What Is Epicor® Kinetic 2021 ERP?

Relational Database, Single Entry, Management By Exception?

Epicor Enterprise Resource Planning

Epicor Kinetic 2021 ERP is an enterprise resource planning software primarily for manufacturing and distribution with functionality for quoting and sales, pre-production materials planning, scheduling, manufacturing and manufacturing execution (MES), inventory control, human resources, and accounting. It is sold as either hosted or cloud-based software and on-premise.

Modern manufacturers must produce and deliver high-quality products that meet customer demands and comply with regulations. Also, companies must manage global plants while handling massive amounts of sensitive data. They must achieve all this without sacrificing productivity.

If this sounds like a lot to take on, it is. However, with the right enterprise resource planning software, Epicor ERP, and with the right Epicor ERP consulting firm, Tomerlin-ERP, migrating to Epicor ERP doesn’t have to be a daunting task.

ERP technology is constantly evolving and is becoming more available to manufacturers of all sizes. Today, most agree that having ERP in use is a must to effectively and diligently run your business.

Epicor Kinetic 2021 ERP

This software is designed to support a growing manufacturing enterprise. With this tool, it enables your manufacturing company to thrive, compete, and continue to grow in a connected world. With Epicor, you can harness automation and data to ensure your business remains profitable and productive.

Abilities and Features  

If you are considering the installation and implementation of ERP software, the main question you may have is how it will help and benefit your business. Some ways it does are found here.

Sales Management

Customer Relationship Management

You will find CRM has all of the utilities you need. This module begins with enabling you to capture suspects for your company. When any of those suspects request a quote, Epicor ERP immediately converts the suspect to a prospect. When you are successful in converting the quote into a sales order, once again Epicor ERP automatically converts the prospect into a customer.

Marketing Activity: This tool tracks al marketing activities, like, advertisements, publications, events, and campaigns. In addition, it tracks the costs and the related revenue derived from those activities.

Salesperson Workbench: The salesperson workbench enables your salesforce to stay on top of all suspects, prospects, customers, sales opportunities and orders. From the Salesperson Workbench you can create an opportunity/quote. The software automatically creates a sales order if the quote is Won. A key tool, is you have the ability to create a log of all calls with each customer.

Salesperson Pipeline: The salesperson pipeline is used by the sales managers to review and monitor open quotes, sales orders.

Customer Tracker: This is a very powerful tool for tracking all information associated with each customer. This information includes, but is not limited to, open/closed invoices, open/closed orders, jobs, and other records linked to each specific customer.

Quote Management

With this module you will be able to maintain info on leads, opportunities, and quotes.

Order Management

Within a sales order you can create transactions, like, kitted, multi-line, multi-release, and configured sales orders. Sales Management is one of the very fundamental modules in Epicor ERP. It is fully integrated with other key modules, like, quoting, inventory, purchasing, shipping, and jobs. You can apply standard price breaks across all products and services you sell or apply customer specific price breaks.

Demand Management

This module is used to manage all customer contracts. When appropriate, it will convert the demand associated with those contracts into sales order and sales forecasts. If you use EDI, then you will not need to enter the demand manually.

Reports:
  • Demand Review Report
  • Demand Net Change Report
  • Cumulative Quantities Variance Report

Configurator

The configurator is meant to be used to create sales orders for parts which have multiple configurations, such as hardware, sizes, and color, etc. It is used best on custom Make-to-Order parts. Once the configurations have been created, they can be used in Sales orders, Quotes, Purchase Orders, Jobs, the Engineering Workbench, and Demand Entry.

Reports:
  • Configurator List Report

Service Management

Project Management

The overriding purpose of this module is to plan and manage capital projects. Through the utility project entry, you can organize each project using the Work Breakdown Structure Phases. Each phase can have multiple jobs, quotes, sales orders, and purchase orders assigned to them. With this module you can monitor costs for each phase, as well as, the total cost of each project.

Within this module you can export to Microsoft® Office Project. Then with MS Office Project you can modify the project and import it back into Epicor ERP.

Case Management

This module manages the workflow from the initial call, all the way through to resolution and any follow-up.

If your products have multiple configurations, like size, color and other features, the Configurator facilitates the creation of the sales order for multi-dimensional Make-To-Order products. The configurator interfaces with opportunity/quotes, sales orders, purchase orders, jobs, engineering, and demand.

