I am a supplier of hardware for hardware stores that utilize Epicor products such as Activant and Eagle. For years we have EDI with our mutual customers through an FTP that we house. I am newer to our team and an issue has occurred in which the files we produce are not all encompassing of what our mutual customers have requested.
Right now we accept an Epicor format for Purchase Orders and we output an Electronic Maintenance File that updates the customer’s catalog of our items, however this EFM file does not ADD to the catalog. We consistently have new items as hardware manufacturers discontinue and create new items such as a Power Tool upgrades to the 2025 version. This causes issues for our customers to be unable to add these items automatically to their system even though we can provide this info to our FTP and we can create file that matches what Epicor may already require.
I have struggled to get in communication with Epicor since starting this role which is what has brought me to EPIUSERS. Is there an Epicor specification that I can adjust my output files to that would update the customer’s Item Catalog for my company?
I was informed that in the past this wasn’t an issue as customer’s could subscribe to a CD updating their item catalog monthly and we produce this data directly to Epicor still. Is there an item catalog update subscription still available that our customers need to implement? My company is willing to reimburse our customers this subscription cost to get our customers satisfied, however I am still unable to confirm this info due to struggles with communications with Epicor.
Any information is greatly appreciated!
Trying to read between the lines here, but do you use EDI standards between your business that does not use Epicor and your customers that do (Activant and Eagle). Do you use the EDI 832 document standard for Price/Sales Catalogs?
Epicor has various EDI tools. So it would be important to understand how your customers are consuming the data you are giving them access to, it may be as simple asking them for a copy of the transformed version of the file they actually use to import into their system.
The other thing would be for your customers, who have a direct relationship with Epicor via maintenance agreements to liaise with Epicor Support on your behalf.
Hello @Hally, thank you for the warm welcome and information.
Our team is working to hire a 3rd party to help develop our EDI through a VAN as we currently only accept 850s and do not send out data through a VAN (832 or 810). Many of our customers are small mom and pop stores that can’t afford to utilize a VAN and thus they decide to use a Point of Sale/ERP system that uses FTP (not SFTP).
The files sent between all other POS/ERP companies is flat txt files in a specific format that we gave specifications on years ago and the POS/ERP company has built their program to access the FTP, download/upload the files, and read/create the files.
With Epicor we got a standard flat txt file format from them many years ago and our system reads Epicor’s Purchase Orders that are similar to 850 formatting, they accept our invoice file format, and they accept what is referred by Epicor as their Electronic Maintenance File (EFM). I do not know what the equivalent flat txt file format would be for an 832. The electronic Maintenance File (EFM) does update the customer’s item catalog for my company with items such as cost and description, however if an item is on the EFM but not already preloaded to the catalog, then Epicor does not add that item. I do not know what file I can create that will add to the item catalog.
Clarification, our customer’s are Epicor customers but use some of Epicor’s sub products named Eagle and Activant/Advantage so I am not sure if those all work the exact same.
While we have many customers who use Epicor, they are long time customers who do not care to update their system manually thus they can’t provide the file format (I have tried to get this assistance many times since joining the team). I have asked these customers to reach out to Epicor and include us and Epicor quickly cuts us out of the conversation or just suggests a full catalog load that Epicor charges a few thousand dollars for. Then our customers have to run their store and time is money for them so it fizzles on their end in pushing to keep my team involved with Epicor.
The reason this is a pressing item that I am reaching for any help is customers who are looking to switch suppliers as one or two suppliers have recently closed their doors. These potential customers want a smooth transition and do not want to have to wait for our system to catch up. I can get my developers to catch up, if I have the information on how to catch up. I have requested my sales team communicate with the potential customer to get Epicor to connect with us.
