Epicor launches Prism AI for UK & Europe ERP users

Epicor has launched Epicor Prism in the UK, alongside selected European markets including Ireland, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Poland and the Nordic region. The software adds AI agents to the company's ERP system for manufacturers and distributors.

Prism is embedded in Epicor's Kinetic ERP platform and is aimed at users who need to work with live operational data without separate analytics tools or specialist technical skills. It gives users conversational access to ERP data and related documents, including spreadsheets and PDFs, within day-to-day workflows.

Epicor is targeting supply chain industries as manufacturers and distributors face pressure to improve productivity while dealing with labour constraints and shortages in digital skills. That has led software suppliers to position ERP systems less as repositories of information and more as tools that support operational decisions.

Embedded AI

Prism is part of what Epicor calls Cognitive ERP, its term for systems that help users interpret information and take action in real time. The software is designed to analyse live ERP data alongside business documents and return contextual answers to operational questions.

Epicor said one example is a user asking why a production line is behind schedule or what is causing a rise in overdue orders. Rather than generating a static report, the system is intended to provide an explanation based on current ERP data and associated files.

The Prism portfolio includes more than 18 pre-built AI agents focused on workflows such as sourcing, reporting, document extraction, compliance and analysis of Material Requirements Planning output logs. It is also intended to help less experienced workers navigate ERP processes by providing embedded knowledge within the application.

Security and control remain central to the offering. Prism works with customers' ERP data while respecting existing governance settings and role-based access rules, with actions remaining subject to human oversight.

Productivity push

Epicor also highlighted a tool called Epicor Prism Developer for App Studio, aimed at organisations that customise ERP screens. The company said it cuts the time required to build and test those customisations by an average of 60%.

That claim speaks to a broader issue in industrial software deployments, where tailoring ERP systems to individual operating models can be costly and time-consuming. For manufacturers and distributors under pressure to adapt processes quickly, reducing that burden could be a significant selling point.

Epicor said Prism differs from general-purpose AI assistants because it is built around a sector-specific data ontology shaped by more than 50 years of work in manufacturing, distribution, building supply, retail and automotive. The company's argument is that industry context matters when software is used to interpret operational signals rather than answer generic questions.

Andy Coussins, Executive Vice President, International, Epicor, said the product is meant to narrow the gap between data access and operational action.

"Businesses do not just need better data, they need help interpreting it and acting on it in the flow of work," Coussins said.

"Epicor Prism helps close that gap by bringing intelligence directly into everyday workflows and actively guiding people through complex decisions, even if they're not ERP experts," he added.

Wider strategy

The launch forms part of a wider effort by ERP suppliers to show practical uses for AI within established business systems. Rather than presenting AI as a standalone tool, vendors are increasingly embedding it in finance, procurement, planning and shop-floor workflows in an attempt to make software more useful to non-specialist staff.

For Epicor, the strategy centres on industries that make, move and sell goods, where day-to-day decisions on supply, demand, inventory and fulfilment can directly affect margins and service levels. By focusing on those vertical sectors, the company is seeking to distinguish its approach from broader software groups serving a wider range of office-based tasks.

Arturo Buzzalino, Chief Innovation Officer, Epicor, linked the launch to that wider repositioning of ERP.

"Our vision for Cognitive ERP is software that doesn't just store information, but actively helps people think, decide and act," Buzzalino said.

"With Epicor Prism, AI is built into everyday workflows, supporting frontline users with real-time insight while remaining grounded in the realities of their industry and data," he added.