Epicor has unveiled Prism Business Communications, an AI-powered assistant that automates RFQ workflows and speeds supplier interactions, with outcomes-based pricing to transform procurement processes across manufacturing and supply chain operations.
Epicor has unveiled Prism Business Communications, an AI-driven assistant for enterprise resource planning that the company says is the industry’s first ERP AI agent offered with outcomes-based pricing. According to Epico...
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r’s newsroom announcement, the software automates request-for-quote (RFQ) workflows and speeds supplier interactions so procurement teams can shorten cycle times, reduce manual effort, and arrive at purchasing decisions more quickly.
The agent works directly with email exchanges, interpreting supplier replies , including references to lead times, cost and part identifiers , and converting those conversational cues into structured ERP transactions. The company said the capability is possible because Prism is designed to understand Epicor’s ERP data model used across manufacturing, distribution and related supply chain operations. The vendor claims this removes the need for separate supplier portals or rigid templates.
Epicor positions Prism Business Communications as part of a broader Prism portfolio of vertical AI agents tailored to supply-chain roles. According to a company news release, the Prism family covers more than 10 critical supply-chain processes and, together with Epicor’s other AI offerings, addresses some 200 use cases spanning finance, production, customer service and operations. Epicor also said Prism can be embedded natively within its Industry ERP Cloud and is available for Epicor Kinetic, with integration for Epicor Prophet 21 noted in other company statements.
The product is presented as a tool for procurement teams to automate multi-supplier, multi-part quote handling, extract summarised insights from proposals and flag missing or inconsistent data that could affect buying decisions. The vendor highlighted metrics intended to improve procurement performance, including RFQ cycle time and supplier responsiveness. Epicor described the outcomes-based pricing model as tying customer fees to RFQs that convert into purchase orders, rather than charging per-seat or flat subscription fees.
Customers quoted by Epicor welcomed the workflow gains. “In our world, time is money, and Epicor Prism Business Communications helps us maximize efficiencies,” said Jason Bassett, IT Manager at Madsen’s Custom Cabinets. “Being able to convert an email conversation with a supplier into a purchase order at the click of a button, with all of the details populated, helps us save time and improve data accuracy.”
Epicor cast the announcement as a step in its “Cognitive ERP” strategy, aiming to let frontline staff query and act on enterprise intelligence through conversational interfaces. “Epicor Prism Business Communications delivers on our Cognitive ERP vision to empower the make, move, and sell industries in making faster, smarter decisions and speeding time-to-value,” said Arturo Buzzalino, Chief Innovation Officer at Epicor. “By automating RFQ workflows and accelerating supplier decisions, we’re helping users eliminate friction in procurement, freeing teams to focus on what matters most, delivering with speed and accuracy to help grow their business.”
Industry coverage and multiple press releases repeated Epicor’s claims about Prism’s ability to translate email exchanges into ERP actions and to accelerate supplier decisions. BusinessWire and Automation Magazine both summarised the launch and the outcomes-based pricing approach, while Epicor’s own releases detailed the wider Prism roadmap and its agentic AI ambitions. The vendor has also cited third-party recognition of its AI focus, noting its placement in an IDC MarketScape assessment for AI-enabled ERP applications.
The announcement arrives against a backdrop of persistent labour constraints, volatile supply chains and rising customer expectations that pressure manufacturers and distributors to optimise procurement and shorten lead times. Epicor framed Prism Business Communications as a response to those industry pain points, emphasising automation of repetitive tasks and surfacing of actionable insights so teams can prioritise higher-value work.
Epicor said Prism Business Communications is now available for Epicor Kinetic and can be embedded as part of the Epicor Industry ERP Cloud experience. The company encouraged prospective users to consult its website and press materials for additional technical and commercial details.
Source: Noah Wire Services
