support Goodwill's mission of providing training, employment and services for people with disabilities or disadvantages who seek greater
independence.
Having outgrown its existing retail systems, Goodwill turned to Epicor to support the growth of its retail operations -- a key objective for the organization, says Pat
Boelter, vice president of Marketing, Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin, who says the organization has opened five to six new stores a year over
the past several years -- a rate of growth that is expected to continue.
According to the organization's most recent statistics, more than 5.7 million customers shop at Goodwill Industries of Southeastern Wisconsin's retail stores and
the organization receives donations from some 2.3 million donors. "The more successful we are with Goodwill Store & Donation Centers, the more mission
programs and services we can provide to the communities we serve," said Boelter.
Goodwill plans to leverage the Epicor Retail CRM solution to help Goodwill collect and track customer data so they can better understand their customers,
engaging them in more relevant and meaningful ways moving forward. The Epicor Retail CRM solution will also enhance their Club Goodwill loyalty program,
which currently has over 900,000 members, by offering customers additional rewards as they reach targeted spending levels.
Goodwill will also utilize the Epicor Retail Store solution to support more streamlined point of sale transactions for improved customer experience at checkout. It
will also provide Goodwill donors with electronic records, making the process of storing paper receipts for tax time a thing of the past. "Donors are the lifeblood of
our business; we want to make it as convenient and hassle-free for them as possible," said Boelter. "We'll be able to sign donors up right on the spot at the drop
off location. We'll scan their card and they will receive an electronic receipt for their donation."
Additionally, Goodwill will leverage the Epicor Retail Audit and Operations Management suite for transaction data verification and investigation in Sales Audit,
and which includes Voucher Management to support the processing and management of Goodwill gift cards.
"In this new age of fiscal responsibility, more and more people are discovering the tremendous value for the dollar that shopping at Goodwill provides," said Ian
Rawlins, vice president, retail product marketing for Epicor. "Goodwill's goal is to provide amazing value and service to its customers. The investment Goodwill is
making in Epicor retail technology will help them continue to meet the needs of their donors and shoppers, and be more efficient for improved margins."
Epicor retail solutions and services are used by hundreds of the world's leading retailers to become more profitable, productive and competitive. Epicor retail
solutions are designed to meet the evolving merchandise and service expectations of today's cross-channel shoppers and the business requirements of the most
demanding retail environments, with a rapid return on investment, low cost of ownership, and a single point of accountability. Epicor provides software solutions
and services to specialty and general merchandise retailers in a variety of industries including apparel, automotive aftermarket, footwear, lumber and building
materials, nursery, sporting goods and pharmacy. Epicor retail customers include hundreds of marquee names, from Aéropostale and Automotive Supply, Inc., to
Walker Drug and Zales.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/27/2012
Epicor Launches On-Demand Advanced Collection Solution to Complement Its Next-Generation ERP Suite
Epicor Cash Collect, Available in the Cloud or On-Premise, Extends Accounts Receivable Module in Epicor ERP Enhancing the Collections Process
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
the release of Epicor Cash Collect, an extension of the accounts receivable module in the next-generation Epicor enterprise resource planning (ERP) software
solution which helps streamline and automate accounts receivable, credit and collections activities.
"Epicor Cash Collect is an important addition to Epicor ERP," said Chris Purcell, product marketing manager at Epicor. "The collection of accounts receivable is
often an overlooked asset in business and this new application will help ensure that the process is easy and efficient for Epicor customers."
Epicor Cash Collect centralizes credit and collections activities in a single database with integrated email, phone dialer options, and full reporting and analysis. It
enables companies to document phone calls, review cash forecasts, track invoice disputes, and keep employees informed through automated communications.
According to independent research and advisory firm PayStream Advisors, companies that implement systems like Epicor Cash Collect typically realize a return
on investment (ROI) in as little as two months and usually in no more than six to nine months.
Recent studies indicate that 39% of invoices are paid late and that customers have an average days sales outstanding (DSO) of 61 days, even though the
average credit terms are 29 days. Most companies end up writing off approximately 4% of accounts receivable every year, which for a $10 million company can
amount to about $400,000. Further, the longer an invoice goes unpaid, the less likely it is to ever be paid, resulting in significant losses. Epicor Cash Collect can
simplify, organize, automate and streamline accounts receivable collection so that companies can reduce bad debt write-offs and cost of credit, while increasing
overall cash flow.
Epicor formed a strategic alliance with e2b software in order to provide its customers with this new credit and collections management application. Epicor Cash
Collect will be offered in a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model via the cloud or on-premise, allowing customers to choose the licensing and deployment option
that is the best fit for their organization.
