Epicor Releases New Version Of Eclipse ERP For Wholesale Distributors

Epicor Software Corporation announced the general availability of version 8.7.7 of its wholesale distribution enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution, Epicor Eclipse. The new version delivers enhancements designed to further streamline business processes for distributors, leading to increased productivity and enriched customer experience. Epicor Eclipse now features EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) 810 improvements, Small Project Job enhancements, and Lien Tracking improvements, as well as the ability to track customer-owned inventory, create central Purchase Orders (POs) “on the fly,” and automatically assign lot numbers and print lot labels. Additionally, a new core process has been introduced to handle customer-owned inventory, known as Direct Through Stock (DTS) Inventory. The process begins with the original quote and goes through creating Direct Through Stock purchase orders. A new Direct Through Stock Queue populates the Epicor Eclipse database with all of the sales order, purchase order, and product information. Using the Direct Through Stock Queue, distributors can create shipments to send material to customers.

For more information, please visit www.epicor.com.

More Management Changes at Epicor

Earlier this year, Epicor hired Donna Troy, a former Dell, SAP and IBM executive, to lead the distribution business.  This week, Epicor announced that Pervez Quereshi, the CEO and architect of the Epicor/Activant merger, stepped down “to pursue new opportunites.”  Succeed him as President and CEO is Joe Cowan, an executive at Online Resources (an online banking and payment solutions provider) and Interwoven (a content management software provider). 

 

Read the TEC Eval Article to learn more. 

 

Steve Epner, BSW Consulting founder, will be at the Epicor Executive retreat next week and will report on his meeting with Donna and Joe.

 

 

Getting Out of "Do-do" By Steve Epner

In the July Strictly Business Newsletter, Steve Epner writes about the importance of getting work done, attaining results and moving forward.

"Do-do" is the mode most business people seem to always be stuck in. Head down, shoulder to the wheel, nose to the grind stone, push, push, push. We are always doing. Maybe it makes us feel better. Maybe it is an animal instinct that comes from ancient history. Wherever it came from, it can be expensive, less productive than we think, and can make us downright ineffective. It is easy to fool ourselves when we are hard at "do-do" work. As a matter of fact, we often call it busy work. We look busy. That gets us promoted. We work extra hours. We complain that we cannot get away from our desks. We always seem to be in "do-do" mode. What is important is to get out of the "do-do" trap and instead strive for "done-done." It is important to do work — it is more important to get work done. Finish something. Get results. Move forward.

To see the Full article click here: Software4Distributors Media Center

Distributors: How To Use Technology to Improve Your Bottom Line

Date: June 25, 2013
Time: 1:00 PM ET
Duration: 60 Minutes

In this free, educational event, Jack Keough will host two expert panelists who will examine the role of technology in today’s distribution marketplace and how it can be used to improve your bottom-line performance. Sign up today to learn:

• Ways distributors can use technology as a competitive weapon in order to reduce costs, find new customers, and improve customer satisfaction.
• How your website can be made into an important marketing tool for your business operation.
• Specifics as to how to increase your business through e-commerce.
• NEW data from the ID Survey of Distributor Operations, discussing how distributors are using solutions like ERP, CRM, and e-commerce to their competitive advantage.

Joining us will be Steve Epner of BSW Consulting, an industry veteran who has been studying the distribution marketplace for many years, and will focus on ways for distributors to use technology as a competitive weapon. Additionally, Paul Scott, president and founder of the GoingClear Group, a Boston-based web development, management, ventures, and solutions company, will offer suggestions on making your site more navigable and how to measure and analyze traffic to your website. The webinar will be moderated by Jack Keough, contributing editor for ID, who has been writing about the distribution business for nearly 30 years. Jack will provide an overview of the survey conducted by Industrial Distribution and what the findings mean for the industrial marketplace.

Register For Free at: https://vts.inxpo.com/scripts/Server.nxp

Demand Management Incorporates Business Intelligence into Demand Solutions DSX Platform

New Capabilities Help Companies Add Value Across the Enterprise

Demand Management Inc., a leading global resource for supply chain management solutions, has announced the availability of business intelligence (BI) functionality within its Demand Solutions DSX platform. The solution now incorporates native BI into its data tables to let users mine and share data efficiently across the supply chain.

“A common complaint among supply chain planners is that the most useful data lives in spreadsheets scattered across the business,” says Bill Harrison, president of Demand Management. “We’ve created a multidimensional cube that lets all stakeholders extract data from systems throughout the supply chain and work with that data through an intuitive web-based front end. By deciding which information they want to see and developing a meaningful view of it, users can learn more about their own businesses and make decisions that incorporate this knowledge.”