Below is a snip of the flat txt file of an order sent through FTP from Epicor:
P105958762000000929 2412090 000000000000HOUSE LI100112230223 00 000001EA00000000Worx 13 in. 40 volt Battery LI100214201065 00 000001RL0000000036"1X1/2"16GA 100’ WELDED WILI100314201107 00 000001RL0000000036"1X2"14GA 100’ WELD WIRE LI100427532084 00 000001EA0000000031400 BAGGED 9 X 12 FLAME PRLI100517010208 00 000001EA0000000010881X CLEAR.IT DRAIN OPENERLI100615703317 00 000001EA0000000010882 8" MH TUB/SHWR FAUCET LI100715703325 00 000001EA0000000010883 8" MH TUB/SHWR FAUCET LI100830901656 00 000001EA000000009547 4"LAZY SUSAN TURNTABLE LI100930901664 00 000001EA000000009548 6"LAZY SUSAN TURNTABLE LI101016532467 00 000001EA000000003092POTABLE AQUA CHLORINE DILI101120221552 00 000001EA00000000300035 6.5OZ SPEC/C I LI101226168393 00 000001EA00000000DW2212 #2 SQ RECESS 2" POWERLI101327530971 00 000001EA000000004-1045 KT MATTE BLACK AD HELLI101427538388 00 000001EA000000004-1073 AUTO DARK WELDING HELLI101520240107 00 000001EA000000003953–U JUG WHITE W/ HOSE LI101620240115 00 000001EA000000003943–U JUG RED WITH HOSE LI101720240255 00 000001EA000000003046 JUG HOSE STANDARD 14" LI101820240248 00 000001EA000000003058 GET BENT HOSE BENDER LI101920240289 00 000001EA000000003046B JUG HOSE STAND 14" W/ LI102020240438 00 000001EA0000000033320 TRIGGER FLUID CONNECTOLI102117130279 00 000001EA00000000HF175K 175,000 BTU OIL FORCELI102222942783 00 000001EA00000000320BL BLK MAN FNDATION VENT LI102322942791 00 000001EA00000000320BR BRN MAN FNDATION VENT
Below is an EFM file that Epicor grabs from my FTP that updates some of the items but never adds new items to the catalog:
06002112 C 0060 1138 SLED 66 IN FAMILY FUN 047731138 0003013 05299 00006 00006EAEA 00236072358011380
06002116 C 0060 1181 BIG FOOT POLY COMBO SNODOZER W 047731181 0000996 01999 00006 00006EAEA 00350072358011816
06004499 C 0060 1716 SNOWBRUSH/SCRAPPER BIGFOOT DEL 047731716 0000392 00699 00012 00012EAEA 00060072358171619
06004501 C 0060 1721 TELESCOPING SNOWBRUSH 60 IN 047731721 0001280 02399 00012 00012EAEA 00208072358172111
06700413 C 5067 639 BLUE SPIT FIRE SLED 13568639 0001216 01899 00006 00006EAEA 00300068660816393
06701809 C 5067 626MG/926 26"FLY DISC 13568626MG 0000590 00869 00012 00012EAEA 00200068660816263
06701825 C 5067 648 WINTER LIGHTNING SLED 13568648 0001020 01499 00012 00012EAEA 00250068660826484
08400293 C 5084 F273702 12’ PROP HOSE ASSY 09293F273702 0002355 03699 00006 00006EAEA 00184089301737020
08400517 C 5084 F242100 MH15T HTR PROPANE 09293F242100 0003712 05899 00012 00012EAEA 00350089301421004
08400863 C 5084 F274805/F274800 MH18B BIG BUDDY HTR 09293F274800 0011953 16099 00004 00004EAEA 01750089301004825
08401432 C 5084 TT30CSA DBL 30K TANK TOP 15005TT30CSA/TT30D 0007073 12899 00001 00001EAEA 00730013204303006
09100058 C 5091 801G5 KEROSENE 5 GAL. 12986801G5 0004570 07599 00001 00001EAEA 03700076542000815
10610087 C 7106 EC500825 25’ 12/3 EXT. CORD 10652EC500825 0001905 02999 00008 00008EAEA 00358054732100187
10610095 C 7106 EC500830 50’ 12/3 EXT. CORD 10652EC500830 0003697 05849 00005 00005EAEA 00699054732100194
10610103 C 7106 EC500835 100’ 12/3 EXT. CORD 10652EC500835 0006943 10999 00003 00003EAEA 01377054732100200
10610137 C 7106 528 25’12/3 EXT CORD ORNG 12464528 0003141 05199 00006 00006EAEA 00333078693005282
10610145 C 7106 LT511735 100’ 14/3 EXT.CORD 10652LT511735 0005964 09399 00004 00004EAEA 00975054732910014
10610152 C 7106 LT511825 25’ 12/3 EXT.CORD 10652LT511825 0002442 03899 00008 00008EAEA 00358054732910021
10610186 C 7106 LT511930 50’ 10/3 EXT. CORD 10652LT511930 0008166 12899 00004 00004EAEA 01054054732910120
10611515 C 7106 267 25’16/3 EXT CORD 12464267 0001151 01599 00012 00012EAEA 00180078693002670
