Thursday, 23 August 2007

Epicor Unveils Latest Release of Microsoft Office EPM

Epicor Software Corporation has introduced its enhanced bi-directional integration with the newest release of the Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution, an end-to-end collaborative project and portfolio management environment that helps align people with business priorities to effectively manage work.

Integration of Epicor for Service Enterprises, an ERP for Services application built using service-oriented architecture (SOA), with the Office EPM Solution enables Epicor customers to leverage the extended project and portfolio capabilities of the Office EPM family of products.

This includes Project Portfolio Management (PPM) through Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007. The PPM capabilities provided through Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server build on the portfolio capabilities within Epicor for Service Enterprises to meet the business requirements of both professional and internal service organizations.

Both the Epicor and Microsoft solutions are built on the Microsoft .NET platform and make use of Microsoft SharePoint technologies for collaboration and to provide a consistent experience for the end-user.

As the first ERP for Services solution built on a true SOA using Microsoft .NET and Web services technology, Epicor for Service Enterprises delivers tightly embedded and extensive client-focused capabilities that enable real-time visibility into operational and financial information.

“Epicor provides an enhanced experience for project-oriented information workers by delivering a seamless and end-to-end service optimization solution that makes the Office EPM functionality more of a high-use resource for a wider pool of users – not just project managers,” said Irwin Rodrigues, director of Project Marketing for Microsoft Corporation.

“Epicor has capitalized on the strength and value of the Office EPM Solution on behalf of its customers through its integration with Epicor for Service Enterprises.”

“Millions of project managers around the world rely on Microsoft Office Project solutions for detailed project planning; yet these users can be isolated from the core enterprise systems,” said Malcolm Fox, senior product marketing manager of Epicor.

“The strong, bi-directional integration of the Office EPM Solution with Epicor for Service Enterprises provides users with the best of both worlds – they can continue to undertake project planning within Office Project while leveraging essential enterprise functionality within Epicor for Service Enterprises, such as CRM, time, expense and materials management and billing.”