Last Mile Delivery Integration for Epicor
Epicor tracks your manufacturing from raw materials to finished goods. But when you deliver directly to customers, Epicor has no tools for the final mile. Locate2u adds route optimization, driver tracking, and proof of delivery, turning your production ERP into a complete order-to-doorstep system.
Epicor tracks production. Locate2u handles the delivery.
Epicor is built for manufacturers, managing production scheduling, shop floor operations, material requirements planning, and quality control. It excels at turning raw materials into finished goods ready for shipment. For manufacturers selling through distributors, this is where the Epicor workflow ends.
But a growing number of manufacturers are now delivering directly to consumers (DTC). This requires a completely different set of tools: multi-stop route optimization for delivery vans, mobile apps for drivers making 30-50 stops per day, customer-facing tracking pages with live ETAs, and proof of delivery at every doorstep. Locate2u provides this entire last mile layer, connected to Epicor's order and shipment data.
Why manufacturers need more than Epicor for DTC delivery
When manufacturers start delivering directly to consumers, they discover that their production ERP was never built for the chaos of last mile delivery: high volumes, tight windows, and demanding customers.
Production ERP Meets Consumer Expectations
Epicor was built for B2B manufacturing workflows. When you start delivering to consumers who expect Amazon-like tracking, ETA notifications, and flexible delivery windows, Epicor has nothing to offer. The gap between manufacturing precision and consumer delivery expectations is enormous.
No Route Optimization for Delivery Vehicles
Epicor manages production scheduling brilliantly but has zero concept of delivery route optimization. Without it, your delivery vehicles follow inefficient paths, waste fuel, and complete far fewer deliveries per day than they should. This makes DTC delivery unprofitable.
No Proof That Products Were Delivered
Epicor marks orders as shipped. But without proof of delivery, you cannot confirm the customer actually received the product. This creates disputes, chargebacks, and inventory reconciliation problems. A signed delivery docket in a filing cabinet is not a scalable solution.
Heavy Product Delivery Complexity
Manufacturers often deliver heavy, bulky, or fragile products that require specific vehicles and handling procedures. Epicor tracks product specifications but cannot factor weight limits, vehicle types, or special handling into delivery route assignments.
From Epicor production line to customer doorstep
Connect
Link Epicor Kinetic to Locate2u via REST API. When a sales order or shipment is ready for delivery, it flows into Locate2u with the customer address, product details, weight, and any special handling instructions from the Epicor order.
Optimize
Locate2u groups Epicor shipments by delivery area, matches them to appropriate vehicles based on weight and handling requirements, and optimizes multi-stop routes. Heavy item deliveries go on capable vehicles; standard items are batched for maximum efficiency.
Deliver
Drivers follow optimized routes on the Locate2u app with product-specific delivery instructions from Epicor. Customers receive live tracking. At each stop, drivers capture proof of delivery that syncs back to the Epicor order record.
DTC delivery capabilities that extend Epicor
Route Optimization
Optimize delivery routes from your Epicor facility to customer locations. Factor in vehicle weight limits, product dimensions, delivery windows, and traffic conditions to build the most efficient routes for your manufacturing delivery fleet.
Customer Notifications
Give your DTC customers a modern delivery experience. Automated SMS and email notifications with branded tracking pages transform a manufacturing-to-consumer delivery into a professional, trackable event.
Delivery Time Windows
Schedule deliveries around customer availability. Particularly important for heavy or bulky manufactured products that require someone to be home to receive them. Reduce failed deliveries and redelivery costs.
Driver Mobile App
Drivers get optimized routes with turn-by-turn navigation, product-specific handling instructions from Epicor, and one-tap proof of delivery. Special delivery notes ("fragile," "requires assembly," "leave at side door") appear on the driver's screen at each stop.
Real-Time GPS Tracking
Live fleet map for your manufacturing delivery vehicles. Know where every driver is, which Epicor orders have been delivered, and which are in transit. Essential visibility for operations teams managing DTC delivery alongside production schedules.
Proof of Delivery
E-signatures, photos of delivered products, and condition documentation at every stop. Critical for manufactured goods where delivery condition matters. POD records sync back to Epicor, closing the order lifecycle from production to confirmed receipt.