Prophet 21 Review

Product:
Vendor:
Founded:
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Prophet 21 Cloud
Epicor Software Corp.
1972
Austin, TX

Ownership:
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Deployment Model:
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Private
100,000 users
Cloud, On-Premise
No

Product Overview

Powered by Microsoft Azure, Epicor Prophet 21 Cloud is built on SaaS technologies for lower total cost of ownership (TCO) and continuous improvement―a future-ready platform for digitalization of the business needs today. It’s a device-independent system that runs on web browsers, tablets and smartphones in a Windows environment improving usability and mobility. On-premises and SaaS options are available.

Distributors who choose the on-premises version can use the integrated web-application or choose cloud-based deployment. Epicor Prophet 21 Cloud is designed to help distribution businesses scale, change, and grow without major system modifications.

Prophet 21 Cloud combines proven distribution expertise with an end-to-end Web-enabled infrastructure and modern technology stack: HTML5, Angular JS, .NET, and SQL Server^®. As a cloud-based solution, it provides greater flexibility to scale, extend, customize, and configure it to work the way businesses work with full extensibility via an application programming interface (API). This gives businesses the ability to add specialized functionality and/or boost efficiency and productivity by connecting their business processes with the vendors, customers, and partners they need.

Features

The Epicor Prophet 21 system is a complete, effective and efficient end-to-end business management solution, designed for today’s distributor with complete mobile access. Its capabilities include:

eCommerce – This integration, based on Magento commerce, helps clients increase sales, reach new customers and shorten sale cycles. It includes B2B and B2C channel support, storefront creation, real-time stock levels, mobile access and more.

Business intelligence – Epicor Data Analytics and Customer Buying Trend Analyzer help a company generate and maintain real-time insights that are visible from executive, A/R, sales rep and buying trends dashboards.

Financial management – Users get A/R, A/P, general ledger, purchasing, AvaTax and vendor rebates. Real-time drill down, support for multicurrency and multicompany, and account balance alerts streamline business accounting.

Customer relationship management (CRM) – This module helps users manage contacts (including tracking customers’ buying habits), lead and opportunity (including tracking sales progress, setting sales starts and employing analytics), and marketing (including generating call lists and targeted mailing lists, and setting follow-up dates.).

Sales management – This feature includes order management, credit-card processing, the ability to analyze customer buying trends, and a strategic pricing tool that sets an optimum price based on market data and sales history.

Supply chain management – Users can manage warehouse, inventory, purchasing and manufacturing. This feature includes Advanced Demand Forecasting, which more accurately calculates the amount of inventory needed.

Service and maintenance management – This feature lets users enter and process service quotes and orders, as well as order/replenish parts directly from existing inventory, schedule labor and technicians, track full sales and service history for serial numbers, and minimize data entry through an automated process without the need for a separate inventory system.

Epicor data analytics – This feature uses existing data to help clients make strategic decisions and figure out return on investment (ROI). It offers users powerful mobile functionality and enhanced BI and analytical tools.

DocStar enterprise content management (ECM) – This tool captures and manages text, PDF, email, video, HTML and more. It can automate “mission critical” processes, like accounts payable and expense approvals.

Wireless Warehouse Management – Users can manage inventory receipt, put-away, picking, cycle counts and more, as well as account for adjustments, all from any mobile device or remote location.

Artificial Intelligence – Epicor Virtual Agent (EVA) is a virtual assistant designed to simplify interactions with Prophet 21 via voice commands or texts from a mobile device, and to automate tasks to speed up operations.

Epicor Report Studio – This integrated reporting tool lets users connect data sources and run reports quickly without any coding skills.

Target Market

The Prophet 21 Cloud system is designed to streamline the various distribution processes in today’s dynamic supply chain. Epicor provides industry-leading solutions for distributors of all sizes. It’s a feature-rich application developed to manage the requirements of distribution industries including: fasteners, fluid power, HVAC, industrial/safety, medical supplies, and welding to name several.

Some of its clients include:

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Implementation/Integration

The Epicor implementation methodology is broken into five stages:

1. Prepare – During the prepare stage, Epicor’s consulting team aligns clients’ expectations with the software suite a company is planning to implement.
2. Plan – The plan stage is the official beginning of the implementation project. It establishes the foundation for the project and creates a blueprint that lays out the system requirements, resources and timelines that are needed to match a company’s demands and budget.
3. Design – During this stage, a company’s core project team and subject matter experts begin to use the system and document how it’ll be used to meet business objectives.
4. Validate – The goal of this stage is to better ensure that all business procedures are correctly documented and business operations flow successfully through the system.
5. Deploy – During this stage, Epicor’s consulting team assists customers with developing their go-live plans, as well as providing end-user training.

Distributors can start with the on-premise version and migrate to the cloud as their business grows.

Customer Service & Support

Epicor customers have access to its online customer support center, which provides 24/7 access to information, resources and services, including customer account information, an online knowledge base, product documentation and downloads, online forums and communities, and other helpful information.

Access to EpicCare is included as part of a company’s Epicor Maintenance and Support Plan. Additional benefits of the plan may include:

• The latest in software updates, fixes, enhancements and upgrades – allowing organizations to extend the life of their ERP systems.
• Unlimited online, chat and/or phone problem resolution support from Epicor support experts to help customers troubleshoot problems.

Pricing

Epicor doesn’t disclose pricing information. Prospective customers should contact Epicor for details.

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Shortcomings

Both Technical Support (network, printer, and infrastructure troubleshooting) and Technical Consulting (network design, server and software installation, performance review and troubleshooting) are additional costs for on-premise customers.  But most on-premise customers maintain their own networks and perform installations and upgrades without Epicor’s extended services.

Screenshots

About

Incorporated in 1972 as Triad Systems Corp., the company was renamed Activant Solutions Inc. in 2003, continuing to grow through acquisitions. In May 2011, Activant was purchased by Apax Partners and merged with Epicor Software Corporation, retaining the Epicor name. In August 2016, KKR & Co. acquired Epicor Software Corp. from Apax Partners.

Headquartered in Austin, TX, Epicor has offices throughout the U.S. as well as many other countries, including Australia, China, the United Kingdom, Russia, Poland, Malaysia, Mexico and New Zealand.

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