"Our alliance with Epicor brings a sophisticated, integrated, collection management application to organizations leveraging the next-generation Epicor ERP
suite," said Lynne Henslee, president of e2b software. "Epicor Cash Collect will be a valuable tool for both new and existing Epicor customers."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/24/2012
Xaar Selects Epicor for UK and Swedish Manufacturing Operations
Time to Go Live, Flexibility and Value for Money Puts Competitors in the Cold
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that Xaar plc, a world-leading independent supplier of industrial inkjet printheads, is to implement the Epicor® next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP)
solution to replace its existing ERP system in its UK and Swedish sites. Xaar aims to improve clarity of information, production accounting, and materials planning
to provide an effective platform for growth.
With revenues of over £65m (GBP), more than 450 staff, and seven locations around the world, Xaar's existing system, which has reached its limit, has gaps and
the potential for inconsistencies in data and reports used within the business. Some activities such as materials planning are still managed with spreadsheets as
the current ERP solution lacked this functionality, creating islands of isolated and potentially inaccurate information.
"We had reached the point where our existing systems were creating more problems than they solved, and so decided to make a change before our business
was directly affected," said Alex Bevis, finance director at Xaar. "We wanted a system that would meet our basic requirements of materials planning,
manufacturing accounting, finance and order fulfilment. We also wanted to take the opportunity to streamline our processes and improve the availability of
accurate and useful information across the business. To complete the challenge, we wanted to finish the project quickly and within a tight budget."
Xaar's project team reviewed a number of ERP solutions before selecting Epicor, which it believed would allow them to go live faster and provide the best fit
against functional requirements. The team was also impressed with the easy-to-use reporting features that would eliminate the need to use external developers
or consultants.
"The out-of-box functionality from Epicor fits well with our continuous manufacturing model," continued Bevis. "We will be able to access accurate production,
inventory and accounting information directly from the system, compared to the current solution of using excel spreadsheets to make sense of system generated
data."
Xaar believes the new solution, which will eventually operate across all seven locations, will provide clarity for decision makers throughout the business including
those focused on areas such as manufacturing and planning, inventory management, sales performance and finance. Epicor Enterprise Performance
Management (EPM) will be at the heart of providing this information and will allow users to instantly view dashboards of key performance indicators relevant to
their role.
"Being able to go live on a new ERP system quickly and with the minimum of disruption to the business is essential in today's manufacturing world," said Keith
Deane, senior vice president and general manager, EMEA for Epicor. "Everyday that you remain on a system that is not serving you well, is a day where the
competition is catching up, or inefficiencies are eating into your margins. We understand this at Epicor, and that is why we build a huge variety of vertically-
focused business processes into our products that can be used out of the box, or modified to meet customer needs very quickly."
Embracing the latest in technology and built on a single unified data model, the Epicor ERP manufacturing system provides a real-time, accurate view of
manufacturing process, so a company can proactively manage their operations with confidence.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/17/2012
Zhida Group Advances With Epicor ERP Solution
Industry-Specific ERP Solution the Right Fit for Leading Manufacturer
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Zhida Group, a leading home furniture and accessory manufacturer, has enhanced operational efficiency across multi-sector manufacturing subsidiaries with
the Epicor® next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution.
Established in 1990, Zhida Group consists of three major subsidiaries: Zhida Textile Decoration Co. Ltd, Zhida Steel Tube Manufacturing Co. Ltd, and Zhida
Furniture Manufacturing Co. Based in the Guangdong region of China, Zhida Group's global presence extends to retail outlets and distribution in Hong Kong,
Singapore, Middle East, and Canada. The group's business streams include upholsteries, textiles, irons, wooden furniture, steel tubes, retail, and hotels.
Zhida Group selected Epicor ERP in 2007 to master its diversified operations and centralize its business units. "Epicor ERP helps to foster communication
between different networks and sales outlets, as it provides data including capitals, stocks and reserves, and sales records that we are able to acquire
necessary information from at any time," said Lai Choi Hung, general manager, Zhida Group.
Epicor ERP is recognized for its user-friendly, high price-to-performance ratio, and pioneering status in the manufacturing industry. Zhida Group selected Epicor
ERP due to the software's global reputation as a leading industry-specific business solution. In addition, Zhida Group required an ERP system with the
functionality and framework to assist in production management, process management, and manufacturing execution system (MES).
"Zhida's businesses step across different industry sectors. While home furniture and steel tubes belong to manufacturing, textile belongs to distribution and retail;
there is a difference between the two types of manufacturing," said Liu Ke Jin, director, information technology, Zhida Group. "We therefore needed a
comprehensive solution to cater to these requirements, so we decided to choose Epicor ERP."
Liu continued, "Let's take the order processing system for example -- the salary calculation is based on service hour in Europe and the U.S., while in China it is
based on the number of products produced. Epicor ERP is built upon true service-oriented architecture (SOA), enabling us to fully utilize web services and cross-
platform programs. We therefore have a one of a kind warehouse management system. When the order is being processed, we can track records of the
handling staff, and in return, the staff can retrieve records of how many orders he or she has completed on a daily or monthly basis."
