Prophet 21 vs ERP-One

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Our analysts compared Prophet 21 vs ERP-One based on data from our 400+ point analysis of Distribution Software, user reviews and our own crowdsourced data from our free software selection platform.

Prophet 21 Software Tool

Product Basics

Epicor Prophet 21, powered by Microsoft Azure, is a business management system for distributors. It streamlines distribution processes and helps overcome modern distribution industry challenges. It’s designed to grow with your business without making extensive modifications and is available for SaaS or on-premise deployment.

It has numerous capabilities, such as CRM, sales order management, e-commerce, inventory management, product management and wireless warehouse management. Other functionalities include financial management, manufacturing and production management, rentals, VMI, service and maintenance, SCM, business intelligence and analytics and enterprise content management.

Pros

  • Easy to use
  • Scalable
  • Affordable
  • Cloud-based
  • Mobile app

Cons

  • Limited features
  • Not customizable
  • Poor customer support
  • Lacks integrations
  • Security concerns
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ERP-One+, by Distribution One, offers a complete, cloud-based suite for managing the various business processes of wholesalers and distributors. It provides automation of some processes, access to custom reports and insights, connectivity and flexibility for ease of communication and much more. Built with industry best practices in mind, it aims to reduce inventory, offer a competitive edge and increase efficiency and profitability. Services for consulting, installation, training, data transfer, go-live and support are available.

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$200/User, Monthly
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$25,000 One-Time
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Windows
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Android
Chromebook
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Mac
Linux
Android
Chromebook
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile
Cloud
On-Premise
Mobile

Product Assistance

Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Documentation
In Person
Live Online
Videos
Webinars
Email
Phone
Chat
FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support
Email
Phone
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FAQ
Forum
Knowledge Base
24/7 Live Support

Product Insights

  • Configurability and Scalability:  The system adapts to business requirements and needs using an application programming interface (API). This flexibility allows businesses to build on specialized functionality and increase efficiency and productivity by connecting business processes with the partners, vendors and customers they need. 
  • Flexible Deployment: The user can deploy the system on-premise or in the cloud and can then change the deployment down the road as their business evolves. 
  • Forecasting Capabilities: Advanced demand forecasting predicts how much inventory is needed, contact management tracks customers’ buying patterns and customer buying trend analysis anticipates customer issues. The business analytics module provides various reports through the executive dashboard, accounts receivable dashboard and sales rep dashboard.  
  • Increase Sales: Drive sales with e-commerce capabilities and pull in repeat business by responding to buying trends and providing excellent customer service. Additionally, mobile solutions allow for more sales because a business can serve customers from anywhere. 
  • Improve Margins:  Maximize profits with inventory management, analytics and pricing optimization. The integrated wireless warehouse solution allows you to take control of warehouse tasks. 
  • Drive Employee Productivity:  Build workflows, create mobile portals and leverage learning management systems. It also provides user personalization without having to work with source code. 
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  • Efficient Business Processes: Run efficient business processes in accordance with strategy, planning and access to real-time information. Automate inventory processes and eliminate the need for hand-written orders to deliver an exceptional customer experience. 
  • Impart a Competitive Edge: Users can access current and historical information from the process workflow across multiple departments. Users can view critical information on the go and in real-time. It ensures making effective, data-driven decisions to impart a competitive edge to the business. 
  • On-Site Training: The solution experts conduct thorough on-site training for users to get accustomed to the software. It ensures the users are ready to use the solution without much effort. 
  • User-Interface: An intuitive, easy-to-navigate user interface delivers an exceptional user experience. It ensures users can drill-down critical information effortlessly, access automatically generated invoices and reminders and send them via fax or email. 
  • Custom Reporting: Review real-time data to create custom reports required for offsite strategy sessions or customer sales meetings. Users can create reports with custom mobile apps. It ensures reports are dynamic and up-to-the-mark with access to real-time information.  
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  • Customer Relationship Management: It contains multiple tools designed to manage and improve customer relationships. A mobile sales system, contact management, marketing management and lead and opportunity management are all usable for daily CRM tasks. 
  • Finance and Accounting: The system comes equipped with several financial and accounting tools, including a general ledger, accounts payable and receivable, Avalara Tax Connect and XL Connect and vendor rebates. Avalara Tax Connect manages sales tax compliance, and XL Connect allows users to generate reports in Microsoft Excel. 
  • Business Analytics: The Business Analytics feature comes with an executive dashboard, accounts receivable dashboard and a sales rep dashboard. It also has a customer buying trend analysis function that predicts future customer issues. 
  • Supply Chain Management: Manage the entire supply chain with a full range of SCM capabilities. Purchase management, sourcing and procurement, inventory management, advanced material management and warehouse management features are included.  
  • Enterprise Content Management: Manage content throughout its entire lifecycle. Document imaging converts paper documents into digital files. 
  • Contact Management: The CRM module supplies users with next-generation customer contact management. It tracks customers’ buying patterns, prospect and client information while displaying key information on one screen for easy access. 
  • Service and Maintenance: The service and maintenance module comes with tools to deliver an excellent customer experience. Service order management, service dispatch, preventative maintenance and warranty capabilities streamline service and maintenance processes are all available with this system. 
  • eCommerce Website Management: Manage multiple branded websites with the Epicor Commerce Connect feature. 
  • Epicor Virtual Agent: The EVA app allows users to interact with the solution via voice or text commands. 
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  • Order Management: The order management feature comes with tools for sales order entry, sales analysis and item sales and contracts pricing. Sales analysis capabilities allow users to take business trends into account, and contract pricing offers a multi-bracket price book that can handle virtually any pricing situation. 
  • Financial Management: With the financial management feature, users have access to a general ledger, cash management and accounts receivable, vendor and accounts payable and invoicing and billing. The vendor and accounts payable tool aim to cultivate healthy business relationships with suppliers through a wide variety of billing options. 
  • Warehouse and Inventory: Inventory and warehouse management, inventory replenishment, wireless warehouse and kitting/assembly complete this feature, supporting single or multiple warehouses. Built on industry best practices, the system can make suggestions on how to best handle warehouse and inventory management. The wireless warehouse tool is Bluetooth-enabled and recognizes user-originated disruptions to drive employee productivity and company efficiency. 
  • Customer Relationship Management: Tools for call activity tracking, calendar management, one-touch order for quote entry and quote duplication, unlimited company contacts and freeform notes, order source tracking, prospect tracking and more are included in the CRM. It provides salespeople with a sales pipeline and the ability to contact customers and prospects easily. 
  • Purchasing: With the purchasing feature, users can access automated purchase order (PO) creation, PO audits, drop shipment, automated emails, goods tracking, barcode receiving, expediting report, backorder, vendor performance and purchase order to sales order linking. It leverages the concept of intelligent purchasing and provides robust reports to help users make the best purchasing decisions. 
  • Document Management: The document management system allows users to save any document as a PDF, and the system can email or fax any form. This tool aims to reduce paper usage and provide flexibility for customers. 
  • Analytics and Reporting: A dashboard with data analytics contains KPIs and alerts to provide insight into business health. Interactive management reporting allows users to configure reports to generate the desired view and export reports using Excel or Word.  
  • Electronic Data Interchange: EDI services enable users to share data such as invoices or purchase orders with other systems. It comes with a turnaround feature, trading partner options, advanced ship notice and user roles. 
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Product Ranking

