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Epicor ERP

Introduction to Epicor ERP


Course
10.0.700.2

Disclaimer
This document is for informational purposes only and is subject to change without notice. This document and its
contents, including the viewpoints, dates and functional content expressed herein are believed to be accurate as of its
date of publication. However, Epicor Software Corporation makes no guarantee, representations or warranties with
regard to the enclosed information and specifically disclaims any applicable implied warranties, such as fitness for a
particular purpose, merchantability, satisfactory quality or reasonable skill and care. As each user of Epicor software is
likely to be unique in their requirements in the use of such software and their business processes, users of this document
are always advised to discuss the content of this document with their Epicor account manager. All information contained
herein is subject to change without notice and changes to this document since printing and other important information
about the software product are made or published in release notes, and you are urged to obtain the current release
notes for the software product. We welcome user comments and reserve the right to revise this publication and/or
make improvements or changes to the products or programs described in this publication at any time, without notice.
The usage of any Epicor software shall be pursuant to an Epicor end user license agreement and the performance of
any consulting services by Epicor personnel shall be pursuant to Epicor's standard services terms and conditions. Usage
of the solution(s) described in this document with other Epicor software or third party products may require the purchase
of licenses for such other products. Where any software is expressed to be compliant with local laws or requirements
in this document, such compliance is not a warranty and is based solely on Epicor's current understanding of such laws
and requirements. All laws and requirements are subject to varying interpretations as well as to change and accordingly
Epicor cannot guarantee that the software will be compliant and up to date with such changes. All statements of
platform and product compatibility in this document shall be considered individually in relation to the products referred
to in the relevant statement, i.e., where any Epicor software is stated to be compatible with one product and also
stated to be compatible with another product, it should not be interpreted that such Epicor software is compatible
with both of the products running at the same time on the same platform or environment. Additionally platform or
product compatibility may require the application of Epicor or third-party updates, patches and/or service packs and
Epicor has no responsibility for compatibility issues which may be caused by updates, patches and/or service packs
released by third parties after the date of publication of this document. Epicor is a registered trademark and/or
trademark of Epicor Software Corporation in the United States, certain other countries and/or the EU. All other
trademarks mentioned are the property of their respective owners. Copyright Epicor Software Corporation 2014.
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form without the prior written consent of
Epicor Software Corporation.

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Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

Contents

Contents
Introduction to Epicor ERP.....................................................................................................5
Before You Begin....................................................................................................................6
Audience.........................................................................................................................................................6
Prerequisites....................................................................................................................................................6

Overview.................................................................................................................................7
User Interface..................................................................................................................................................7
Switch Between the Classic Menu and Modern Shell Menu.......................................................................7
Modify the Configuration Settings File...............................................................................................7
Use Runtime Argument.....................................................................................................................8
Classic Style and Menu.............................................................................................................................8
Logging in Classic Style......................................................................................................................8
Main Menu.......................................................................................................................................8
Menu Bar..........................................................................................................................................9
Folder List..........................................................................................................................................9
Contents Pane...................................................................................................................................9
Status Bar..........................................................................................................................................9
Modern Shell and Menu.........................................................................................................................10
Logging In to the Modern Shell.......................................................................................................10
Home Page......................................................................................................................................10
Tiles.................................................................................................................................................10
Quick Access to Open Forms...........................................................................................................10
Application Bar................................................................................................................................11
Change Company...........................................................................................................................11
Menu..............................................................................................................................................11
Settings...........................................................................................................................................11
Application Help and Field Help.....................................................................................................................12
Accessing the Help.................................................................................................................................12
Available Options in Help........................................................................................................................12
Internet Component Environment (ICE)..........................................................................................................13
Personalization...............................................................................................................................................13
Customization...............................................................................................................................................14

Application Overview...........................................................................................................15
Core Modules........................................................................................................................17
Quote Management......................................................................................................................................17
Order Management.......................................................................................................................................18
Purchase Management..................................................................................................................................20
Scheduling.....................................................................................................................................................22
Job Management...........................................................................................................................................23
Shipping and Receiving..................................................................................................................................24
Inventory Management..................................................................................................................................24

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Contents

Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

Advanced Material Management...................................................................................................................25


Accounts Payable...........................................................................................................................................26
Accounts Receivable......................................................................................................................................27
General Ledger..............................................................................................................................................27

EPICweb.................................................................................................................................28
Workshop - Access EPICweb..........................................................................................................................28
Log on to EPICweb.................................................................................................................................28
Find a Course/Enroll in a Course.............................................................................................................28
Enroll in a Course............................................................................................................................28

Embedded Education Courses.............................................................................................30


Conclusion.............................................................................................................................31

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Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

Introduction to Epicor ERP

Introduction to Epicor ERP


This introductory course provides an overview of the Epicor application, its major capabilities, and a general
understanding of overall features and functionality.
The Epicor application is delivered out of the box with built-in workflow processes that take a quote for a
product or service, and then eventually post the cash results of this transaction to a specific financial book.
This workflow begins with the sales order process. You start this process in customer relationship management
and develop sales quotes, which later become sales orders.
Next, you leverage the engineering functionality. You define a method of manufacturing for each part. These
engineered part records are then used on jobs for production within a manufacturing center. Manage the materials
through purchasing and inventory, and then schedule for material releases to jobs for on-time completion.
The workflow concludes when the results of these transactions are accurately recorded within the financial
functionality of the following programs:
Accounts Receivable
Accounts Payable
Cash Management
General Ledger
Epicor ERP is an Enterprise Resource Planning product with many inner-working modules. No additional computer
programming is required to make the modules work together.

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Before You Begin

Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

Before You Begin


Read this topic for information you should know in order to successfully complete this course.
Upon successful completion of this course, you will be able to:
Recognize the two different interfaces available within the application.
Switch between the two interfaces.
Identify the purpose of each of the core modules within the Epicor application.
Understand how to access EPICweb to enroll in a course.
Launch the Embedded Education courses.