In comparing year-end records for 2007 and 2010, Zhida has made a great leap forward in efficiency. The group now relies on the master production schedule
to process orders. There has been a noticeable decline in warehouse stocks and reserves, higher productivity with shortened production periods, production
costs recorded with increased accuracy, and a shortened customer quotation response time. Lai added, "The group's plan is to achieve lean manufacturing,
and Epicor ERP is definitely the tool that can help us to accomplish this goal."
"When designing the Epicor ERP solution, we used lean manufacturing as the blueprint to help regulate and modify production processes," said Vincent Tang,
regional director, Epicor North Asia. "The Epicor ERP solution is suitable for die-casting, molding, mechanical design, electronics, and many other types of
industries. The solution's strength lies in its scheduling and processing function, where the user can modify their settings when needed. Through estimation and
testing, users are able to preview their changes in video-conferencing mode, which allows for a great deal of flexibility."
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/12/2012
Epicor eMarketing and eSurveys Business Tools Now Available on SaaS Platform
Content-Rich Email Marketing Campaigns and Web-Based Customer Intelligence Solutions Made Easy, Thanks to the Cloud
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced its
Epicor eMarketing and eSurveys tools are now available as a software-as-a-service (SaaS) offering, providing customers a flexible deployment and licensing
model as businesses continue to embrace the cloud.
Epicor eMarketing is a powerful platform for delivering effective newsletters, email marketing campaigns, and marketing automation. Epicor eSurveys is an
enterprise survey platform with real-time, Web-based reporting and analysis. The platform can be used to measure overall satisfaction of various business
components and enable businesses to respond dynamically to customer feedback.
eMarketing and eSurvey tools are being used by leading companies to engage customers, increase customer loyalty and gain immediate insight into the
customer experience delivered by brands throughout the various customer touch points. In a September 27, 2011 blog post, Forrester Research, Inc. analyst
Roxana Strohmenger writes, "This ability is more important than ever given that we have entered the 'age of the customer' -- a period marked by the rise of the
empowered customer, who is armed with more information than ever before and who is now using a rapidly evolving set of devices as a means of engaging not
only with friends and family but also with companies anytime and anywhere."
"In today's fast-paced and competitive business environment, it is vital that businesses have powerful, yet cost-effective tools to quickly communicate new
products and services to its customers, and gain valuable feedback to better meet their needs," said Robert Sinfield, senior manager, product marketing for
Epicor. "The Epicor eMarketing and eSurveys solutions enable businesses to communicate effectively and uncover valuable data to grow their business -- all
through an intuitive SaaS platform."
One company leveraging the eMarketing and eSurvey solution is IS Enterprise, the leading independent Dutch supplier of hosted Information and
Communications Technology solutions, including e-business hosting, IT outsourcing, managed services, hosted desktop and managed networking and
connectivity -- integrated solutions that are paired with a high standard of service and quality. The company is using eMarketing and eSurvey in conjunction with
Epicor IT Service Management (ITSM), which provides a robust set of service management features that support key IT processes.
"Using the eMarketing and eSurvey tools, we've been able to measure the subjective quality of our service department in real time, as experienced by the
customer," said Arjan Steevels, director of IS Group. "By integrating these measures with the objective measurements of the service cycle time and SLA
performance, we are able to optimize the alignment of resources to improve customer satisfaction."
Key features of Epicor eMarketing include the ability to quickly and easily build personalized and content-rich HTML emails and Web microsites with no HTML
programming required, and generate customized email campaigns with detailed measurement reports, such as who opened the email and when that action took
place. These features allows customers to leverage eMarketing initiatives to drive revenues and improve customer satisfaction, deliver high-quality and low-cost
communication pieces more frequently, and gain strategic insight into the overall effectiveness of email campaigns.
Epicor eSurveys enables businesses to gain real-time data on customers' opinions, behaviors, and preferences, and quickly make better business decisions
based upon trusted data. The product features a user-friendly interface that allows for quick development, low cost survey production with minimum training.
eSurveys creates a hyperlink for each survey, allowing businesses the flexibility to deliver questions via email, embed in a Web site, and support integration into
social media tools, including Facebook, offering multiple response mechanisms for improved response rates. Integrated tools, such as crosstabs, charts,
statistical reports and analytics of open-ended questions allow customers to make informed decisions based upon the data.
Epicor eMarketing and eSurveys can operate as standalone platforms or integrate with other Epicor offerings using Epicor Service Connect, a central business
integration platform for secure workflow orchestrations within Epicor service software applications and between Epicor and non-Epicor applications. Both
products are also available in the on-premise model.
