Epicor ERP Credit Card Processing is an optional module for the Epicor ERP 10 system. It is a high-value add-on to automate and integrate customer payments initiated by credit cards. Epicor thoroughly analyzed the payment processing market to find a solution for its customers by delivering a cost-effective, easy-to-use, safe, and robust credit card processing add-on product.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, or renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
The Internet of Things (IoT) allows manufacturers to connect their systems, sensors, machines, and people like never before. Now, Epicor ERP users can more easily capitalize on this increasingly essential capability with Epicor IoT. Epicor IoT leverages the power of Microsoft Azure IoT Hub with the context and in-depth data of Epicor ERP. With Epicor IoT, you get even more intelligent insight into the operations and day-to-day activities of your enterprise.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm specializing in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
As your business responds to changes in your industry, customer demand, and the competitive landscape, you should expect your technology partner to anticipate your requirements and enable your business growth. Epicor has designed Epicor ERP Cloud for flexibility, security, and performance—to fit your business needs, adapt as your needs change, evolve with technology, and enable you with manufacturing and technology innovations that help your business grow.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm specializing in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm specializing in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm specializing in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
For more than 60 years, The Baker Company, Inc., has helped advance science, discovery, and clinical care by pioneering innovative solutions for air containment, contamination control, and controlled environments. Baker manufactures biological safety cabinets, clean benches, fume hoods, and pharmacy isolators providing unparalleled user and product protection for a variety of applications, ranging from pipetting to drug manufacturing to the handling of dangerous pathogens such as Anthrax.
Success Highlights
Challenges and Opportunities
Sought an ERP platform designed for ease of integration with today’s new technologies and systems
Needed strong product configurator and manufacturing ERP capabilities to support its high volume make-to-order production environment
Solution
Epicor® ERP
Benefits
Improved productivity, collaboration, security, and system integrity
Improved functionality and easy-to-use user interface offer immediate access to data
Easier satisfaction of RoHS compliance requirements
Seamless integration with third-party software for sales tax, shipping, document management, and CAD/CAM design
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
Global Hyatt Corporation is one of the world’s premier hotel companies with over 365 hotels in 45 countries worldwide that employs around 90,000 associates. The Hyatt story began in 1957 when it opened its first hotel at an airport in Los Angeles. 10 Hyatt hotels around Europe, in Hamburg, Berlin, Cologne, Mainz, Zurich, Milan, Paris, London, and Birmingham, benefit from the services the Hyatt Shared Services Centre in Mainz has to offer. Additionally, seven independent companies within Global Hyatt Corporation, including the new brand Andaz ™, are managed via a central server at the Shared Services Centre in Mainz.
Success Highlights
Challenges
Hyatt Shared Services Centre required a software solution that would bring together hotel processes and data at a global level.
Solution
Robust and flexible web services software solution with strong integration capabilities.
Benefits
Reduced the workload at the Shared Services Centre
Role-based access to individual supports Sarbanes-Oxley.
Straightforward assimilation of new properties to Shared Services Centre
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services support for Manufacturers and Distributors. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
If you have not read the writing on the wall, cloud-based technologies and digital transformation initiatives are quickly becoming the focus for enterprises around the world. Providing more security, reliability, and mobility, cloud technologies simply provide too many benefits to ignore. However, their adoption is not always easy. As with any significant change at the organizational level, cloud ERP implementation challenges can stack up quickly. Here are the top 5 challenges in cloud ERP implementation and how you can address them before they impact your success.
Cloud ERP Implementation Challenges
While there are far more than five challenges that cloud ERP implementation may present to an organization, these are what we have found to be the most common. Several of these challenges are compounded by the increased reliance on remote workforces and the inability to meet in person due to environmental factors.
1. Change Management
While the age-old adage is nothing is certain but death and taxes, in business the only constant changes. For most people who are comfortably entrenched in the predictability of a routine, change can be a “four-letter word”. In most cases, change will be unsurprisingly met with resistance.
Change management will be one of your biggest hurdles in moving towards a complete cloud ERP solution from a system that was either previously on-prem or a hybrid deployment model of on-prem and cloud-based.
The easiest way to address the inherent resistance to change is to illustrate where things will improve. This is done not just by saying things will be new and modern. Show where those improvements will take place, and the cost savings and gains in productivity that system users and the company can expect to reap.
2. Focus
The last several months have pretty much done away with the divide between work life and personal life for a significant portion of the global workforce. Transitioning to remote work from home has presented unique challenges for enterprises of every size.
The result has been a muddying of work hours, family obligations, self-care, and a host of other responsibilities in one venue, without end.
The ability to focus on implementation can be a challenge in the best conditions. In a completely remote environment, where distractions are abundant, maintaining focus will be a challenge that presents itself consistently.
To overcome distraction and maintain focus, set aside specific windows of time for core project components. Businesses need to be open to scheduling compromises with employees and their families when the lines blur between work and home. By compromising on specific project hours, there is a higher probability of remaining focused on the progress of your implementation project. The remaining work time can be more fluid as the separation of workday duties and household obligations continue to muddy.
