ePS Pace Reviews

The Suite to Beat

Comments: We have invested in all the pieces of the Mid Market Print Suite and the flexibility of the software has allowed us to continue to grow year over year. Our experience has been very good but we also dedicate a sizable amount of time to maintenance and customization's on the platforms. The software platform is only as good as the support team and the EFI team is always prompt and responsive to our needs.

Pros:

The software is intuitive, flexible and able to adapt to most any situation a printing and packaging company may need. Users train quickly and love the features and reporting that the system is capable of.

Cons:

Our company is a true one stop shop and Pace is not able to estimate Flexographic Printing.

Decade old user

Comments: Over the years, the organization has been fabulous. However, the most recent series of management changes are clear and the overall service of the company has gone down. I can't believe I'm paying $40K a year in support and somehow need to go to a website to log the problem instead of simply jumping on the phone like I used to do. Furthermore, the lack of online training and education for this product is shameful.

Pros:

Web based, easily integrates with other systems. Makes the selling, estimating and job ticketing process very easy.

Cons:

The inventory management/fulfillment module is a complete joke. It is not intuitive and is generally insufficient for anyone to use commercially.

Pace

Comments: We've built a business on it - but it's not been a walk in the park.

Pros:

The base architecture is sound. The api is robust

Cons:

Implementation is difficult EFi struggle to define the optimum approach to implementation, I strongly feel it would be better for the compnay to assertively say "do it this way, because this way works". Integration with EFI Fiery is not evolving very fast and were we to invest in cut sheet ink jet I think reviewing our MIS would become inevitable.

Workflow management software

Pros:

Very complete solutions that has all the options available.

Cons:

The software is very costly at time of aquisition.

Evaluating Pace from a Wide Format print perspective

Comments: I speak only for my Wide Format dept. Our experience is not good at all.

Pros:

I don't think there is much of anything I like about this software for our production purposes

Cons:

I help manage the Wide Format department here at DCG ONE. PACE - as we are implementing it - is nearly impossible to use for our Production Team. There are confusing job tickets on an almost daily basis. These often result in misunderstanding and therefore late projects and/or re-work. I realize that some of this is likely how we implement PACE but the structure of the job tickets and order submission seems NOT comprehensive, confusing, and not user-friendly in a custom print environment.

Too Difficult to use and clunky

Comments: I have seen no real benefits. We have more people doing estimating than ever before, because Pace is so clunky and takes so long to do anything, and they still can't all get the hang of Pace. The part of our company that still uses the previous outdated software that we had before Pace, can get jobs put in and billed in one-tenth of the time it would take to do in Pace. Literally. It is like buying an expensive Backhoe to drive through city streets, when a small Honda would work much better.

Pros:

There are a lot of options in it; granted you have to pay big bucks to include any of them as different modules. If you simply run a cost-plus model with absolutely no specific prices quoted to customers, then this might work. The support team usually answers concerns.

Cons:

Unfortunately, the varied options and features are so difficult to implement and understand that we have been attempting to use this software for 3 years now, and still are not fully implemented. The people in the trenches have no belief that it will ever be completely useable. The estimating module doesn't have a way to charge specific quoted prices to specific customers. So they offer the Price List Quoting module, which does not sync up very well with the estimating and production functionality. If anything is customized, you have to change it is two different places to be able to get it to run through your shop.

Print Production Review

Comments: I am unimpressed and would switch products if we didn't invest in pace so much.

Pros:

I really don't have anything to add in the pros column. They are several features that work but they are nothing extraordinary.

Cons:

It doesn't work well with promotional products or wide format, pricing can be challenging, It's not easy for computer-illiterate people on our production floor for signing in and out of jobs, scheduling isn't as intuitive as it should be.

The biggest waste of money

Comments: Terrible experience - EFI has drank the Kool aid

Pros:

web based - there is absolutely nothing else about this system that I like

Cons:

In my opinion the system is a big waste of money and does nothing except cause frustration and WASTE money and time. There is really nothing about this system that I do like. Whoever created this definitely does not actually use this system......they appear to be keyboard warriors only. Common sense has left the EFI building a long time ago. We were sold this system telling us how much more productive we would be and it has done the complete opposite. We have WASTED so much money and time with this almost unusable system. They create a system that doesn't work and then want to charge you a fortune to fix it - and what i mean to "fix it" is the way is should have been to begin with. This is where they get you along with their outrageous "maintenance" fees. 5 years into this and i am still in awe of how terrible this system is. Most people can use a system and figure out by common sense....Pace is the complete opposite of common sense. Nothing makes sense about this system. In the accounting portion every little task takes about 10 steps to do what did take us a second in our prior system. EFI has a firm grip on an empty sack that they think is invaluable. They are clueless to the real "working" world.

EFI Pace

Comments: Pace has allowed us to create a scalable single system of record for the multiple divisions within our company. In addition, it has provided us the platform for continuous automation and touchpoint reductions in our workflows.

Pros:

The customization module truly makes this platform powerful and able to adapt to many business models.

Cons:

Currently, the CRM module. But, I say this knowing that at it's core Pace is an MIS system - not a CRM. So, I am appreciative they have the module as it allows us to operate with a single system of record and not have to manage multiple platforms or integrations.