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 4/10/2012
Nexus Industries Group to Upgrade to Next-Generation Epicor ERP
New Implementation Brings Entire Organization Under a Single ERP Solution
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organisations, today announced
that Nexus Industries Group, a global company with a 60 year history in trade and retail electrical markets, has selected the Epicor® next-generation enterprise
resource planning (ERP) solution to replace its corporate Epicor Enterprise business systems, and a manufacturing system used in its Chinese plant.
Nexus Industries Group has an annual turnover in the region of £65m (GBP) and a 20-year history with Epicor. When the latest version of Epicor ERP became
available, the company could immediately see how it would address changes that had taken place in the business since its last upgrade; which itself had helped
the company significantly streamline its distribution process and improve reporting.
"Our Chinese manufacturing plant which opened 2009 in Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province required state of the art manufacturing features as well as Chinese
localisations," said Richard Gardner, Head of IT at Nexus Industries Group. "The latest version of Epicor ERP will address both of these issues, giving us a
single view of the organisation with excellent multi-company support throughout the application."
Currently, Nexus Industries uses a third party manufacturing application with very limited functionality to run its Chinese plant. Once Epicor is deployed in the UK,
and then China, Nexus Industries will have full manufacturing, financial and reporting integration across all its sites. The manufacturing enhancements alone will
give Nexus the ability to schedule production jobs, utilise full manufacturing resource planning, and give global visibility of stock in the manufacturing process.
"The final implementation will also make our accounting more efficient," added Gardner. "The business has grown significantly, which is why we built a
manufacturing plant in China. This has increased the complexity of our accounting. Epicor will help improve and simplify processes in that department, and
ensure a tighter adherence to GAAP guidelines."
Gardner highlighted business process management (BPM), business activity queries (BAQ) and the ability to quickly personalise screens to meet user needs, as
enabling Nexus Industries to have tighter control and the agility to adapt process flows as the business continues to evolve.
Gardner concluded, "These are excellent features that give Epicor a lot of power, without the complexity of some of the other competitive solutions."
"Managing manufacturing on a global scale requires every site to be tightly integrated if the efficiencies required to maintain margins in a competitive market are
to be achieved," added Malcolm Fox, director, product marketing for Epicor. "In the latest version of Epicor huge effort has been put into developing
localisations that cover the language and financial regulatory requirements of many countries, enabling companies to run global operations from a single ERP
implementation."
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Epicor Software Corporation - 4/5/2012
Epicor Acquires Internet AutoParts
Company Is Now a Leading Integrated B2B eCommerce, Connectivity Provider for Aftermarket Parts Distributors and Repair Businesses
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, has acquired Internet
AutoParts (IAP), a leading provider of business-to-business (B2B) eCommerce solutions for automotive replacement parts distributors, jobbers and vehicle repair
businesses. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.
With the acquisition of IAP, Epicor is now a leading automotive aftermarket integrated B2B eCommerce and connectivity provider, with a comprehensive offering
of reliable, robust and easy-to-use solutions for parts distribution businesses, shop management system providers and automotive service dealers.
"IAP is a perfect complement to our growing range of powerful product research, estimating and sourcing solutions," said Pervez Qureshi, president and CEO of
Epicor. "The IAP platform is a leader in the industry in terms of total connected distributors and service dealers, daily transactions, transaction size and the
number of integrated shop management systems."
Established in 2000 through a collaboration that included Activant Solutions Inc. (now Epicor), IAP serves more than 18,000 parts distribution locations and over
148,000 registered automotive service dealers. IAP eCommerce software is integrated with virtually every major repair shop business management system,
enabling shop users to:
Quickly and easily find and order application parts for a specific repair
Manually enter and order specific part numbers
Access parts from a customized non-application catalog
Cross-reference OE-to-aftermarket and aftermarket-to-aftermarket part numbers
Take advantage of special product promotions
Identify labor costs through an integrated flat-rate labor guide
Provide feedback directly to parts suppliers
IAP-managed and hosted eStores are integrated with the industry-leading Epicor® PartExpert® database of more than 8,000 manufacturer product lines -- with
coverage of 410 million vehicle applications -- as well as the Epicor® Cover-to-Cover™ graphical eCatalog module and other value-added parts and repair
information resources.
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Epicor Software Corporation - 4/3/2012
Epicor Helps Nordic Cast Sourcing to Streamline Operations and Supports International Growth Strategy
International Sourcing Company Goes Live With Next-Generation Epicor ERP Solution
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Nordic Cast Sourcing (NC Sourcing) has deployed the Epicor® next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution to support global growth. Before
implementing Epicor, NC Sourcing was only using an online accounting service to bill their partners and customers. The company's main goal was to find an
easy to use, easily customizable solution that had built-in global business processes so the system would support its global expansion plans.
