First off, I’ve never used Kinetic. I clung to Classic until my last use of Epicor (nearly 2 years now).
I totally get the idea of moving towards a browser based “client”. The upsides are so obvious, with things like: user device independence (desktop, tablet, mobile, etc…), deployment being, access via the web, etc…
Is the majority of issues with Kinetic the functionality of the base forms (i.e. out-of-the-box, no customizations, or BPM’s)? Or is it that as soon as you customize it, it behaves in unexpected ways?
(note that the OR above is not the mutually exclusive XOR)
If someone asked me what to consider in making a browser based client - which no one did - I’d have highlighted the following considerations (off the top of my head):
Client side executions - Any code that runs on the client machine, that affects the dataset loaded in the client.
This includes native client side code that does things like formatting number of decimal places, updates in the client that didn’t require a BO Method, customizations and personalizations.
This would all need to be handled in the client browser using javascript, jquery, CSS, etc…
Server side executions. These would need to be re-written to interface with a web browser instead of a dedicated client. Interaction with the “client” would be via REST calls and/or javascript calls to server side PHP or ASP.
UI layout for varying client sizes and types - Desktop / tablet, /mobile phone, and mouse based / touch screen / touch with gestures, etc… Making the form flow well to minimize side scrolling and/or zooming in and zooming out. THis seems pretty straightforward. If you make a website in Wix or Squarespace, you need only design it for the desktop and it automatically makes a mobile version.
They all seem quite manageable.
Anyhoo… I’m surprised no one has made their own web based interface that just uses REST calls for the data transfers.
If I were to try - and I’m not - would enabling the trace log and then using the UI normally reveal enough info for someone to be able to build a webpage to provide the functionality of a single Kinteic (or classic mode) form?
Yeah
Oh I’m certain that it is harder than it sounds. And probably compounded by legacy architecture and code (think SysTime in seconds past midnight). But should be very doable (I’m talking about Epicor implenting Kinetic).
I probably will cover no new ground, but then, it’s December 29 and you asked a beaten-to-death question, so…
We have been on Kinetic (meaning 2021.1 or higher) for a whopping 5 weeks now. Of course, some Kinetic forms existed before this (in our prior version, for example).
We have a new employee in purchasing, and on her ~first day, she opened up PO Entry to the Kinetic version, and of course never had any clue that there was a “classic” version - not at first. When I showed her classic, she’s like, “Oh I hate that one, the Kinetic one is much better to work with.”
Now, that story is a unicorn - everyone else here who has been using classic HATES Kinetic with the passion of 1,000 supernovae. But the point is, a lot of it is perception, fellow “Who Moved My Cheese” club member.
HOWEVER,
Man, oh man the bugs.
We couldn’t go to 2022.x because they killed off net.tcp (OK fine) but did not make a way where we could use a mismatched public SSL cert. [Long story; some users here say they have done it, but we could not, and support says it’s impossible, too.]
On 2021.2, at least, most Kinetic grids, if they have many rows (over ~50) the grid hyperactively bounces around and you can’t advance the list down.
Also with the scrolling, you might scroll down and then all of a sudden it says No Records - but they were just there
Application Studio is a much-needed upgrade to the old form customizations and the limitations of dashboard. But things that were simple in classic (like a Start With criterion on a dashboard) now require a lot more hoops.
And then there’s this all. the. time.
It will get better, for sure, but so far it comes across as really embarrassing for Epicor. It’s been over 1.5 years since the generally-available public launch and yet it is effectively very much a beta product.
[Edit] Also, I’m, not re-recording this, but I forgot to show where refreshing the BAQ tile does nothing to fix it. We found you have to go to another tab and then back and then the rows come back again.
This feels more like post to complain about Kinetic. If you have an issue to report or find a solution for, let’s create a thread.
I was once told by an Epicor consulting buddy that he was 80% therapist and 20% technical resource. It’s true for me!
It’s the time of year to be thankful. If you struggle with Kinetic be thankful you can use smart client for a few more years
But hopefully will be good soon.