Epicor Procurement & Purchasing

Epicor Purchasing Overview

Epicor ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) provides a robust procurement and purchasing module that streamlines supply chain processes, reduces costs, and improves operational efficiency. As of my knowledge cutoff in September 2021, here are the key capabilities you might expect from Epicor's procurement and purchasing module:

• Purchase Management: Facilitates complete control over purchasing processes, including creating and approving purchase orders, tracking order status, managing deliveries, and handling invoices.

• Supplier Relationship Management (SRM): Helps manage and evaluate supplier performance based on various metrics, aiding in strategic decision-making. It includes features such as supplier tracking, performance ratings, and certification management.

• Procurement Management: Streamlines the entire procurement process, from requisition to payment. This includes features such as requisition management, approval workflow, automated PO generation, and invoice reconciliation.

• Inventory Management Integration: This feature provides real-time visibility into inventory levels, allowing for better planning and less excess stock. It helps prevent overstocking and stock-outs, improving order accuracy.

• Spend Management: Enables organizations to track and control expenditures, ensuring they remain within budget. It provides comprehensive insights into procurement spending, identifying cost-saving opportunities.

• Contract Management: Helps in creating, managing, and tracking supplier contracts effectively. This feature supports tracking contract terms, pricing, and performance, facilitating more strategic procurement decisions.

• Automated Procurement: Automated processes can help eliminate manual tasks, reduce errors, and improve efficiency. This might include automated purchase orders, approval workflows, and supplier communication.

• Reporting and Analytics: Comprehensive reporting capabilities allow users to generate customizable reports on procurement activities, providing data-driven insights for better decision-making. The analytics can help identify trends, cost-saving opportunities, supplier performance, etc.

• Mobile Access: Many modern ERP systems like Epicor provide mobile capabilities, which allow procurement teams to access data, approve orders, and perform other tasks from any location.

• Supplier Portal: A self-service portal where suppliers can update their information, submit invoices, and interact with the buying organization. This improves communication and collaboration between the organization and its suppliers.

• Demand Forecasting: Epicor can help predict future demand for products, enabling procurement teams to make more informed purchasing decisions and maintain optimal inventory levels.

• Cross-Docking: This feature helps organizations move incoming shipments directly to outgoing shipments to minimize storage time in the warehouse, streamlining the supply chain.

• Centralized Purchasing: Epicor supports centralized procurement for multi-site operations, allowing organizations to consolidate purchases and take advantage of volume discounts.

• Advanced Material Management: This feature provides complete visibility and control over your materials, including the ability to track and trace items, handle materials requirements planning, and manage lot and serial numbers.

• Blanket Purchase Orders: Epicor supports the creation and management of blanket purchase orders, which allows you to negotiate bulk purchase agreements with suppliers while gradually receiving the goods over a specified time period.

• Purchase Contracts: This feature enables you to set up contracts with suppliers, ensuring agreed prices are adhered to and tracking the fulfillment of contractual obligations.

• Supplier Connect: This self-service portal provides suppliers with the ability to view purchase orders, provide advanced shipment notifications, and submit invoices, improving supplier engagement and reducing administrative overhead.

• Integrated Project Management: This feature links procurement processes to project management, allowing you to directly tie purchases to specific projects, track project-related spending, and manage project-based procurement.

• Drop Shipments: Epicor supports the management of drop shipments, where goods are shipped directly from the supplier to the customer, bypassing your own inventory.

• Return Material Authorizations (RMA): Allows for efficient management of returns to suppliers, ensuring accurate tracking, and documentation.

What is Epicor's Procurement and Purchasing module?

Epicor's Procurement and Purchasing module is a part of Epicor ERP, designed to streamline the entire procurement process. It helps organizations manage everything from purchase orders to supplier relationships, enabling them to reduce costs, improve operational efficiency, and make data-driven purchasing decisions.

Can Epicor help manage relationships with suppliers?

Yes, Epicor includes a Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) feature that allows organizations to track, evaluate, and manage suppliers effectively. It supports supplier tracking, performance ratings, and certification management, contributing to strategic procurement decision-making.

How does Epicor support spend management?

Epicor enables organizations to track and control their procurement spending effectively. Through comprehensive insights into procurement spending, organizations can identify potential cost-saving opportunities and ensure their expenditures remain within budget.

Does Epicor offer mobile access for its Procurement and Purchasing module?

Many modern ERP systems, including Epicor, offer mobile capabilities. This allows procurement teams to access data, approve orders, perform other tasks from any location, and stay connected to their operations wherever they are.

Does Epicor's Procurement and Purchasing module integrate with other systems?

Yes, Epicor's procurement and purchasing functions are part of a comprehensive ERP system that also includes modules for financial management, CRM, inventory management, and more. These systems can share data seamlessly, providing a unified view of your business operations.

Can Epicor help with forecasting and planning?

Yes, Epicor includes demand forecasting capabilities to help predict future product demand. This aids procurement teams in making informed purchasing decisions and maintaining optimal inventory levels.

How does Epicor handle purchase orders?

Epicor streamlines the creation, approval, and tracking of purchase orders. It can automate these processes to eliminate manual tasks, reduce errors, and improve efficiency. It also supports advanced features like blanket purchase orders and drop shipments.

How can I get support for Epicor's Procurement and Purchasing module?

Epicor provides various support options, including online resources, training, and a dedicated support team.