"Epicor has helped us to streamline all our processes and bring transparency into the daily business," said Robert Blomstedt, vice president for NC Sourcing.
"Epicor ERP will play a key role in all our future development plans. It has the global capabilities for money transfers, doing business in different currencies,
legislation and taxing, in fact everything we were looking for. When we grow, Epicor will grow with us." NC Sourcing's customer database is growing steadily
and new prospects are added on a daily basis. Maintaining all the information in emails had become difficult and data was often simply lost. With Epicor, NC
Sourcing can now store all prospect data in a single, easily accessible location.
NC Sourcing purchases goods from around the world; therefore, maintaining and processing purchase orders is a vital task for the company. With the Epicor
reporting tools in place NC Sourcing can now accurately analyse and measure suppliers' capability to keep up order and production schedules.
Before deciding to partner with Epicor, NC Sourcing conducted a thorough evaluation process of ten different ERP suppliers from Finland and the Nordics. Out
of these ten vendors, three were selected to present their solutions. "Epicor's detailed presentation and honest approach to the upgrade process convinced us
that it was the right solution to go for," explained Blomstedt. "We also liked the look and feel as well as the usability of the system."
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Epicor Software Corporation - 3/29/2012
Epicor Industry-Leading Business Software Solutions Are Featured as Finalists in the 2012
CODiE Awards
Epicor Human Capital Management and Epicor Supply Chain Management Solutions Receive Accolades
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Epicor® Human Capital Management (HCM) and Supply Chain Management (SCM) are finalists for the 27th annual CODiE Awards, in the business software
categories for Best Human Capital Management Solution and Best Supply Chain Management Solution, respectively.
"We are truly honored that Epicor HCM and SCM solutions have been named CODiE Awards finalists in these two categories," said John Hiraoka, executive
vice president and chief marketing officer for Epicor. "Like all of our offerings, Epicor HCM and SCM solutions meet the needs of today's diverse global business
organizations, empowering our customers to maximize productivity, innovate and think differently about their business -- ultimately to drive success and inspire
their own customers."
Epicor HCM is a comprehensive human resource information system (HRIS) that allows a company to track its workforce from recruitment to retirement. Epicor
HCM automates everything related to HR in a single software system, enabling an organization to track, manage and analyze all data for its employees. Features
include core HR, payroll, recruitment, reporting and analytics, talent management and direct access, including international capabilities. Available on-demand,
hosted or on-premise, Epicor HCM can be deployed according to an organization's requirements and it seamlessly integrates with Epicor enterprise resource
planning (ERP) and retail solutions, as well as other alternative systems.
Epicor SCM offers a full range of distribution and SCM capabilities, built within a single business platform and based on industry-leading service-oriented
architecture (SOA). Epicor SCM contains a full suite of enterprise application capabilities including purchase management, sourcing and procurement, inventory
management, advanced material management, warehouse management and complemented by the order and demand management capabilities of Epicor Sales
Management. Epicor SCM can be configured with workflows for streamlining processes such as quality assurance, basic receipt processing, inventory
movements to replenish and order fulfillment. Also, role-based dashboards can be created and updated through Business Activity Queries (BAQ) tools.
"All of this year's CODiE Awards finalists should feel proud of making it to this stage," said Rhianna Collier, Vice President of the Software & Information Industry
Association (SIIA) Software Division. "We're pleased with all of the 2012 nominees, and the finalists reflect excellence and innovation in the business software
industry."
The CODiE™ Awards, originally called the Excellence in Software Awards, were established in 1986 by the Software Publishers Association (SPA), now SIIA, so
that pioneers of the then-nascent software industry could evaluate and honor each other's work. Since then, the CODiE Awards program has carried out the
same purpose -- to showcase the software and information industry's finest products and services and to honor excellence in corporate achievement.
One hundred nineteen finalists were selected in 25 categories for the 2012 CODiE Awards. SIIA members will now select the winners from among the finalists
during the SIIA member voting phase of the program that takes place from March 26-April 13. Software members include the companies developing the
applications, services, infrastructure and tools that are driving the software and services industry forward. As such, the CODiE Awards hold the distinction of
being the industry's only peer-reviewed awards program. The winners will be announced on Thursday, May 10, at the CODiE Awards Presentations held in
conjunction with the SIIA's annual All About the Cloud conference at The Palace Hotel in San Francisco, Calif.
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Epicor Software Corporation - 3/26/2012
Vernay Selects Epicor ERP Solution
Next-Generation ERP System Will Support Company's Key Strategic Areas of Focus: Globalization, Product Design Expertise and Lean Operational Excellence
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Vernay, one of the world's foremost manufacturers of flow control solutions for diverse industries, has selected the next-generation enterprise resource
planning (ERP) solution from Epicor® as its ERP system of record across its global enterprise.
