Guiding Your Team Through a Smooth Epicor Kinetic Upgrade

Upgrading an ERP system is rarely just about new features or improved performance. It is about people, processes, and the confidence to work differently. An Epicor Kinetic upgrade can feel intimidating at first, but with careful planning and the right approach, it becomes an opportunity to strengthen operations, modernize workflows, and set teams up for long-term success.

This article outlines key strategies that organizations can use to guide their teams through a smooth transition to Epicor Kinetic.

Why Epicor Kinetic Matters

Epicor Kinetic represents more than a refreshed interface. It introduces a modern, browser-based ERP environment that enables:

• Greater productivity through streamlined navigation and fewer clicks

• Remote and mobile access that supports today’s flexible work styles

• Improved system performance with faster response times

• Customization flexibility with low-code design tools such as Application Studio

• Cloud readiness to support future scalability

These capabilities make the upgrade compelling, but realizing their value depends on how well the transition is managed.

1. Conduct a Pre-Upgrade Assessment

Before the technical work begins, it is essential to understand the current state of your ERP environment. A pre-upgrade assessment creates a clear picture of what should carry forward, what can be retired, and where opportunities for improvement exist.

Key steps to include in your assessment:

• Review customizations and determine which ones are critical versus obsolete.

• Identify pain points in current workflows that the upgrade could help resolve.

• Evaluate whether existing processes align with best practices supported in Kinetic.

• Create an inventory of reports, dashboards, and integrations.

By starting with a baseline, you reduce the risk of migrating unnecessary complexity into the new system.

2. Address Data and System Considerations

Successful upgrades require more than functional testing. Data integrity and system readiness are equally important.

Practical considerations include:

• Data cleansing: Archive or remove unused records, standardize data formats, and correct inaccuracies.

• Integrations: Validate connections with related systems such as CRM, e-commerce, and reporting tools. Ensure these interfaces are mapped and tested before go-live.

• Infrastructure readiness: Confirm that hosting environments, whether cloud or on-premise, meet Epicor’s performance and security requirements.

Addressing these items early prevents downstream issues and ensures that the system operates reliably once users transition to Kinetic.

3. Begin with Change Management

The success of most ERP transitions hinges on how people adapt. Engaging employees early makes a measurable difference.

Recommended actions:

• Explain the “why” behind the upgrade in clear, user-relevant terms.

• Highlight practical benefits such as easier navigation and improved accessibility.

• Identify and empower “Kinetic Champions” in different departments who can model adoption.

• Host feedback sessions and demonstrations to build familiarity and reduce uncertainty.

Anticipating concerns—such as lost productivity or fear of the unknown—allows leaders to address them directly with reassurance, examples, and early hands-on access.

4. Test Strategically

Testing is not just a technical checkpoint. It is a chance to validate workflows and ensure customizations carry over effectively.

Key processes to include in testing scenarios:

• Sales Order to Cash

• Purchase to Pay

• Job Creation and Inventory Control

• Financial Posting and Reports

Involving power users helps confirm that essential business functions run smoothly and gives teams ownership in the upgrade process.

5. Train for Confidence

Training should focus on building user confidence, not simply checking a completion box.

Training methods to consider:

• Self-paced courses available through the Epicor Learning Center

• Hands-on labs or internal “Kinetic Preview Days”

• Role-based cheat sheets or “Top 5 Changes” quick guides

• Staged training sessions beginning with administrators and power users before extending to general users

By tailoring learning to specific roles, organizations create a foundation of expertise that supports long-term adoption.

6. Review and Update Customizations

Before migration, every customization should be evaluated. Items to review include:

• Classic custom screens

• BPMs and UD Fields

• Dashboards and BAQs

• Configurators and inspection forms

Application Studio provides the framework to rebuild or enhance these elements in the new browser-based environment, ensuring continuity without losing functionality.

7. Communicate with Clarity

Resistance often grows from a lack of information. A clear communication plan can counter this by keeping employees informed and engaged.

Consider sharing:

• Upcoming milestones such as the start of pilot testing

• Successes, for example completing a financial close in Kinetic

• Challenges and the steps being taken to resolve them

Transparency creates trust, and trust drives participation.

8. Recognize Progress

Acknowledging team efforts during the upgrade process encourages momentum. Recognition can be as simple as highlighting contributions in team meetings, sharing “before and after” improvements, or celebrating go-live with a dedicated event. Small gestures go a long way in reinforcing commitment to change.

9. Plan the Go-Live Carefully

A smooth launch is the result of deliberate choices rather than last-minute adjustments. Some organizations succeed by:

• Rolling out by department or module rather than switching all at once

• Running Kinetic in parallel with the Classic version for a limited time (when supported)

• Establishing a help channel or “war room” for immediate support during launch week

These approaches allow teams to adjust gradually while maintaining business continuity.

10. Stabilize After Go-Live

The first weeks after launch are often the most critical. Stabilization ensures that small issues do not become larger problems.

Stabilization practices include:

• Monitoring support tickets closely to identify recurring issues

• Tracking system performance against benchmarks established during testing

• Providing additional training for areas where adoption is slower

• Reviewing feedback and quickly addressing usability concerns

This period of focused attention helps teams regain confidence and reinforces that the upgrade is both manageable and beneficial.

11. Define Metrics for Success

To truly measure the impact of an Epicor Kinetic upgrade, organizations need clear success criteria. Examples include:

• Reduction in system-related support requests

• Percentage of users actively engaging with new features

• Improvements in process cycle times (for example, order-to-cash)

• Positive user satisfaction scores collected through surveys

Defining metrics not only proves the value of the upgrade but also creates accountability for continuous improvement.

12. Think Beyond the Upgrade

Going live is not the end of the journey. It is the beginning of optimization. Once stability is achieved, organizations should ask:

• Which tasks can be simplified further?

• What insights can dashboards surface earlier?

• Where can automation reduce manual steps?

Epicor Kinetic provides the tools to continuously refine processes and improve decision-making.

Final Thoughts

An Epicor Kinetic upgrade is not just a technical transition. It is an opportunity to align people, processes, and technology for the future. By conducting a thorough assessment, addressing data and system considerations, managing change effectively, stabilizing after go-live, and defining measurable outcomes, organizations can transform their upgrade into a lasting advantage.