#8

among all
Distribution Software

#18

among all
Distribution Software

Find out who the leaders are

Analyst Rating Summary

88
77
91
100
96
59
96
45
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Inventory Management
Customer Relationship Management
E-commerce Capabilities
Reports, Dashboards and Business Intelligence
Mobile capabilities
Accounting and Financial Management
Mobile capabilities
Inventory Management
Reports, Dashboards and Business Intelligence
Purchase Order Management and Procurement

Analyst Ratings for Functional Requirements Customize This Data Customize This Data

Prophet 21
ERP-One
+ Add Product + Add Product
Accounting And Financial Management Customer Relationship Management E-commerce Capabilities Integrations And Extensibility Inventory Management Mobile Capabilities Purchase Order Management And Procurement Reports, Dashboards And Business Intelligence Sales Order Management Warehouse And Transportation Management 91 96 96 50 98 95 86 96 91 76 100 59 45 22 92 97 87 90 66 80 0 25 50 75 100
92%
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8%
100%
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60%
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40%
100%
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33%
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67%
22%
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78%
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94%
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6%
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90%
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91%
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69%
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31%
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13%
18%
81%
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19%

User Sentiment Summary

Great User Sentiment 158 reviews
Excellent User Sentiment 34 reviews
82%
of users recommend this product

Prophet 21 has a 'great' User Satisfaction Rating of 82% when considering 158 user reviews from 3 recognized software review sites.

91%
of users recommend this product

ERP-One has a 'excellent' User Satisfaction Rating of 91% when considering 34 user reviews from 2 recognized software review sites.

3.9 (82)
4.4 (6)
4.4 (24)
n/a
n/a
4.6 (28)
4.3 (52)
n/a

Awards

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SelectHub research analysts have evaluated ERP-One and concluded it earns best-in-class honors for Accounting and Financial Management. ERP-One stands above the rest by achieving an ‘Excellent’ rating as a User Favorite.