With over 65 years of experience, Vernay is a trusted solutions provider to customers with the toughest fluid control challenges. Vernay's engineers and chemists
are recognized throughout the industry for their expertise. Vernay's engineered components are used in everyday products including automobiles, appliances,
printers, household cleaning products and lawn & garden equipment. They can also be found in critical applications including life-saving medical devices, water-
saving irrigation systems and fuel cells.
Vernay turned to Epicor and its next-generation Epicor ERP solution to replace an aged legacy ERP system that was unable to support the company's growing
global operations. The technology investment will support improved competitive advantage by executing on the company's three strategic pillars -- globalization,
product design expertise (concept-to-launch) and lean operational excellence. The Epicor solution will support engineering, manufacturing, supply chain
management, customer relationship management, marketing, sales, financial and HR management to help run and drive its manufacturing operations around the
globe.
Vernay selected the powerful Epicor ERP solution for its flexibility to support its engineer-to-order and diverse manufacturing requirements. Vernay prides itself on
its ability to partner with its clients to find the right design and material formulations to develop a flow control component or assembly that best satisfies the
specifications of the particular application. This means that nearly every aspect of Vernay's operations are design-to-order -- entailing a wide variation in
materials, processes, labor, estimating and quality controls.
The Epicor solution will integrate with Vernay's CAD-CAM systems to support engineering collaboration and documentation. The Epicor system also provides the
flexibility to support Vernay's unique and best practice project management controls.
Vernay also will benefit from the solution's support for lean manufacturing initiatives and the Epicor Enhanced Quality module, a full-featured enterprise quality
management software suite that will automate the business processes that are most critical to lowering operating costs and meeting Vernay's market-driven
product quality requirements.
The Epicor system also will enable Vernay to track its labor and project costs and compare estimates to actuals to understand the cost implications of the
finished product, so that it can improve its project estimating. The Epicor solution will also support Vernay's enterprise productivity objectives for lean
administration, improved financial controls and governance. The company will also derive improved decisionmaking and executive management support via
enhanced operational visibility and shop floor data collection.
"Over the years, and working hand-in-hand with our customers, Vernay has gained a very strong reputation for having the experience and know-how to provide
uniqueand reliable fluid control components," said Andy Woodward, global vice president of Sales, Marketing and Engineering of Vernay. "Our investment in the
Epicor ERP solution will ensure we continue to be successful in our efforts to offer a world class concept-to-launch process, and will enable us as an
organization to focus more time and energy on growing with our customers."
"The team at Vernay are leaders in their space -- the very best at what they do," said Kevin Roach, executive vice president and general manager, ERP
Americas for Epicor. "The Epicor team is pleased to have a role in giving Vernay the capabilities they need to enable them to take their manufacturing
operations to a whole new level -- on a global scale -- and to grow with the company and its business as it evolves in the future."
News Facts
Vernay, one of the world's foremost manufacturers of flow control solutions for diverse industries, has selected Epicor ERP
Epicor next-generation ERP will support Vernay's key strategic areas of focus: globalization; product design expertise; and, lean operational excellence
Vernay selected the powerful Epicor ERP solution for its flexibility to support its engineer-to-order and diverse manufacturing requirements
softwaremag.com
Epicor Software Corporation - 3/21/2012
Peirce-Phelps Selects Epicor to Provide Wholesale Distribution ERP
Epicor Distribution Solution to Support Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning Leader
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that Peirce-Phelps Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has selected the Epicor® Prophet 21® wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution
as the IT backbone to advance its business to the next level.
Founded in 1926, Peirce-Phelps has grown to become one of the 20 largest HVAC distributors in the U.S., operating 16 branch locations throughout eastern
Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware. The company's primary product lines include HVAC, building automation, indoor air quality, and solid surface
countertop materials.
Peirce-Phelps joins a growing number of Carrier HVAC distributors to choose Epicor wholesale distribution ERP. The Epicor solution will provide Peirce-Phelps
with a scalable business management system for 200 users, incorporating a Microsoft Windows®-based platform and SQL Server® database to improve
warehouse, order and inventory management; purchasing automation; financial management; and reporting and business intelligence analysis.
"After a rigorous analysis of all available options, the Epicor wholesale distribution solution best demonstrated the advanced technology, ease of use and
flexibility needed for distribution to succeed in today's market," said Peirce-Phelps president and CEO Brian Peirce. "Epicor will allow Peirce-Phelps to automate
further and give dramatically improved service and visibility to our customers. Our entire team is excited by this new partnership and the opportunities it provides
to become an even better company."
