Panel's Input to Epicor Support


Userlevel 4
Below is our initial list of requests to Epicor Support.  Please provide your edits / additional input by December 18th so we can get our first feedback list to Epicor in a timely fashion.

Thanks,
....Monty.


  1. Listen to the customer. 

    • Read every word posted in an open case by the customer.  When you feel yourself asking for an online session in the first minute of a call, take a breath and listen again.



  2. Allow customer base to keep pace with change:

    • More time between major versions

    • Longer support windows for major versions.



  3. Provide in some cases a one-off fix

    • Perhaps a micro-patch, prior patch level, or managed workarounds rather than insisting that a customer upgrade immediately before getting to a fix.  Sometimes getting a fix is urgent and upgrades are either in the works or not in the current-year budget.



  4. Thorough documentation of Business Objects and methods

    • What is required in parameters

    • Description of BO logic



  5. Access to a software area champion

    • This would be a SME within Epicor, in addition to the currently-assigned support person, whose role is to answer brief questions about how the software is supposed to work, to customer and support person alike.  Those individuals with years of experience in a specific area of the software such as MRP or GL posting.  We've seen this happen informally.



  6. Address issues of the FTP site

    • down

    • not accepting files due to being full



  7. Quick escalation of reported issues in certain cases

    • where the customer contact is clearly a super user, and

    • the problem being reported is beyond the understanding of Level 1 Support



  8. Extend the lives of data fixes provided. 

    • Some companies are going through multiple test cutover upgrades, and need those data fixes to continue working 



  9. Allow submittals of improvement requests through the EUG. 

    • This capability existed in our prior platform, and we are working on regaining the ability.



  10. Provide a list of known issues with each update.

  11. Provide documentation on using the Electronic Interface in import/export of data, specifically the programs used in reading/conversion of data to the internal dataset used.

  12. Combine EpicWeb and EpicCare, to make finding the answers easier.


[List edited to add John's and Doug's inputs below]

------------------------------
Best,
.....Monty.
Monty Wilson ERP Developer
ERP Developer
Black Horse LLC
Houston TX
832-399-4643
------------------------------

13 replies

​Nothing to add to this but I'd just like to say that point 2 is of particular relevance to my own situation. We're a small IT section with many competing demands for our time; we also have a slightly more complicated setup with third party apps connecting to E10; all of which have to be tested in full before committing to live. That makes this current frequency of releases impossible for us to keep up with.

------------------------------
W Mitchell
Mr
Flexcon
Glenrothes
00441592663219
------------------------------

Monty, I do have another request. It would be GREATLY helpful to have documentation on using the Electronic Interface in import/export of data, specifically the programs used in reading/conversion of data to the internal dataset used.

 

John Myers
Programmer Analyst

Tel:

262.891.9196

Fax:

262.891.9701

Email:

jmyers@kenall.com

Addr:

10200 55th St. Kenosha, WI 53144


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Userlevel 3
I just thought of something that is probably a huge ask, but would be very beneficial to all users.

Combine EpicWeb and EpicCare.  I think some of our problems with the product may already be solved, but finding the answers is difficult.  How could they present all their Knowledge Book and technical documentation in one place?  It is strange to me that they brought up the new EpicCare site and continue to use the EpicWeb.

If that must continue, couldn't they place links on one that lionk to the other or produce a searchable document/index to find help?

------------------------------
Doug Oswald
IT Manager
Insaco Corporation
Quakertown PA
215.536.3500
------------------------------

I agree with this suggestion. The number of Epicor websites and lack of integration is ridiculous. When you upgrade you also have the upgrade services website and another one for project management.

 

Julie Gartner CPIM, PMP
Director of Information Systems Technology

Tel:

262.891.9191

Fax:

262.891.9701

Email:

jgartner@kenall.com

Addr:

10200 55th St. Kenosha, WI 53144


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------
Userlevel 4
We are prearing to submit our "top 5" from the above list, to Epicor.  Would everyone by 23 January, please reply to this thread with a list of your top 5 priorities from the above list?  I'll start:

2, 5, 8, 10, 11

Thanks!

------------------------------
Best,
.....Monty.
Monty Wilson ERP Developer
ERP Developer
Black Horse LLC
Houston TX
832-399-4643
------------------------------

I don't see the "above list". Please advise.