Audience
Specific audiences will benefit from this course.
All Users - This course targets an audience with little to no detailed knowledge of the Epicor application and
its overall functionality.

Prerequisites
To complete the workshops in this course, the necessary modules must be licensed and operating in your training
environment. For more information on the modules available, contact your Epicor Customer Account Manager
at EpicorCAM@epicor.com. It is also important you understand the prerequisite knowledge contained in other
valuable courses.
Computer and Internet Navigation Basics - The Epicor application operates in a Microsoft Windows
environment; therefore, knowing how to navigate in a Windows environment and the Web will help facilitate
the learning experience. Students should be familiar with computer hardware components such as the keyboard
and mouse, navigation keys on the keyboard, such as the Tab and Enter keys, and navigation buttons, such
as the Back button.

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Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

Overview

Overview
Epicor ERP is the next generation solution developed by Epicor Software Corporation. It introduces a total
manufacturing solution for the mid-market segment. It is considered to be a premier ERP program. This means
all of the available modules that make up the database interface with each other with no additional programming.
This Epicor application is built to leverage the Microsoft .NET Framework and Microsoft SQL Server in
order to provide a leading-edge technological solution that offers Epicor's manufacturing customers a framework
that will support their business needs now and in the future.

User Interface
The Epicor ERP is a feature-rich Enterprise Resource Planning software package. In order to gain a thorough
understanding of how the software works, it is important to understand how to navigate in the application.
The Epicor application is designed for versatility and integration. To enrich user experience, two types of User
Interfaces (UI) are available: Classic Menu and Modern Shell Menu.

Switch Between the Classic Menu and Modern Shell Menu


You can run the Epicor ERP application using the two modes which control the visual design, user interaction
and navigational aspect of the application - Classic Menu and Modern Shell Menu.
The Classic Menu user interface is a traditional way of navigating around the Epicor ERP application, using a
basic tree structure and folders. The Modern Shell Menu user interface includes an enhanced menu and a
Home Page that serves as your starting point and a place to keep your favorite Epicor programs, application
shortcuts, documents, or pictures.
The following are the options you can use to specify which menu you want to use in your smart client.

Modify the Configuration Settings File


The configuration settings file defines the main settings for your server installation and each client installation.
Use the LaunchType value parameter found within the <userSettings> node within your xxx.sysconfig file
to control the following:
Classic
Note To use this option, modify the sysconfig file as follows:
<LaunchType value="MainMenu" options="Shell|MainMenu" />
On the Login dialog, press the Windows 8 button to override the Classic style launch.
Modern Shell
Note To run the application using the Shell application, modify the sysconfig file as follows:
<LaunchType value="Shell" options="Shell|MainMenu" />
On the Login dialog, press the Classic Style button to override the New Style launch.

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Overview

Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

Use Runtime Argument


You can set up each workstation to launch the application in a specific mode. These modes, or run time arguments,
activate immediately when a user double-clicks on the application's icon.
Use the following startup parameters to control the following:
Classic
Add /classic parameter as a runtime argument to your desktop shortcut to launch the menu using the Classic
style.
Note
C:\Epicor\Epicor10\Client\Epicor.exe /classic
Modern Shell
Add /shell parameter as a runtime argument to your desktop shortcut to launch the Modern Shell using the
shell application.
Note
C:\Epicor\Epicor10\Client\Epicor.exe /shell

Classic Style and Menu


The Classic style interface and menu use a directory tree to navigate around the Epicor application. The screen
is divided into two panes showing the directory tree on the left and the current system area on the right.
This interface is primarily made up of three parts: Main Menu, Module, and Program. The Main Menu is your
home base within the Epicor application. Every module is consistently organized through the directory tree on
the Main Menu, so you can quickly find the program you need to run.

Logging in Classic Style


You must log in to the Epicor application before you have access to the Main menu or any programs in the
application. To log in, you must first set up a User ID and password in User Account Maintenance.
Tip If your System Administrator has enabled Single Sign-On (SSO), you are automatically logged into the

Epicor application using the User ID and Password entered when you first logged into your Windows
operating system.
Double-click the Epicor application icon on your desktop to log in to the application.
The Log On dialog box displays. Enter your User ID and Password and click OK to log in.

Main Menu
The Main Menu allows you to quickly locate and start programs. It uses a file folder system, similar to Microsoft
Windows, that allows navigation to specific modules and programs.
Top Level
Related modules are grouped together below the top level folders. For example, all of the financial modules such
as Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, and General Ledger are grouped below the Financial Management
folder.

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Overview

Module Level
This level contains the application's modules. Each module has its own folder.
Functional Level
Each module's functionality is divided into three subfolders:
Setup - This folder contains all of the Maintenance programs that apply to the current module.
General Operations - This folder contains all the Entry and Tracker programs that apply to the current
module.
Reports - This folder contains all the reports that apply to the current module.
Icon Level
This level contains all of the icons used to start the programs. When you click an icon, its corresponding programs
display in the Contents pane.

Menu Bar
The Classic user interface employs a Menu bar at the top of the window.
The Menu bar allows you to perform many basic tasks, including the following:
Set your view of the Main Menu.
Change the company and site into which you are logged.
Change the language for your session.
Change your password.
Change the ID under which you are logged in.
Access the Application Help.
Exit the Epicor application.
Save your settings when you exit.

Folder List
The Folder List is the tree view of the Main Menu on the left side of the screen. It displays the names of the
companies and sites that have been defined in the Epicor application.

Contents Pane
The Contents Pane is to the right of the Folder List. It displays the contents of the folder selected in the Folder
List. You typically launch programs from the Contents Pane. Use the View menu to select which elements of
the main interface you wish to display. If you select Full Tree from the View menu, you can launch programs
directly from the Folder List.

