So, I got the below email from insightsoftware. Does anybody have any insight
on this software relationship change??
The relationship between Epicor and insightsoftware has recently changed and I am your dedicated Account Manager with insightsoftware. As a result, it is ideal for us to find a time for an Account Review of your current business objectives, processes, and how XL Connect or Spreadsheet Server are helping your achieve your reporting goals.
I DID find this post from earlier in the year…
We purchased XL Connect initially (recommended by Epicor) when we went live in Q12023. But we have not even touched it yet. Our CFO just takes the key numbers out of Epicor and plugs them into another 3rd Party reporting software that he’s been using for decades.
I’m assuming we should just can the whole thing? We’re not using it (currently) and it sounds like it may not be a long term solution w/ Epicor anyway.
My CFO also received the same above email I did, and he’s asking what its all about. I’m just trying to gather info so I can give him the full picture.
After Insights, I have to assume it’s because of the FP&A purchase. Just like EDA and Grow, and some others. If it overlaps, it’s now second-class.
yeah, more emails flying today from both Epicor & insightsoftware… both sides are scrambling to retain customers. Epicor’s saying to buy FP&A… IS is saying to buy XLConnect directly from them.
Yeah, sounds like you should consider dropping it as you’re not using it and really if you make your own BAQs you can pull the data via REST into Excel.
We did look into FP&A as our new CFO is wanting more reporting than our homebrew BAQ/REST reports can accommodate.
Out of curiosity, what all does XLConnect do? I’ve been assuming that it only queries data, but I don’t think that assumption is actually based on anything.
Again, we bought it upfront, but never implemented it. But, I think its primary function is just pulling data out of epicor and doing the financial reporting.
I don’t know if it “talks back” and updates epicor tables in anyway or not??? No idea.
I don’t know if I’m allowed to copy/paste out of Epicor emails… so I’ll summarize the situation in case others stumble on this thread.
But the gist is: insightsoftware (XLConnect provider) wants to end their relationship with Epicor but is under contract to support the product until Dec. 2026. Sounds like there is currently a mutual agreement that this support will remain in place until that time.
In the meantime, insightsoftware is contacting Epicor customers directly to set up accounts with insightsoftware to continue using XLConnect since it will not be an Epicor direclty offered product. Which, is understandable, I suppose… but apparently against their agreement with Epicor (sounds like they’re not supposed to be talking directly to Epicor customers). So… that’s the rub right now.
Epicor is offering up their FP&A module and IS is trying to contact and retain customers directly.
From what I remember, and I could totally be wrong as we never purchased the product. It was an add-in to Excel that’d connect to Epicor and pull financial data with some stock reporting. Our CFO (previous company) knew Excel and Epicor enough that we just built him BAQs and we did the same thing via REST for no additional costs.
