Custom Software/Reports

Sometimes your ERP system, as good as it is, might not have exactly the feature or report that you need for your business. Often we can offer a custom software solution that will satisfy your requirement, yet not affect the ERP system configuration. This means that you can continue to update your ERP system with the latest updates without fear of losing your custom software enhancements.

Custom ERP Software
We can provide a wide variety of software solutions including:

• Vantage/Vista 8.0 Customization: Business Activity Queries (BAQs), Dashboards, Business Activity Manager (BAMs), Business Process Manager (BPMs).
• Vantage/Vista 6.1 and below Customization: Business Activity Queries (BAQs), Business Activity Manager (BAMs).
• Database Triggers: When a defined event occurs (like a new sales order generated), a trigger is fired that performs a customer defined action. For example, you might want an external database to be updated with the SO info, a report to be run, an email to be sent, or some other action performed.
• User launched actions: Most ERP Systems allow the user to personalize the menu with additional menu items. We can write code to accomplish almost any task you wish. Again, since this code is external to the ERP system, you are free to upgrade your ERP system freely while still maintaining your custom software functionality. See BOM, LateOrders
• Peripheral Applications: These are full database applications that hook into your ERP system and use the data. Typically these applications maintain their own database as well. For example, one customer had a unique Test/Inspection plan that did not "fit" into the framework of an ERP system. We wrote a standalone Test/Inspect/Picklist/Certification system that interfaces seamlessly with Epicor Vantage 5.2 and allows inputting of Test Results, compares results to established test limits, performs statistical analysis, provides an automated picklist feature, then prints a customer Cert to be including in the shipper.
• Interface modules: These are external modules that hook into the ERP system data and perform a defined function. One customer needed to export shipping data daily, perform some data massaging and processing based on a number of "what-ifs", then use that data to input to an IBM mainframe that handles the billing duties. We wrote a small standalone executable that hooked into Vantage data, downloaded the raw data, massaged/processed the data in accordance with a set of business rules, then ouput the data to data files in a format that the IBM mainframe understood. The executable was loaded on a workstation and Windows Task Scheduler fires it off every night for its duties.
• ODBC: ODBC allows two databases of different format to exchange data. Most ERP systems have an ODBC adapter included. This allows you, for example, to connect to your ERP data using Microsoft Access, develop queries using the excellent Query Builder, then print reports. We can help at each step of the way.
• Internet: Place continuously updated ERP data on the Internet. Entry to the site will be company specific and password protected. The data you show will be the ouput of a report you design. Data is read-only. There is no way a customer can get to your ERP data.

Custom ERP Reports
Reports are what you gather the data for. Good reports can make or break an ERP system. Thankfully, most ERP systems contain excellent "canned" reports, and many now are allowing the users to personalize them to further fit their situation. But sometimes you just can't find what you need. We provide several of custom reporting services:

• Report Builder Reports: This uses the ERP's native Report Builder to connect to the ERP data, pull the necessary data, then present it in the format you desire. You could do it, but unless you do it a lot it would probably cost you more time and energy than calling us and having us do it. When you receive the Report Builder file from us, you can then modify it further as your future needs warrant.
• Crystal Reports: Seagate Crystal Reports is the industry standard universal reporting tool. It can connect to most data base formats, including Epicor's Vantage, Vista, and DBA Software's DBA. It is a powerful tool that can be used to provide reporting solutions that are more complex than Report Builder's capability to handle.
• Microsoft Office Reports: We can generate an external module that is launched from your ERP menu that will pop up a dialog box and allow you to choose/filter report parameters, process the data, then ouput it in one or more of the Microsoft Office formats:
  • Access: Ouput data to Access where it is imported, then automatically start Access and perform defined procedures. We have much experience with VBA, the core programming language used by the Microsoft Office suite. One customer has a menu launched selection which performs a custom query on Epicor Vantage data, then exports the data to an Access application
  • Excel: Outputting data to Excel is a popular way to utilize the power of Excel's number crunching capabilities. A Vantage or Vista menu launched selection might query the ERP data, export to Excel, format Excel cells, create an Excel graph, then launch Excel. All the user knows is that he clicked the menu selection! See LateOrders.
  • Word: Automate Mail Merge or write unique Word documents on the fly using your ERP data. Print or email the documents.
• Automate batch reports: Schedule your Vantage Report Builder Reports to run on off hours. Have report print hard copy or email to recipients you define.

Manufacturing Systems Services
PO Box 251
Medina, OH 44258-0251
1-800-875-4654 · 330-725-0043 · Fax 330-725-0080