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Epicor® Upgrades & Implementations

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Stanley Machining needed a quick turnaround on development and creation of many complex
dashboards to help streamline our business flow.
PTS (Practical Technical Solutions) expertise in the field of Vantage/Epicor® was a tremendous
help in the creation of these dashboards and has since streamlined the way we process certain
information in our plant. Not only was the response from their team quick and professional,
there rate per hour is extremely competitive.
I would go so far as to say. Epicor® can learn some lessons from PTS in regards to their consulting,
implementation and billing process.
Stanley Machining would recommend PTS as a trusted source in assisting with any ERP
challenges.

— Stanley Machining & Tool • Steel Machining Industry

Dynamic Metals was in need of system change.  Both Culture and Processes needed improvement.  Multiple attempts have been made over the last 10 years with our current system to reimplement, upgrade and improve processes with little success.  Dynamic was stuck in manual mode and we needed assistance to break the culture and improve processes.  We met with PTS  to discuss our options.  We decided to utilize their services as they are familiar with our current system as well as the system we are in the process of implementing.  PTS  completed a thorough review of our current state understanding that we want to improve our processes using best practices with the new system.  The PTS staff has been knowledgeable, professional and is allowing us to implement with fewer resource hours from our staff.  With their assistance and guidance we have garnered enthusiasm throughout the organization for change that otherwise would have been a difficult task.  They have ensured with constant communication to mitigate any potential scheduling roadblocks in order to maintain the target schedule.  I look forward to completing the implementation and working with PTS on future improvements in our processes. I would certainly recommend PTS for consulting needs.

— Dynamic Metals • Aerospace and Defense Industry

“I am very happy and honored to provide you with a reference for Practical Technology Solutions.  I have been EXTREMELY happy with the work that has been provided.  I have not been using them for long (just a number of months), but in a very short time frame they have reassured me that my trust in them as a consulting business partner is well worth it.  I see their knowledge of the Epicor® Product lines as being very in-depth and their staff as highly resourceful.  I highly recommend them as a business consulting partner for your business and technical application needs.”

— M-B Companies • Pavement Marking Industry
Epicor® Installation & Upgrade Services
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As an independent IT service provider, PracticalTek is ready to help you with anything you need from Epicor® software, and that starts with having the best installation of the software possible. Whether you’re downloading Epicor® for the first time or seeking to upgrade your current system, PracticalTek can handle all of your Epicor® upgrade, reinstallation, and brand new installation needs.
With years of experience, PracticalTek provides the best independent Epicor® upgrade consulting on the market. Our technicians come with years of training and the best certifications available, so we know what to do to make Epicor® work best for you and your business. Whether you need implementation help or upgrade support, our consultants are there to help you with efficient and cost-effective processes.
Contact Us to Learn More
Epicor® Implementation and Upgrade Best Practices
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Less than 50 percent of Epicor® upgrade implementations achieve the expected benefits promised at the time of purchase. The biggest reason for this is that organizations implement their software incorrectly for their business due to a lack of understanding of the software. At PracticalTek, we want to ensure you implement your software in the best way for your business, which is why our Epicor® implementation services use the best practices recommended by Epicor®.