In need of improvement

Comments: Overall I don't think this system is at its peak. There are some fundamental issues that need to be worked out before release of a version and more time should be spent making sure the initial release of the latest version is fully stable and working in a real world environment before being sent out to all. On a personal note all of these trials and errors have been a great learning experience for me which although frustrating has definitely added to my personal growth.

Pros:

There is a lot of flexibility in your capacity to read from the database. The database structure is pretty clearly laid out and accommodates the needs for customization well. The paid customization options have allowed our company to build in the features that were most important to us while adding features that made many users jobs much easier.

Cons:

The constant battles to resolve small issues have been very frustrating. The bigger battles to resolve accounting and inventory problems has been very frustrating as well. We also are a Printflow user and have found the integration was not well executed and left us regretting our decision to use the two programs in tandem. Support although many times very helpful can also be very unhelpful especially when the only thing they can say is that maybe some day the development team will get to fixing our problem.

EFI Continues to Improve their software for ease of use

Pros:

The new updates have allowed for a more streamlined managment process by limiting clicks and allowing for easier use of the tools.

Cons:

MDSF needs to update Smart Canvas to be able to do variable data. Currently we still have to use DirectSmile which is extremely cumbersome, wonky at times and difficult to use. It lacks consistency everytime we open up the software. We are seeing that we need this more and more these days coming from customer requests. Something that is stable and more user friendly would be extremely beneficial.

Better for offset printers, than for "sign shops" that use a large variety of production methods.

Pros:

Generating professional-looking estimates, along with job tickets is the most impactful offering for our production personal (too bad it doesn't offer spell check, LOL).

Cons:

Much of the software that we use would be more user-friendly for an offset shop...we are a large format digital, screen print, and photopolymer sign shop. Also, setting up contacts for billing/shipping is challenging, to say the least.

Pros/Cons

Pros:

I like the extensive functionality it offers.

Cons:

It's very complex and making standard customization, such as setting up/updating/inactivating estimating workflows and operations, options, codes, etc. It's not possible to confidently test changes because there is no way of knowing all the calculations, xpaths, settings, etc. that could be indirectly affected.

Unbiased Pace Review

Comments: I've been using Pace for 15 years and EFI has continually improved the product. I wouldn't want to run anything else.

Pros:

The ability to customize Pace to do whatever production task the business may require.

Cons:

Right now, it's the time it takes to get problem issues resolved.

EFI Pace is great software

Comments: We run our whole buisness with this software from customer contact, online store fronts, estimating, job tracking, scheduling, billing and all accounting. It's great software.

Pros:

Browser based so can be accessed any where. Really easy to find information in to make decisions that are data based. Intuitive and comprehensive.

Cons:

They are constantly changing the software so there are updates happening frequently. The updates are getting easier.

EFI Pace

Comments: I love pace. It is very robust and does not crash.

Pros:

I love pace. It is very robust and does not crash.

Cons:

If you need something from the EFI team is generally becomes an "enhancement" and can take months to be implemented.

Solid Production Software

Comments: They were a great company years ago when we bought and installed the product. I have not had any contact with them in over ten years except to make unused support payments.

Pros:

Software is easy to use after installation. Flexible and easy to customize.

Cons:

The support contract are expensive and probably not needed after installation.

Both Easy and Difficult to Use!

Comments: I was never formally trained on it and have learned to navigate basic Estimating/Tickets by myself. I think it is easy to learn but has its road blocks in functionality, I think there are somethings that easily trigger errors that are hard to fix. My experience has been primarily positive and customer support is helpful if I need them.

Pros:

I think it is easy to use, anyone can navigate the basics of it. I think it is organized.

Cons:

At the same time its easy to use, it can also be difficult at times. I think sometimes things are hidden in odd spots in the software. And sometimes there are errors that you are unable to figure out alone.

Good platfrom

Pros:

imposition for wide format printers and setting up additional instances.

Cons:

It takes too much time to learn how to use

Had Pace for many years and use with quoting

Comments: we need a simple, easy system with our setup- and EFI works fine for our needs

Pros:

ease of use. With our setup and what we need to quote and bill jobs, EFI Pace works great and happy with it

Cons:

less updates and easier to have a change made specifically for us

Shweiki Media

Comments: The experience the software does and the support team is top notch.

Pros:

My interest in data collection through epace, and autocount .

Cons:

Not know the inter formulas that involve the programs.

Great for Web to Print

Comments: This software has given us one system to integrate our many apps to. It has helped us create standards for our business.

Pros:

It is a very nice all in one printing software. I likes it connectivity to MDSF.

Cons:

Not fully integrated into DSF, would like to change more statuses or capacity to create more connections.

Pace Implementation

Comments: Overall, implementation and professional services was good but required lots of time to implement. Support needs more communication with services.

Pros:

API, ability to customize, and object model

Cons:

Lack of documentation and support and workflow instructions

Great system easy to use

Comments: I helped with setup and training

Pros:

Reports and ease of use. You can find different alternatives to usage

Cons:

Not too many things I didn't like. It is easy to use and train others

review

Comments: does its job

Pros:

works for print flow management / scheduling

Cons:

reporting could use work / excel reports can be more flexible