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How AI Accelerates Performance for Manufacturers

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Epicor and epic ERP recently co-hosted an information-sharing event for financial managers at Pablo Clark Racing in Kyalami. One of the core themes was the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) within the ERP environment, which has become a prominent feature of Epicor’s Kinetic platform.

According to Hanneke Strumpher, solutions specialist at epic ERP, many businesses are hesitant to embrace AI due to its perceived complexity or irrelevance to their operations. She clarified how AI can provide significant benefits, such as anticipating vendor issues or alerting businesses to declines in customer profitability before they even review reports.

“Imagine having a system that alerts you to potential issues with a vendor before you even review a report,” she said. “Epicor’s Kinetic system, drawing on various data elements, can predict challenges down the line. Similarly, it can notify you of a decline in profitability with a particular customer, offering insights into why this might be happening. This proactive notification system identifies problems before you are even aware of them.

Additionally, instead of manually using a low-code tool to generate reports, you simply provide a prompt, and the AI-powered technology compiles and generates the report for you, seamlessly integrating all relevant data.”

Charlene Jacobs, channel sales manager for Africa at Epicor, touched on several AI-enabled products that are already embedded within Epicor Kinetic.

A new AI feature developed by Epicor is the Epicor Knowledge Assistant. “This feature allows users to query the ERP platform directly without needing to navigate to external resources such as EpicWeb, the knowledge base, or other Epicor documentation,” she said. “By simply asking the integrated knowledge assistant a question, users receive prompt, concise responses, enabling them to stay on the same screen and maintain workflow continuity.

“This new tool, recently released, significantly enhances user efficiency and access to information.”

Epicor customer Visa Cash App RB Formula One Team uses Epicor Prism, an AI-powered network of agents to improve production and procurement, ultimately accelerating on track performance.

“This innovative tool, set to be generally available early 2025, will deliver strategic benefits, allowing teams to optimise performance and make data-driven decisions in real time.”

Mihir Gulabbhai, epic ERP’s head of solutions and technical presales, gave an interactive demonstration of AI in action within the Epicor Kinetic environment. He showcased how AI simplifies tasks such as procurement, by analysing supplier data and offering recommendations based on historical performance, pricing and lead times.

“For example, AI helps procurement officers make decisions by showing real-time insights, such as which supplier offers the best combination of price, quality and delivery speed,” he said. “AI further streamlines processes by suggesting reports, dashboards and actions based on user behaviour, eliminating the need to manually sift through data.”

Gulabbhai highlighted how the AI tool can extract key data from supplier emails, generate responses, and track supply chain interactions, all within the ERP system.

“This reduces the need for multiple open tabs or manual inputs, allowing users to focus on more strategic tasks,” he said. “The AI even assists with email responses by adjusting tone and content based on context, making supplier communications faster and more efficient.”

Mihir Gulabbhai, epic ERP’s head of solutions and technical presales

The event demonstrated how Epicor Kinetic, supported by AI-powered tools is revolutionising the way businesses manage their operations.

“By providing real-time insights, automating decision-making, and streamlining processes, AI integration within ERP systems like Kinetic is helping businesses stay ahead of their competition, enhance efficiency and make more informed decisions,” said epic ERP general manager Nic Baker. “With its focus on predictive analytics, automated reporting and interactive AI-driven tools, Epicor Kinetic, through epic ERP, positions itself as a key enabler for businesses looking to thrive in fast-paced, data-driven environments.”

epic ERP general manager Nic Baker

For a free demo, contact us and one of our ERP solution experts will get in touch.

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