04
May 2017
0
an image of the revolution mills

Our Home in Revolution Mills

When you love where you work, your company is only half of it. The other half is the

Our Home in Revolution Mills

Encompass Solutions , , , felixc

When you love where you work, your company is only half of it. The other half is the building, the place where your desk is, where the work that drives you begins and is built. We’ll leave discussing the finer points of Feng Shui for another day. However, no one can deny that your environment is a huge factor in your behavior, mood, and productivity. That’s why Encompass, Inc. is based in one of the most inspiring places in Greensboro, NC: Revolution Mills. This 120-year-old textile mill was once the home of the future and countless dreams… and now it is once again.

an image of the revolution mills

Image source: Triad Business Journal

About The Revolution Mills

In 1898, the Cone brothers and the Sternberger family partner together to open the 45-acre Revolution Mill. It was the first flannel producing factory in the south. By 1930, Revolution Mill is the largest exclusive flannel-producing factory in the world. Two-thousand looms working two shifts pushed out over 200,000 yards of denim every single day. The massive campus featured not only the production facilities, but four baseball diamonds, two YMCAs, groceries, a drugstore, a doctor’s office, and even a barbershop.

The mill closed in 1982 after the popularity of flannel fell. National Register of Historic Places added the Revolution Mills in 1984. Several ventures to restore the buildings and create multi-use facilities began. The Self-Help Group secured its future with a 100 million dollar redevelopment in 2012.

Why We Chose The Revolution Mills

Now home to more than seventy-five businesses and featuring over a hundred and forty apartments, Revolution Mills has sprung back to life, fostering the creativity and production that helped build America a hundred years ago once again.

That’s why our offices are located in Revolution Mills. The huge industrial space is now an open-style plan. This creates a collaborative environment featuring high ceilings, Manhattan-sized windows made of industrial iron, exposed brick walls and soaring wooden rafters. Within our space, we can see and feel the history of the Mill, even as we work with cutting-edge technology where steam-powered looms used to sit.

Our neighbors have come to this place to feel the same sense of creativity we do. We’re next to art studios, law firms, interior designers, financial services, photography studios, even a radio station. Of course, there is an apparel designer here too… quite fitting, we think.

As the Mill continues to change and expand, fitting in new services, homes and businesses, working here becomes even more inspiring as we see this ongoing project grow and evolve, much in the same way our Epicor systems grow over their development time.

Come on down one day and see our space. We promise you’ll find it just as inspiring as we do.

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.

10
Feb 2017
0
an image of the bezlio mobile epicor crm google maps integration logo

Bezlio – Mobile Epicor CRM and Google Maps Integration

Encompass is always proud to share smart solutions and one of the most exciting to emerge recently comes from

Bezlio – Mobile Epicor CRM and Google Maps Integration

Epicor , , , , felixc

Encompass is always proud to share smart solutions and one of the most exciting to emerge recently comes from our partners at Bezlio. Their mobile Epicor CRM Google Maps integration is the latest innovation to come from their development team. What Is Bezlio? Bezlio is a revolutionary platform that allows you to utilize the cloud to access and interact with your data using apps, analytics, and dashboards, all without requiring you to expose your private enterprise data to the Internet. In short, you can unchain your workforce from their desks and workstations with these ‘bezls’. Bezls are mobile device optimized dashboards and interfaces you can utilize on any device, anywhere you go.

CRM Google Maps Integration

Encompass Solutions partner Bezlio has developed an exciting integration for Epicor ERP users that combines the power of any time, anywhere CRM for your sales teams and google maps. leverage these powerful tools to empower your sales teams and improve customer satisfaction through the use of end-user tools, like self-service portals. Watch the video below to learn more about this innovative development from Bezlio.

About Bezlio

Bezlio is, a US-based company with 15 years of experience in customizing and optimizing ERP (enterprise resource management) systems and manipulating data. Specializing in mobile, cloud-based integrations, Bezlio offers many supplemental tool integrations for existing Epicor systems, such as mobile crystal reports, Amazon Seller integration, Salesforce + ERP, tableau write-back, and the recently added self-service customer portals.

