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Epicor Kinetic logo

Epicor Kinetic

mid-range

by Epicor Software

ERP built for manufacturers — from job shop to enterprise

CloudOn-PremiseHybridManufacturing · Automotive

Starting price

$100/user/mo

per user / mo

Company size

51–5,000 employees

ideal fit

Go-live

5–10 months

typical timeline

Total project cost

$100K–$500K

software + implementation

Best for: Discrete and mixed-mode manufacturers

20,000+ manufacturers rely on Epicor — a leader in discrete manufacturing ERP

What is Epicor ERP?

Epicor ERP, now branded Epicor Kinetic, is a manufacturing- and distribution-focused enterprise resource planning system from Epicor Software Corporation. It targets mid-market discrete, mixed-mode and engineer-to-order manufacturers with modules for production, MRP, supply chain, quality and finance, deployable in the cloud or on-premise, and is frequently shortlisted among the best ERP for manufacturing options for mid-market product businesses.

Last reviewed: August 1, 2026

User Interface

A closer look at how Epicor Kinetic is laid out: AP Expense Dashboard, Home Dashboard, AR/AP Aging Dashboard, Opportunity Quote Pipeline, Business Activity Query, Supplier Maintenance, Mobile Order Picking, Shipment Pack Out, Sales Order Line Detail, and Purchase Orders List.

Pros & Cons

Deep manufacturing capabilities (MES, APS, quality)

Strong shop floor control and production scheduling

Good fit for make-to-order and engineer-to-order

Modern Kinetic UI with browser-based access

Financials not as strong as SAP or Oracle

Ecommerce and retail modules are limited

Customisations can be complex to upgrade

Reporting relies heavily on SSRS — can feel dated

Is Epicor Kinetic the right fit?

The question that decides whether Epicor Kinetic is even the right shape of ERP for your evaluation — including whether "Epicor ERP" and "Epicor Kinetic" mean what you think they mean.

  • Runs discrete, mixed-mode, or engineer-to-order manufacturing in the 51-1,000 employee / $5M-$100M revenue range

    Epicor Kinetic
  • Is a wholesale distributor rather than a manufacturer

    Epicor Prophet 21
  • Runs Epicor as the subsidiary or divisional tier alongside a corporate SAP or Oracle system (two-tier ERP)

    Epicor Kinetic
  • Wants a simpler, lower-cost entry point and doesn't need Epicor's manufacturing depth

    SAP Business One

Key Differentiators

  • Deep manufacturing & MES depth

    Strong shop-floor control, advanced planning and scheduling (APS) and quality functionality for product-centric and regulated manufacturers.

  • Deployment flexibility

    Available as Cloud (multi-tenant or single-tenant) or On-Premise, with the ability to move between them.

  • Global Engines for multi-jurisdiction tax

    A configurable tax engine that lets Epicor ERP users set their own tax, legal and reporting rules to meet the needs of different jurisdictions.

  • Built for engineer-to-order and mixed-mode

    Bill of materials, configuration and job costing in one system, for manufacturers that need all three together.

  • Modernized Kinetic interface

    A browser-based UI and low-code application studio layered onto the established E10 architecture in 2020–2021 — existing Epicor 10 customers were migrated onto it rather than moved to a different product.

  • Two-tier ERP ready

    Popular with small and medium-sized manufacturers, and commonly deployed as the subsidiary or divisional tier alongside a corporate-tier system at headquarters.

Epicor Kinetic Buyer's Guide

Download our free Epicor Kinetic research guide — covering functionality, modules, pricing, and implementation considerations.

Download Free Guide

ERP Cost Estimator

Get an instant cost range based on your company profile

5 – 5,000 active ERP users

Epicor ERP vs Epicor Kinetic: Same Product, New Name

There is no separate product called "Epicor Kinetic" — it is simply the current name for what was previously sold as Epicor ERP, and before that Epicor ERP 10 (E10). Epicor began rolling out the Kinetic brand around 2020–2021, pairing it with a modernized, browser-based user interface and a low-code application studio, while retaining the same underlying data model and business architecture.

In practice this means searches for "epicor erp" and "epicor kinetic" refer to the same system. If you are evaluating quotes, documentation or partner references, treat the two names as interchangeable: "Kinetic" is the marketing name, "Epicor ERP" remains the widely understood category description. Existing Epicor 10 customers were migrated onto the Kinetic UI rather than to a different product, so historical Epicor ERP knowledge still applies.

One product that is genuinely separate, however, is Epicor Prophet 21 — Epicor's distribution ERP, which runs on its own architecture and release roadmap. If your business is wholesale distribution rather than manufacturing, that is the Epicor product to evaluate, and quotes or partner references for Kinetic do not carry across to it.

Epicor ERP Pricing at a Glance

Epicor Kinetic is licensed on a subscription basis, typically billed per named or concurrent user on an annual cloud contract. Because Epicor publishes no public list price, the realistic way to budget is to model users and modules against comparable deployments rather than relying on a single headline figure.

