Latest Epicor iScala Release Furthers Support for Global Business Growth, Scalability, Agility, and Governance

Epicor Software Corporation (NASDAQ: EPIC), a leading provider of enterprise business software solutions to the midmarket and Global 1000 companies, today announced the general availability of Epicor iScala 2.3 SR2, one of the broadest releases in the history of the Epicor iScala product line. Designed for global business, this release features the extended functionality organizations need today in order to weather the current economic downturn, while preparing to take advantage of the return to market recovery and growth.

"The new release focuses on providing a robust platform for growth through business agility while driving down cost to help companies cope with regular changes in local business requirements," said Adam Prince, senior director product marketing for Epicor. "We consulted closely with our existing customers during the development process to ensure that the scope of what we're delivering today removes several barriers to their business growth by helping eliminate non value-add activities, and improving support for better cost management, but without jeopardising customer service."

Global materials handling company Atlet has been an Epicor iScala user for more than ten years and is a beta customer for the latest release. “We are especially looking forward to the improvements within the service order management processes as these are critical to our business,” said Lewis Yates, project manager for Atlet. “There are also a range of smaller improvements such as the invoicing history in contract management, and the handling of e-mail invoices, that will be very useful to us. Over the years we have seen continued enhancements to the product and we are delighted with Epicor’s customer oriented attitude that enables them to deliver what we as customers need to run our businesses effectively.”

Business Improvements
Focused on improving scalability and agility, as well as turning support for governance into effective business analytics, the new release contains a number of essential enhancements:
•   Business Scalability - Improved support for larger data volumes so that organizations can plan for future growth in a controlled and managed manner, with demonstrable return on investment.
•   Business Agility - The ability to rapidly change and reconfigure business processes to help businesses stay agile, especially in volatile markets. Full integration is built into the solution providing a low-cost solution for easily extending supply chain collaboration.
•   Business Security - Continued focus on corporate governance and security to help organizations reduce the costs of compliance. Turn overhead and cost into control and insight while using built-in efficiency tools to gain full visibility of all activities throughout the business flow.
•   Global Business Readiness - Tools, capabilities and enhancements to assist organizations to comply with changing global requirements in over 150 countries, as well as to help them grow their businesses worldwide and take advantage of supply chains that span borders.

Credit Control and Distribution Planning
The latest release also features a number of new modules including Credit Control and Distribution Planning. With Credit Control, finance departments can work smarter, mitigate risks and control credit globally. The Distribution Planning module enables organizations to manage their logistics processes efficiently, in order to save money, increase customer satisfaction and reduce their carbon footprint.

Epicor customer OBH Nordica Sweden AB is a market leader in Scandinavia, selling and distributing electrical household products such as kettles, hair dryers, electric blankets, fans and vacuum cleaners. Tore Burman, chief financial officer for OBH Nordica, explained why they decided to implement Distribution Planning. "After several years of substantial financial growth we needed to sharpen up the control of our warehouse processes. After working with the system for six months now, we are delighted with the benefits we have received thanks to its hugely improved control of the production flow, accurate and fast order picking, FIFO (first-in, first-out) handling of pallets, and an improved view of stock."

With 25,000 products in stock and 35,000 annual deliveries (of which a third are exported), Nelco, one of Sweden’s leading distribution companies in the electrical and electronics field, is dependent on running smooth logistics processes. After going live with Distribution Planning, the stress levels for Nelco’s warehouse staff have been reduced; from always being one step behind when handling orders, staff now have a good overview of what’s going on and can plan in advance. As a result the number of delayed and erroneous deliveries has drastically reduced.

“I was immediately impressed by the possibilities that exist in Distribution Planning, especially the way it handles lead times,” said Per Jonsson, IT manager for Nelco. “As a bonus it includes a whole range of useful functionality, more than I could ever have dreamed of. And, perhaps most important, implementing this solution means we did not have to replace our whole ERP system, saving both time and money.”

For more information contact: Duncan Gurney, The PR Network, +44 (0)7912 495630, [email protected]