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.

27
Jan 2017
0
an image of the production floor at a National Tube Supply facility

National Tube Supply Upgrades To Epicor ERP 10

As the new year begins for National Tube Supply, they look forward to the first full year using

National Tube Supply Upgrades To Epicor ERP 10

Case Studies , , , , , , , , , , , , , felixc

As the new year begins for National Tube Supply, they look forward to the first full year using their brand new Epicor 10 system. It’s been a long haul for them, and us, taking nearly three years to implement.

Epicor delivered a massive update to their system between the beginning of the project and E10 release. Based on the improvements of the system and NTS’ needs, the decision was made by their management team to bypass Epicor 9, going directly to Epicor ERP 10 and the most modern version of the Epicor ERP solution at the time. 

National Tube Supply Epicor 10 Upgrade Goes Live

The ribbon was cut on their new system on November 27, 2016, and NTS was able to start shipping and invoicing on the second day. There were only minor cleanups to take care of and a few hiccups related to the requested customization to their system. NTS has the highest level of customization of any Encompass Solutions partner. After creation, tuning, fine-tuning, and even writing their own staff user manuals, NTS hit the ground running.

an image of the manufacturing floor at a National Tube Supply facility

The driving factor to upgrade NTS’ preexisting Verticent system to Epicor was an effort to remain competitive. National Tube Supply has four different warehouses in North America (in both the US and Canada), and further refining their inventory planning and tracking was their number one priority.

“Several of our standard modules are working very well for NTS, but the true power of an Epicor system lies in the custom features we build into the ERP. Encompass introduced barcoding to the job picking process, vastly reducing the man-hours needed to assemble an order and generate the paperwork needed to track and ship it. Geographic data based on the customer’s location and the availability of product across the network of warehouses allowed us instantly create orders with not only multiple destinations but multiple sources of product. The process finishes with a single-click shipment, which also enables invoicing immediately.”

In 2017, NTS expects that inventory turns will increase as planning moves forward hand-in-hand with automated control of processing, reducing the costs associated with inaccuracy, and expanding their market share through greatly increased efficiency.

Of course, Encompass will be there every step of the way, not only ready to help when IT problems crop up but also to further refine their operations via BPR. Now that the system is up and running, we’re already planning NTS’ Phase II of improvements.

Three years of commitment and one world-class ERP system: Just another day at Encompass!

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.

05
Jan 2017
0
an image of a big ass solutions fan in a warehouse

Case Study: Big Ass Solutions Epicor ERP 10 Upgrade

Big Ass Solutions Upgrade Background Big Ass Solutions were previously running the legacy Vantage system, but it was

Case Study: Big Ass Solutions Epicor ERP 10 Upgrade

Case Studies , , , , , , , , felixc

Big Ass Solutions Upgrade Background

Big Ass Solutions were previously running the legacy Vantage system, but it was showing its age. Encompass Solutions, partnering with Bezlio, worked closely with the BAS team to bring all the valuable custom solutions BAS had invested in over the years to streamline their system, up to date to run on Epicor ERP 10. Leveraging the technology improvements in Epicor ERP 10, BAS was able to bring MRP runs down from almost a business day, to a couple of hours on ERP 10, making the effort put in to bring the customizations onto a single technology stack well worth the effort. Encompass Solutions was proud to be part of the recent Epicor 10 upgrade for Big Ass Solutions.

and image of the big ass solutions warehouse

Big Ass Solutions Epicor ERP 10 Upgrade Results

One example of the streamlining done at BAS includes optimizations to the process of issuing lot and serial tracked parts to jobs. Using one simplified screen, a user at BAS can simply scan the job number, which will then bring up a list of parts needed on the job. Then simply by scanning part numbers and lot number or serial numbers, entries are verified and collected on a grid for review. When the user is done entering items, the issuing of parts is performed automatically in the background allowing the user to move onto their next task without delay. The custom solution also automatically printed labels as needed based on the current operation, freeing up the user to focus on getting their work done, rather than clicking through multiple screens in the system.