Licensing model

Per named or concurrent user, on an annual cloud contract, with cost driven by user count, the depth of modules you enable, and any third-party extensions.

Implementation cost

A separate cost that usually runs a multiple of the annual license fee, depending on scope, data migration and customization.

Full cost breakdown

See our Epicor ERP pricing and cost breakdown guide for full ranges and a worked example rather than a single headline figure.

Learn more →

Epicor ERP Modules

Financials

General ledger, accounts receivable and payable, fixed assets, budgeting, consolidations, financial analysis, internationalization, banking and cash management, and credit management. Global Engines let users configure their own tax rules to meet the needs of different jurisdictions.

Read more →

Supply Chain Management

Inventory management, advanced material management, purchasing management, contracts, supplier relationship management, shipping and receiving, warehouse management, distribution requirements planning, purchase order approvals, requisition management, stock status, MRP and serial tracking.

Read more →

Planning, Scheduling & Production

MRP, lead times, forecasting and master production scheduling, multisite and multiplant management, advanced planning and scheduling, and shop-floor support for made-to-order, make-to-stock, engineer-to-order and configure-to-order manufacturing, including MES, KANBAN, jobs management and manufacturing intelligence.

Read more →

Quality & Compliance

Quality assurance, traceability, audit trails, inspection and compliance tracking built into shop-floor and production workflows.

Read more →

Product Data Management

Bill of materials (BOM) management, product lifecycle management, product configuration, engineering documents, quality documentation, CAD, audit tracking, and product costings.

Human Capital Management

Payroll, human resources management, training and recruitment, employee self service, timesheets, and holiday and absence management.

Read more →

Sales Management

Estimates, quotations, order management, sales orders, demand management, and a storefront feature for end-to-end sales-to-delivery processes.

Read more →

●●● Strong  ·  ●●○ Moderate  ·  ●○○ Basic

For a deeper look at how these capabilities map to shop-floor and engineering workflows, see our Epicor for manufacturing modules guide. Before you talk to sales, you can also work through our ERP requirements checklist.

ERP Evaluation Toolkit

Not sure which Epicor modules you actually need?

Map your requirements against Epicor Kinetic's standard scope before you scope a project with Epicor or a partner.

Add-Ons That Extend Epicor ERP (Kinetic)

Epicor ships deep manufacturing functionality, but these are the gaps buyers hit most often once the rest of the business needs software too:

Opportunity, marketing and service-case tracking alongside Epicor's order management.

Compare all 15 tools →

Why it matters: Sales Management covers quotes, orders and a storefront, but not opportunity or marketing tracking

A full online storefront, catalog and checkout experience beyond Epicor's built-in Storefront feature.

Compare all 13 tools →

Why it matters: Storefront is the only ecommerce capability named in the Sales Management module

Dedicated benefits enrollment and administration alongside Epicor's core HCM.

Compare all 14 tools →

Why it matters: Human Capital Management covers payroll, HR and training, but not benefits administration

Browse the full ERP add-ons directory for vendor-by-vendor detail on each category.

Alternatives to Epicor ERP

The systems most often evaluated head-to-head against Epicor ERP:

Infor CloudSuite logo
Infor CloudSuite

Infor (Koch Industries)

Industry-specific cloud ERP suites on AWS

Best for: Large enterprises wanting industry-specific cloud ERP

SMB-friendly ERP from the SAP ecosystem

Best for: Small to midsize businesses wanting SAP reliability

Purpose-built ERP for manufacturers and distributors

Best for: SMB manufacturers and distributors in 50–500 employee range

Pricing

All-in-one ERP for small to midsize manufacturers

Best for: Small to midsize job shops and discrete manufacturers

For head-to-head analysis, read our Epicor vs Infor comparison and NetSuite vs Epicor breakdowns, or browse the full list of Epicor alternatives and competitors to see where Epicor fits against the wider market.

Compare these systems side by side

Pros & Cons

Pros:

  • Deep, mature manufacturing and MES depth, with strong shop-floor control, advanced planning and scheduling (APS) and quality functionality for product-centric and regulated businesses.
  • Deployment flexibility with both Cloud (multitenant & single tenant) and On-Premise offerings, and the ability to move between them.
  • Global Engines support country-specific tax, legal and reporting rules, making multi-jurisdiction operations easier to configure.
  • Strong fit for engineer-to-order and mixed-mode manufacturers that need BOM, configuration and job costing in one system.

Cons:

  • The user interface, although improved with the Kinetic rebrand, still has a learning curve for new users.
  • Can be complex and costly to implement for smaller manufacturers with simpler requirements.
  • Heavier customizations and integrations often rely on implementation partners, which adds to cost and timeline. See our guide to Epicor partners for how the channel is structured and what the tier badges do and do not verify.

Get the free Epicor Kinetic Buyer's Guide

Independent research covering modules, pricing, implementation, and competitive analysis.

