As more and more of the technology and software industry have been turning to the cloud, the world of Enterprise Resource Planning has been slower to catch up. In fact, the majority of ERP instances for manufacturing companies are still deployed on premise. However, that looks like it’s about to change. Before the cloud, ERP systems could only be hosted through costly on premise operations; taking up server space, installation fees and the training time (and money) needed to get the systems off the ground. The cost off on premise could be prohibitively expensive for small to medium size businesses who were just as viable to enjoy the many benefits of ERP software, but who didn’t have the revenue to justify the investment. The cloud clears those boundaries; instead of large upfront costs you pay a monthly subscription fee in order to access the cloud software. And if the cost saving potential doesn’t attract you, all of the features and revenue-driving functionality of an ERP system like Epicor 10 will. If you are a small to midsize business looking that has just come to a breaking point where you can’t keep track of any more paper, or perhaps you just want to start scaling your business up and need the support structure to do so, an ERP system could be just what your business needs.
If you’re interested in a cloud-based ERP solution for your business, download our free Comprehensive ERP Reviews Guide to the right and flip to Chapter 5: ERP for the Cloud for comparison guides which pit the most popular web-based ERP solutions against each other. For now, we are going to focus on one of the newest players in the arena—Epicor 10.
One of the most exciting advancements in the ERP sector, Epicor 10 was designed to support all of the functions that modern businesses must implement to thrive; social and enterprise collaboration, responsiveness and cross-platform functionality. Epicor has integrated all new social tools into their upgraded system, like the ability for employees and users to track processes, send out updates about progress—even make use of hashtags. The interconnected enterprise is truly the future of business and one of the greatest assets of modern enterprise software, and Epicor wants to encourage that collaboration by building it right into the software.
The announcement of Epicor 10 last year came with a complete move to the Microsoft stack, ensuring that the product can be fine-tuned to be deliverable on any hosting platform, like the multi-tenant cloud or on premise, with the same user interface experience across all of the options. Another important announcement: the update allows cloud customers to support multiple legal entities within one hosting user. If you have franchises or multiple businesses under a single umbrella, it will be possible to be hosted within the same cloud server and benefit from being able to cross-track and collate data on that larger scale.
Not to mention that the release of Epicor 10.1 lies just around the corner, with speculated updates including the ability to create planning contracts, getting rid of the hassle of planning for long lead time items within the system, multi-job scheduling and the power to run MRPs by part.
One of the most appealing features of a web-based enterprise solution is an overall lower Total Cost of Ownership (Epicor estimates the solution is around 30-40% cheaper) than on premise options. This makes it an ideal solution for small to mid-size businesses looking to bolster their processes with the foundational tools of an ERP with the significant investment of on premise hosting—which includes the tens of thousands of dollars it takes just to purchase the infrastructure and maintenance you will need to run the system. The low startup and subscription costs won’t detract from your investment abilities and capital growth, which is partly why cloud deployment is such an attractive option for small and growing businesses.
Furthermore, as a cloud subscriber, you’re not missing out on any of the feautres offered in the on premise application. In fact, you are also reaping the benefits of enhanced mobility and faster upgrades. Epicor 10 in the Cloud will automate all system updates, so you don’t have to rely on memory and free time to upgrade your system. With the cloud, you’re always on top of ERP trends and never stuck with a lagging system that will just take longer to upgrade the further behind you get. Epicor estimates that almost 50% of their ERP implementations in the next fiscal year will be hosted within the cloud.
Not only is the cloud more cost-effective for businesses who cannot afford the investment and implementation time that comes with on premise systems, it also more amenable to scalability. Whether your business has less than 10 employees or more than 100, you only pay the subscription free for the size of your hosting service; if that size changes all you have to do is start paying the different price rather than going through the hassle of acquiring all the hardware necessary to increase your on-premise server space.
If you are a small business, you also know that every single employee is incredibly valuable and passionate about what your company does. You want them to stay that way; assigned to the tasks that are truly valuable and that are focused on growth, diversification and the customer; cloud hosting ensures that.Businesses with limited IT resources also often find that cloud solutions free up their IT teams for the crucial work they were employed to do; not routine upkeep of lagging systems or going through the lengthy motions of upgrading software. You don’t need to hire extra employees just for training and adoption, and your existing team won’t be diverted—Epicor’s own team is entirely focused on looking after your software and ensuring it runs the way you need it to. Consequently, your entire team can focus on the actual mission of your company while Epicor 10 takes on the grunt work of maintenance.
If Epicor 10 in the Cloud sounds like the ERP solution for your business and you want to get started on an implementation, or if you are still running legacy ERP and need to undergo the upgrade process, our consultants at Datix have the know-how and tried experience to help. Contact us today.
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