Status Bar
The Status bar is at the bottom of the main interface. It displays your current User ID, current language, and
current company. Use the Options menu to change the current User ID, company, site, or language.
Note The Status bar display varies depending on your Preference settings.

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Overview

Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

Modern Shell and Menu


The Modern Shell interface is touchscreen-orientated for use on tablets as well as traditional PCs. The touch-centric
Home Page serves as your starting point and you can customize it using mosaic tiles. Tiles provide a way to
access applications or documents; you can use them by clicking or tapping on them.
Use the Home Page to access all items from a single location; pin and organize your favorite apps and websites,
gain access to Epicor programs and Help system and use the available settings to fine-tune the User Interface.

Logging In to the Modern Shell


You must log in to the Epicor application before you have access to the Modern Shell or any programs in the
application.
To log in, you must first set up a valid User ID and Password in User Account Maintenance.
Tip If your System Administrator has enabled Single Sign-On (SSO), you are automatically logged into the
Epicor ERP application using the User ID and Password you entered when you first logged into your
Windows operating system.
Double-click the Epicor application on your desktop to log in to the application.
The Log In dialog box displays.
Enter your User ID and Password and click the right arrow to log in.

Home Page
When you launch the application using the Enhanced menu, the Home Page displays. The Home Page is a
modern starting point where you can access all of your Epicor programs, favorite apps and websites.

Tiles
You can customize your Home Page by adding mosaic Tiles.
Use tiles to access applications or documents, clicking or tapping them to launch. There is an embedded wizard
you can use to determine the type of tile you want to add and to define the main parameters such as name,
color, or sizing options. The following are examples of what you can do with tiles:
Create links to programs, URLs, or documents
Display Business Activity Query results within a Home Page tile
Create placeholders for your favorite Epicor forms
Use standard tiles delivered by Epicor for access to the Menu, Settings, Help, or Recent Forms
View Epicor Social Enterprise message feeds and post messages from the Home Page
You can use Tile groups to organize your tiles within the Home Page. You can reposition tiles within a group,
move tiles from one group to another, change size, color, and names of groups, edit tiles in your Favorites list,
and remove unwanted tiles or entire Tile groups.

Quick Access to Open Forms


Within the Modern Shell, you can quickly access forms and applications that you have open.
You can use the following methods to access forms:
Use the sliding Open Forms Bar to see all open forms.

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Overview

Click a form icon to maximize it or click the x button to close it.


On the Home Page, use the Navigator buttons found in the top right corner to scroll through all opened
forms.
Within an opened program, use the Navigator buttons to jump to other opened forms or to the Home Page.

Application Bar
Use the sliding Application Bar found at the bottom of the page to access the Search application and invoke
context menu options.
The following is a list of main features:
On the right side of the bar, use context specific buttons that change based on the active item.
On the left side of the bar, launch the Search application to search through the available menu items. You
can also use a web search engine of your choice.

Change Company
Use this function to change the company for which you are entering data. You can enter data for any company
for which you have authorization.
Note Use User Account Maintenance to maintain the list of companies for which each user is authorized.
To change the company, click the link and select a company on the list.

Menu
Use the Menu application launched from the Home Page to access Companies, Modules, and Programs found
within the Epicor ERP application.
Programs are grouped first by module category, then by module, and last by function.
The following are available from the Menu application:
View Mode - choose between Zoom view and Tree view
Contents Pane View - choose between a List view or a Tile view
Waiting Status Slider - shows the status of opening forms
Context Menu - activated by right-clicking a menu item

Settings
Use the interface Settings launched from the Home Page to control your current environment settings such as
changing a user or language, selecting a preferred color scheme, or configuring your Epicor Social Enterprise
login parameters.
The following are controlled from the Settings:
General Operations - to change current environment options
Colors - to customize the look of your menu
Home Page - to select how many tiles to display in a vertical column on the Home Page
Splash Screen - to customize the screen that displays during the login process
Search - to select a search engine to use on the Search panel

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Application Help and Field Help


The Application Help provides details and explanations of the various features, programs and modules throughout
the Epicor application. The Field Help provides definitions and technical details for a specific field.

Accessing the Help


You can launch application help both from the Home Page and directly from a specific program. Pressing the F1
key on your keyboard also opens help. When you display help in this way, the topic linked to the current program
or selected sheet opens.
Home Page Help
To launch the application help from the Home Page, click the Help tile. Next from the Help page, click the Contents
link. The application help displays and you can browse through the entire application help system.
Program Specific Help
You can access help for a specific program by first launching a program (like Sales Order Entry), and then clicking
Help > Application Help. You can also launch the application help by pressing the <F1> key.
In either case, the help is context-sensitive for the active sheet. The application help is linked to the program and
sheet you are on when you launch help, so the help topic for the specific program/sheet displays within the
application help window. You can now browse through the documentation for the current program or the entire
application help system.

Available Options in Help


The options on the Help menu differ according to where you access Help: in the main Epicor interface (either
Classic or Modern Shell), or in a particular program.
Available Options in the main interface
Contents F1 Select this option to access Application Help from the Main Menu. Once opened, use the table
of contents to navigate to the help topic or enter a keyword to search.
Feature Summary Select this option for a high-level overview of the major new functionality released with each
version of your Epicor application.
Tip of the Day... Select this option to view a tip on using Epicor ERP.
Epicor on the Web Select this option to access the following options:
Epicor Home - This link displays the Epicor homepage: www.epicor.com.
EPICweb - Support - This link displays the login screen to access the epicweb.epicor.com site where live chat
support is available.
MyEPICweb... - This link displays the login screen to access the EPICweb portal where you can download
information, access support services and enroll in Epicor Education Courses.
About This window displays key information concerning your version of Epicor ERP, the release date and license
information.

