Epicor Route Optimization Software

Epicor Ships Orders. Locate2u Optimizes the Delivery Fleet.

Epicor is purpose-built for manufacturing -- managing production orders, inventory, and shipping documentation. When orders are ready to ship, Epicor generates packing slips and bills of lading. But for manufacturers who operate their own delivery fleet rather than using third-party carriers, Epicor provides no intelligence about how to deliver efficiently.

Which truck should carry which orders? In what sequence should the driver visit 15 customer sites? How do you prevent one truck from being overloaded while another runs half-empty? These are vehicle routing problems that Epicor was never designed to solve. Locate2u adds AI-powered route optimization that pulls shipment data from Epicor, assigns orders to vehicles based on weight and geography, and sequences every stop for minimum drive time and fuel consumption.

The Problem

Delivery Routing Challenges for Epicor Manufacturers

Epicor Cannot Assign Orders to Trucks

Epicor creates shipment records but has no logic for deciding which truck carries which orders. Shipping managers manually assign orders to vehicles based on intuition and rough geography, often overloading some trucks while others leave the facility half-empty. This manual assignment wastes vehicle capacity and increases the number of trips required.

Heavy Products Mean Costly Wrong Turns

Manufacturing deliveries involve heavy products -- machinery, building materials, bulk components. An inefficient route wastes more fuel per wasted kilometer than light parcel delivery. A truck carrying 2 tons of steel traveling 15 unnecessary kilometers burns significantly more diesel than a van carrying parcels over the same detour.

Customer Receiving Docks Have Strict Windows

Manufacturing customers -- factories, construction sites, warehouses -- often have narrow receiving windows. Miss the window and the truck sits idle waiting or gets turned away entirely. Without optimization to sequence stops around these constraints, late arrivals are frequent and costly.

Mixed Delivery and Pickup Runs Unmanaged

Manufacturers often need to deliver finished goods and collect returns, empties, or raw materials on the same trip. Planning these mixed runs manually is especially complex because vehicle load changes at each stop. Without algorithmic tracking, trucks risk exceeding capacity mid-route.

How It Works

From Epicor Shipment to Optimized Delivery Route

1. Import Shipments from Epicor

Locate2u pulls shipment records from Epicor Kinetic via REST API. Customer addresses, order weights, product dimensions, and delivery requirements flow into the optimization engine without manual data transfer.

2. Assign to Trucks and Optimize Routes

The AI engine assigns shipments to vehicles based on weight capacity and geographic efficiency, then sequences every stop to minimize total fleet drive time. Heavy-load constraints and receiving windows are factored into every route.

3. Deliver and Confirm in Epicor

Drivers follow optimized routes with turn-by-turn navigation. At each stop, they capture proof of delivery including signatures, photos, and condition notes. Completion data syncs back to Epicor shipment records automatically.

Feature Highlights

Route Optimization Built for Manufacturing Delivery

AI-Powered Optimization

Evaluates all possible truck-to-order assignments and stop sequences to find the combination that minimizes total fleet driving distance. Designed for heavy-load operations where every wasted kilometer costs significantly more fuel.

Receiving Window Constraints

Enforces customer receiving dock hours as hard constraints. The optimizer sequences stops so that every delivery arrives within the customer's available window, eliminating costly wait times and refused deliveries.

Weight and Volume Constraints

Uses part weight and dimension data from Epicor to calculate load per vehicle. Prevents overloading while maximizing the number of deliveries each truck can complete in a single run.

Real-Time Re-Routing

When production delays push shipment readiness or urgent orders need same-day delivery, Locate2u re-optimizes active routes to accommodate changes without disrupting the remaining schedule.

Multi-Vehicle Planning

Assigns shipments across your entire fleet based on weight capacity, vehicle type, and geographic efficiency. Flatbeds, box trucks, and specialized vehicles each get routes matched to their capabilities.

Drag-and-Drop Adjustments

Shipping managers can override AI assignments by dragging orders between trucks or resequencing stops. Weight and capacity indicators update instantly so overloading is immediately visible.

Route Optimization Impact for Manufacturing Delivery

31%

Reduction in fleet driving distance

26%

Fuel cost savings for heavy-load deliveries

98%

Receiving window compliance rate

Additional deliveries per truck per day

FAQ

Route Optimization for Epicor -- Common Questions

No. Epicor ERP manages manufacturing orders, inventory, and shipping documentation but has no route optimization engine. Epicor can generate packing slips and bills of lading for shipments, but it cannot determine which truck should carry which orders, in what sequence to visit customers, or how to minimize total fleet driving distance. Manufacturers using Epicor who self-deliver need a separate route optimization tool.

Locate2u connects to Epicor Kinetic via REST API to pull shipment data, customer addresses, order weights, and delivery requirements. These shipments are imported into Locate2u where the AI engine assigns orders to vehicles and optimizes the stop sequence for each truck. After delivery completion, status updates and proof of delivery sync back to Epicor shipment records.

Yes. Locate2u supports weight and volume constraints per vehicle, making it well suited for manufacturers delivering heavy or bulky products. The optimizer considers item weight from Epicor part master data, vehicle payload limits, and even special handling requirements when assigning orders to trucks and sequencing stops.

Manufacturers who self-deliver using their own fleet often see 25-35% reductions in total delivery mileage after adding route optimization. This translates directly to fuel savings and reduced vehicle wear. Additionally, optimized routes enable each truck to complete more deliveries per day, meaning the same fleet can serve more customers without adding vehicles or drivers.

Yes. Many manufacturers need to deliver finished goods and pick up returns, empties, or raw materials on the same run. Locate2u optimizes mixed delivery-and-pickup routes, sequencing all stops for minimum drive time while tracking vehicle load changes at each stop to ensure the truck never exceeds capacity during the run.

Route Optimization Software for Epicor