Claude
ChatGPT
Cursor
Notion
Slab
Confluence
Google Docs
SYSPRO vs Epicor Kinetic: Which to Choose in 2026
SYSPRO vs Epicor Kinetic for manufacturers facing the 2026 SYSPRO licence change: what SYSPRO documents, what to make Epicor prove, and how to decide.
Planning a migration?
Get a free 30-min call with our engineers. We'll review your setup and map out a custom migration plan — no obligation.
Schedule a free call- 1,500+ migrations completed
- Zero downtime guaranteed
- Transparent, fixed pricing
- Project success responsibility
- Post-migration support included
SYSPRO vs Epicor Kinetic: Which to Choose in 2026
Disclosure: ClonePartner moves data out of SYSPRO into whichever ERP a customer chooses, including Epicor Kinetic. We do not resell or implement either ERP. Weigh our view with that in mind.
How to read this comparison: We state a vendor fact only when we can cite that vendor's own documentation. SYSPRO's help site and trust centre are public, so the SYSPRO side is cited throughout. We could not check Epicor's documentation for this post. Where a fact about Epicor Kinetic would go, we give you the question to put to Epicor instead. Make Epicor answer it in writing, against your own data.
The 2026 SYSPRO licence deadlines SYSPRO is ending its Initial and Annual Licence Fee model. Existing licences expire on 31 October 2026 for customers outside the US and 31 December 2026 for customers in the US. After your expiry date "you will no longer be able to access Syspro" without a new subscription agreement (syspro.com). Check the exact expiry date in your own notice. Subscribe, Stay or Move covers the first decision.
The real decision: subscribe to SYSPRO or move
For a current SYSPRO customer, "SYSPRO vs Epicor Kinetic" is not a blank-sheet evaluation. It is a choice between staying on SYSPRO under a new contract and moving to a new ERP.
What SYSPRO's formal notice says about staying (syspro.com):
- SYSPRO is now sold only as a named-user subscription.
- "Under the new subscription model, you get access to the full Syspro module entitlement, not just the modules in your current licence."
- An Initial License Fee "does not carry forward as a perpetual right to access the software after your expiry date."
- "If you decide not to move to the subscription model, you should plan to transition to an alternative solution before" the expiry date.
The notice states no price. Ask your SYSPRO account manager for a written subscription quote, and set it beside Epicor's quote for the same scope.
Epicor Kinetic is one of several destinations. If you have not yet shortlisted, start with Top SYSPRO Alternatives in 2026.
What SYSPRO documents about its architecture
These facts set the baseline that Epicor's answers should be compared with.
| Area | What SYSPRO documents | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Database | Microsoft SQL Server. "Each company's data is contained within a single database", plus "a single system-wide database" | help.syspro.com |
| Schema size | "Each SYSPRO 8 company database contains approximately 1000 tables". The system-wide database "contains over 100 tables" | help.syspro.com |
| Custom fields | Custom form data sits in "plus" tables, for example [ArCustomer+] for ArCustomer |
help.syspro.com |
| Integration | e.net business objects, hosted by the Communications Load Balancer on several bindings, including a REST binding | help.syspro.com |
| Read-only API | Syspro OData Service. It "lets you connect securely to SYSPRO data without direct SQL access" | help.syspro.com |
| Cloud | In Syspro Cloud ERP, OData "is the only mechanism available when applications need access to SYSPRO data" | help.syspro.com |
| Direct SQL | SYSPRO's best-practice guide: "Connecting to the SYSPRO databases directly using SQL drivers is not advised" | help.syspro.com |
| Collaboration | Syspro Harmony is "a collaborative, user-friendly social platform", not an API | help.syspro.com |
What to make Epicor prove before you choose Kinetic
A fair comparison needs the same level of documentation from Epicor. Ask for each answer in writing, with a link to Epicor's own documentation.
| Decision area | Question to put to Epicor |
|---|---|
| Deployment | Which deployment options are available to us (cloud, on-premises, hosted)? Which ones allow direct read access to our database? |
| Data loading | Which tools are supported for bulk loading master data and open transactions? Is any direct database write supported? |
| API | Which API versions are current? What are the page-size and throughput limits in our deployment model, and can we change them? |
| Custom fields | How do we add fields to replace the data in our SYSPRO plus tables? What data types are supported? |
| Multi-company | We run one SYSPRO database per company. How does Kinetic model several companies, and how are intercompany postings configured? |
| Shop floor | Show our own routings, labour capture and scheduling in a scripted demo. Which of these need extra modules or licences? |
| Quality and traceability | Show lot and serial traceability from receipt to shipment with our data. Which industry standards does Epicor document support for? |
| Upgrades | How are customisations carried across version upgrades? What has to be retested each time? |
| Security | Send the current ISO 27001 certificate and SOC 2 Type II report for the service we would use. |
| Price | A written quote for our user count and module list, plus the implementation partner's estimate. |
Run the demo on a sample of your own SYSPRO data, not on Epicor's demo company. The gaps show up in your part numbers, your units of measure and your custom fields.
