How to Use Epicor® from Any Device 

When you’re on the shop floor, you’re not always by your desktop. Without mobile capabilities, production or warehouse employees must collect data by hand and enter it manually into their computers. This prohibits real-time visibility, increases your risk for error and wastes time. Fortunately, barcode scanners and other handheld tools make this back-and-forth obsolete, optimizing your factory efficiency.  

With Epicor® Handheld, your workforce can directly capture data from the shop floor to make it available in the ERP system. This can optimize several manufacturing processes, such as inventory and material requirements tracking. Epicor® also gives users the flexibility to customize dashboards and interfaces to align with specific business needs. Epicor® Handheld delivers a streamlined, intuitive user experience to make your manufacturing operations more productive than ever. 

But to derive full value from your handheld ERP solution, you must ensure it is properly implemented. Here’s a brief guide to implementing Epicor® Handheld.  

Considerations 

Before implementing Epicor® Handheld, you need to consider several attributes of the handhelds that you need to use and how those will affect the system. These attributes include:  

• Processor speed 
• Screen size and resolution 
• Size and weight 
• Firmware 
• Operating system and version 

Not all types of handheld devices will be suitable for an Epicor® ERP implementation—even if they’re all currently running on the same operating system (OS). Each different type of device will need to be qualified by your ERP vendor to make sure they can run the software. You’ll also need to be able to build various forms of the enterprise application, so that they can be compliant on your devices (i.e., a smartphone application which allows for tasks like recording travel, expense and client details). Additionally, you might need a PDA application that will handle more complex functionalities like workbooks, task listing, schedule editing and more.  

The key here is doing a thorough review of your business processes and required devices before ever undergoing a software implementation. That way, you’ll understand how employees currently carry out their day-to-day tasks and the kind of devices and software they’ll need to do the same on the new ERP. Epicor®-supported PDAs can not only include built-in barcode readers, but also functionality for web browsing, email and messaging, so you can manage inventory and maintain communication within the organization no matter where your users are doing business. 

Implementation 

If your Epicor® solution will involve handheld devices in any capacity, then their implementation needs to be a specific, delineated step on your implementation journey and scheduled as such. Handheld devices should be included on any budgets and timelines you prepare for the C-Suite. For example, you’ll need to commit every resource you plan to use on desktop training to your Epicor® Handheld devices, including use cases, conference room pilots, end user testing and training.  

Everyone who will be using Epicor® Handheld should be confident and fully trained on the device. You don’t want to get to a crucial inventory check and find out that one user has been scanning the wrong codes or entering their information into the wrong database. One small misuse of your handheld devices could throw off your operations and waste serious time and money. 

However, once you have selected the right devices and gone through all the necessary steps to get your staff up to speed on them, you’ll soon be enjoying the benefits of total mobility—more accurate data, faster workflows and easier reporting on quality testing and product compliance, to name a few. Properly implementing Epicor® Handheld will help you maximize the value of your ERP solution.  

Wrap Up 

Everything is mobile now, so your ERP should be too. Epicor® Handheld delivers real-time access to manufacturing data at your fingertips.  

Datix has over 20 years of experience with ERP projects and manufacturing operations. From start to finish, our certified consultants will help you leverage the full capabilities of your Epicor® instance. We’ll also provide implementation, customization and training for Epicor® Handheld to allow you to become a mobile enterprise.  

For more information about Epicor®, get in touch with one of our ERP experts today!