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Overview

Available Options in a program


Epicor on the Web Select this option to access the following options:
EPICweb - Support - This link displays the login screen to access the epicweb.epicor.com site where live chat
support is available.
MyEPICweb... - This link displays the login screen to access the EPICweb portal where you can download
information, access support services and enroll in Epicor Education Courses.
Field Help Select this option to view definitions and technical details for a specific field.
Application Help Select this option to access application help. Once opened, use the table of contents to navigate
to the help topic or enter a keyword to search.
About This window displays key information concerning your version of Epicor ERP, the release date and license
information.

Internet Component Environment (ICE)


ICE is a modern business architecture that is built using Microsoft.NET, and is the basis of next generation
business software. It helps to align IT with the business, makes integration straightforward, and delivers high
business productivity.
Epicor ICE provides the framework for Epicors n-tier enterprise applications, and as such, separates business
logic from the underlying technology framework. This layered approach allows users to dynamically model business
rules to extend and customize the solution without modifying source code. The framework can be systematically
upgraded to incorporate new technology enhancements without disrupting the applications built upon it, thereby
reducing your cost of adopting new technologies and upgrading customizations.

Personalization
Everyone using the application has different needs. Some want the columns on a grid placed in a different
sequence. Others need different options available on a program's status bar. Still others need a program to verify
data after he or she performs specific actions. Set up the Epicor application to reflect your individual needs.
The Epicor Personalization Tools allows modification of each program's interface. Personalize every program
that is used; this allows refining of the interface to better match the tasks performed every day.
Features of the program's interface that can be personalized include:
Options - Define the internal personalizations for a program using the Options window. The options you
select become the default for the program.
Toolbars - Adjust the toolbar positions within the program window.
Grids - Manipulate the order in which columns display within each grid, as well as modify each grid. Some
sheets contain grids, which display information through a combination of rows and columns.
Tree View - Automatically hide or display the program's tree view within the program.
Personalization Mode - Activate this mode to move controls and modify control properties within the current
program. Share personalizations with other application users by importing and exporting the personalizations.

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Customization
Customization refers to the ability to modify aspects of the user interface and application functionality. This
includes the ability to model the changes, track changes, pilot changes, and deploy and rollout changes to the
user community.
Customization of nearly every program within the application is possible; it is a powerful tool. Customization can
save time and money because these modifications allow the direct matching of the application to your business
needs.
The application includes a variety of customization tools.
Add controls such as text boxes and lists, and then link them to a selected data source.
Create new sheets that are available to all employees, a specific employee, and even different companies.
Activate your own customized code through events or new buttons; this feature allows processes to run that
are unique for your company.
Customization Main Features
Work in Process Stages
Save your customization as Work in Process stages. Reload a previous stage if your customization is not working
correctly. Customizations are also initially available in a test environment, so you can ensure the customization
works properly before it is released.
Multiple Customization
Develop multiple customizations for the same program. Next, set up each user account so that specific employees
can view and use this customization.
For example, two employees are responsible for purchasing specific items. One employee purchases spare parts,
while the other hires subcontractors. Customize a program, such as Purchase Order Entry so that one employee
has a spare parts purchasing sheet, while the other has a subcontracting purchase sheet.
Export Customization
Export Customization outside of the application. Customizations are then available to anyone outside of your
network. If your company has a relationship with another company, this feature allows the customization to be
shared with them.
Revert to Original Format
If the customization does not work or if it is no longer needed, the program can revert back to its default
configuration.
Custom Localization Layer
Develop the localization layer for any program. The localization layer is a type of customization layer. It is applied
to a program interface at startup in a similar way that the customization layers are applied. The localization layer
allows the override of the default culture behavior and appearance of the fields, based on localization needs.
When creating the custom localization layer, it is possible to:
Hide fields that are not applicable for a specific culture.
Show fields that are applicable for a specific culture but not for the base product.
Change the formatting of a field or control to format differently from the base formatting or localized
formatting.
For more information on how to develop the localization layer for any program, refer to Application Help topic:
Localization Layer.

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Application Overview

Application Overview
Within every company there are distinct job roles. The Epicor application is broken into many different modules
allowing each department to perform their job duties all while sharing universal data. This allows you to store a
complete history of interactions with a customer.
Module Diagram
The diagram below shows the break out of module categories in your application.

Customer Relationship Management


Customer Relationship Management (CRM) controls all aspects of a companys interaction with its customers
and potential customers from generating leads, developing opportunities, taking orders, producing and shipping
goods, receiving cash, and supporting customers. Throughout this process, CRM allows the customer to be closely
involved within the entire supply chain process via the Web-Based Customer Connect applications.
Financial Management
Financial Management provides manufacturers with the tools needed to create value through monitoring financial
conditions and timely decision making. Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable, Currency Management, Fixed
Assets, Payroll, and General Ledger help them monitor and manage invoicing, payments, asset management,
and payroll and benefits to reduce costs and improve cash flow.

