Migrating Epicor To Kinetic

For someone working on the Classic E10 environment for a decade now, migrating to Epicor Kinetic looks like a mammoth task. This has led to many companies delaying the shift to as much as they can. With the classic sunset officially set for 2026, now is the time to upgrade to Kinetic. In this post, I’ll talk about the pros and cons of Kinetic which will help for a smoother transition.

Epicor Kinetic has been designed as a browser-based user interface. This way, a user can connect with a web browser anytime, anywhere. Streamlining the whole “connect to a VPN and get onto the server where the client is installed” scenario. Instead, the user can connect to a web address and be working. The modern UI is a visual treat with an efficient workflow, which the users can experience navigating from one screen to the other. This new browser-based UI also provides for much more optimized forms and faster browser responses. The REST API Integration facilitates interactions with external systems, and it expands the system’s connectivity for extensive data interactions. Kinetic is based on a no/low code approach. Users have access to Application Studio where widgets are provided for most of the customizations that required tons of code. And a bonus to all of this is that Application Studio is cloud friendly.

Application Studio continues to evolve with each version of the Epicor ERP/Kinetic software. Take a look at some of the key features of Application Studio:

• No Code-Low code: It allows users to tailor their system with little to no coding experience.
• Layers: Users can add layers to screens to customize them. As Epicor calls it, “Configure Kinetic Collaboratively”, it efficiently compares customizations across revisions for easier ongoing management.
• Advanced Data Displays: Integrate BAQs (Business Activity Queries) directly into user interfaces, providing a mechanism for dynamic, real-time data visualization.
• Custom UI Elements and Bindings: Users can create custom UI elements, bindings, and user-defined fields.
• Backend and REST API Integration: Enables complex data integrations and facilitates interactions with external systems through REST APIs. This expands the system’s connectivity and enhances its capacity for handling extensive data interactions.
• Mobile and Integrations: Create responsive applications that function across devices including desktops, tablets, and smartphones. This empowers your team to stay productive on the go.
• Cloud-friendly: Application Studio and Epicor Kinetic are cloud-friendly.
• Easy to upgrade: Application Studio adds layers to screens instead of modifying them directly. This makes it easier to upgrade applications and future-proof customizations.

Application Studio has some cool features which may seem ordinary at a glance but once I started using it, there was no going back. I especially love the “Events” section which is pretty powerful. It eliminates the tedious stuff O used to do in Classic in order to trigger a UI change or call a BPM. Data Views are now so easy to implement, eliminating the lengthy code I had to write to pull in extra data. The App-Open, App-Close and the Slide out Panels take even less than a minute to configure because I already have the widgets available and all I have to do is drag and drop the widget. While I can’t always do everything with the widgets, I have an option to pull in a function any time some code needs to be written. To use the function, no new language is required to learn, and it is a great alternative which helps the code be more centrally managed.

Any new upgrade has its own limiting factors which could cause a major setback to the decision to migrate. Right now, there is no easy way to directly upgrade a complex UI customization to Kinetic. That still requires some manual effort. It is commonly observed that the conversion workbench maybe a little faulty with some existing issues. Conversion Workbench may have to run several times until no exceptions come up. “No code” does not mean “no developers”. The user still needs a solid C# background to understand the functions and the customizations on the layers. Even though a user may not be a front-end developer, a subtle distinction of Application Studio is necessary.

CodaBears offers the necessary training required for a smooth transition and offer some great training videos online for Application Studio development in our YouTube Channel. Overall, now is the time to upgrade and CodaBears is here to support you through the journey!

- last updated February 4, 2025