Epicor and Infor are two of the biggest names in manufacturing and distribution ERP. Across Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane, you'll find hundreds of Australian businesses running Epicor (now Epicor Kinetic) or one of Infor's industry suites - CloudSuite Industrial (formerly SyteLine), M3, or LN. These systems manage everything from production scheduling and shop floor control to inventory, procurement, and financials.
Both vendors are in the middle of a major shift to cloud. Epicor has rebranded to Kinetic and is pushing SaaS delivery. Infor has consolidated its products under CloudSuite and runs them on AWS. If you're on an older on-premise version of either platform, you need a plan. This guide covers what's involved.
Epicor: From E10 to Kinetic
Epicor's product line has gone through several name changes: Epicor Vantage, Epicor 9, Epicor 10 (E10), and now Epicor Kinetic. The underlying product has evolved significantly - Kinetic introduces a modern web UI, cloud deployment options, and a layered customisation framework that replaces the old C# customisation approach.
Where Epicor Versions Stand
- Epicor Vantage / Epicor 9 - End of life. If you're still on these, upgrade is urgent. No patches, no support.
- Epicor 10 (E10) - Still widely deployed. Multiple sub-versions (10.1.x, 10.2.x). Epicor is actively encouraging migration to Kinetic.
- Epicor Kinetic - The current platform. Available as SaaS (cloud), hosted, or on-premise. Features a modern browser-based UI alongside the classic Smart Client.
Epicor Upgrade Challenges
Common Epicor Upgrade Issues
- Customisation conversion - Classic C# customisations don't carry forward to Kinetic's layered architecture. They need to be rebuilt as Kinetic functions or layers.
- BPM/BAQ rework - Business Process Management rules and BAQ (Business Activity Query) reports may need updating for new data structures.
- Integration updates - REST API replaces many older integration methods. EDI setups, shop floor terminals, and third-party connectors need testing.
- Data migration - Multi-version jumps require intermediate upgrades. Epicor doesn't support skipping major versions.
- User retraining - The Kinetic web UI is fundamentally different from the Smart Client. Your shop floor and office teams need hands-on training.
Infor: The CloudSuite Migration
Infor's product portfolio is broader than Epicor's - they've acquired dozens of ERP products over the years and consolidated them into industry-specific CloudSuites running on AWS. The most common Infor products in Australian manufacturing and distribution are:
- Infor CloudSuite Industrial (CSI) - Formerly SyteLine. Popular with discrete and process manufacturers.
- Infor M3 - Formerly Movex/Lawson M3. Strong in food & beverage, fashion, chemicals, and distribution.
- Infor LN - Formerly Baan. Used by larger manufacturers, aerospace, and defence.
- Infor CloudSuite Distribution - For wholesale distribution businesses.
Infor Cloud Migration Challenges
Common Infor Migration Issues
- Multi-tenant restrictions - Infor CloudSuite runs as multi-tenant SaaS. Deep customisations that modified source code on-premise won't work. They need to be rebuilt as extensions or handled through Infor's ION middleware.
- ION integration platform - Infor uses ION (Intelligent Open Network) for system integration. Existing point-to-point integrations need to be rearchitected.
- Mongoose/Landmark framework - Depending on which Infor product you're on, the underlying technology stack varies significantly. Each has its own migration path.
- Data volumes - Manufacturing ERP data is complex: BOMs, routings, work centres, quality records, lot/serial tracking. Migration requires careful mapping.
- Regulatory compliance - Australian manufacturing often involves TGA, APVMA, or AS/NZS compliance. Ensure cloud migration maintains your compliance posture.
The Upgrade Process (Both Platforms)
Whether you're upgrading Epicor or Infor, the broad process is similar:
- Assessment - Document your current version, customisations, integrations, and data volumes. Understand the gap between where you are and where you need to be.
- Customisation audit - Inventory every modification: custom screens, reports, business rules, data fields, and integration scripts. Decide what to rebuild, what to replace with standard functionality, and what to drop.
- Test environment - Set up a parallel environment with the target version. Migrate your data and rebuilt customisations. Test end-to-end manufacturing processes.
- Integration testing - Verify EDI, shop floor data collection, shipping systems, quality management tools, and financial system connections all work properly.
- User acceptance - Have key users from production, warehouse, purchasing, and finance validate their workflows. Manufacturing ERP touches every department.
- Cutover planning - Plan the go-live carefully. Open work orders, in-transit inventory, and pending POs all need to be managed through the transition.
Common Problems We See
- Version debt - Businesses 3+ versions behind where the upgrade cost compounds with each version gap.
- Undocumented customisations - The original implementation partner is gone, nobody documented the custom logic, and the current team is afraid to touch anything.
- Shop floor integration fragility - Barcode scanners, PLC connections, and MES interfaces that were built years ago and break with any system change.
- Report sprawl - Hundreds of Crystal Reports or SSRS reports, many duplicated or slightly modified versions of each other.
- Licence confusion - Not clear what modules are licenced, what's being used, and what's being paid for unnecessarily.
How HELLO PEOPLE Can Help
We're a Perth-based software company with 18+ years of enterprise system experience across Australia - Perth, Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide.
Our Epicor & Infor Services
- Upgrade assessments - Detailed analysis of your current system, customisation inventory, and realistic upgrade/migration plan.
- Customisation rebuilds - Converting legacy customisations to modern platform standards (Kinetic layers, Infor extensions).
- Integration development - EDI, shop floor, shipping, financial system, and e-commerce integrations.
- Data migration - Moving manufacturing data between versions or to alternative ERPs.
- Ongoing support - Monthly packages for administration, bug fixes, report development, and user support.
- Alternative ERP evaluation - If upgrading doesn't make sense, we'll help you assess alternatives honestly.
Free ERP health check. We'll assess your current Epicor or Infor environment and give you a clear picture of your options. Get in touch.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the difference between Epicor and Infor?
Both are manufacturing-focused ERPs but they're separate companies with different products. Epicor Kinetic is a single platform. Infor has multiple industry-specific CloudSuites (CSI, M3, LN). The right choice depends on your industry, size, and specific requirements.
Should I move to cloud or stay on-premise?
Both vendors are pushing cloud. The advantages are real - less infrastructure management, automatic updates, better scalability. But manufacturing businesses with deep customisations, complex shop floor integrations, or regulatory requirements need to evaluate carefully. Talk to us for an honest assessment.
How much does an upgrade cost?
It varies enormously. A straightforward single-version Epicor upgrade might run $50K-$150K. A complex Infor CloudSuite migration can be $200K-$1M+. The biggest cost drivers are customisation rework and integration rebuilds.
Summary
Epicor and Infor are solid manufacturing ERPs, but staying on old versions creates compounding risk. Both vendors are moving to cloud, and the longer you wait, the larger the gap becomes. Whether you're planning an in-place upgrade, a cloud migration, or evaluating alternatives - book a free assessment and we'll help you map out a practical path forward.