Maintenance Management

This module is used to manage all maintenance in your shop. With this module, shop workers can create maintenance requests, and schedule preventative maintenance. Items managed with this module might be machinery, gauges, tools, and fixtures, etc.

This module is not intended to be used to manage maintenance services on anything sold to your customers.

Reports:
  • Equipment List
  • Maintenance Job Report
  • Maintenance Request Report

Field Service

The field service module manages the installation, repair, and service of equipment out in the field or at your customers’ facilities. Within field service you can manage all warranties which you have extended to your customers.

All work is managed through the Service Call Center. It is used to oversee dispatching, and cost reporting for work performed in the field.

The Epicor Mobile Field Service module provides technicians in the field access to inventory, process their service calls, report their labor performed, materials used and update jobs in real-time.

Reports:
  • Service Contract Status
  • Service Contract Analysis
  • Service Call Status Report
  • Service Technician Dispatch

Production Management

Job Management

Epicor Kinetic ERP was written with manufacturing and distribution in mind. Because of the single-entry nature, the job pulls information from multiple locations throughout the software, like, sales orders, purchase orders, and inventory. Besides directly using Job Entry, you also can use the Job Manager or the Planning Workbench.

Reports:
  • Reports: Shop Load Report
  • Priority Dispatch Report
  • Schedule Impact report
  • Overload Informer
  • Job Traveler
  • Production Detail Report
  • Work in Process Report
  • Inventory WIP Reconciliation Report

Job management includes a lean production module. It allows manufacturers to learn and implement lean practices. The Kanban functions support the pull production, which automates operations and reduces inventory.

It manages everything from the visibility of future demand to direct stock replenishment in real time if users opt to use the Kanban flows. To keep track of waste and efficiency, you can use the production activity tracker. This keeps an updated report of the lean performance metrics for your manufacturing facility.

Scheduling

The scheduling function maybe the most powerful module in this software suite. Epicor uses two types of scheduling, infinite and finite. The difference the first assumes unlimited capacity while the second spreads your load over a finite capacity. Scheduling recognizes several type of Scheduling Times:

  • Queue is the amount of time a job must wait before production can begin and Move is the amount of time a job must wait before it can begin the next operation.
  • Setup is the amount of time to prepare for production and Production is the amount of time required to make all parts for the job.
  • Production Preparation is the lead time of a manufactured part.
  • Kit Time is the amount of time required to gather the materials before the job starts.
  • Receive Time for subcontracted operations.

Infinite Scheduling: Infinite scheduling does not manage capacity. No constraint is given to any operation for any job. It is up to the scheduler, a person, to manually schedule the load.

Finite Scheduling: The capacity of all resources which might be a constraint must be determined. For each job operation, all constraint resources must be assigned. All jobs which occur after the finite horizon will be scheduled infinitely.

Rough Cut Scheduling: This type of scheduling does not take into consideration shop or resource load. Job are scheduled and their start date is determined using each job’s Need By Dates, Operation Production Standards, and the Rough Cut Parameters. Infinite scheduling is used in the Rough Cut processing.

Reports:
  • Shop Load Report
  • Priority Dispatch Report
  • Schedule Impact report
  • Overload Informer

Engineering

The primary function of the engineering module is the creation of the Method of Manufacturing (MOM). The MOM is the combination of the Bill of Materials and the Bill of Operations. MOMs are only attached to the part revisions and the part revisions are attached to the part.

Reports:
  • Availability Report
  • Bill of Materials Cost Report
  • Bill of Materials Listing Report
  • BOM by Reference
  • Methods Master Report
  • RoHS Part Compliance Report
  • Substance Where User Report
  • Summarized BOM Requirements Report
  • Where Used Report

Material Requirements Planning

Material Requirements Planning or MRP is used to determine the demand of sales orders by suggesting jobs to be created and to determine the materials demand for jobs and the purchase orders needed to supply that demand. As demand fluctuates, MRP will suggest updates to the jobs and purchase orders.

Report:
  • Time Phased Material Requirements Report

Data Collection (MES)

With the Manufacturing Execution System (MES), you can capture direct and indirect labor, as well as, parts created (good, non-conforming, and scrap) at each operation.

