A midwest print product company recently decided to undergo an Epicor upgrade; taking them from Vantage 8 to Epicor version 10. Throughout their process, they quickly learned that best practices would dictate that their company should actually undergo a reimplementation instead. See the challenges they faced, the questions they developed, and their ultimate solutions in this case study.
Understand the real-world issues, challenges, and questions companies ask themselves when debating an Epicor upgrade vs. a reimplementation. Find out what the organization learned about their data and what processes they put in place to optimize their business along the way.
This case study encompasses the experience that many Epicor upgrade candidates experience when engaging in this type of project.
Epicor Upgrade Case Study Preview:
ERP Case Study Info
Company: Versa-Tags Inc.
Industry: Printing
Location: Cuba, Missouri
Specialty: Producer of printed tags/products for promotional, automotive and ad specialty distributors
About Versa-Tags Inc.
Versa-Tags Inc. has served promotional, automotive and ad specialty distributors since 1970. Since creating the original self-protecting Versa-Tag Key Tag 45 years ago, the company has evolved to engineer other printed materials such as; custom decals, parking permits, specialty stickers, real estate signage, and identification tags.
Recognizing the need for change
In 2012, company managers attended an informational conference highlighting Epicor ERP functionality. Compelled to move from Vantage 8 to the latest Epicor 10 software, the company wanted to simplify cumbersome processes inside their disparate system. From the onset, Versa-Tag’s project committee sought to convert all internal data directly into the new system and improve internal communication among departments.
A unified project committee expressed that a lack of understanding of their current legacy software, and improper data input practice from users, had exposed a bottleneck in production capabilities. The company aimed to compliment the production side of their business with this new technology.
It was company IT Manager, Jay Epperson’s, first time leading an ERP upgrade. An internal SWOT of project member strengths and weaknesses uncovered that he would be hard-pressed to complete the project without partner assistance. In-house IT staff felt they needed to rely on an expert partner for help. The project team looked to local Epicor user groups for project best practices and advice on project implementation.