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Supply Chain Management


Supply Chain Management is a full suite of enterprise application capabilities including Purchase Management,
Sourcing and Procurement, Inventory Management, Advanced Material Management, Shipping and Receiving,
Supply Chain Execution and Warehouse Management, and is completed by order and demand management
capabilities of Epicor Sales Management. Combined, you have the solution needed to satisfy customers and
customer demand, in today's increasingly global market place.
Production Management
Production Management is comprised of Job Management, Manufacturing Execution, Lean Manufacturing,
Quality Assurance, and Advanced Quality Management. It uses sophisticated technologies to model best practices
and empowers the shop floor personnel to make the decisions that result in optimization of the production
process.
Planning and Scheduling
Planning and Scheduling provides the specific functionality (for example, Consolidated Purchasing, Transfer
Functionality, and Consolidated Financials) that helps global enterprises manage the complexity of their size and
take advantage of the efficiencies that smaller organizations enjoy.
Project Management
Project Management provides the capacity to plan, organize, and manage resources and to develop resource
estimates. It includes technology to aid in Project Planning, Project Billing, Resource Management, Time
Management, and Expense Management.
Product Data Management
Product Data Management (PDM) serves as a central knowledge repository for process and product history, and
promotes integration and data exchange among those who interact with the enterprise product. This includes
Project Managers, Engineers, Sales Persons, Buyers, and Quality Assurance Representatives. The application offers
a complete end-to-end solution to manage all aspects of a products life cycle, as well as allowing enterprises to
control the enormous amount of electronic documents that they produce. PDM supports collaboration throughout
the value chain.
Service Management
Service Management optimizes customer service with timely response to customer requests and puts knowledge
in the hands of customer service personnel.
Human Capital Management
Human Capital Management (HCM) encompasses a range of solutions that help manage an organization's most
valued assets, its employees, in a strategic and coherent manner. It demonstrates the progression beyond the
confines of the Human Resource (HR) department, core payroll services and human resource management systems
(HRMS). It manages and develops talent and labor resources on a global scale, both strategically and cost effectively.
Epicor HCM delivers the necessary software support for all employee-related functions whether distributed or
centralized. This allows organizations to manage a geographically dispersed workforce in a global manner,
ensuring support for various local payroll and legal reporting requirements.
Sales Management
Sales Management provides the tools to produce accurate estimates, streamline the order-to-cash cycle, calculate
reliable estimates, and improve customer service. Quote Management and Order Management capture orders
and seamlessly integrate the information with supply chain, production, fulfillment, and accounting systems.

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Core Modules

Core Modules
Epicor ERP has three customer cores: the manufacturing customer, the financial customer and the distribution
customer. There are core modules within the application that address each core customer's specific application
needs. This section of the course reviews, the modules' main features and benefits.
Epicor offers embedded courses for each module, explaining the functionality of the programs. Workshops within
the courses offer a hands-on, step-by-step process demonstration of how to use these programs.

Quote Management
Quote Management is often the starting point for the supply chain cycle. When you enter a quote, manufacturing
details are entered for the record. These records provide your organization with a solid head start for Job
Management, Scheduling, Purchasing, and other functions of the application. Best of all, the result is greater
efficiency.
Review this list for information on key features in the Quote Management module.
Manufacturing Details
Get details for a part, configure the part, and determine the applicable pricing of the part, directly from
Opportunity/Quote Entry.
Miscellaneous Charges
Enter unlimited miscellaneous charges or credits on each quote header or quote line. These charges will then
print on the quote and applicable order, and carry over to invoicing.
Opportunity/Quote Entry
Opportunity/Quote Entry provides the optional ability to automatically populate fields within the Engineering
General Operations programs, when you open the program. Data that populates relates to Parts, Operations,
Capabilities, Resource Groups and Resources. There is no provision to load data based on a Named Search, a
Business Activity Query (BAQ) or a Dashboard.
Quote Order Wizard
Quickly generate appropriate orders from new quotes. Create, plan, schedule, and release jobs against multiple
lines and multiple releases.
Quote Tracker
As a single source for all activity about an order, use the Quote Tracker to see a summarized view of the quote;
then drill down on selected items to see greater details. Based on technology used in the dashboard, optionally
use real-time data to link to other parts of the application.
One Time Ship To Location
Create a one time ship to location on an individual quote or sales order.
Indicate within Customer Maintenance whether a customer record requires one time ship to locations on
sales orders. This activates the One Time check box within Opportunity/Quote Entry and Sales Order
Entry, where a unique shipping address is entered on a specific sales order.
Next, create a sales order (or a quote later turned into a sales order) that ships part quantities to this unique,
third-party customer location. Use this functionality, for example, when making a shipment to the customer
of your distributor.

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If needed, indicate that this ship to location should become either a new customer record or a new ship to
location for the original customer record.
Searches
Search by Quote Number, Customer Name, Sales Person, Part Number, and Customer Part Number. Filter by All,
Quoted, Lead, Opportunity, Quote, and Not Quoted. Narrow your search to a particular territory to return a more
powerful search for quotes.
What-If Scheduling
Perform a what-if schedule on a quote line, for better understanding and communicating when a part might be
completed.

Order Management
Order Management drives the Epicor ERP system. From the time you enter a sales order, you track its progress
through final shipment, producing timely reports on demand. All sales orders and change orders are effectively
managed online, reducing the chance for error and smoothing out the entire order-to-delivery process for
maximum customer satisfaction.
Alternate Parts
Improve order accuracy and ability to enhance sales by defining upgrade, downgrade, substitute, and
complementary parts for each part record.
You can define alternate parts on each part record. These parts are defined as being either a direct substitute, a
downgrade substitute, an upgrade substitute, or a complementary product to this part.
When you enter sales orders, they can display suggestions for upgrading, downgrading, substituting, or
complementing the original part. You can select a different part that better reflects the needs of the customer.
This feature both improves customer satisfaction and enhances sales accuracy.
Backorders
Orders automatically create backorders for lines shipped incomplete. Backorder flexibility allows customer-specific
backorder parameters for complete order lines or complete orders to be set.
Blanket Orders
Establish multiple releases (set up as either firm or not firm) for each sales order line and pull parts directly from
inventory, or seamlessly integrate with Job Management to generate production orders.
Build Order from History
Create new sales orders based on previous detail lines defined for a specific customer.
Use this functionality to pull up previous sales orders linked to a specific customer. Filter the results by selecting
a specific date; all sales orders created on or after this date then display in the Build Order From History window.
Next, select the specific sales order detail lines to use again on a current sales order. By clicking OK, the selected
detail lines populate the order. Edit each line as needed.
Credit Card Authorization and Encryption
With the increased use of credit cards to purchase products, it is necessary to have an integrated system to record
and encrypt credit card information as well as process the payment.
The Credit Card Security programs protect credit card information stored in the database. These programs are
designed to meet the storage security requirement of the Data Security Standard.
In accordance with these requirements, Epicor ERP maintains two components to encrypt credit card data: the
password and the salt value. Both values are maintained separately in order to enhance data security.

