What Services to Look for From an Epicor ERP Consulting Firm
For organizations that have decided to take the step to implement Epicor ERP or are looking to upgrade their existing systems that are in place, they’re best chance at having a successful implementation that is on time and on budget is to rely on experts at an Epicor ERP consulting firm. But before they can choose the right firm for them, they need to understand a few things, such as whether the consulting firm has the right services for what they need or if the firm does only one or two specific services.
For the best result for any organization, choosing a firm that offers a full range of Epicor ERP services will be best, as it’ll be more budget friendly and building a rapport with a single firm is much easier than with multiples.
What Services to Look For:
Multi-Company, Multi-Site Functionality
Multi-site functionality is a key service for any Epicor ERP consulting firm looking to work with larger organizations. While smaller companies might not need this service, large companies will definitely require it as they could have offices, factories, and distribution centers all around the globe. Implementing Epicor ERP at a single site or a single company is a different beast than doing a country wide, or world wide multi-company implementation. The consulting firm must be familiar with global master records and how to share information between systems, such as charts of accounts, parts, customers, suppliers, coordinate purchasing with divisions, consolidate financial data, and other data sharing activities.
Epicor Implementation
For an organization that doesn’t already have a version of Epicor ERP deployed, the main feature they should be looking for in any consulting firm is implementation services. This includes understanding business goals and key requirements and building a business case for ERP with positive ROI. They also must get executive and organizational commitment to the project before it can be implemented with proper management and resource commitment.
Epicor Installation
While getting key resources and management in place is key, having a consulting firm that actually performs IT services with Epicor installation can take a lot of stress off of in-house IT teams. With the consulting firm’s experiences and certified technicians, hardware and software installation will go much more smoothly as they will know the necessary optimizations that need to take place in the IT infrastructure for a smooth deployment of Epicor ERP.
Epicor Training and Education
Epicor ERP is almost useless without proper training and education. When choosing an Epicor ERP consulting firm, an organization should choose one that offers training and education services. This includes training for each role within the system, as well as adjacent systems so that employees understand how to use their workstations, and how what they do leads impacts other systems. Continuous training is also a great idea as workflows over time will change, and new packages may be installed into the organization’s Epicor ERP deployment, requiring extra employee training.
Upgrading from Earlier Versions
Organizations that already have Epicor ERP installed, but need to upgrade, should find a consulting firm that is experienced and certified in upgrading from any previous version of Epicor to the latest version. This includes data upgrading and migration, and updated training.
Epicor Kinetic Customization
The best part of Epicor is its customizable interface for any employee interface and reports. A chosen consulting firm should be able to fully customize Epicor ERP’s interface to the exact needs of the organization so that they are not relying on generic interfaces with extraneous buttons or information.
Epicor Project Management
Implementing Epicor ERP is a tall order, so having a consulting firm with experienced, trained, and certified project managers to take a leadership role in the organization during the implementation phase will result in a successful implementation that is on time and on budget.
Epicor Support
Finally, an organization that has chosen an Epicor ERP consulting firm should expect a strong level of support from that firm, not only during implementation and training, but also after it has been successfully deployed. Having a consulting firm that the organization has built up a rapport with that also provides technical support, ensures employees have all the resources they need to succeed with Epicor ERP. They can help analyze reports and suggest or even implement more efficient workflows and interfaces customized to the organizations needs.
Epicor ERP
Epicor ERP is a powerful and robust system that can help improve organizational efficiencies and workflows. With the right Epicor ERP consulting firm supporting an organization, they will have a successful implementation or upgrade that results in a positive ROI, and gives them a more competitive edge in their market.