3. Security
One of your project initiatives may be an effort to move towards heightened system security. This is a great feature of Cloud ERP. However, during the implementation phase, you may not have advanced security in place to maintain your sensitive data. This security becomes even more difficult to maintain between remote resources, like staff and their workstations.
Make it a point to understand the risks upfront. You can take on the challenge alone, hire a consultant, or work in tandem with your implementation partner to find the right protocol for your case. A simple step, like password-protecting Wi-Fi connections, not allowing users other than staff to utilize remote workstations is a necessary first layer of security.
Firewalls and network security software should follow. If you do not provide the hardware your staff will be working from while remote, you may want to consider doing so. A small investment in this area can result in big savings when you consider the alternative.
Lastly, have a plan in place, both documented and practiced, with your staff. Make sure they understand the risks and the results of a security breach and demonstrate the protocol they are going to follow moving forward.
4. Access, Permissions, and Productivity
Yeah, I know that’s three things but each build on the former to deliver a complete effort. So, in the interest of time and space, they’ve been combined.
Not everyone on your cloud ERP implementation project will need access to all components of your system. Working with IT to designate the proper permissions will be critical in ensuring that staff remain on task and don’t have an opportunity to ruin transitioning data, either by malice or mistake.
Provisioning web and mobile access may fit into this implementation scenario, too. If your staff has spotty connections based on their location, consider bolstering their coverage through their provider to ensure your project isn’t impeded by poor connectivity. This is usually as simple as flipping a switch on the provider’s end. This way, you won’t lose precious time in the event cloud cover conceals the satellite internet connection of your data analyst in rural Illinois.
5. Knowledge
When leaping on-prem and, in many cases, outdated data management systems, tribal knowledge, and training will be integral as you move forward.
By relying on your most knowledgeable IT professionals and department heads to deliver their expertise during the cloud ERP implementation process, you have your top minds tackling your biggest challenge yet. However, there will be scenarios for which even they are not prepared. This is where training can be one of your biggest assets. Whether training is provided by your vendor or consultant of choice, or you have chosen to produce your training plan, enabling your project staff with defined direction and knowledge will ensure their success.
Lack of familiarity with a new environment is sure to produce plenty of anxiety and opportunities for missteps. Proper planning can help to mitigate these pitfalls. Having an experienced and knowledgeable guide through the process can eliminate them. That is because every implementation is different, and every company is different. With the experience of an implementation professional, there is a wider breadth of experience to draw from in the event an obstacle presents itself.
There will inevitably be some unexpected challenges for even the most experienced vendors, VARs, and consultants to guide you through. However, doing your research and taking the time to get familiar with the nuances of a cloud ERP implementation will impart the confidence and understanding any business needs to go through the project on their own.
Encompass Solutions is a business and software consulting firm that specializes in ERP systems, EDI, and Managed Services. Serving small and medium-sized businesses since 2001, Encompass modernizes operations and automates processes for hundreds of customers across the globe. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. By identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
The article “7 Simple Ways to Keep Your Data Safe” was previously published by Epicor Chief Information Officer Rich Murr, here.
It’s challenging to understand how to keep your data safe and secure from hackers. Whether you’re moving your IT assets to the cloud, keeping them on-premises, or taking a hybrid approach, data security is a top concern.
Not everybody is an IT expert, so I’ve created a list of actions that even non-technologists can take to get started:
1) Simplify the Goal—Secure Your Data
Data security is like most other IT disciplines. It’s full of arcane acronyms, complex technologies, and thousands of vendors claiming they can help. All these factors can make it difficult to confidently assess risks and solutions.
Cut through the noise. Simplify your goal to:
Preventing unauthorized users from accessing your data, or
If they do get access, being able to quickly detect and remove them
I’ve found that these two simple goals resonate with both technologists and business leaders. Filtering every security effort through this lens will get you off to a good start.
2) Find a Trusted Partner To Help Keep Your Data Safe
Wading through countless security risks and potential solutions is a daunting task. Find a trusted security partner to help. There are plenty of boutique firms ready to lend a hand. Some of the larger, enterprise-class security vendors also have credible resources you can tap.
Don’t hesitate to leverage your own network to help find experts—your peers likely face the very same challenges. Interview potential partners just as you would an employee—it’s a critical role and relationship.
So, how do you know if you’ve found a good match? If they can both explain your security risks in plain English and how potential solutions line up with the above goals, it’s a pretty good sign.
3) Don’t Install a Security Solution You Don’t Understand
The incentives to protect your data are extremely high. You may feel pressured to buy expensive solutions you don’t yet understand.
Spare yourself the headaches that come from ill-fitting and poorly implemented security solutions. Take the time to fully comprehend:
The problems they claim to resolve
How to successfully implement them
How to measure the solution’s efficacy once it’s in production
If you find a trusted partner, this task becomes a little easier.