Security and compliance: what SYSPRO publishes
SYSPRO's trust centre says "Syspro is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified". It also says: "While we are not currently SOC 2 audited, our ISO 27001 certification aligns closely with the Trust Services Criteria used in SOC 2" (trust.syspro.com).
If your procurement or audit process requires a SOC 2 Type II report from the ERP vendor, that is a gap on the SYSPRO side. Ask Epicor for its current report and check that it covers the service you would actually run. A cloud provider's certifications do not automatically cover the ERP vendor's own controls.
On-premises SYSPRO places patching, network security and physical security with your IT team. Ask Epicor the same question for each Kinetic deployment option.
Getting your data out of SYSPRO, whichever you choose
Whether you subscribe or move, secure a full copy of your data first. SYSPRO's notice says: "On cessation of your current licence, you have the right to export your data", and "Syspro will provide a straightforward process for this on request" (syspro.com). Raise it with your account manager before your expiry date.
The extraction route we recommend:
- A one-off, read-only SQL extract, ideally against a restored copy of the company database. It reaches every table, including the plus tables. SYSPRO's warning against direct SQL connections is aimed at live integrations (help.syspro.com).
- The read-only OData service where SQL is not possible. It is the only route in Syspro Cloud ERP. SYSPRO limits it to 5,000 rows per call and pages with
$topand$skip(help.syspro.com). - e.net business objects for integration, not for bulk extraction.
How to Export Data from SYSPRO compares the routes in detail.
If you choose Epicor Kinetic: what the migration involves
This post is about the choice, not the mechanics. In short, SYSPRO's module-prefixed tables (ArCustomer, InvMaster, SorMaster and around a thousand others) are mapped to Kinetic's structure and loaded through Epicor's supported import tools. Plus tables, units of measure, bills of materials and open jobs need the most care.
Keep two clocks apart. The data migration takes days: usually 1 to 5 business days, depending on data volume, complexity and API rate limits. The Epicor Kinetic implementation takes months, and Epicor or its partner runs it. We go live on a Monday, never a Friday. The bulk load runs in the days before while SYSPRO stays live. SYSPRO freezes before Monday's working day starts, and a final delta of changed records takes about 30 minutes.
For the field-level detail, read SYSPRO to Epicor Kinetic Migration: A Technical Guide. For scope and pricing, see the SYSPRO to Epicor Kinetic migration page.
Choose SYSPRO if… Choose Epicor Kinetic if…
Stay on SYSPRO if:
- The written subscription quote works for your headcount and budget.
- Your team knows SYSPRO's data model well, and the full module entitlement covers what you need next.
- Your processes depend on SYSPRO custom forms and plus tables that would be costly to rebuild.
- You cannot complete a selection and implementation before your expiry date and need continuity first.
Move to Epicor Kinetic if:
- Epicor demonstrates, on your own data, the shop floor, scheduling, quality or traceability functions your SYSPRO setup lacks.
- Epicor answers the questions above in writing, with documentation, to your IT team's satisfaction.
- Its security evidence meets your procurement requirements, including any SOC 2 Type II requirement.
- Epicor's quote plus implementation cost compares acceptably with the SYSPRO subscription over the same period.
If neither list fits cleanly, compare more than two options before you sign.
Frequently Asked Questions
- When does my SYSPRO licence expire, and what happens after?
- SYSPRO's formal notice gives 31 October 2026 for customers outside the US and 31 December 2026 for customers in the US. After your expiry date you can no longer access SYSPRO unless you sign a new subscription agreement. If you plan to move to Epicor Kinetic instead, SYSPRO asks you to plan the transition before that date.
- Can I export my SYSPRO data before my licence expires?
- Yes. SYSPRO's notice says that on cessation of your current licence you have the right to export your data, and that SYSPRO will provide a process on request. Raise it with your account manager ahead of your expiry date. For a migration, the most complete extract is a one-off, read-only SQL read of a restored copy of the company database. SYSPRO advises against direct SQL connections for live integrations.
- How long does a migration from SYSPRO to Epicor Kinetic take?
- There are two clocks. The data migration (extract, transform, load and validate) usually takes 1 to 5 business days, depending on data volume, complexity and API rate limits. Under 10,000 records can finish in under 24 hours. The Epicor Kinetic implementation (configuration, testing, training) is a separate project that takes months and is run by Epicor or its partner.
- Does SYSPRO have SOC 2 certification?
- No. SYSPRO's trust centre says it is ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certified and is "not currently SOC 2 audited". If your procurement process requires a SOC 2 Type II report, ask Epicor for its current report as well.
- Is SYSPRO or Epicor Kinetic cheaper?
- There is no reliable public answer. SYSPRO publishes no subscription price. Third-party estimates are not quotes. Get written quotes from both vendors for the same user count, module list and deployment model, and add implementation cost to each.
