We looked at implementing it and backed away from it… For now we are just using DocStar to store attachments uploaded to Epicor. We have another product called M-Files we use for everything else. We thought we could replace M-Files with DocStar since they are both ECMs. But after seeing DocStar I don’t see that ever happening.
And are you quite pleased with them?
If you talk to anyone who’s worked in the ECM world, at some point they have all worked for the competition. I knew DocStar people who worked at Hyland and vice versa. And there’s that scrappy little startup named Microsoft who has put a LOT of improvements into SharePoint (cognitive search, time-limited sharing, tight integration to O365…) that makes it worth looking at if you’re an “all in” Microsoft shop.
Separately, I’ve heard it called AP Almostmation because it depends how much recognition work you do in your workflow on different invoices. 
1 Like
@josecgomez the full caboodle is on my list for October. I thought @markdamen and @MikeGross also had the full package.
1 Like
Sure can sir!!!. Anything for you, no problem. It may be easier if we just schedule some Teams/Zoom time to go through it and I can show you inside our implementation. We have everything set up and functional (and we’ve tried both OCR packages) and are training users on the AP automation piece first week of September. We’re not doing AP invoice lines but I can talk to it… and I’ve got a great consulting resource for you as well. AND we’ve got a bunch of workflows written to tie things back to Epicor and they work really well…
@markdamen is using the docAlpha version, but we tried that and switched to the Ancora OCR package…btw.
2 Likes
I like that, AP “Almostmation…” that is what we have after implementing it. I made a few other workflows as well to help with attachments.
Docstar is pretty powerful, but the look and feel of it (U.I.) could use some help.
2 Likes
Agreed…
2 Likes
Some help? Needs an overhaul. It’s supposed to be getting the Kinetic makeover…
I’ve been asked to get this going. I would love to know what to look out for.
this is sounding like “Mike is teaching a class”… 
.
If that’s what it needs to be, so be it, I’m down with that. Just do a small session on our own?
2 Likes
It seems like we paid a heap of money for nothing on this one 
@tanner - if you are talking about Docstar, I would politely disagree. I think it’s fine for our purposes and it’s price point/features seem to be in line for us. There’s TONS of stuff I’d like them to do and I’ve entered a few ‘betterizers’ with mild hopes. I’ve talked to the lead developer, gotten some things fixed, and have had a good overall experience.
We’re not trying to make it do anything magical either… at least not yet. 
@MikeGross Fair enough. I hope time and effort will prove me wrong. We bought it for the AP workflow but ended up tabling it because our finance group was not ready to use it. In the meantime, professional services charged us about 30 hours to do a 5 minute install.
1 Like
Oh my… yeah, that’s no bueno. The software itself is really pretty easy but I can tell you that installing the other piece for the Epicor integration, loading up the included workflows, testing, etc. might have gotten you to that total depending on the consultant. If you got the whole thing installed, might not be as bad as you think…
As for the AP workflow - we’re not doing line items. We discussed it and the workflow that was done for us includes pulling those line items from the Receipt transaction and as long as the $$ total matches, then it build the AP line items for us. Much simpler and useable in our scenario…Plus, we’re doing OCR for the ‘receivers’ (pack slips when stuff is received) so we also have the ‘related docs’ at hand for matching/auditing.
So it really depends on what you need, how much OCR/learning you are trying to do and all that.
2 Likes
We are also implementing whole thing currently. Unfortunately we have to postpone the go-live due to a bug with DocStar/Epicor which does not create line level tax in Epicor (E10.2.600.6). Its being implemented by Consultant from Epicor India and pretty happy so far. I have one more client who implemented 1.5 years ago without OCR and they are happy with that, who used Doclink AP Automation before that. Compared to Doclink AP Automation, DocStar is far better.
My wife implemented Kofax/ReadSoft with SAP and its same as DocStar. As long as we have good integration, in long run its better to go with products supported by an ERP company. After DocLink and TIE Kinetix experience, I am bit vary of third party supported product by Epicor now.
That’s what got me through my 6 years of college.
2 Likes