"In selecting Epicor wholesale distribution ERP, Peirce-Phelps cited our distribution expertise and business model advantages (including Scrum agile
development methodology) as strengths over competitors' solutions," said Kevin Roach, executive vice president and general manager, ERP Americas for
Epicor. "We look forward to helping them achieve their goals of excellence in customer service and streamlined business management with our extensive
software capabilities and distribution best practices."
News Facts
Peirce-Phelps Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has selected the Epicor wholesale distribution ERP solution as its business management system.
Peirce-Phelps is one of the largest HVAC distributors in the U.S., operating 16 branch locations throughout eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Peirce-Phelps joins a growing number of Carrier HVAC distributors to choose Epicor wholesale distribution ERP.
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Epicor Software Corporation - 3/13/2012
Universal Alloy Corporation Europe to Implement Epicor
Next-Generation Epicor ERP Solution to Support Business Processes in Romanian Facility
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today announced
that the Epicor® next-generation enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution has been selected for Universal Alloy Corporation Europe (UACE), an international
leader in production of aerospace extrusions. Based in Canton, Georgia, USA, Universal Alloy Corporation (UAC), a company of Montana Tech Components,
chose Epicor to support its business processes in its UACE Greenfield facility based in Dumbravita, Romania.
UACE provides the highest value casting, heat treatment, extrusions, and complex extruded shapes, profiles, detailed part machining, surface treatment, and
assembly to their customers, including Airbus, Boeing, and Bombardier, from one location with one supply chain. The company chose Epicor because of its best
business practices, as well as its ease of use and native adaptability to their requirements.
"Our company will benefit greatly from the Epicor system's ease of use, intuitive design and great clarity, accuracy and efficiency of information, all housed in
one system," said Dr. Jon Kevin Loebbaka, president for UACE and vice president, worldwide project management for UAC. "In terms of the value received, we
know that one of our sister enterprises run a tier one solution that just isn't a good fit for medium-sized businesses. Given the breadth of functionality Epicor
offers, we feel that we will be getting a better return on our investment."
UAC is recognized by all major aircraft manufacturers and their subcontractors as the manufacturer of choice for superior quality aerospace components. UAC
and UACE furnish the most difficult extruded shapes with the highest quality standards and the tightest dimensional tolerances available, with the goal to provide
100% on-time delivery while maintaining the shortest lead times in the industry. As part of a global alliance, UAC guarantees its customers first-class service
anywhere around the world, providing fully-integrated operations with mills in Anaheim, California; Canton, Georgia; Menziken, Switzerland; and Dumbravita,
Romania.
Because UAC operates in the high-tech industry, they also chose Epicor due to the solution meeting its critical business requirements of high quality and
traceability. The Epicor next-generation ERP system is built entirely on a service-oriented architecture (SOA), which also means that it's agile and easily adapts to
an organization's business processes, resulting in a solution that can adjust and grow with a business as it expands.
"This project is a prime example of how Epicor ERP solutions support the expansion of global aerospace and defense manufacturers into new markets," said
Emil Bobocea, regional sales director for Epicor. "Epicor will streamline UAC's operations by integrating all its business processes into one end-to-end enterprise
management system, enabling them to provide superior products and services to their customers."
The full integration of data collected throughout sales, customer service, logistics and production will give UAC's managers and employees the opportunity to
focus on growth objectives and serving customers' unique needs. Loebbaka concluded, "As part of the Epicor implementation, we are also planning on
transitioning this implementation back to our North American facilities as we begin machining at UAC."
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Epicor Software Corporation - 3/13/2012
ICSA Selects Epicor to Optimize Operations
Argentina-Based Company Prepares for Implementation of Epicor ERP; Solution Chosen for Its Focus on Engineering Process and Services Industry
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services industries, today announced that
Argentina-based ICSA, a company specializing in energy automation and equipment, has selected the Epicor® next-generation enterprise resource planning
(ERP) solution.
Located in Mendoza, Argentina, since 1988, ICSA has focused on manufacturing wind and hydroelectric power sources. The company's 'by project
manufacturing process' is highly specialized, which along with its growth during the past 15 years, led them to look into integrating business systems.
"We started to look for an ERP solution because we did not have an integrated system," said Pablo Yassuff, Administration and Finances Manager for ICSA
Argentina. "We used to have a custom-developed sales system, and for accounting and billing we operated with a local system. Eventually, company growth
and our transactions volume made us realize the importance of optimizing and integrating our processes globally."
The vendor evaluation period required the full attention of the team at ICSA. They were looking for a tool designed for the engineering and services industries.
"We evaluated five vendors, and Epicor was the most complete solution. After reviewing the offerings, there were options less expensive than Epicor ERP.
However, what the Epicor solution has went far beyond what we had already seen in terms of business technology, which is why we chose Epicor," explained
Yassuff.
Today, ICSA is planning its Epicor ERP implementation. With this business system, the company expects to improve substantially the quality of its business data
and decision-making.
