Product & Innovation

Supercharge Epicor ERP with Kognitos AI Automation

Kognitos

Key Takeaways

Supercharging Epicor ERP with Kognitos addresses how manual data entry, invoice processing, and repetitive tasks drain productivity for manufacturers and distributors running the ERP. Epicor serves as a modular operational hub across finance, manufacturing, supply chain, CRM, inventory, and HR, giving organizations a unified view of the business. Kognitos layers on AI automation that turns plain-English process documentation into AI agents, moving beyond brittle RPA and point IDP tools through its hyperautomation lifecycle (HAL) methodology. Its native Epicor integration uses built-in NLP, OCR, and intelligent document processing so business users can automate invoice processing, vendor management, and data entry, build workflows conversationally, cut manual handoffs and errors, and deploy in days or weeks. The result is lower total cost of ownership, faster time to production, and a transparent solution that records every decision in natural language.

Modern manufacturers and distributors rely on Epicor to manage complex operations, but manual data entry, invoice processing, and repetitive enterprise resource planning (ERP) tasks can drain productivity and introduce human error. Kognitos, the leading AI automation platform, enables business users to automate Epicor processes using plain English, eliminating the need for code or technical expertise while maintaining IT governance.

This blog explores how Kognitos automation can supercharge Epicor efforts through a native integration that showcases tangible business value.

What is Epicor?

Epicor is an ERP solution designed to be the operational hub for organizations in the automotive, building supply, distribution, manufacturing, and retail industries. ERP systems help businesses manage and automate operations in core business areas including:

Finance and accounting
Manufacturing
Supply chain management
Customer relationship management (CRM)
Inventory and order management
Human resources

Streamlining for Growth and Insight

Epicor is a popular ERP with mid-sized and enterprise organizations because of its modular nature, so organizations can pick and choose the functionality they need to keep their business running smoothly.

The purpose of an ERP software like Epicor is to move away from multiple fragmented systems with isolated data. Epicor provides organizations with a unified view of their business so they can make more informed and agile decisions.

Introducing Kognitos

Kognitos is an AI automation platform that transforms plain English process documentation into powerful AI agents. Unlike point solutions such as intelligent document processing (IDP) or traditional robotic process automation (RPA) tools, Kognitos manages the entire lifecycle of automation through the hyperautomation lifecycle (HAL) methodology.

Kognitos moves beyond the limitations of traditional automation, specialized developers, outdated programming languages, lengthy implementation, and brittle bots that require constant maintenance. This results in lower total cost of ownership, fast speed to production, and a transparent solution that records every decision in natural language.

How Kognitos Integrates with Epicor

Imagine taking a solid Epicor foundation and pairing it with an automation solution that understands your business processes as intuitively as your own team. That’s the power of Kognitos. The platform empowers your team to return to high-value strategic activities by automating everything from repetitive tasks to complex workflows.

Kognitos offers a seamless integration with Epicor, leveraging built-in AI technologies like natural language processing (NLP), optical character recognition (OCR), and intelligent document processing (IDP) to reduce the need for corresponding point solutions. With Kognitos, business users can:

Automate ERP tasks such as invoice processing, vendor management, and data entry
Build workflows simply by describing processes in conversational English
Eliminate manual handoffs and reduce human error
Deploy automations in days or weeks, not months

Kognitos can quickly tackle a variety of use cases within organizations using Epicor ERP, from order journey management to inventory optimization to invoice processing.

Improve Efficiency with Kognitos

Kognitos allows organizations to boost operational efficiency, improve data accuracy, and enhance customer satisfaction with a scalable AI automation solution.

Ready to see how Kognitos can streamline your Epicor operations? Explore the full breadth of enterprise-grade integrations, reach out to the Kognitos team to schedule a personalized demo, or see for yourself with a free trial of our community version.