4) Educate Your Employees on Their Role in Preventing Data Breaches
Employees are often the biggest security risk in an organization. Teach them how to spot phishing and other social engineering attacks. Education is one of the least expensive and most valuable data security measures you can take. Education is one of the least expensive and most valuable data security measures you can take.
Staying ahead of the hackers requires regularly refreshing employee security awareness training, making security awareness part of your staff training and development, and—ultimately—establishing clear, security-related goals for everyone.
5) Weave Security Into Your Daily Operations
Learn how to read the reports that your security vendors and systems generate. Make sure you know what actions to take based on the information they provide.
Walk around the office and ask your colleagues if they’ve received any suspicious emails. Ask your trusted partner (see #2 above) to teach your employees about some of the current top security threats and how to react to them.
Bottom line—do at least one very visible thing every single day to keep security top of mind in your organization.
6) Identify Problems, Fix Them, and Confirm They’re Fixed
Once a security issue is brought to your attention, never leave it unexamined. Set a great example by taking each one seriously. Even simple issues like phishing emails can balloon into something very damaging if left unremedied. You should only check issues off your list of to-dos when you know for sure that the risk has been satisfactorily addressed.
7) Pin This Data Security Checklist in Your Office or Cube
It’s easy to lose sight of data security. You have a million things demanding your attention every day. Tie a string around your finger, put your watch on your other wrist, or better yet, print this list and tape it to your office or cube wall.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm, NetSuite Solution Provider, Suite Success Partner, and Epicor Gold Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing the emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of Industry.
With so much news and industry coverage concerning information security challenges, the topic is never far from people’s minds. This is especially true when sensitive financial information is being exchanged between systems. Maintaining the latest version of security tools in conjunction with these actions is essential not only for your customers’ peace of mind but your company’s ability to maintain their confidence. TLS is one of the defining security protocols that make secure data transfer, and by proxy internet commerce, possible. Here’s a bit more background on the subject and why you should be considering making the latest upgrades to your system to comply.
Transport Layer Security (TLS)
Transport Layer Security and HTTPS both work in tandem to encrypt the data being sent back and forth between customers and payment service providers such as credit card companies and digital wallets like PayPal.
Experiencing issues with payment processing? Upgrade your POS/PMS solution today and ensure you meet today’s Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) using TLS, and can process credit card payments without interruption. Not sure how to go about it? Contact Encompass Solutions experts to get your system up-to-date.
Using PayPal as an example, the payment service provider made a service-wide upgrade to TLS 1.2 just last month. The upgrade made it mandatory for businesses using the service to maintain the same version to enact payment transactions through their business. This means support for TLS 1.0 and 1.1 has been discontinued and businesses maintaining those versions will find their ability to use PayPal for payments and order processing no longer in effect.
On the client side, all it takes is a properly updated browser to ensure the latest TLS protocols are in place. Here is a breakdown of which browsers and their versions are following the latest TLS protocols:
Utilizing Epicor ERP Software
On the provider-side things get trickier. Encompass works with many manufacturers utilizing Epicor ERP software, so we’ll use this as an example. However, any similar software or ERP platforms your business operates on will likely utilize the same protocols to protect electronic data exchanges. Therefore, the practical application remains the same. Businesses operating on legacy versions of the Epicor ERP platform, primarily those on 8.3 and prior, are most significantly impacted. With many of these businesses so far behind on technology, they’re quickly realizing the true cost of waiting until the problem is upon them, rather than staying ahead of the curve with regular updates. That’s why it’s so important to maintain a recent version of Epicor, and any other ERP product, for that very reason.
You may think that a current SSL certificate is enough, but this only addresses security when it comes to incoming web traffic to your server. You need an up-to-date protocol in place that addresses the connections your server is making to other services, such as credit cards and other payment service providers.
Get Up To Speed And Avoid Downtime
To begin, take a good look at your Epicor ERP system. Is it version 10? X or above? That’s a tremendous step when it comes to ensuring you’re following modern security standards. Maintaining the most up-to-date version of Epicor will ensure your operations are never compromised by changing industry standards. You’ll always be caught up with industry standards as long as you’ve got your business running on the latest version of Epicor.
If that’s not the case and you’re on an older version of Epicor, you may find your business quickly being outpaced by industry in line with every effort to maintain the most modern standards of technology and security. Because industry and commerce are constantly at odds with malicious activity in a digital landscape, it’s important to maintain a framework that addresses those potential risks and places adequate security to obstruct their path.
Encompass Solutions, Inc. is an ERP consulting firm and Epicor Platinum Partner that offers professional services in business consulting, project management, and software implementation. Whether undertaking full-scale implementation, integration, and renovation of existing systems or addressing emerging challenges in corporate and operational growth, Encompass provides a specialized approach to every client’s needs. As experts in identifying customer requirements and addressing them with the right solutions, we ensure our clients are equipped to match the pace of the Industry.