Quality Assurance

Quality Assurance and Enhanced Quality Assurance (EQA is not really a completed module yet) provide the capability to scrap parts, reject received goods, manage first article parts, manage RMAs and DMRs and with EQA you can track whether a part is compliant. In addition, with EQA you can manage skip lot control when receiving from suppliers and tracking employee training.

Reports:
  • Non-Conformance Analysis
  • Inspection Pending
  • Open DMR Status Report
  • Employee Training Course Report

Material Management

Inventory Management

The primary functionality of this module is the management of materials from receipt to inventory, into manufacturing, and shipment. After manufacturing is complete, you can either ship from the job or receive to inventory and then shipped from inventory. With Epicor Kinetic ERP you can perform cycle counts or full physicals on your inventory.

Reports:
  • Stock Status Report
  • Material Transaction Detail
  • Part Cycle Count Status Report
  • In Transit Stock Report
  • Inventory/WIP Reconciliation Report

Shipping/Receiving

Shipping and receiving is used primarily to record outgoing and incoming shipments of materials and goods. You can ship from inventory or the job. You can ship a sales order, parts of a subcontracted operation, rejected parts back to a supplier, and ship repaired parts back to a customer. You can receive materials against a purchase order, to a job, or to inventory.

Shipment Types:

  • To customers
  • To subcontractors
  • Miscellaneous
  • Drop shipments
  • Transfers
Report:
  • Open RMA Report

Customer Returns: Create a Return Material Authorization, a RMA, to start the process of the customer returning parts. When the parts arrive receive them against the RMA. The parts go directly to inspection to determine the problem or if there is a problem. The parts can be reworked, scrapped, returned to inventory, or returned to the customer.

Reports:
  • Container Landed Cost Report
  • Container Shipment Status Report
  • Customer Shipment Compliance Report
  • Customer Shipped Substances Report
  • Scheduled Shipments Report
  • Transfer Order Pick List

Purchase Management

The primary function of this module is to create purchase orders. When you are creating a purchase order, first create the PO header which contains among other information, from whom you are purchasing and to whom and where you paying for the material or goods. A purchase also contains detail lines or the different things being purchased. Each Detail line can have one or more release lines or due dates. You can purchase to inventory, to job materials, to miscellaneous, or to a subcontract operation in a job.

Reports:
  • Part Price History report
  • Supplier Price History Report

Financial Management

Asset Management

Use this module to manage the depreciation schedule for all assets owned by the company. Out-of-the-box, Epicor Kinetic ERP has several different depreciation methods or you can create custom methods if needed. You have the ability to add assets, dispose of assets, and record impairment of any asset.

Reports:
  • Asset Depreciation Report
  • Asset Depreciation Forecast Report
  • Asset Labels Report
  • Asset Overview Report
  • Asset Annual Schedule Report

Accounts Receivable

The accounts receivable module can create invoices for shipments or for miscellaneous goods or services. You can receive payments against the invoices.

Reports:
  • Aged Receivables Report
  • Sales Gross Margin Report
  • AR Reconciliation Report

Accounts Payable

The accounts payable module enables you to process how much you each supplier and when the amounts are due. In the AP module there is a Cash Payment tool for paying your suppliers when payments are due.

Reports:
  • Logged Invoice Suspense Balance Report
  • Received Not Invoiced Report
  • AP Invoice Balance Report
  • Payment Proposal Report
  • Aged Payables Report
  • Use Tax Report
  • Supplier Payment Report
  • Supplier Statements Report
  • Tax Reconciliation Report
  • A/P Expense Distribution Report
  • Deferred Expense Forecast Report
  • Deferred Expense Reconciliation Report

Cash Management

The Cash Management module generally is for maintaining the bank and cash accounts. Setting up and maintaining your bank accounts includes items like payment methods, routing info, and posting accounts. And there is a very is to use bank reconciliation tool.

Reports:
  • Check Register
  • Payment Proposal Report
  • Print Petty Cash Documents
  • Print Petty Cash Day Book

Deferred Revenue Accounting

Deferred revenue is a tool is used for recognizing revenue based on when it is earned.

Reports:
  • DRA Forecast Report
  • DRA Reconciliation Report

General Ledger

The general ledger module is the center of the financial management tools. With it you can define an organizational, accounting, and time aspects of transactions. Epicor has several balancing methods: currency, trial, daily, periodic. summary, and carry-forward.

