Epicor Kinetic · Reporting
What is an Epicor Tracker? A plain-English guide to Job, Part, Customer and Order Trackers
Applies to: Epicor Kinetic and Epicor ERP 10.2. The list of available Trackers, their tabs, and the actions they offer vary across releases, deployment models (SaaS Cloud vs. On-Premises/Hosted), and security group permissions. Your company may also have changed some screens. Always confirm what you see on your own system.
Short answer
An Epicor Tracker is a built-in inquiry screen that lets you search for a record, such as a job, part, customer, or sales order, and see all the related information in one place. Trackers are for viewing and finding information. They are not data entry screens. Many requests for custom reports can be answered by an existing Tracker.
Key facts
- Trackers come with Epicor. You do not need to build them.
- They are inquiry screens: you look things up and review details.
- There is a Tracker for many core records. Common ones include Customer, Part, Job, Sales Order, Quote, Purchase Order, and Supplier Trackers. The full list depends on your release and the modules you use.
- Trackers show information from many related tables in a single screen, so you do not need to open several maintenance screens.
- Menu access and security control who can open each Tracker and what they can see.
- Grids in Trackers can usually be personalized and exported to Excel.
How a Tracker works & architecture in Kinetic UX
- You open the Tracker for the record type you care about. (In the modern Kinetic browser interface, the most common way users reach a Tracker is simply by right-clicking any key field—such as a Part, Job, Order, or Customer—anywhere in Epicor and selecting Open With > [Record] Tracker.)
- You search by entering criteria, such as a job number, a part number, or a customer name.
- You pick a record from the results.
- The Tracker shows the details of that record. In the Kinetic browser UX, many Trackers share the exact same underlying MetaUI application foundation as the equivalent Entry/Maintenance screen (e.g., Erp.UI.SalesOrderEntry, Erp.UI.CustomerEntry, or Erp.UI.JobEntry), but launched in read-only mode, coupled with specialized inquiry panels and tabs (such as Part Tracker's on-hand/bin/where-used views or Job Tracker's tree/cost rollups).
- If you need to change something, you open the matching maintenance screen. Trackers are for looking, not editing.
Common Trackers and what they answer
| Question You Have | Tracker to Try |
|---|---|
| Where is this job, and what is on it? | Job Tracker |
| What is the status of this sales order? | Sales Order (Order) Tracker |
| What do we know about this part: stock, demand, supply, where it is used? | Part Tracker |
| What has this customer ordered, and what is their history? | Customer Tracker |
| What is the status of this purchase order and its receipts? | Purchase Order Tracker |
| What do we have on this supplier? | Supplier Tracker |
| What happened with this quote? | Quote Tracker |
Tracker names and tabs differ by release, so search the menu for the word "Tracker" to see which ones you have.
Tracker vs. dashboard vs. BAQ vs. report
| Tool | What It Is | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Tracker | A built-in inquiry screen for one type of record | Looking up one record and seeing everything related to it |
| Dashboard | A screen that presents data from queries, which can be set up to suit your needs | Custom views of data, often built on a BAQ |
| BAQ | A saved query that returns rows and columns | Custom lists with filters and Excel export |
| Report (SSRS) | A formatted, paginated output | Printed or formal documents |
Note on "Tracker View" Terminology: In Classic Epicor dashboards, a Tracker View refers specifically to the filter/prompt panel added to the top of a dashboard to filter BAQ grids. Do not confuse a Dashboard Tracker View (a custom filter panel) with a Standard Epicor Tracker screen (like Job Tracker or Part Tracker).
The practical rule: use the Tracker first. If it does not show what you need, consider a BAQ. Build a formal report only when a printed or controlled document is required.
Why Trackers reduce the report backlog
Many report requests come from users who do not know that a Tracker already shows the information. Before a custom report is requested, ask:
- Did you check the Tracker for this record type?
- Does the Tracker show the information, but not in the format you need?
- Do you need one record, or a list of many records?
If the Tracker answers the question, no development is needed. If users need a list, consider a BAQ. If they need a formal document, a report may be justified. See our guide to clearing the report and customization backlog.
Tips for using Trackers well
- Use the search options and filters rather than scrolling through large lists.
- Personalize grids to show the columns you use most, and sort them the way you work.
- Export a grid to Excel when you need to filter or pivot results further.
- Refresh the screen if you need the latest status.
- Learn which tab holds which information. Time spent here saves many support tickets.
What Trackers are not — Read-only security caveat
- They are not data entry screens. Use the maintenance screens for changes.
- They are not a replacement for formal reports. A printed invoice or packing slip comes from a report.
- They are not a data warehouse. They show current information about records, not multi-year trend analysis.
- They do not remove security. A user can only open what their menu access and permissions allow.
Important Security Warning for Administrators: Giving a user Menu Security access to a Tracker (such as Job Tracker, Part Tracker, or Customer Tracker) restricts them to read-only mode in the UI, but Trackers frequently expose sensitive financial tabs by default (such as Job Costs / Act vs. Est, Part Standard/Average Unit Costs, or Customer Credit/AR balances) and invoke the underlying Business Object GetByID services. If shop-floor or general users need access to a Tracker without viewing labor/material unit costs or margins, you must explicitly secure those fields or use Field Security. Review Trackers closely during security audits.
Can a Tracker be customized?
Trackers in the Kinetic interface can usually be adjusted with Application Studio layers, for example to change layout or add a view, and users can personalize their own grids.
Developer Note on Open With: If you customize a Tracker in Application Studio and want right-click Open With shortcuts across the ERP to launch your customized layer instead of the base system Tracker, you must register that layer mapping in Process Calling Maintenance (not just Menu Maintenance).
Changes should be tested, documented, and checked again after updates. See our article on personalization vs. customization.
FAQ
What is an Epicor Tracker?
A built-in inquiry screen that lets you search for a record and view everything related to it in one place.
Can I edit data in a Tracker?
No. Trackers are for viewing. Make changes in the matching maintenance screen.
What is the difference between a Tracker and a dashboard?
A Tracker is a standard inquiry screen for one record type. A dashboard presents data from queries and can be built to suit your needs.
What is the difference between a standard Epicor Tracker and a Dashboard Tracker View?
A standard Epicor Tracker (like Job Tracker) is a pre-built inquiry screen for a core ERP record. A Dashboard Tracker View is a filter and prompt criteria panel added inside a custom dashboard to query BAQ grids.
What does Job Tracker show?
It shows information about a job and related details, such as its operations and materials, organized on tabs (including financial cost rollups). The exact tabs depend on your release.
What does Part Tracker show?
It shows information about a part and related details such as stock, demand, unit costs, and where it is used, depending on your release and modules.
Can I export Tracker data to Excel?
Grids can usually be exported to Excel. Check the options on the screen you are using.
Do I need a custom report if the Tracker has the data?
Often not. If you only need to look up records, the Tracker is enough. If you need a recurring list, consider a BAQ. If you need a formal document, a report may be appropriate.
Why can't I see a Tracker in my menu?
Menu access is controlled by security. Ask your Epicor administrator whether you should have access.
References
Cross-check against official Epicor documentation matching your release and hosting model:
- Epicor Kinetic help: Trackers overview (Job, Part, Customer, Order, and other Trackers)
- Epicor Kinetic help: Application Studio Overview
- Epicor Kinetic help: Business Activity Query (BAQ) Designer
- Epicor Kinetic help: Process Calling Maintenance & Field Security