I added an idea, that will undoubtedly go nowhere, but it highlights a shortfall that we’ve seen in that, it’s hard to know develop and support a product when you don’t have an opportunity to use it in a real world application yourself. So my idea is to have Epicor stand up and run a functioning “test” factory, in which they actually produce sellable goods. With the idea being that they facility runs the latest cutting edge Pre-release version of the ERP software, in a functioning factory. There are equipment manufacturers out there that do this now (Trumpf is a sheet metal processing company that makes laser cutting and bending machines, and currently does in chicago). Someone like this would be a perfect company to partner with. They get to test their equipment, Epicor get’s to test their software. Both companies get a training facility to gain perspective, improve quality, both in the product, but also in service personnel. Also this would be a perfect showcase for the product to bring in potential customers, or customer training seminars or all kinds of things. They can do real business, making real products and offset some cost by selling real products.
Do I think they’ll actually do it? no. But if they did something like this it would really mean that they want to truly understand and partner with their customers actual needs.
Anyways, go vote for it if you think it would something Epicor should be encouraged to do.
@Randy Can you search for it and see if it shows up? KIN-I-7250. It doesn’t show locked anymore, so I thought it was open. I’m wondering if my link is just not working. Because the link isn’t even working for me for some weird reason.
Not a bad idea but IMHO the better option would be to have say a dozen customers across a diverse set of industries that agree to be live test companies and who receive free Cloud ERP. Possibly even pay them something for it.
I nominate any company that is not the one I work for.
sounds a good idea aswell, i fear the development sometimes is missing key changes which I know are voted for in the epicor ideas but test customers can return some very healthy feedback on this
You know that’s a brilliant idea @Banderson. Even better if it was a dog food factory…
Seriously as expensive as would be to do, it would be the ultimate… Software testing, user training, process confitmation and validation. All the documentation and available Webinars would not hold candle to this.. I’m voting…
Does Epicor doing any Beta testing groups anymore? I was part of one back around 2009. The Beta group got to test out the possible software improvements and give their feedback. Seeing this post today reminded me of that so I just thought I would ask.
They do a Controlled Release. But they schedule it so close to GA that usually it goes GA about the last week of of the CR so when things come up, they don’t usually have time to fix everything before they upgrade people. It’s really more of a focused testing group of the Pilot pre-upgrade before the the live upgrade. They do get some stuff fixed, so it’s not a total lost cause, but I really wish it was a true beta test so they had more freedom to update bigger issues. But it is what it is.
Sorry, I read that one, and was going to make it visible, but got distracted by the 451 comments on the other big post this week . It is now visible and ready for votes.. not sure that it is totally “product” related… more about how we do things at Epicor, but I will allow voting anyway. Note that with CI/CD approach that we are switching to, our QA process is getting repositioned and reanalyzed so this input is valuable.
Thanks @timshuwy . I know it’s a pie in the sky ask, and waaaay easier said that done. I think it’s a cool idea. And if Epicor would do something like that it would show a HUGE commitment to understanding the customer, and be a great tool for lots of things.
. It is now visible and ready for votes.. not sure that it is totally “product” related… more about how we do things at Epicor, but I will allow voting anyway. Note that with CI/CD approach that we are switching to, our QA process is getting repositioned and reanalyzed so this input is valuable.