These best practices include:
  • Focusing on Processes and Requirements: When implementing ERP software, too many businesses focus on developing technical capabilities they simply don’t need, while glossing over ones that would benefit their company. This is why observing business processes is a key step to ERP software implementation. Understanding the business in which software will operate allows technicians to identify, prioritize and implement the best capabilities and functions for your business.
  • Developing a Business Case: Half of the battle of implementing ERP software is justifying the process to management. By building a comprehensive case for your ERP implementation process, we can help you better ensure the process will be approved, and you can get everyone committed and convinced of the project. Additionally, our proposals outline what you expect from the software and project estimated timelines and results — allowing you to judge ROI and determine the success of the implementation in a more concrete and quantifiable manner.
  • Managing Resources: All quality implementation processes dedicate the proper resources to the effort, combining both internal resources, like internal IT departments, and external resources, like PracticalTek’s team of independent consultants, to contribute to the cause. By involving and properly managing these resources, these implementation processes tend to go more quickly and efficiently than projects with only internal or only external resources.
  • Gaining Commitment: It shouldn’t just be your IT team on the case. Your executives and end users should be completely on board with the entire project and be invested in its progress and success. By gaining executive support and commitment, you can ensure your company is dedicating the attention and resources needed to get everything from the testing to the training done in a timely manner. The support of your end users is also important, since they are the ones who will be using the software on a day to day basis. They must be completely committed to finish training in a timely manner.
  • Thorough Planning: A proper implementation should be planned as soon as possible. Once the needs of your system are determined, a high-quality Epicor® installation team should develop a detailed development plan and schedule with you, outlining everything from data migration to training schedules. Teams that do this tend to get the job more quickly and cheaply than teams that don’t plan ahead.
At PracticalTek, we’ve taken these best practices to heart, building our Epicor® installation and upgrade services around the principles listed.
The PracticalTek Seven-Phase Epicor® Implementation Process
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Our Epicor® implementation process has been crafted over years of working with Epicor® software across a variety of industries. We’ve found this process helps ensure the best Epicor® installation possible, no matter what your business may be. The implementation process consists of the following seven phases:
  • Phase 1: Kickoff Meeting: We begin the whole process with a kickoff meeting, getting your entire staff involved with the implementation process. We’ll introduce ourselves and the team members involved and present our plans with regards to the implementation process. By reviewing the software, the scope of the project, the expectations,  timelines involved and the training schedule, we can start everyone off on the right foot. The kickoff meeting also serves as a final step to approving the Epicor® software installation process among your management team.
  • Phase 2: Process Mapping: This is part of the planning process of our Epicor® installation service. This phase involves our consulting team working closely with your staff, especially your IT department, to develop a better understanding of your business processes. Once we understand your processes and needs, we’ll map them all out and identify the dashboard and reporting capabilities that will best benefit you in an Epicor® system.
  • Phase 3: Data Mapping: This step usually occurs during the process mapping step, and it involves observing and studying your data needs. At this stage, we will plan out all the steps required to migrate your data and meet your data needs.
  • Phase 4: Configuration & Application Training: This stage of our Epicor® installation service involves configuring the most basic aspects of the software and training staff on the software basics. The configuration portion of this phase involves composing the software specifications and developing and testing program solutions for deployment. Simultaneously, our trainers will work with your employees on Delta training, preparing them for the first day of the GO LIVE phase.
  • Phase 5: Validation & Modification: At this point, our consultants will simulate several mock business processes and scenarios to give your team opportunities to learn how the system works and responds to the scenarios. This process also effectively acts as a test-run of the system, double-checking for any system errors and allowing employees to review the system for any processes that could be further streamlined. Any errors found during this testing stage are modified following this phase.
  • Phase 6: Final Preparation/CRP: This is the final opportunity for your employees and business to test the solution before the final adjustments are made. This phase also serves as an opportunity for our consultants and professionals to make the final adjustments to the system. Once everyone is certain that the program is ready, your PracticalTek consultant and planning team will get the GO LIVE program together and develop a contingency plan.
  • Phase 7: GO LIVE & Support: This GO LIVE phase starts with professionals and consultants giving the system a final check. Any open issues are closed, and any final adjustments are made before the end of the day before the GO LIVE phase begins.
When the program goes live, our team will be on site the entire time, supporting your employees and business by providing additional on-the-spot training and answering any questions or concerns you or your employees may have about the system upon startup. Our team will also be backed up by our remote support team, so you can get the help you need when you need it.
We’ve used this implementation program in the past and have found that customers who use PracticalTek for implementation experience incredible results with their system. With our implementation system and our support staff, we guarantee you the smoothest first month possible, setting your business up for success in the future.
Epicor® Upgrade Services
If you’re currently using Epicor®, you can still benefit from PracticalTek’s team of Epicor® upgrade consultants. Even if your current version of the ERP system works well for you, you can still benefit from the newest features and functions only the latest version can bring. However, between ensuring your business processes continue to run smoothly and learning the new functions and features of the software, installing a new version of your software may feel like more time and effort than it’s worth.
PracticalTek can help. You don’t need to take on a software upgrade on your own. At PracticalTek, we’ve been providing Epicor® upgrade help for years, and we know the software from the inside out. Let us help ease your burden by helping you implement your upgrade in the most efficient way possible.
Your personal Epicor® upgrade consultant will guide you through the process from start to finish. So far, our consultants have helped with over 65+ successful Epicor® upgrades, helping people transition from each version to the next — with jumps as big as from Epicor® 6 to Epicor® 9 upgrade, Epicor® 10 and beyond.
Our well-developed Epicor® upgrade provider process is simple yet sophisticated, guaranteeing quality every time. Your personal upgrade consultant will implement this best practice system, based on years of proven results and experience. Our step-by-step upgrade methodology uses tools from Epicor® itself, enabling us to get through the upgrade as efficiently as possible while working with you and your IT staff to create a customized system suited to your organization.
Our process involves customization, testing, training and support — everything you need to guarantee a successful system implementation. We test customized system configurations thoroughly throughout the process and run them by you and your employees for testing and assessment, helping us make the modifications you need to succeed.
Additionally, our comprehensive training, consisting of brief courses and hands-on lessons, is designed to help your employees and trainers grow comfortable with the upgrade as quickly as possible, preparing them to go live with the upgrade. What’s more, our support team will be with you every step of the way, offering you comprehensive and immediate support through your first month of using your newly upgraded software.
UPGRADE YOUR ERP SOFTWARE
Epicor® Upgrade Installation and Your Business
  • Manufacturing: We’ve provided Epicor® installation services to machine shops, steel mills, aerospace manufacturers and railroad manufacturers, no matter the size or scope of the business. When properly implemented, Epicor® is the perfect high-speed software to provide manufacturers with business intelligence, analytical data and operations tracking — helping manufacturers follow through with their business’ processes from start to finish.
  • Retail: Retail stores of all kinds, regardless of their product, can benefit from properly implemented ERP software. With a perfectly executed version of the software, complete with streamlined processes, retailers can manage point-of-sale solutions along with inventory tracking and customer behavior analytics.

