FAQ
Questions distributors ask before hiring a developer.
Working with Prophet 21
Can Prophet 21 be customized without breaking upgrades?
Yes, if the customization uses the interfaces P21 supports, such as its API and import processes, and leaves the application's own tables and logic alone. Customizations that write directly to the database are the ones that break.
Do you work with cloud Prophet 21 or only on-prem?
Both. Cloud P21 draws tighter boundaries than a server you control, so the design adapts, but the same problems can be solved in either environment.
Are you an Epicor partner?
No. I am an independent developer with 20 years of experience building software for Prophet 21 distributors. Epicor and Prophet 21 are trademarks of Epicor Software Corporation.
Epicor quoted us a price for this customization. Why would yours be different?
A large vendor carries overhead a single experienced developer does not, and prices custom work accordingly. I also focus on exactly this kind of work, so I spend less time learning and more time building.
Can you work with systems other than Prophet 21?
Yes. Most projects connect P21 to something else: a bank, a vendor, a warehouse system, a customer's system. P21 and distribution are where my experience runs deepest.
Cost and time
How do you price a project?
You get an estimate before work starts. Larger projects are priced by scope. There is no long-term contract, and you always know where the project stands against the estimate.
Why are there no prices on this site?
Because a price without understanding the process would be a guess, and a guess helps neither of us. The first conversation is free, and it ends with a plain answer about feasibility and rough cost.
How long does a project take?
It depends on the process. As part of the project scope, I will give you a range for your specific project and the time it requires.
Do you take small projects?
Yes. Some of the most valuable fixes are small ones.
What if the project runs past the estimate?
You will know long before it happens. I tell clients where they stand along the way, which is how surprises get eliminated.
Risk
What is the guarantee?
If you are not satisfied in the first 30 days of your project and I cannot make it right, in your opinion, I refund what you paid me and we cancel the project. A refund ends the project and the work comes out with it.
What happens if you are unavailable? You are one person.
It is a fair question. Everything I build is documented and built with standard tools, so another competent developer can pick it up. The goal of most of my projects is to remove dependence on one person, and that includes me.
Who owns the work?
Rights to the work are spelled out plainly in a master service agreement before the project starts, so there is no ambiguity later.
We tried a project like this and it failed. Why would this be different?
Most failed projects fail on understanding, not on code. The developer did not know P21, or did not know distribution, or did not find the unwritten rules. That is the part I spend the most time on, and the guarantee means you are not paying to find out.
Working together
We have an IT manager. How does that work?
Well, usually. I work alongside your team. They keep ownership of their systems, and I carry the project they do not have the hours for.
Where are you located, and do you travel?
I am based in Evansville, Indiana and work remotely with distributors nationwide. On-site visits are available, with travel billed at cost.
What happens when I request a call?
I call you back, you tell me what is going on, and I tell you plainly whether I can help. There is no charge and no pitch.
Request a call back
Is your question not here?
Ask me directly.
- One conversation, no obligation. There is no charge and no pitch.
- A plain answer. If it is not feasible, or I am not the right fit, I will say so.
- The first 30 days are guaranteed. If you are not satisfied and I cannot make it right, in your opinion, you get your money back.