Any world class ERP needs fine tuning and that’s what ESI are here for!

Big Ass Solutions’ Epicor Case Study

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.

02
Dec 2016
0

The 12 Steps of Fiscal Year Period Accuracy

‘Tis the season for 12 steps of fiscal year planning for the 12 periods in the fiscal year, to

The 12 Steps of Fiscal Year Period Accuracy

Helpful Tips , , , , felixc

‘Tis the season for 12 steps of fiscal year planning for the 12 periods in the fiscal year, to ensure you enjoy the 12 days of Christmas.

Fiscal Year Planning

A proper fiscal year planning for all your departments is imperative to ensure your organization’s success in the coming year. You can start by defining your priorities and implementing them in a go-to-market strategy. However, the number of moving parts needed to accomplish this is massive. Tasks include evaluating your projected revenue goals, defining target markets and how to segment them, as well as determining your resource availability. Accomplishing these tasks will ensure you have a good roadmap to achieve your fiscal year planning goals. Below you’ll find the twelve steps to generate financial reports for your annual planning periods. This will help you to identify resource availability, as well as other data, to ensure you have good visibility into your finances.

an image of the 12 steps of fiscal year planning

 

IF

at (Financial Management/General Ledger/ Setup/Fiscal Calendar/ Selected Calendar) Latest FY = Current FY+1

THEN

Go to the Twelfth Step of Fiscal Year planning

ELSE

  1. Add a New Fiscal year
  2. Enter End Date
  3. Save
  4. Check Number of periods and closing periods for accuracy (check for period 13 requirements)
  5. Go to Actions. If a Calendar period THEN Generate Periods
  6. Check data accuracy
  7. Generate Periods
  8. Save and Exit ELSE
  9. at (Fiscal Year/Fiscal Period/List tab)
  10. Enter period date ranges needed
  11. Save and Exit
  12. Have a Happy New Year!

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.

17
Nov 2016
0

Kaufman Container reduces overhead costs by 30% with Encompass and Epicor ERP

Kaufman Container is a leading packaging sourcing center in the United States. For the past 100 years, the

Kaufman Container reduces overhead costs by 30% with Encompass and Epicor ERP

Case Studies , , , , felixc

Kaufman Container is a leading packaging sourcing center in the United States. For the past 100 years, the company has provided packaging components, custom and stock molds, package development, quality assurance, and technical support to a wide range of customers and markets. Kaufman’s capabilities are endless, offering a variety of products including glass, plastic, aluminum, and metal containers, tubes, closures dispensing systems, celon bands, and more. The Kaufman Container Case Study serves to illustrate how operations and process improvements resulted in a 30 percent reduction of overhead costs, thanks to internal teams and the Encompass Solutions implementation staff.

an image of the kaufman container case study illustrating how operations and process improvements resulted in a 30 percent reduction of overhead costs.

 

Prior to their Epicor implementation, Kaufman was running several non-integrated systems, and users were having to do each other’s jobs—for example, if inventory was needed for a job and one of the systems stated there was inventory on hand, there was no trust in any system of reference, and the material was manually verified to be there.

Larry Keilin, IT director, spearheaded the implementation of Epicor. “The transition from our old system to our new system was less painful than I expected—for many employees, the day you switch from an old system to a new system is the day they love the old system,” Keilin commented. “A large number of our employees got on the Epicor bandwagon and became excited about all the work they can now do that they couldn’t do before. We are truly seeing the benefits, for example for the purchasing department, the Buyers Workbench is such a useful tool that it really stands out, and our customer service department really loves the way they can take an old order, copy it, and create a new one—it’s a huge time saver for them.“

Kaufman initially implemented Epicor ERP to work as closely as possible to existing business processes, as followed with their legacy ERP. While there was a successful transition to Epicor, partnering organization Encompass Solutions identified that Epicor was not being used to its full advantage, and that there were some additional modules that would need the implementation to get maximum functionality from Epicor ERP.

