When and Why to Use External Consultants in Your Epicor Implementation

An Epicor implementation is a major initiative for any organization aiming to streamline operations, improve reporting, and support growth. Most organizations rely heavily on internal IT teams, ERP superusers, or industry-specific expertise. But there are times when external consultants offer strategic value, helping companies avoid common pitfalls, accelerate delivery, and ensure long-term system health.

At Epicforce Tech, we work alongside internal teams to enhance Epicor projects when the business case calls for it. In this guide, we explore when and why bringing in external consultants makes sense—and how to do it without losing internal ownership.

1. When Internal Teams Lack Deep Epicor Experience

Symptoms internal teams may show

• Limited familiarity with advanced Epicor modules

• Frequent escalation to Epicor support

• Difficulty troubleshooting configuration versus customization

• Slow or uncertain system-cutover timelines

If your team hasn’t completed several full-scale Epicor implementations — ideally across different industries or modules — external consultants can fill experiential gaps.

Consultant benefits

• Access to Epicor best practices and build patterns

• Hands-on knowledge of process flows, security models, and performance tuning

• Faster identification of hidden dependencies between modules

• Turnkey guidance on technical tasks like database performance optimization

2. When Project Timelines Are Tight

Some projects cannot be delayed or phased over many quarters—especially when driven by compliance deadlines, system retirements, or strategic timelines.

External consultant value

• Accelerate task execution, especially in configuration, data migration, and testing

• Provide scale and redundancy to internal resources

• Enable parallel workstreams by delegating technical configuration

• Offer rapid ramp-up due to pre-existing Epicor environments and sandbox test data

3. When Complexity Goes Beyond the Norm

Epicor implementations vary widely in scope. Standard finance or supply chain setups can often be handled internally. But complexity grows significantly when:

• There are multiple legal entities or global rollouts

• Industry-specific modules like EDI, Advanced MES, or scheduling are in scope

• Custom or 3rd-party add-ons require integration

• Regulatory reporting or serialization is mandatory (e.g., FDA, CFR 21)

In these cases, external consultants bring niche expertise and can help design and configure complex scenarios correctly.

4. When You Need Structured Governance & Best Practice Alignment

Organizations often underestimate the effort required to establish robust governance structures, including steering committees, change control, and documentation standards.

Consultant value

• Implement proven governance methodologies (e.g., Epicor Activate, agile/Scrum frameworks)

• Support formal change control processes to minimize scope creep

• Record architecture diagrams and data flows essential for audits

• Train internal stakeholders on governance and post-go-live maintenance

5. When Your Go-live Strategy Requires High Confidence

Go-live is arguably the riskiest phase of an Epicor implementation. Even minor errors at this stage can disrupt operations, reduce employee confidence, and threaten ROI.

Role of consultants

• Conduct final readiness assessments using Epicor checklists and health tools

• Manage cutover weekend processes, including configuration freeze, final data load, and training

• Provide on-site or remote hypercare support for the first 2-4 weeks

• Accelerate issue resolution with industry-specific knowledge

6. When You Need to Empower Internal Teams

A key risk of using external consultants is knowledge transfer. When done right, consultants empower internal personnel for long-term system ownership.

Best practices for empowerment

• Co-deliver configuration sessions with internal leads

• Shadow testing and validation workshops to transfer technical know-how

• Deliver training on system architecture, BPM/BAQ, Epicor tools (Customizations, Epicor Studio)

• Establish internal superuser networks for future system support

7. When You’re Considering Re-Implementation or Phased Rollout

Sometimes companies mature and decide to phase additional modules or re-implement parts of Epicor. Instead of reinventing the wheel, experienced consultants can:

• Audit your current implementation to identify pain points

• Recommend efficient approaches for modules like MES, Advanced Pricing, or BI

• Establish optimization roadmaps aligned with technology upgrades, such as moving to Kinetic UI or cloud-based environments

8. Managing Risk: How and When to Bring Consultants into the Project

To ensure cost-effectiveness and prevent over-dependency:

1. Define clear deliverables and milestones

2. Set success criteria for consultant involvement

3. Include knowledge transfer obligations

4. Use a Statement of Work model aligned with outcomes

5. Audit progress with weekly steering committee reviews

This encourages accountability and ensures consultants deliver measurable value—for example, faster go-lives or improved user adoption rates.

9. Comparing Different Consultant Engagement Models

A. Fixed-Price Implementation

Best for: Well-defined scope and timeline
Pros: Predictability on cost and timeline
Cons: Scope changes need negotiations; risk of rigid contracts

B. Time-and-Materials Model

Best for: Evolving requirements and phased decisions
Pros: Flexible and scalable based on real needs
Cons: Requires strong project oversight to prevent cost overrun

C. Hybrid Engagement

Best for: Stable core scope with modular enhancements
Approach: Use fixed pricing for core implementation and T&M for extensions like custom integrations

10. Measuring ROI of External Consultant Engagement

Even when consultants come at a premium, ROI can justify the investment:

• Faster go-live means earlier revenue realization

• Better governance prevents rework and costly mistakes

• Reduced support costs through efficient system design

• Improved user uptake and fewer post-live issues

To track ROI:

• Calculate elapsed timeline versus budget

• Log support tickets pre- and post-engagement

• Monitor throughput on projects enabled by ERP features

• Record business benefits, such as reduced inventory or faster order processing

Case in Point: Consultant Value in Action (Anonymous Example)

A mid-sized manufacturer planning a global Epicor rollout lacked internal SCM experts. The project experienced delays related to Advanced MES integration, data loads, and multi-site testing.

After partnering with external Epicor SCM consultants:

• A standardized MES integration shortened testing time by 25%

• Vendor engagement dropped by 40% after improved onboarding rules

• The rollout was finished on time in multiple countries, reducing deployment cost overruns

• Internal teams were trained to manage future MES extensions

This example illustrates how external expertise accelerates delivery without compromising internal ownership.

Why Choose Epicforce Tech

Although this article remains non-promotional, we want to emphasize how Epicforce Tech approaches external consulting relationships:

• Our consultants carry hundreds of Epicor implementation hours across modules and industries

• We partner with your internal team rather than replace them

• Knowledge transfer, empowerment, and governance are integrated into every SOW

• We help clients blend internal resources with external acceleration to optimize ROI

If you're evaluating whether and how to bring in external help for your Epicor project, our approach helps you do that effectively.

Conclusion

Deciding to deploy external consultants during your Epicor implementation is a strategic choice, not a default option. The right time and rationale include:

• Accelerating timeline or reducing risk

• Addressing complex functional or technical requirements

• Scaling internal capacity

• Establishing governance and knowledge transfer

• Ensuring smooth go-live and hypercare phases

When executed well, external consultants help internal teams achieve greater efficiency, confidence, and long-term system ownership without eroding internal capability.

If your implementation is facing technical hurdles, tight deadlines, or organizational pressure, engaging experienced consultants is worth evaluating. Epicforce Tech is here to support teams through carefully scoped engagements that build skill, infrastructure, and positive outcomes.