EMDECS Reviews

Pros

Managing the warehouse feels simple, quick and simple with this software.

Cons

I haven't had a chance to try customer support yet and I just hope getting in touch with them is just as simple.

Pros

One of the best parts has been how well we've been able to build the unique needs of our industry, business and internal processes into the EMDECS system.

Cons

There's really nothing to point out here. We're very satisfied with it.

Pros

Setting up the system is simple, the interface feels user-friendly and the customer support team has been solid whenever help is needed.

Cons

One ongoing frustration is that the system crashes fairly often and nearly every update seems to introduce even more problems than it fixes.

Pros

It's dependable in day-to-day use and the attention to detail really shows. On top of that customer support has been fantastic anytime an issue comes up.

Cons

I haven't come across any major or clearly noticeable weaknesses to point out.

Pros

I find that setting up programs is very simple and I really appreciate the multiple ways to cross-reference service, parts and financial systems. Over the 9 years we've used it, the improvements that have been made have definitely helped.

Cons

One frustrating limitation is that managers or administrators don't have enough control to make certain decisions inside the program. For example, you can delete a work order invoice but if a part is received under the wrong invoice number, you can't go back, delete that invoice and redo it. I was told by the help desk that doing that would throw off inventory but it seems like a site manager should be able to handle an inventory adjustment after correcting the invoice. Since that option isn't available, it creates a lot of extra work with the main office and the integration ends up being incorrect. Then you have to write a letter explaining the mistake so they can delete it and manually re-enter it on their side. Another issue is not being able to clean out old information in the SRT guide. The setup instructions are very vague so mistakes made early on caused a lot of headaches when creating future SRT guides. It was a big help once inactive options were introduced for old ones but when creating a new guide, you still have to be extremely careful not to reuse certain words. The tutorials are fine for basic tasks but once things get more complex, they barely touch on the details you actually need. Support is also inconsistent..some agents are excellent, while others are not helpful at all. There was even a time someone called asking for ideas on improving the system but I was in the middle of everything and couldn't really think it through. It would be much more helpful to have advance notice or a place where users could send concerns as they come up. There are still quite a few areas in inventory management that could be improved.

Pros

The service board, mechanic timesheets and the full RO are the features we rely on most and they work really well for our shop.

Cons

Parts are still a pain point. We continue to have issues printing labels and pulling up a part number involves going through far too many tabs. The old Connect system was much simpler and more user-friendly for this. We still have to use the old system for receiving parts, doing physical counts, printing labels and making inventory adjustments.

Pros

The inventory side is solid and once you get familiar with how the system works, it becomes simple to navigate.

Cons

One limitation is that you can't open a report and print details just by clicking on an amount.

Pros

After looking for something that would connect with our transportation management system, EMDECS checked that box for us. One thing we really appreciate is that employees have to be logged into a job which gives us a much better handle on productivity than the software we used before. Since it's browser-based, it takes pressure off our internal IT team and lets them spend time on other priorities. The service board also helps the shop plan daily work more effectively. Overall it handles the core tasks we need some of the reports are very detailed and support has been quick to respond and resolve issues.

Cons

Getting EMDECS integrated with our transportation management software was a painful and very time-consuming process. It ended up taking a lot of our time during tax season which was the worst possible timing. A number of reports either can't be exported to Excel or are limited in what they show. For instance, turnover reporting only covers the top 100 parts. Customer default settings can also override invoice amounts so if you're not careful, incorrect charges can go out. On top of that, server performance is slow, the physical inventory interface can be sluggish and awkward for entering data and the system takes more time to learn than the previous software packages we've used.

Pros

Right from the start, this system felt very user-friendly and it has a wide range of features that help keep a shop running efficiently. The inventory side works really well. The technician module is a huge advantage too since techs can clock in and out of jobs, add comments, parts and job lines, while still having enough restrictions in place to prevent paperwork from getting messed up. Tech support has been excellent. Callback times are usually just a few minutes and they keep sending update emails regularly until the issue is fully resolved. When we were searching for a new program, this one checked all the boxes. Whether it's for a repair shop or fleet maintenance, it includes nearly every feature you would need. I also really value that users can't easily alter information after it's been entered and there's always a record of any changes made. Work orders and invoices also can't be deleted without leaving a trace.

Cons

The reporting is not always accurate and it can sometimes be hard to figure out which report you actually need. Core on-hand values are also incorrect at times. On top of that, searching for past work history can be harder than it is in some other programs.

Pros

One thing I really appreciate is how flexible the software is. We can use it beyond its original purpose which lets us track our work in the way that actually makes sense for our team.

Cons

Job scheduling still has some flaws especially when it ends up booking multiple jobs for the same asset.

Pros

EMDECS supports our day-to-day business operations really well. We've used other systems before but EMDECS is clearly the best one out there.

Cons

Honestly I can't point to any negatives at all.

Pros

Having a full inventory in one place and being able to track our units has been a big advantage.

Cons

We're still in the middle of moving over from our old program.

Pros

Going paperless has been a big plus and the DOT schedules update in real time. The integration with McLeod LoadMaster is also very helpful.

Cons

There's honestly very little to complain about. I really don't have any major dislikes.

Pros

The parts of EMDECS that help us the most are the PM and work-order functions, along with the reporting tools on the back end. We're also in the middle of integrating it with Spireon and once that's finished, it should add a lot of value for tracking mileage and keeping the records we need for tax reporting.

Cons

The software is definitely expensive but we felt the cost was justified because of how many features it includes and how customizable it is. Our workforce is very diverse and the system has been flexible enough to support the different needs of our employees.

Pros

Running our fleet through EMDECS has been a really positive experience. The biggest benefit for me is having the full vehicle repair history, parts, dates and related records right at hand whenever I need them. It fits our DVSA ER requirements well and although I do sometimes wonder why we seem to be the only ER operator using EMDECS, I've never felt the need to look elsewhere. It does what we need and I'm more than happy to keep using it. The support team is also very responsive and helpful whenever anything comes up which is extremely important.

Cons

EMDECS is a DVSA ER approved service but driver defect reporting still needs more attention as ER KPIs (M4) move forward. At the moment, this function is not something our drivers can use comfortably on their PDAs.

Pros

Access to the system is unreliable because it goes down so often and you never know when you won't be able to get to your information.

Cons

Using it is very frustrating because it's difficult to navigate. It's also not actually compatible with QuickBooks the way they claim. On top of that, the platform keeps going offline constantly, including one stretch that lasted three days when we couldn't access any of our information at all.

Pros

It feels like this software is moving toward being a really solid, high-quality system but it still has a way to go and service outages happen far too often.

Cons

Switching over from paper and spreadsheets has been pretty horrific. The customer service team is polite and does try to help but they often come across as not really knowing the product well, almost like they were never properly trained and are having to figure everything out as they go.

Pros

The tracking tools in this software are fantastic. It covers everything from costs to maintenance history to repairs and it makes the whole process much simpler compared to the old paper-based system we used before.

Cons

Performance across the system could still use some improvement but from what I've heard, upgrades are already being worked on.