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  • Distribution: Warehousing and distribution services need a way to track their incoming and outgoing product, which is where Epicor® can provide a perfect solution. From resource planning to managing orders and staging, Epicor® offers a single software solution to keep your distribution business flowing.
  • Service: The service industry is wide and varied in its processes and service types, offering everything from engineering and design services to business software. Regardless of the service, fully upgraded and operational software offers financial and forecasting capabilities as well as customer data tracking and employee scheduling. No matter what your business needs, our installation and upgrade consultants can configure Epicor® to meet your needs.
No matter how long your business has been using Epicor® software or how perfectly the default Epicor® settings fit in with your business’ needs, implementing and upgrading Epicor® software is crucial to improving your business processes. However, it is also an extremely complex and multifaceted process. At PracticalTek, we can offer you the expertise needed to execute an Epicor® install or upgrade perfectly.
Epicor® Upgrade Support Consulting Services
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As part of your PracticalTek experience, you’ll be partnered with a certified Epicor® consultant. We’ll work with you, serving in whatever capacity you want us, whether it’s as a project manager or as a partner to your manager on staff.
Our Epicor® upgrade consultants use only the most practical, most efficient approach for your desired version. That’s why for both Epicor® implementation and upgrade services, we’ve developed detailed and highly successful processes to ensure consistent quality for all our customers.
Learn More About PracticalTek
ERP software can be a lot to handle, especially if you are looking to upgrade or install the software. No matter how long you’ve worked with Epicor®, you can always use some implementation help. That’s where PracticalTek’s Epicor® upgrade help comes in.
Contact PracticalTek today to learn how our expertise and experience can help improve your software.