Kaufman contracted Encompass Solutions to perform an end-to-end business process review (BPR) to determine the best business processes to follow and unleash the maximum benefit from the newly implemented Epicor ERP product. This one-week exercise flushed out many areas for improvement, and a recommendations document and go-forward plan were implemented. Kaufman’s key goals from this BPR were to achieve better tracking of sales and gross margin data to salespersons and customers, improve inventory management, and integrate production management.

Every business area was assessed, and recommendations for change were made, particularly in the areas of engineering, production, inventory, purchasing, costing, and accounting.

Some key recommendations were to continue the implementation with some additional modules that were not included in the initial cutover—including CRM and the Epicor Configurator—as well as better implementing production and inventory management. Encompass provided a go-forward path to have everything implemented.

Other key recommendations were changes to costing to allow Kaufman to be more specific in assigning costs for production times, to leverage time-phased material requirements to drive purchasing decisions, and to expand the number of warehouses and bins used to reduce the amount of time staff spend locating inventory. A plan to move Kaufman to the scheduling engine was also produced—typically refinements over a six-month period provide an accurate, trusted model.

“Encompass has done a great job at assessing the situation, with BPR guidance to systematically attack and resolve pain points following the implementation,” concluded Keilin.

Kaufman Container Case Study

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.

04
Nov 2016
1
an image of the accutrex upgrade vantage 8 epicor erp 10.1 encompass solutions

Accutrex Upgrade From Epicor Vantage To Epicor ERP 10.1 | Rapid Implementation

Our recent Accutrex Upgrade project was a smashing success that enabled our customer to jump four versions of

Accutrex Upgrade From Epicor Vantage To Epicor ERP 10.1 | Rapid Implementation

Case Studies , , , , felixc

Our recent Accutrex Upgrade project was a smashing success that enabled our customer to jump four versions of Epicor ERP to the most modern solution for discrete manufacturing operations held to ITAR standards, Epicor ERP 10.1. Read on to learn about the Accutrex upgrade process and get in touch with Encompass to discuss your own Epicor ERP upgrade project.

an image of the accutrex upgrade vantage 8 epicor erp 10.1 encompass solutions

Accutrex, an award-winning supplier who offers superior quality products coupled with uncompromising attention to detail to the Aerospace, Military and Defense industries, recently upgraded from Vantage 8 to Epicor 10.1, with the help and expertise of Encompass Solutions.

Accutrex has established themselves as a leading source nationally and internationally for custom shims, gaskets, special OD/ID washers, metal stamping, sheet metal fabrications, kits and assemblies to the Aerospace and Military and Defense industries. As an ISO 9001:2008 and ITAR registered company, they are equipped to handle all facets of manufacturing from prototype to production in all types of industries.

Accutrex Upgrade To Epicor ERP 10.1

Encompass, in partnership with Bezlio, worked to preserve all the historical data available in Vantage 8, and uplift all custom solutions to Epicor 10.1 so that Accutrex could continue leveraging the investment made in their system to support their unique industry needs, and also retain critical data that allows them to look back and make forward-looking decisions based on that historical data.  In addition, Accutrex can now take advantage of all the new functionality available in Epicor ERP 10.1, and can leverage being on the most current version of the system to take on exciting new features as they are made available.

“An upgrade like this requires a lot of attention to detail, and making sure that the existing functionality was uplifted correctly to preserve key business functions, while still taking advantage of all of the new features of Epicor ERP 10.1 such that everything comes together to work flawlessly” said Rob Cummings, Project Manager and Solution Architect with Encompass Solutions.

Encompass is a certified Epicor Partner, providing ERP Consulting and industry-leading development of mission-critical enterprise solutions for over 15 years. The company’s focus is to be an advocate to customers facing the challenges of today’s market fierce competition and is often chosen as experts in this field to help American enterprises achieve a technological advantage.  Encompass customer base has expanded to sectors beyond standard manufacturing and distribution to include pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences and more.

