In the face of growing competition and a challenging business climate, many job shops and manufacturers are looking for ways to reduce costs, streamline operations, and improve the bottom line. Implementing enterprise resource planning (ERP) software is a proven solution for running a business efficiently and effectively. Yet, a large percentage of manufacturers have held back from implementing an ERP system due to high initial costs, long implementation times, and competing demands for time and resources.

This paper describes how the Software as a Service (SaaS) model (more commonly known as ‘the cloud’) delivers financial, implementation, and operational benefits to job shops and manufacturers. It also details cloud deployed Epicor ERP meets the needs of job shops and manufacturers. Job shops and manufacturers can leverage Epicor ERP—and cloud technology to ‘punch above their weight’—increasing effectiveness.