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Credit Checks
Check customer credit status online within Opportunity/Quote Entry, Sales Order Entry and Customer
Shipment Entry.
Buy to Orders
Each sales order release can be a buy to sales order linked to a specific purchase order.
Use this functionality, available on the Releases > Detail sheet, within Sales Order Entry to link a supplier to
a specific sales order release. Next, indicate the purchase order, line, and release needed to connect with the
sales order.
You can mark the sales order release as a Drop Ship item.
Fulfillment Processing
Use the Fulfillment Workbench to reserve and allocate material for sales, transfers and job order types. This
feature also includes the capability to cross-dock, tying potential supply to the demand picked against inventory.
Reserve quantities at the warehouse level and then allocate quantities from the reservation. The allocated quantity
nets from the reserve quantity, creating a hard, directed allocation that includes the lot, bin, and serial numbers
of the quantity requested through the sales order release.
Various fulfillment techniques, such as pick, pack, and console-driven handheld processes, can now be
performed by using templates that automate the fulfillment process for each type.
One Time Ship to Location
Create a one time ship to location on an individual quote or sales order.
Indicate within Customer Maintenance whether a customer record requires one time ship to locations on sales
orders. This activates the One Time check box within Opportunity/Quote Entry and Sales Order Entry, where you
can enter a unique shipping address on a specific sales order.
If needed, indicate that this ship to location should become either a new customer record or a new ship to location
for the original customer.
Order Job Wizard
Quickly generate appropriate jobs for new orders in a single step that creates, plans, schedules, and releases jobs
against multiple lines and multiple releases.
Order Tracker
As a single source for all activity about an order, use the Order Tracker to see a summarized view of the order
then drill down on selected items to see greater details (for example, lines, releases, shipments, charges, bookings,
audit, and payment information). Based on technology used in the Dashboard, use real-time data to link to other
parts of the application.
Wave Picking
Consolidate similar sales orders together using a Wave Picking process. Leverage this functionality to fully utilize
the resources within manufacturing centers to efficiently produce a quantity of similar parts.
Multiple orders can be grouped under the same wave number. During the fulfillment process, combine the
transactions needed to pick multiple sales orders that are similar.
For example, you have 50 sales orders that create demand for Part A. You group all 50 sales orders under the
same wave, moving the inventory (pick) from stock to shipping for all 50 sales orders at the same time. Without
the wave functionality, you would need to pick each transaction individually.
A planner can continue to add sales orders to a wave until the first part quantity is picked or packed. Once
allocated items are moved from the picking warehouse to the packing warehouse, the wave group is closed no
further sales orders can be added to it.

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Purchase Management
Purchase Management manages purchase order creation and monitoring. The detailed lines on a purchase order
may be for purchases of inventory, job material, subcontract operation, or for other material, but you can change
the destinations of these items upon their receipt.
Purchase order receipts update the purchase order and history files. This provides a reference to assist in future
purchasing decisions. Purchase order suggestions use the Time Phased Material Requirements Report for streamlined
purchase order creation.
Purchase Management Features
Automated Purchasing Tools: Turns purchase order suggestions into purchase orders with little manual
effort.
Purchase Requisitions: Allows for the initiation, approval, and tracking of PO requisitions.
Purchase History: Provides detailed information on POs and receipts over an extended period of time.
Individual Line Items and Mass Receipts for POs: Displays the options available for receiving one line or
all lines on a PO.
Supplier Part Number/Stocking Part Number: Displays numbers that are now able to be cross-referenced.
Price Breaks: Displays price breaks and includes effective dates.
Supplier Approval: Signifies that an approval is available for a specific part or group of parts. Activating the
Supplier Approval function can be applied to a job or for a specific customer.
Purchase Management Process Flow
Purchase Management provides a dynamic interface for the communication of purchasing information both
internally and to and from suppliers. This diagram illustrates the Purchase Management Process Flow, beginning
with the generation of a purchase order, and ending with the commitment of purchasing transactions.

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Scheduling
Scheduling is the process of determining the time, tasks, and resources required to attain an objective. This
objective may be large and complex, such as constructing a new building, or a simple task such as preparing a
meal. In order to successfully schedule, the following information is needed:
Tasks that must be completed.
Order in which tasks need to be completed, including identifying any pre-requisites.
Time needed to complete each task.
Projected completion date of each task.
The process of scheduling determines when you must start each task or operation in order to meet a target
completion time. This process also determines which tasks may potentially delay meeting this objective. In a
manufacturing company the process of scheduling requires the following:
1.

A list of operations to be completed and the order in which they must be completed. This list is referred to
as a Routing or Bill of Operations.

2.

Estimated times to set up machines and to perform the actual manufacturing operations.

3.

A target Start Date or Completion Date.

The scheduling process then assigns estimated start and completion dates for each operation in one of two ways:
forward scheduling or backward scheduling.
Forward Scheduling
This method takes the target start date and adds the estimated operation time of the first operation to compute
its estimated completion date. It then uses that date as the estimated, or scheduled, start date for the next
operation, continuing until all operations have been scheduled and an estimated completion date for the job
results. This process is illustrated in the graphic below:

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Backward Scheduling
This method begins with the target completion date for the job and subtracts the estimated operation time for
the last operation to compute its scheduled starting time which, in turn, becomes the scheduled completion time
of the previous operation. This process continues until the first operation is scheduled and the scheduled start
date for the job results. This process is illustrated by the following graphic:

Job Management
Job Management provides a comprehensive manufacturing control system designed for Routing, Scheduling,
Costing, and Tracking of parts. These parts are custom or repetitive parts produced for inventory or to ship to
the customer from the site floor.
Tools
There are several tools available to assist with the creation and management of jobs in the application:
Planning Workbench - Provides a view of all job related actions.
Job Manager - Reviews the relationship between jobs and demand.
Job Costing - Compares job estimates to actual costs by job, operation, or material.
Order to Job Linking - Creates one job with one delivery or creates one job with multiple deliveries.
Planned Overproduction of Assemblies - Produces and auto receives overproduction quantities to inventory
on a job.
Job Creation Methods
Jobs can be created in the software using any one of several different methods:
Quick Job Entry - Provides a streamlined job creation ability.
Manually - Creates a job for inventory using the Time Phased Material Requirements report for stocked
parts.
MRP Module - Creates planned jobs for stocked and non-stocked items.
Planning Workbench - Notifies of all new sales order requirements and changes for all non-stocked parts.
Order Job Wizard - Displays demand, supply, and inventory by part and provides job linking, job creation,
and pull from inventory capability.