 

Thanks,

 

Julie Gartner CPIM, PMP
Director of Information Systems Technology

Tel:

262.891.9191

Fax:

262.891.9701

Email:

jgartner@kenall.com

Addr:

10200 55th St. Kenosha, WI 53144


    Follow us on:
    LinkedIn |
Twitter | FacebookYouTube


      


     



------
Userlevel 4
Dear Julie, 

You should be able to scroll up and see the list in the discussion; if you're using email maybe the whole thread doesn't appear.  Here is the list, reposted.  Thanks! ...Monty.



  1. Listen to the customer. 

    • Read every word posted in an open case by the customer.  When you feel yourself asking for an online session in the first minute of a call, take a breath and listen again.



  2. Allow customer base to keep pace with change:

    • More time between major versions

    • Longer support windows for major versions.



  3. Provide in some cases a one-off fix

    • Perhaps a micro-patch, prior patch level, or managed workarounds rather than insisting that a customer upgrade immediately before getting to a fix.  Sometimes getting a fix is urgent and upgrades are either in the works or not in the current-year budget.



  4. Thorough documentation of Business Objects and methods

    • What is required in parameters

    • Description of BO logic



  5. Access to a software area champion

    • This would be a SME within Epicor, in addition to the currently-assigned support person, whose role is to answer briefquestions about how the software is supposed to work, to customer and support person alike.  Those individuals with years of experience in a specific area of the software such as MRP or GL posting.  We've seen this happen informally.



  6. Address issues of the FTP site

    • down

    • not accepting files due to being full



  7. Quick escalation of reported issues in certain cases

    • where the customer contact is clearly a super user, and

    • the problem being reported is beyond the understanding of Level 1 Support



  8. Extend the lives of data fixes provided. 

    • Some companies are going through multiple test cutover upgrades, and need those data fixes to continue working 



  9. Allow submittals of improvement requests through the EUG. 

    • This capability existed in our prior platform, and we are working on regaining the ability.



  10. Provide a list of known issues with each update.

  11. Provide documentation on using the Electronic Interface in import/export of data, specifically the programs used in reading/conversion of data to the internal dataset used.

  12. Combine EpicWeb and EpicCare, to make finding the answers easier.



------------------------------
Best,
.....Monty.
Monty Wilson ERP Developer
ERP Developer
Black Horse LLC
Houston TX
832-399-4643
------------------------------
Userlevel 3

2

10

3

7

12

 

Here is a thought.  While we are certainly a good representation of the user community, do you think there would be a benefit to create a SurveyMonkey survey asking the users on the general ERP Forum discussion to rank these items?  I am proficient with SurveyMonkey and will do this if you think it is helpful.

 

 

 

Doug Oswald

Insaco Inc.

215-536-3500

 



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Userlevel 4
@Doug Oswald
Yes, Doug, and thanks!  Please use a due date of 1/22, so I can get the input to Epicor 1/23.  And there's no need to allow additional inputs at this time; we have a good list to start with and can take additional inputs in the future.​

------------------------------
Best,
.....Monty.
Monty Wilson ERP Developer
ERP Developer
Black Horse LLC
Houston TX
832-399-4643
------------------------------
Userlevel 2
In order

2,1,3,4,10

------------------------------
Michael Cromer
Network Administrator
Hamill Manufacturing
Trafford PA
724-744-2131
------------------------------
Userlevel 3

OK.  Please find and complete the survey posted to the ERP forum.

 

 

Doug Oswald

Insaco Inc.

215-536-3500

 



------
Userlevel 1
Put me down for 2, 3, 10, 8 and 7.


------------------------------
John Hatcher
Manager of IS
Versa Products Co., Inc.
Paramus NJ
2015185948
------------------------------

My priorities are (in this order):

2

3

4

10

12

 

Thanks,

 

Julie Gartner CPIM, PMP
Director of Information Systems Technology

Tel:

262.891.9191

Fax:

262.891.9701

Email:

jgartner@kenall.com

Addr:

10200 55th St. Kenosha, WI 53144


    Follow us on:
    LinkedIn |
Twitter | FacebookYouTube


      


     



------

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