Why BPMs Fail Without the Right Partner: How Epicforce Tech Ensures Success Every Time

Why BPMs Fail Without the Right Partner: How Epicforce Tech Ensures Success Every Time

Blog Article

Epicor® BPMs (Business Process Management workflows) are one of the most powerful features of the Epicor® ERP system. They allow businesses to automate approvals, enforce validations, trigger alerts, and streamline critical operations. Yet despite their potential, many BPM implementations fail—either by underperforming, creating confusion, or breaking entirely during upgrades.

The reason? It’s rarely the tool itself—it’s the approach, the execution, and the lack of a strategic partner.

At Epicforce Tech, we’ve seen firsthand how poor planning, limited knowledge, and isolated BPM configurations cause long-term problems. That’s why we’ve built our entire BPM practice around ensuring success, from design through deployment and beyond.

This blog explores the most common reasons Epicor® BPMs fail—and how Epicforce Tech helps clients avoid every one of them.

The Reality: BPMs Are Not “Set and Forget”

Business Process Management in Epicor® gives teams the ability to enforce business rules without altering source code. But these benefits only come if:

• The logic is correctly scoped

• The triggers are clearly defined

• The directives are properly tested

• The workflows are monitored and maintained

When even one of these areas is missed, the BPM can fail—or worse, behave unpredictably. In many companies, users stop trusting the system due to poorly implemented BPMs that slow them down or generate inaccurate results.

Common Reasons BPMs Fail (and What They Cost)

Below are the most frequent failure points we’ve encountered—and resolved—at Epicforce Tech.

1. No Process Alignment

The issue: BPM logic is built in isolation, without mapping it to actual business processes.

The result: Workflows may technically function, but they don't solve the intended problem. They create bottlenecks or require constant user workarounds.

What Epicforce Tech does differently:
We begin every engagement with process discovery, mapping real workflows and business requirements before writing a single directive. The result? BPMs that reflect your business—not just your software.

2. Poor Logic Structure or Scope

The issue: BPMs are overloaded with logic, use nested conditions incorrectly, or fire unnecessarily on every transaction.

The result: Performance suffers, users experience lag, and unintended actions occur during basic ERP operations.

What Epicforce Tech does differently:
We apply modular, layered logic using method and data directives correctly. We also use filters and conditionals to ensure the BPM only fires when truly needed—preserving performance while ensuring effectiveness.

3. Lack of Documentation and Ownership

The issue: Teams inherit BPMs with no explanation of how they work or who built them.

The result: When errors occur, there’s no one internally who can fix them. Teams fear touching any BPM directive.

What Epicforce Tech does differently:
Every BPM we build is documented. We deliver clean naming conventions, logic descriptions, diagrams if needed, and an ownership matrix so your internal users know exactly what each BPM does—and who owns it.

4. No Testing or Version Control

The issue: BPMs are pushed directly into production without sandbox testing or backups.

The result: Even a small logic error can bring down transactions, cause data corruption, or interrupt key workflows.

What Epicforce Tech does differently:
We deploy BPMs through a controlled test phase, with multiple test scenarios for every condition. We also maintain versioned backups and rollback options to ensure you never lose control of logic updates.

5. Upgrade Breakage

The issue: Epicor® version upgrades change underlying tables or logic structures, breaking existing BPMs.

The result: Post-upgrade issues, missed triggers, failed workflows, and reactive firefighting from IT teams.

What Epicforce Tech does differently:
Before any version change, we run a BPM audit. We validate logic compatibility, update deprecated functions, and ensure smooth transition—so nothing breaks unexpectedly after go-live.

6. Over-Reliance on Developers

The issue: Custom code is embedded in BPMs, making them difficult to update or troubleshoot.

The result: Minor changes require major IT involvement and high support costs.

What Epicforce Tech does differently:
We design BPMs with no-code and low-code principles, making them editable by trained power users. Our training ensures your staff can manage logic safely without needing to escalate every change.

How Epicforce Tech Ensures BPM Success Every Time

Here’s how we approach BPM projects differently—and why it works.

Strategic Discovery Before Development

We don’t jump into building directives. First, we understand your:

• Operational goals

• Regulatory and compliance needs

• User pain points

• Module relationships and data flows

This ensures the BPMs we build solve real problems—not just technical challenges.

Modular and Scalable Logic Design

Each directive is crafted with:

• Clean, specific conditions

• Performance-friendly triggers

• Minimal code reliance

• Role-based ownership

This modular design makes BPMs easier to understand, test, and maintain.

Real-World Testing With Business Users

Before deployment, we involve your team in structured testing:

• Simulating transactions

• Checking expected behaviors

• Validating alerts and exceptions

• Capturing edge cases and “what-ifs”

By testing in context, we prevent disruption in production.

Embedded Documentation and Handover

Our final deliverables include:

• Full BPM registry

• Functional documentation

• Training for admins and superusers

• A support plan for post-deployment tuning

This ensures you’re not just left with working BPMs—but with the knowledge and tools to manage them effectively.

A Client Example: Rescue from BPM Chaos

A manufacturer approached Epicforce Tech after experiencing repeated workflow failures. Their previous partner had left behind a collection of undocumented BPMs that triggered inconsistently, caused system slowdowns, and couldn’t be explained internally.

Our approach:

• Conducted a full BPM audit

• Removed 17 unused or conflicting directives

• Redesigned 9 workflows into simplified, modular logic

• Documented everything

• Trained 3 internal leads to manage future changes

Result: System performance improved, error rates dropped, and users finally trusted the ERP logic driving their work.

Why Partnering with Epicforce Tech Matters

Anyone can configure BPMs—but very few firms treat them as a core business tool, not just a technical feature.

Here’s what sets us apart:

We don’t just build logic. We build sustainable automation that aligns with your business strategy.

Final Thoughts

Business Process Management in Epicor® has the potential to transform how your business operates. But without the right partner, BPMs can do more harm than good.

From delays and inefficiencies to compliance risks and broken upgrades, the cost of failed BPMs is high. That’s why having a partner like Epicforce Tech—who brings deep expertise, proven methods, and a business-first mindset—is critical.

If you want BPMs that work the first time—and every time—we’re ready to help.

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