The BI functionality within Demand Solutions DSX is delivered by way of Foundation Analytical Packs that are available for the apparel, consumer packaged goods, energy, food and beverage, wholesale distribution, pharmaceutical and biotech, and general manufacturing and service parts industries. Users can leverage the best practices built into these packs to get their analytics activities up and running, but can also configure the packs over time to reflect the needs of their individual businesses.

“Our Foundation Analytical Packs are designed to save companies time and money,” says Harrison. “They incorporate Demand Management’s many years of experience working with customers in each of seven different vertical markets. We’ve done all the hard work of building the reports and linking them to our database so that customers can spend more time analyzing their results and taking decisive action.”

In particular, Harrison hopes supply chain planners who are frustrated at having to build their own reports will investigate Demand Management’s new functionality. These features can eliminate the need for planners to write reports.

“You shouldn’t have to implement your own analytics tools around your supply chain planning solution,” Harrison remarks. “Our BI functionality relieves this burden by providing complete drill-down capabilities from summary information into potential issues and opportunities. Ask us how it can help you extend your supply chain planning beyond the ‘how, when, and where’ stage and into running your entire business more effectively.”

About Demand Management, Inc.

Demand Management, Inc. is a leading global supply chain planning software company that offers affordable, easy-to-use tools for manufacturers and distributors who want to increase forecast accuracy, improve customer service levels and reduce overall inventory to maximize profits and lower costs. The company offers the Demand Solutions supply chain planning suite for forecast management, demand planning, collaborative forecasting and inventory planning as well as modules for advanced planning and scheduling (APS), sales and operations planning (S&OP) and point of sale analysis. Demand Management, Inc. has over 25 years of experience working with supply chain professionals and has incorporated best practices and real-world business requirements in its software from its extensive customer base in 76 countries. Demand Solutions customers include Lonely Planet, Trek Bicycle and Avery Dennison. Demand Management is a wholly owned subsidiary of Logility, Inc., which is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Software (NASDAQ: AMSWA).

For more information, please visit www.demandsolutions.com.

Tenth Semi-Annual Advanced Profit Improvement Conference

March 19-20, 2013, in Scottsdale, Arizona, Sponsored By: Infor

Attend this unique, high-value conference that will help your wholesale distribution company become more profitable. This two day event packs in the latest best practices in using analytics to significantly improve profitability - in sales, marketing, pricing, inventory and more. Past attendees have achieved multi-million-dollar profit gains using the strategies and tactics learned here. View brochure here.

The Spring APIC Conference will be offering an expanded lineup of conference speakers, adding new perspectives and new techniques to the wide range of time-tested strategies. These people are the best in the business, with published authors and executives with decades of experience sharing the best of their knowledge.

Unlike other events, conference speakers are part of the audience during the entire conference. This gives you opportunities to discuss your business with some of the best thinkers in distribution. For each conference, the speakers update and expand their content, adding new information to suit an evolving market.

Conference Speakers include: Brent Grover, Jonathan Bein, Bruce Merrifield, Tom Gale, Tony Pericle, Mike J. Lamping, Jay Greyson, Randy MacLean, Margaret Reynolds, Steve Deist, Bruce Constantine

Register Now: http://images.magnetmail.net/images/clients/GALEMEDIA/attach/APIC2013Registration.pdf

SPA Strategy Seminar

Please attend SPA's upcoming Strategy Seminar to be held at the Ritz Carlton Ft. Lauderdale, Fla, on Friday, February 22, 2013 from 8:00am to 5:00pm. Equal parts strategy and practical tactics, the seminar addresses key topics that are particularly relevant in a recovering economy. This year's conference brings together an outstanding group of industry experts to offer strategies on driving shareholder value.

Register Now To Request A Seat: http://strategicpricing.com/events/seminars/FtLauderdale.php

This big-picture seminar is focused on strategic topics of importance to the owners, CEOs, CFOs and general managers of distribution and manufacturing companies. Experts will address the topics essential to accelerating the customer value proposition, competitive positioning and market value of any distribution or manufacturing business. The seminar addresses the strategic, analytical, process and cultural issues that are fundamental to maximizing shareholder value. The seminar will focus on the high-level, strategic and structural issues that are easily neglected in the hustle and bustle of daily business demands. It will help you to refocus your organization on the drivers of economic value.