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Kanban - Reports production of parts without a job.


Job Types
There are three different types of jobs, and each has a different way of relieving the Work in Process (WIP).
Make to Stock
Make to Order
Make to Job
Job Management Terminology
Assembly - All the manufacturing components or parts required to make each part for a customer. They are
identified separately from raw material in job and quote entry and in the bill of materials.
Parent Assembly - Any assembly composed of subassemblies.
Subassembly - Manufactured parts needed in a parent assembly.
Material - Job material requirements which can be purchased directly to the job or issued from inventory.
Raw Material - Material which has not been processed through manufacturing.
Finished Goods - Parts considered complete and ready for shipment.
Method of Manufacture (Method) - All the information required to build a part. A method includes all
purchased and manufactured parts necessary, as well as the sequence of operations required to build the
final product.
Get Details - The function that allows the production details to be copied from a method, another job, or
quote.
Engineer a Job - Indicates the job's manufacturing method is completely planned. A job cannot be scheduled
or released until it is engineered.
Release a Job - Releases the job to production. Once a job is released, it is available for labor entry, data
collection, and inventory transactions.

Shipping and Receiving


Shipping and Receiving provides the ability to keep track of product distribution. This process needs to run
smoothly to ensure products are produced, sold, and shipped to customers in a timely manner, which signifies
a successful business model.
The first step in the Shipping Process is selling product(s) to a customer in order to ship the item. Entering an
order identifies how a part is actually sold and shipped to the customer.
The Receiving Process receives stock goods, manufacturing materials, or subcontract work back to your location.
The first step in this process is to create a purchase order for the service or product needed.
The Receipt Entry program gives you flexibility in coordinating with the supplier's delivery schedule. This ensures
that the service purchased is received to the right area of your organization.

Inventory Management
The primary function of the Inventory Management module is to manage the flow of materials from an incoming
purchase order (PO) through manufacturing and ultimately, shipment to the customer. These items can be shipped

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from stock or inventory, received to stock, or received directly to the job. Inventory transactions are made
in the same manner regardless of the manufacturing environment. These manufacturing environments could be
Make-To-Order (MTO) or Make-To-Stock (MTS). Ultimately, these transactions result in revenue and post to
the general ledger (GL).
Features of the Inventory Management Module
UOM inventory
Serial control, custom serial formatting, serial number tracking
Cost tracking
Cycle and physical counts
Lot control and tracking
RoHS compliance
Container tracking of supplier shipments
Consignment inventory
Inventory Management Terminology
Assembly - All of the manufactured components or parts required to make each part for the customer.
Assemblies are identified separately from raw materials in job and quote entry. In the bill of materials
(Engineering Module), assemblies are identified as materials that should be Pulled as Assembly.
Parent Assembly - An assembly that is the result of two or more subassemblies.
Sub Assembly - Manufactured parts needed in a parent assembly.
Material - Identifies all of the raw materials required to make each part produced. Material information
includes the part number, quantity required and estimated cost. If the part number exists in the part master
file, an allocation is created when a job material requirement is entered.
Finished Goods - Parts that are considered complete and ready for shipment.
Expense Items - Items ordered to a GL expense account which are not usually considered inventory and can
be consumed in the manufacturing process.

Advanced Material Management


Advanced Material Management (AMM) allows manufacturers to produce electronic requests for materials,
dispatch those materials, and track inventory movements of all inventory including raw materials and work in
process (WIP).
Using wireless terminals and bar coding technology, provides manufacturers with the ability to track inventory
in real time. A manufacturer using the application has complete control and visibility of raw materials and WIP
as it travels throughout the enterprise.
Key Features
1.

Fulfilment Workbench
Reserves specific parts in inventory for specific sales orders.
Prioritizes orders to allocate stock to the highest priority customers first.
Provides more efficient picking and shipping of sales orders.

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WIP Movement and Tracking


Requests raw material or WIP to be moved in real-time.
Monitors the movement of WIP.
Obtains the current location of WIP.
Searches for serial or lot tracking numbers.

3.

Other Features
A material queue is available of parts to deliver to resource groups or resources.
Barcodes can be printed throughout the process to label containers in order to identify WIP and inventory.

Accounts Payable
Use the Accounts Payable (AP) module to enter supplier invoices for purchases, and then create checks for the
invoices to be paid.
The application can generate payments for all invoices due, invoices for a particular supplier, or for specific
invoices. Customer historical information can be stored indefinitely.
Use the AP module to update both purchase orders in Purchase Management, as well as actual job costs.
Adjustments are created if the purchase price does not match the invoiced price. The AP module tracks how
much is owed and when payment is due.
Key Concepts of Accounts Payable Processing
In an interfaced environment, AP and Expense related general ledger accounts are defined using GL Control
Codes and GL Control Types.
An AP Clearing account is required; it acts as the Accrued (or Unvouchered Receipts) account.
Invoicing and payment transactions are posted to the GL using the posting engine.
Typical Process Flow

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1.

Create a purchase order (PO Entry).

2.

Receive goods and services against a PO (Receipt Entry).