Download Free Guide

Companies Using Epicor ERP

Epicor reports serving roughly 20,000 customers worldwide, with its installed base concentrated in discrete and mixed-mode manufacturing rather than process industries or services-only firms. Typical Epicor ERP users include metal fabrication shops, automotive parts manufacturers and suppliers, electronics and high-tech producers, industrial machinery and equipment makers, aerospace and defense manufacturers, and wholesale distributors.

Industry Fit

Epicor ERP is a flexible and adaptable solution, but it's particularly well-suited to certain sectors due to its specialized features and modules:

Manufacturing

Widely used in manufacturing businesses, with modules for production, supply chain, quality and maintenance across make-to-order, make-to-stock, engineer-to-order, project-centric, job shop, repetitive and batch processing modes.

Distribution

Supply chain management, inventory management and warehouse management features help distributors optimize inventory levels, streamline order-to-delivery processes and improve customer service.

Retail

Point-of-sale (POS), ecommerce and CRM features that integrate with various sales channels, giving retailers a unified view of customers and operations.

Services

Project, resource and financial management, plus a field service module for scheduling and tracking field operations.

Construction and Engineering

Project management, job costing and resource management tools for managing projects, tracking costs and optimizing resource usage.

Automotive

Production planning, quality control and compliance management features suited to parts manufacturers and suppliers.

History

Here's how Epicor arrived at Kinetic:

1972

Epicor's history traces back to Triad Systems, founded to provide hardware, software and services for automotive parts wholesalers.

1984

The company's flagship software, Eagle, launched, marking its transition to a software and services provider.

1992

Triad Systems went public, continuing to focus on software and services for the manufacturing, distribution, retail, hospitality and services industries.

2003

The company changed its name to Activant Solutions; two years later, in 2005, it was acquired by investment firms and taken private.

2005-2011

Activant acquired several companies, expanding its product offerings and entering new markets.

2011

Activant Solutions merged with Epicor Software Corporation. The merged company retained the Epicor name, and Epicor ERP became one of its flagship products.

2011-2020

Epicor continued to evolve its ERP solution, integrating cloud computing, AI and machine learning. Epicor ERP 10 was built with a new business architecture bringing together modular, connected capabilities.

2020-2021

Epicor rebranded Epicor ERP as Epicor Kinetic, introducing a modernized, browser-based interface and low-code application studio on top of the established E10 architecture.

Today

Epicor Software Corporation is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and privately owned by Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R), which acquired the business in 2020. Epicor serves roughly 20,000 customers worldwide across manufacturing, distribution, retail and services.

Deployment

Epicor ERP is offered both as an On-Premise and a Cloud solution. Customers can also move Epicor ERP from Cloud to On-Premise and back again, which is a differentiator for customers looking for maximum flexibility. See our Epicor implementation guide for how a rollout is typically run.

Integration

Epicor is API-first for custom connections, and provides multiple pre-built options for connecting other business systems:

REST and OData APIs

Standard APIs that let business systems connect to Epicor ERP directly.

Epicor Automation Studio (iPaaS)

Low-code connectors for linking Epicor to other systems without custom development.

EDI for trading partners

EDI software for trading-partner exchange of orders, invoices and shipping documents.

Pre-built connectors

Pre-built integrations to CRM, BI, ecommerce platforms and CAD/PLM tools, commonly used to link financials, shop-floor data collection, warehouse systems and customer-facing storefronts.

Epicor User Interface (UI)

Configurable dashboards

Dashboards and views can be tailored to the user accessing the system, so the interface can be made as simple or as complex as necessary for each user.

Legacy UI option

With the rebrand to Kinetic, Epicor rolled out a new user interface, but Epicor 10 veterans can stick with the old style if they prefer.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Epicor ERP used for?

Epicor ERP (Kinetic) is used to run end-to-end operations for manufacturers and distributors — production and shop-floor control, MRP and scheduling, inventory and supply chain, quality, and financials — in one connected system with real-time visibility.

What is the difference between Epicor ERP and Epicor Kinetic?

There is no functional difference. Epicor Kinetic is the current name for the product previously sold as Epicor ERP (and Epicor ERP 10). Epicor rebranded it Kinetic around 2020-2021 with a modernized, browser-based user interface.

Is Epicor ERP cloud-based?

Yes. Epicor Kinetic is available as multi-tenant or single-tenant cloud SaaS and as an on-premise deployment. Customers can also migrate between cloud and on-premise, which is unusual flexibility among manufacturing ERP vendors.

What industries is Epicor ERP best for?

Epicor ERP fits discrete, mixed-mode and engineer-to-order manufacturing best — metal fabrication, industrial machinery, automotive parts, electronics and aerospace — plus wholesale distribution. It is less specialised for heavy process or services-only businesses.

How much does Epicor ERP cost?

Epicor Kinetic is licensed per user on an annual subscription, with cost driven by user count, module depth and extensions. Implementation is a separate cost that typically runs a multiple of annual license fees. See our Epicor pricing guide for ranges.

Who owns Epicor?

Epicor Software Corporation is a private company headquartered in Austin, Texas, founded in 1972 and owned by private-equity firm Clayton, Dubilier & Rice (CD&R). It serves roughly 20,000 customers worldwide.

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