10612380 C 7106 01697 25’ 12/3 EXT CORD YELLOW 1246401697 0003038 04799 00012 00012EAEA 00303029892011383
10612513 C 7106 04112 2’ 12/3 POWERBLOCK YELLOW 1246404112 0000982 01449 00012 00012EAEA 00092029892041120
10613594 C 7106 820 100’12/3 P/BLOCK CORD 12464820 0010141 15499 00002 00002EAEA 01207078693008207
10614386 C 7106 2883 25’ 12/3 YJ EXT CORD 124642883 0002693 04999 00006 00006EAEA 00370078693028830
10614394 C 7106 2884 50’ 12/3 YJ EXT CORD 124642884 0004734 08199 00004 00004EAEA 00690078693028847
10614402 C 7106 2885 100’ 12/3 YJ EXT CORD 124642885 0008474 15099 00002 00002EAEA 01225078693028854
10614949 C 7106 2805 50’ 10/3 YJ EXT CORD 124642805 0009329 14699 00002 00002EAEA 01050078693028052
10640043 C 7106 L1430P 30A 3P LOCKING PLUG 04450L1430P 0001745 02999 00010 00010EAEA 00030032664544859
12800884 C 1128 36PLW-S/36PW-S POLY SNOW SHOVEL 20" 1137936PLWS 0001872 03099 00006 00006EAEA 00436089217643613
12820031 C 1128 100012605 DCD WINTER MELT 50LB PE 02399100012605 0000559 00929 00049 00049EAEA 05000013600749026
12820064 C 1128 100507677/9594 12# JUG ZERO ICE MEL 072309594 0001077 01949 00004 00004EAEA 01200078159332129
12820247 C 1128 100507687/9597 20# PET GRD ZERO ICE 072309597 0002060 03249 00120 00120EAEA 02000078159333539
12820296 C 1128 GRS2 25# SURE FOOT ROCK SALT 05533GRS2 0000426 00779 00001 00001EAEA 02500047155080112
13200167 C 1132 PALY-12F TRU PRO #12 ALUMINUM SCOOP 13633PALY-12F 0002599 03949 00001 00001EAEA 00383755625000699
20241063 C 8202 2610/2600 2GAL KERO CAN AUTO OFF 089492610/2600 0001331 02199 00006 00006EAEA 00150079223026104
20320016 C 8203 DH10/602A MANUAL SYPHON PUMP 15005DH10/602A 0000263 00439 00024 00024EAEA 00024013204106027
20320552 C 5203 A40 MANUAL SYPHON 13727A40 0000284 00479 00024 00024EAEA 00015042077000408
29630571 C 2296 CT16450 16" CERAMIC TOWER HEATER 07810CT16450 0003980 06299 00001 00001EAEA 00490046013708595
29630589 C 2296 751320 23" CERAMIC TOWER HEATER 07810751320 0005846 09249 00001 00001EAEA 00913046013768001
29633823 C 2296 CEH255 CERAMIC HEATER 15005CEH255 0002216 03499 00006 00006EAEA 00400013204202552
29633849 C 2296 EUH341 MILK HOUSE HEATER 15005EUH341 0002387 03799 00006 00006EAEA 00590013204213411
32462079 C 2324 AS242P PRES SPRAY DE-ICER 11340AS242P 0000366 00599 00012 00012EAEA 00098797496651389
32462434 C 2324 701163 AUTOGUARD DE-ICER 12/12 02996701163 0000168 00259 00012 00012EAEA 00100073135701395
47301411 C11473 16-SF STARTING FLUID 0019716-SF 0000572 00949 00001 00001EAEA 00069032167200405
Apologies for trying to dumb it down, we are saying that there is a requirement for a third file that sends the base part information to add to the parts catalogue on your customers systems?
Once that is done the EFM can be read and PO’s can be sent and received.
If that is the case then there must be a new part creation import that would be available. I am not familiar with Eagle or Activant/Advantage
or there may be a field on the EFM lines that tells the importing system to add the part perhaps.
Thank you for adjusting to clarify and make it easier to understand.
I believe yes there is either another file or the EFM file needs a flag, however I do not know what these specifications of the additional file or the flag is which is the impasse I am at.
I did get contacted by a representative at Epicor and they indicated that their system only updates catalogs for new items through their master catalog on a weekly or quarterly basis. This makes me believe that there is no direct communication with the customer’s system in this way. Would seem to be a weird situation to not allow for updating of catalogs in customer’s systems directly.
I have sent a follow up for a few clarification items so I am hopeful that may give me insights into how I can better serve our mutual customers.