The software as a service (SaaS) model of application delivery, more commonly known as “cloud deployment,” in which software features are accessed through a Web browser, is an excellent way for manufacturing companies to get the benefits of enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems without the need to build additional IT infrastructure. ERP functionality delivered “from the cloud” avoids the complexity and costs that often accompany on-premises ERP implementations, and typically provides a much more favorable total cost of ownership (TCO), compared to legacy on-premises deployment. Companies subscribe to the software features that they need and can add new ones as business requirements change, without buying additional servers or storage to support new functionality. The ERP features are the same as for an on-premises ERP system, except that it is hosted and maintained on the cloud provider’s infrastructure.

Epicor Software Corporation is a leading developer of ERP software and systems based in Austin, Texas, with more than 40 years of experience in building ERP systems for thousands of customers around the world. Christine Hansen, a product marketing manager at Epicor with experience in the manufacturing business sector, presents some of the best practices used by discrete manufacturers. She also explains the benefits of the Epicor Cloud ERP solution.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


For any company trying to establish—or even simply maintain—a foothold in today’s rapidly changing business environment, the rate at which Industry 4.0 is expanding can feel overwhelming.

Standard business practices are shifting. New technologies are bursting onto the scene every week, and the average business has more data on hand and more ways to process that information than the biggest companies did 25 years ago. All of these changes seem to be happening at a quicker and quicker pace.

There is one other significant way the current environment differs from the first three revolutions. When we talk about Industry 4.0, it’s not just factories producing the goods that consumers and businesses want to buy that are dominating the field. Without a doubt, software companies still focus on manufacturers. For example, Epicor partners with numerous manufacturing sectors to provide the cutting-edge data analytics, business intelligence, and enterprise resource planning (ERP) resources that companies need to compete.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


You have likely experienced the interminable hourglass spin while trying to open a large spreadsheet, or have spent multiple hours manually typing handwritten information into a system. In our data-driven world, it is safe to say that troubled encounters with large quantities of data are becoming the norm. Our data footprint has increased considerably over the past 15 years, jumping from 130 billion to 40 trillion gigabytes between 2005 and 2021. The data revolution opened up opportunities for organizations to analyze human behavior more deeply and develop more refined business strategies.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


If today’s small and mid-sized manufacturer is to sustain growth and thrive in today’s global marketplace, they must evolve from some of the practices they used in their early stages. Case in point: the use of Intuit® QuickBooks.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


Companies justify moving to a standard enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution based on several compelling reasons. By supporting a single system rather than several smaller and disparate systems, they can enjoy economies of scale. Additionally, having a single application architecture with fewer user interfaces creates lower integration costs. Plus, with common task automation and easier access to more information, businesses gain efficiencies not available when employees use multiple systems.

While the case for standardizing on a single ERP system can be relatively straightforward to make, the costs and impacts are sometimes easy to overlook. Companies should take into consideration several factors to help ensure a successful implementation.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


Epicor ERP version 10 represents a new technology age—not only for Epicor but for enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems in general. The main reason Epicor invested in building Epicor ERP 10 was to dramatically simplify the solution—architecturally and operationally. Epicor believes customers will appreciate the improved performance and easier management of the ERP 10 solution. The cloud-enabled product architecture allows Epicor to accelerate the cadence of product releases, so both cloud and on-premises users can enjoy enhancements more quickly

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


Clients who have already made the leap to the cloud (with their ERP or another enterprise workload), already know the answers to the “why cloud?” question are overwhelmingly compelling and undeniable. But for others who haven’t yet benefited from the cloud, questions remain—along with some occasional reluctance to embrace this change. After all, they ask, if the legacy model of ERP deployment (where end customers buy the software and the hardware upfront, then pay services staff to integrate it all, then pay even more to maintain and upgrade it) was good enough for the last three decades, what’s changed in the last 10 years?

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.


Manufacturers today are looking for innovative ways to differentiate themselves in the competitive global marketplace. Understanding customers’ needs in great detail has become an essential to being competitive.

One way to gain this understanding is to implement an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution. ERP solutions consolidate business operations, enhancing your businesses ability to be agile. Not only do these systems deliver on technology that you can boast about over coffee with a colleague, the business advantages include the ability to streamline your organization’s processes to reduce waste, improve throughput, and ultimately meet your customer’s value stream; improving odds for continued business in the future.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.


Think of all of the reasons you chose Epicor ERP in the first place. Perhaps it was for greater visibility, efficiency, and productivity. Perhaps it was as a foundation for innovation, transformation, and growth. In a world increasingly shaped by digital transformation and Industry 4.0 technologies, every year brings smarter ways to achieve all of these objectives. It’s only by evolving along with technology that you can take advantage of change—and stay competitive. Here are 4 compelling reasons why it is essential to make the move to the latest version of Epicor ERP.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.


Value Added Tax (VAT) is a relatively straightforward tax that is simple to comply with, is generally free from economic distortions, and is neutral to changes in trading and distribution patterns. From a government perspective, the introduction of VAT has advantages. It is inflation-neutral, a reliable generator of income, and applies to a broad base consisting of goods, services, real property, and intangibles, as well as being a proven system adopted in many countries globally. For these reasons, VAT is a good option to ensure that there is sufficient funding for public spending should oil and gas revenue fall significantly without non-oil public revenue rising to cover the shortfall.

 

About Encompass Solutions

Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.