User Favorite Award
Accounting and Financial Management Award

Synopsis of User Ratings and Reviews

Comprehensive Customization: The solution offers extensive customization, according to 84% of users. It’s versatile and can customize many fields and screens.
Usability: According to 89% of users who reviewed this pro, the solution is easy to use. Navigating the system through the function menus is intuitive.
Integration: About 100% of users who mentioned this pro said it provides advanced integration capabilities. Integration with credit card processing and sales tax software enables the business to conduct financial analysis in a hassle-free manner.
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Improved Reporting and Analytics: Users praise ERP-One for its robust reporting features, enabling them to generate detailed financial statements, track key performance indicators, and gain better insights into their business operations.
Streamlined Inventory Management: ERP-One's inventory management capabilities are highly regarded by users, who appreciate the system's ability to track stock levels, automate purchase orders, and optimize warehouse operations.
Enhanced Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Users value ERP-One's CRM functionality, which allows them to manage customer interactions, track sales leads, and provide efficient customer support.
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Limited Scalability: While Prophet 21 offers robust features, its scalability may not be sufficient for rapidly growing businesses or those with complex distribution networks.
Steep Learning Curve: The user interface and features of Prophet 21 can be complex and require significant training for users to become proficient.
Customization Challenges: While Prophet 21 offers some customization options, it may not be flexible enough for businesses with unique needs or workflows.
Limited Third-Party Integrations: Compared to other ERP solutions, Prophet 21 may have a smaller selection of pre-built integrations with popular third-party applications.
High Implementation Costs: The cost of implementing Prophet 21, including software licenses, hardware upgrades, and consulting services, can be significant for small and medium-sized businesses.
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Difficult to Use: Many users find the interface clunky and unintuitive, making it a challenge to navigate and complete tasks efficiently.
Limited Customization: Users often express frustration over the lack of flexibility in tailoring the system to their specific needs. They feel boxed in by the limited customization options.
Reporting Issues: Generating reports is a common pain point, with users citing slow processing times and a lack of flexibility in report customization.
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User reviews of Epicor Prophet 21 paint a mixed picture, highlighting both its strengths and weaknesses. Many users praise its robust features and functionality, particularly for sales, purchasing, and inventory control. One user describes it as "really easy to navigate and one of the better ERP systems out there." Others appreciate its deep functionalities and flexibility, noting how it can be tailored to specific business needs. One user commented, "The strong and multiple functionalities from P21 allowed us to address all aspects in a 'deep enough' manner." However, some users also raise concerns about Prophet 21's complexity and learning curve. One user found it "impossible to work with and antiquated," while another said it takes "a minute to understand" and requires patience. This complexity can be a significant drawback for smaller businesses or those with limited IT resources. Some users also criticize its scalability, suggesting it might not be suitable for rapidly growing businesses or those with complex distribution networks. Additionally, the limited number of pre-built third-party integrations compared to other ERP solutions can hinder integration with existing business applications. This lack of seamless integration can lead to manual data entry and inefficient workflows. Despite these weaknesses, many users believe Prophet 21's strengths outweigh its weaknesses, especially for mid-sized distribution companies. They particularly value its ease of use compared to competitors like Infor M3, which one user described as "too big for the business." Furthermore, users appreciate the exceptional partnership and responsive customer service offered by Epicor, which helps overcome initial challenges with implementation and customization. Overall, user reviews suggest that Prophet 21 is a powerful and flexible ERP solution, particularly for mid-sized distributors. However, its complexity and limited scalability may pose challenges for smaller businesses or those with rapid growth plans. Considering the trade-offs and carefully evaluating your specific needs is crucial before making a decision.

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Is ERP-One the one to beat? User reviews from the past year suggest that while ERP-One might not be the undisputed champion, it carves out a niche for itself. Users consistently praise its intuitive interface, finding it refreshingly easy to navigate compared to the labyrinthine complexities of SAP or Oracle. One user even likened transitioning from SAP to ERP-One as "trading in a clunky tank for a nimble sports car." This ease of use makes it particularly appealing to smaller businesses with limited IT resources. However, ERP-One's simplicity comes at a cost. Users report that its reporting functionalities, while adequate for day-to-day operations, lack the depth and customization options of its more robust counterparts. This makes it less suitable for larger enterprises with complex reporting needs. Additionally, some users have expressed concerns about the limited integrations offered by ERP-One, particularly in areas like e-commerce and advanced analytics. For businesses heavily reliant on these functionalities, ERP-One might feel somewhat restrictive. In essence, ERP-One emerges as a solid choice for smaller businesses prioritizing user-friendliness over advanced functionalities. Its intuitive design and streamlined workflows can significantly boost operational efficiency for those who don't require the bells and whistles of enterprise-grade solutions.

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Screenshots

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