3.

Recognize liability for the goods received (Invoice Entry).

4.

Process cash disbursements for the outstanding invoices (Payment Entry).

5.

Record supplier returns if necessary (Invoice Entry - Debit Memo).

6.

Reconcile Bank Accounts (Bank Reconciliation).

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Accounts Receivable
Use the Accounts Receivable (AR) module to bill your customers as orders are shipped and track payments as
they are received.
Because the creation of invoices is specified through the order release process, billing can be reduced to a different
quantity than that which was actually shipped.
You can preview customer invoices, print them on laser or continuous preprinted forms, or fax or email them
directly to your customer. The AR module tracks who is buying what, and who is paying their bills on time.
Key Concepts of Accounts Receivable Processing
In an interfaced environment, AR and sales-related general ledger accounts can be defined using GL Control
Codes and GL Control Types.
Optional use of an AR Clearing account controls the timing of Cost of Sales posting.
Invoices and cash receipts are posted to the GL using the posting engine.
Typical Sales Order to Payment Process Flow
1.

Process a sales order (Sales Order Entry).

2.

Ship goods (Customer Shipment Entry).

3.

Invoice the customer (Invoice Entry).

4.

Receive payment (Receipt Entry).

5.

Post cash (Cash Receipts Entry).

General Ledger
During implementation, few setup steps outweigh the importance of defining the company's Chart of Accounts
(COA). In the General Ledger module, defining the COA is a critical factor that can impact how the business
operates on a day-to-day basis.
At the core of the General Ledger module lies a company's COA or ensemble of General Ledger (GL) account
numbers. Each company has the ability to create multiple charts of accounts if their business practices dictate
that. On the outer walls of the accounts are unique segments, categories, allocations, references, and configurations
which define each account in the chart. The design of each wall significantly impacts the ability to easily prepare
financial reports for each area of business in a company.
Defining your Fiscal calendar also greatly affects how transactions display within reports and how they post to
the GL. Each calendar defined contains fiscal years and periods which provide a map of date ranges that guide
transactions to post to precise groups based on individual posting dates. This transactional separation allows
companies to keep more accurate records for a set fiscal year and for multiple fiscal calendars.
Similar to all financial modules in your manufacturing system, the General Ledger module follows a transactional
hierarchy. However, it can be changed to suit your company's needs through the setup and use of GL Controls
and User-Defined posting rules.

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EPICweb

Introduction to Epicor ERP Course

EPICweb
EPICweb is the Epicor Portal used by customers, partners, and employees. This portal provides an entryway to
download information, access support services, and enroll in the Epicor Education courses.
Access to the EPICweb is controlled by Epicor's Information Services team. If you do not have a User name and
password contact your manager, or send an email to epicweb@epicor.com.
Note If you do not have an EPICweb account set up, contact your system administrator before performing
the workshop task, Enroll in a Course.

Workshop - Access EPICweb


Access Epicor Education Resources using EPICweb to enroll for classroom courses. Also, work with a general
course listing and your own personal course listing called My Courses.

Log on to EPICweb
1. Open your browser.
2. In the Address bar, enter epicweb.epicor.com and press Enter.
3. When prompted, enter your User name and Password, then click OK.

Find a Course/Enroll in a Course


1. From the Menu bar at the top of the window, hover over Education and select Epicor 10.
The Epicor University page displays.
2. Click the Certification Roadmaps link.
3. Scroll down and click the Find A Course button.
4. Click the Courses link.
5. In the 1 of 10 field, select a category and click Find.
Courses are categorized and displayed by product line, subject, version, then course name. Optionally, enter
a specific key word in the second search box to filter the search criteria.

Enroll in a Course
1. Locate a course (or courses), then select the Enrollment check box.
2. When you have completed the selections, click the Enroll Now button.
3. Verify the course (or courses) and click the Confirm button.
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4. Click OK to confirm that you have successfully registered for your course(s).
The My Courses page displays, listing the recently enrolled courses. When you are ready to begin the online
course, click on the course title.
5. Click Log Off to exit the current session.

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Embedded Education Courses


Education courses ship with each release and are enabled in the same way as other program modules, in this
case by the Embedded Education module.
Course versions coincide with the release of the product, including service packs. The availability of courses is
controlled by the configuration of the default.sysconfig file.
Once you have configured the default.sysconfig file with the course server information for the database
containing the education courses, you can begin using them.
If you are using the Classic interface, an Education Courses button displays on the main toolbar. Click this
button to open the embedded Education Courses program.
If you are using the Modern Shell interface, click the Help tile on the Home Page to access Help page, and
then click the Education Courses link.
Note It is recommended to only configure the demonstration (or TRAIN) database default.sysconfig file
with the demonstration course server information. The demonstration database contains data that is
specifically used to complete education course workshops. Unexpected results may occur if you complete
education course workshops in a different database. Refer to the installation guide for more information
on configuring the default.sysconfig file.
When you click a course in the Courses Tree View, information for this course displays in the Course Details
area - the Course ID, the Course Name, License Information, and the Course Description.
Some fields on the interface may have a Context menu, which is indicated by a triangle in the upper right corner
of the field. To open the Context Menu, right-click on the field.
Course Name
This field displays the name of the course. This field is display only.
Description
This field displays the description of the course including the objectives that are achieved by completing the
course, the intended audience, and prerequisite courses, if any.
License Info
This field displays the licensing information for the course. This field is display only.
If the course is licensed, the following information is displayed in this field: license expiration date and the number
of users for which the course is licensed.
Launch
This button is available for licensed courses only. Click this button to start the course.

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Conclusion

Conclusion
Congratulations! You have completed the Introduction to Epicor ERP course.

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Additional information is available at the Education and


Documentation areas of the EPICweb Customer Portal. To access
this site, you need a Site ID and an EPICweb account. To create an
account, go to http://support.epicor.com.

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