How to Supercharge Epicor ERP with Kognitos AI Automation

Identify the Epicor ERP workflows with the highest manual processing burden. Epicor AP automation, purchase order management, and inventory management are the Epicor workflows with the highest manual processing burden in most manufacturing and distribution organizations. Map transaction volumes and manual effort by module.
Configure Kognitos to connect to Epicor via REST API. Kognitos connects to Epicor ERP using Epicor's REST API. Configure the connection with the required API credentials and test read and write access to the relevant Epicor modules before building automation workflows.
Write Epicor automation workflows in plain English using Kognitos. Kognitos enables Epicor workflow automation described in natural English. Write each workflow step as a clear instruction: 'Read the supplier invoice, extract the vendor and amount, match against the open Epicor PO, and post to AP if matched within tolerance.' Clarity in English instructions produces reliable automation.
Configure exception handling for Epicor-specific exception types. Epicor workflows generate specific exception types: PO not found, vendor not in supplier master, tolerance exceeded. Configure Kognitos exception handling prompts that present these exceptions in plain English with the relevant Epicor data context.
Measure Epicor automation touchless rate and exception rate after deployment. Track touchless rate and exception rate for each Epicor module in scope. These metrics measure the performance of Kognitos automation on your specific Epicor configuration and data.

Frequently Asked Questions

Epicor is an enterprise resource planning (ERP) solution designed as the operational hub for organizations in industries such as automotive, building supply, distribution, manufacturing, and retail. It supports core business areas including finance and accounting, manufacturing, supply chain management, customer relationship management, inventory and order management, and human resources. Epicor is popular with mid-sized and enterprise organizations because of its modular nature, allowing businesses to select only the functionality they need. Its primary purpose is to replace fragmented systems with isolated data and provide a unified view of the business for more informed and agile decision-making.

Kognitos integrates natively with Epicor by leveraging built-in AI technologies including natural language processing (NLP), optical character recognition (OCR), and intelligent document processing (IDP). Business users describe their Epicor workflows in plain conversational English, and Kognitos transforms those descriptions into powerful AI agents that execute the processes automatically. This eliminates the need for specialized developers or traditional programming languages, and the integration removes the requirement for separate point solutions for tasks like document processing. Kognitos manages the full automation lifecycle through its hyperautomation lifecycle (HAL) methodology.

The main benefits include boosted operational efficiency, improved data accuracy, and enhanced customer satisfaction through scalable AI automation. Kognitos eliminates manual data entry and repetitive ERP tasks, reducing human error and freeing teams for high-value strategic activities. The platform delivers a lower total cost of ownership compared to traditional automation approaches, with fast deployment measured in days or weeks rather than months. Every decision made by the automation is recorded in natural language, providing full transparency and supporting IT governance.

Unlike traditional robotic process automation (RPA) tools or point solutions like standalone intelligent document processing software, Kognitos manages the entire automation lifecycle rather than addressing only narrow tasks. Traditional RPA often relies on brittle bots that break when business processes change and require constant maintenance by specialized developers using technical programming languages. Kognitos allows non-technical business users to build and modify automations by describing processes in plain English, dramatically reducing implementation time and ongoing maintenance burden. The platform's built-in NLP, OCR, and IDP capabilities also eliminate the need for multiple separate point solutions working alongside the ERP.

Kognitos can automate a wide range of Epicor tasks including invoice processing, vendor management, and data entry. It also supports broader use cases such as order journey management, inventory optimization, and eliminating manual handoffs between teams. Business users can build workflows for any repetitive or complex Epicor process simply by describing them in conversational English. The platform is applicable across multiple industries that use Epicor, including manufacturing, distribution, retail, and supply chain operations.

Organizations can begin by exploring Kognitos' enterprise-grade integrations to understand compatibility with their existing Epicor setup. Kognitos offers a free community version that allows teams to try the platform firsthand before committing to a full deployment. Scheduling a personalized demo with the Kognitos team is recommended for organizations wanting to see specific Epicor use cases addressed and understand the tangible business value. Because Kognitos automations can be deployed in days or weeks, the path from evaluation to production is significantly shorter than with traditional automation tools.