"Our biggest expectation is to have access to reliable information as we need it, and to be able to use this data anytime and anywhere," commented Yassuff.
"For our management team, the most important feature was that the Epicor solution fits our activity and aligns perfectly with the processes we handle. We
expect to obtain from Epicor ERP everything that our business needs to continue growing."
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Epicor Software Corporation - 2/7/2012
Epicor to Hold Investor Call to Discuss Fiscal 2012 First Quarter Financial Results
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, will host a
conference call on Tuesday, February 14 at 1:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time (PST) to discuss its fiscal 2012 first quarter financial results. Interested parties may
listen to the call toll free by dialing (877) 490-1691 within the US or Canada, or (706) 758-1181 for international callers, conference ID: 47969542.
An archived recording will be available for two weeks starting two hours after the completion of the conference call by dialing (855) 859-2056 within the US or
Canada, or (404) 537-3406 for international callers, conference ID: 47969542.
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Epicor Software Corporation - 1/25/2012
Global Survey Reveals Most Companies Naive When It Comes to
Energy Management
Epicor Software Corporation, a global leader in business software solutions for manufacturing, distribution, retail and services organizations, today
announced the results of its first ever global carbon accounting survey, which offers insight into the fact that despite forthcoming legislation mandating
carbon accounting, most companies are still lagging in their comprehension of carbon accounting as a whole, and in the execution of said carbon
accounting initiatives.
With Australia introducing the new tax legislation on carbon emissions, and new regulations soon being introduced in California, the momentum behind
requiring corporate energy management is well under way. The survey, which was conducted by Epicor during August and September 2011, was
designed to investigate the ability and willingness of companies to identify their greenhouse gas emissions; to find out how they technically capture
emissions; and to clarify the extent to which companies have to meet not only legal requirements for sustainability, but also what demands they meet
from partners and customers.
The survey compiled responses from nearly 1,000 companies worldwide. The majority (48%) of respondents were from organizations in the
manufacturing industry. Most (42%) respondents were from organizations with 100 to 1,000 employees and organizations with $50 million in
annual revenue, or less (43%).
The survey revealed that 58% of companies surveyed had not heard of the term "carbon accounting," that less than a quarter could accurately
describe what the term means, and that a full 80% of companies surveyed don't monitor their company's carbon footprint.
"It's quite worrying to think that a third of all companies don't know whether they are under legal obligation to report emissions and we want to
take this opportunity to urge the industry as a whole to take responsibility and help educate businesses about energy management," said Chris
Purcell, product marketing manager for Epicor. "Businesses should prepare now for carbon accounting."
He explained, "Carbon reporting will happen irrespective of any personal opinions about global warming; those businesses that prepare now for the
reporting that will be legally required of them in the near future will have a clear competitive advantage over laggards. Energy management is not a
distraction to a company's core business. Businesses can gain cost and energy savings from sustainability investments and the growth of emission
trading schemes will only increase the need for companies to understand how carbon accounting will impact their bottom line.
The survey also revealed that although the CEO is the most likely person to be responsible for a company's green strategy, 50% of companies surveyed
don't have any C-level involvement at all in their carbon accounting initiatives. 85% cannot report the level of carbon their company has consumed in
each of the last six months, and nearly 70% believe that they accurately account for less than 25% of their company's carbon consumption.
But not all companies are in the dark. Epicor customer HARBEC Inc., a contract injection molder and precision manufacturer located in upstate New
York, recently decided the company needed to implement a more accurate and credible solution than its manual system to reach its goal of being
carbon neutral by 2013.
"Ultimately we needed a monthly report of how we're doing in terms of sustainability metrics," said Bob Bechtold, president and founder of HARBEC.
"Those metrics are as serious to us as other common business metrics like financial reporting."
HARBEC is also in the process of pursuing certification to the newly released ISO 50001 energy management systems standard, which requires
systematic documentation of carbon emissions using solutions such as Epicor Carbon Connect. Bechtold added that many companies claim to
be environmentally friendly with little or no substantiation, but this new certification and solution will give HARBEC the competitive advantage of
actually proving that we are a leader in sustainability.
"Having credible documentation that comes from a robust ERP solution will allow us to quantify what we're doing," Bechtold said, "Any company
can compensate for its carbon emissions by purchasing offsets, but this solution will enable HARBEC to efficiently and accurately track our carbon
footprint, helping us to manage it toward zero through efficiencies and smarter power generation."
"Pursuing a green agenda and increasing operational cost savings are not mutually exclusive tasks," said Purcell. "We urge all companies to move the
green agenda higher up on their corporate social responsibility (CSR) priorities. By being prepared in advance, companies can avoid potential penalties
for not adhering to legislation, and also realize the strategic advantages that include operational cost savings and additional revenue streams."
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