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.

30
Sep 2016
0
an image of a hiker conducting their own

Complete ERP Implementation Toolkit – The Business Process Review

Ever been on a hike? A real hike. I’m not talking about a long walk with a bottle

Complete ERP Implementation Toolkit – The Business Process Review

Helpful Tips , , , , felixc

Ever been on a hike? A real hike. I’m not talking about a long walk with a bottle of water, here, I’m talking about carrying thirty pounds of a tent, sleeping bag, food, and equipment in a backpack the size of two small children twenty miles up and down mountains.

Whether you have or not, you know that a whole lot of prep happens before a hike: breaking in the boots, getting the pack fitted, and paring weighty equipment down to the barest essentials. If you’re just getting started on your ERP journey, you may want to consider our free ERP selection strategies ebook. If you’ve just finished your ERP implementation project, you’ll certainly feel as though you’ve hiked the Appalachian Trail.

Just as with a hike, though, your ERP system isn’t just about the destination, it’s about the journey: In the same way that any good hiker will be constantly adjusting their pack, changing their pace and stride, and constantly reorienting themselves via map and compass to keep themselves moving steadily and happily, a good company is going to be constantly reevaluating their system and making upgrades, streamlining processes, and changing to meet market demands.

Encompass will be with you every step of the way in your ERP journey with a BPR: A Business Process Review.

an image of a hiker conducting their own "business process review" overlooking a mountain range

What Is A Business Process Review

A business process review is like a hiker’s gear adjustment: It is an objective look at how your company is currently operating. It involves a review of current business practices and system-user interaction, with a focus on optimization. It includes an analysis of system transaction use and configuration to identify functionality that may better support your operational needs. Although technology application and configuration is a core part of this assessment, your business processes, resource skills, and infrastructure are also evaluated. We also conduct employee interviews to determine ‘pain points’ for the user and management.

Here’s a list of the mountains we often have to climb while getting your ERP system on the right path:

Poor Data Quality – Incomplete or incorrect data creates mistrust in the system, creating the need for offline workarounds, which increases the risk of inaccuracies while creating an unneeded workload.

Mismatch Between Roles & Responsibilities – Insufficient training in the case of high employee turnover and lack of proper training creates inefficiencies and inaccurate data, as does ignoring the hierarchy of responsibilities (managers assuming duties meant for their employees, or giving work to employees that are beyond their skill level, for example).

Offline Processes – Employees may perform work off of the ERP because ‘that’s how we’ve always done it,’ or because they ‘don’t trust the system’. This could be through the incorrect implementation of the ERP, poor training, or the need for a ‘mindset change’.

Growth – Unexpected or aggressive growth may require an expansion of existing infrastructure before operational systems impact and slow growth.

Training – High turnover or increased growth creates staff with less expertise and knowledge. Even with experienced staff, cross-training or advanced training is needed for employees to understand the ‘big picture’ of the ERP process.

The Result: The business process review provides a suite of deliverables that improve your business by refining and upgrading your ERP system. The BPR identifies the ‘Hot Spots’ where efficiency drops, where lack of training creates problems downstream, or where features are not being used correctly (or at all) and offers solutions to all of them, through new functionality, increased training, or modifying the procedure.

So, break out the boots and the hiking stick: The trail to a better ERP and better business is a steep one, full of rocks and switchbacks, but trust us: when you’re at the top of the mountain, the view is incredible.

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.

06
Jun 2016
0
an image of an office worker filling out forms to collect his company's Business Software Tax Deduction.

Take Advantage Of IRS Section 179 Tax Deduction With EPICOR 10

Quick: Think of something scarier than navigating and understanding the tax code! Okay. Are you done? If your top

Take Advantage Of IRS Section 179 Tax Deduction With EPICOR 10

Epicor , , felixc

Quick: Think of something scarier than navigating and understanding the tax code! Okay. Are you done? If your top three looks like ours—which are navigating and understanding the tax code, giant spiders, and regular-sized spiders—then we’ve got good news for you! Here’s a hint: it comes in the form of a business software tax deduction.