Reports:
  • General Ledger Report
  • General Ledger Account Summary Report
  • Journal Listing Report
  • Consolidation Report

Executive Analysis

ShopVision

ShopVision is a dashboard which provides the executive team with information it will need when making decisions. The dashboards are:

  • Cashflow: This dashboard allows the executive to determine the sources and uses of the company’s cash. It uses several groupings, such as, Open AR, Available Cash, Open Sales Orders, Open Purchase Orders, Budgeted Expenses, Purchased Items Received But Not Invoiced, and Items Shipped But Not Invoiced.
  • Customer Shipping Performance: This dashboard provides info which enables the executive to determine company shipping performance to its customers.
  • Site Performance: This site related dashboard will enable executives to analyze sites by performance, and to identify trends.
  • Sales Backlog Analysis: This dashboard lets executives to monitor open orders using different criteria, such as, customer and site, analyze performance, and identify trends over time.
  • Supplier Performance: – This dashboard displays data for executives to monitor by different parameters such as customer and site, analyze delivery and quality performance, and identify trends.

Status Dashboards

  • Job Status: Shows links, assemblies, operations, materials, and documents that are related to the selected job. It also shows the related transaction. There is the ability to filter jobs which are Not Firm, Not Released, Active, Complete, Closed, or All.
  • Opportunity/Quote Status: This dashboard displays quote records, like, Expected Close, Due, Follow Up, and Expires dates. It also organizes by status.
  • Part On Hand Status: This dashboard provides info about parts, such as, warehouse on hand, bin locations, and inspection information.
  • PO Receipt Status: This dashboard provides info on suppliers, quantities, prices, and packing slip numbers. You cannot add or edit records in this Tracker. The PO Receipt Status Tracker is based on the Receipt Line table. You can filter receipts by receipt dates of today, receipt dates of this week, or all receipts.
  • PO Status: This dashboard provides info about purchase order receipts, such as, suppliers, quantities, prices, and packing slip numbers. You cannot add or edit records in this Tracker. The PO Receipt Status Tracker is based on the Receipt Line table. You can filter receipts by receipt dates of today, receipt dates of this week, or all receipts.
  • Sales Order Backlog Status: This dashboard provides info on order releases, ship by dates, and selling quantities. It displays all releases for an open sales order, with the quantity remaining. In addition, it displays the backlog value of the release quantities yet to ship.
  • Sales Order Shipment Status: This dashboard displays shipping info from purchase orders and packing slips.
  • Sales Order Status: This dashboard status to filter releases. This enables identification of releases which are Late or Open. You can view the releases that are due by current week and current month. This status is based on each release’s Ship By Date.

Enterprise Manufacturing Intelligence – EMI

With Epicor EMI solutions, you can leverage big data in your manufacturing plant. Several features make this software appealing. These include over 1,000 analysis options available right out of the box and a user-friendly interface. These allow employees to access data they weren’t even aware they needed.

The tool offers real-time, automated data collection that offers you instant visibility into your entire shop floor. This helps enhance productivity while empowering smart decision-making, diminishing waste, and mitigating risk. You can also create closed-look processes, which help reduce downtime.

Go Mobile and Get Collaborative

Mobility is necessary for the success of all modern businesses. The ability to conduct business from anywhere is something all businesses require. With this tool in place, you can easily connect with your:

  • Customers
  • Partners
  • Vendors
  • Employees

All this is achieved in real-time with accurate data.

You can integrate across your entire value change. When everyone can access secure and up-to-the-minute information, they find it is easier to collaborate and make decisions with more confidence. In the long term, efficiency is improved, too.

Why You Need Epicor Kinetic ERP

Achieving powerful manufacturing performance is dependent on data-driven strategies, along with simplified operations. It offers all the production management tools that are needed to maintain the highest manufacturing standards.

However, your success relies on more than just your ERP capabilities. If you want to maximize efficiency on the shop floor, team up with the pros who fully understand everything Epicor Kinetic ERP software offers.

Tomerlin-ERP is a leading provider of Epicor professional services: project management, software upgrades, data migrations, implementations, integrations, customizations, and more.

You’ll find the benefits provide a significant Return On Investment. It’s something you should consider for your manufacturing plant.

Our team has years of experience working with mid-market manufacturing, along with value-added distribution clients. Contact us today to learn more about the professional services we offer.

Click on "Contact Tomerlin-ERP Now" for more information!