Epicor ERP Qualifies For A Business Software Tax Deduction

One of the things we’re not afraid of is finding ways to make our ERP systems affordable enough for any company. IRS Section 179 is one of the ways we do this: It covers all the software that you bought for your company in a tax year. It’s right there on line 5 of Eligible Property. That means you can deduct the full purchase or leasing price directly from your gross income. This was implemented by the U.S. Government to encourage businesses to buy equipment from other businesses, while investing in themselves at the same time. It’s a fantastic reason and a serious incentive to upgrading your ERP system.

an image of an office worker filling out forms to collect his company's Business Software Tax Deduction.

How To Collect Your Epicor Business Software Tax Deduction

To get into a little bit more detail, the software you purchase has to meet all of the following specifications:

  1. The software must be financed (only specific type leases or loans qualify), or purchased outright by you.
  2. The software must be used in your business for income-producing activity.
  3. The software must have a determinable useful life.
  4. The software must be expected to last more than one year.

In addition, these three specific stipulations must be met:

  1. The software must be readily available for purchase by the general public.
  2. The software must be subject to a non-exclusive license.
  3. The software must not have been substantially modified. Basically, the software can’t be custom code.

Now for some more good news: We know about some software that fulfills all of Section 179’s requirements. It’s a brand new Epicor 10 system, installed and maintained by Encompass Solutions, Inc, of course.

Contact your accounting professional today to see how implementing Epicor 10 will allow you to take advantage of IRS Section 179 tax deduction.

There is bad news, though: We can’t do anything about the spiders.

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.

05
Jan 2016
0
an image of employees celebrating new year erp implementations with fireworks

Going Live In The New Year With ERP

I’ve been reading many opinion articles lately about New Year ERP implementations. Namely, shooting for the New Year,

Going Live In The New Year With ERP

Helpful Tips , , felixc

I’ve been reading many opinion articles lately about New Year ERP implementations. Namely, shooting for the New Year, January 1, as the day the new software goes live. None of them had a particularly rosy outlook on that goal: Your employees, if they’re not all still on vacation, won’t be back into the rhythm of things after the holidays, will still have work to attend to and catch up on, and so on.

I agree, it seems impractical, maybe even impossible. But this is where Encompass shines. In fact, we are, RIGHT NOW, taking four of our clients to Go-Live over the new year on their brand new Epicor ERP 10 systems. It can be done, and done well! Here are some of our tips and tricks we keep in mind while we get our clients running right out of the gate.

Consider This For New Year ERP Implementations

If you’ve got your sights set on a New Year Go-Live, consider these important factors to make your implementation and subsequent onboarding a much smoother process.

Strong Employee Support

It’s not a bad idea to postpone a launch of new software until everyone at the organization has had the time to settle back into the rhythm of the day-to-day, to catch up with outstanding items, and, of course, serving customers and processing deliverables. While all this means that there is less focus on system adoption, an external company such as Encompass can provide the support needed to take your users through it successfully and painlessly.

Walking Before Running

Some argue that business is slower at the start of the year, and that there are not enough transactions happening that will test the full functionalities of the system, or allow it to run at full capacity. This is a good thing! Your team, already spreading their focus onto ramping back up into the new year, won’t be under pressure to process orders while learning the new handles, or to do so at full speed. Rushed mistakes are costly to any company!

Change Management

Preparedness is key. Before the New Year begins and the switch happens, you need to be ready for it, and that also means being ready when things start to go wrong. Our post on Change Management provides a glimpse at the solutions we can help provide.

Feel the Fear

… And do it anyway! Rip the band-aid off, tell your dad to let go of the bike seat, jump right in the deep end. The best way to learn something is to do it, so don’t mistake hesitating for preparing. The time you lose waiting is time you could be using learning and improving.

We at Encompass Solutions would like to wish all of you a smooth and successful start to the New Year!

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.

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