What is ECI E2 Shop System? Modules, integrations and alternatives
E2 Shop System is a job shop ERP and manufacturing management product from ECI Software Solutions, originally developed by Shoptech. It covers estimating, order entry, production control, purchasing, inventory and shipping for custom and make-to-order manufacturers.
Also known as: E2 Shop System, E2 Shop, Shoptech E2, E2
E2 Shop System is aimed at manufacturers that build to customer order: machine shops, fabricators, tool and die shops, and other custom producers. It follows a quote, order, job, ship flow, and ties materials, labor and outside services to each job so owners can see what a job cost against what was quoted.
The product originated at Shoptech and is now part of the ECI Software Solutions portfolio, which also includes JobBOSS2. E2 has a long installed base, and many users have run it for years with customizations and reports built around their own routines. Typical users are estimators, schedulers, production supervisors, buyers and shipping staff, with accounting handled in the product or in an external package depending on setup.
In a manufacturing stack, E2 is normally the system of record for jobs, parts, customers, vendors and inventory. It exchanges data with CAD/CAM, accounting, quality and shipping tools, and shops often add barcode and data collection hardware on the floor. Because installations vary widely in version and customization, an accurate picture of one shop's E2 requires looking at its actual configuration.
Modules and capabilities
Estimating
Builds quotes from materials, operations, outside services and overhead, with the ability to reuse past estimates.
Order management
Converts quotes to sales orders, tracks releases, delivery dates and customer requirements.
Production control and scheduling
Manages job routings, work center loading, priorities and release of work to the floor.
Shop floor data collection
Collects labor and job progress via terminals or devices to support actual cost and status tracking.
Purchasing and inventory
Handles purchase orders, receiving, material allocation, stock levels and outside processing.
Shipping and invoicing
Supports packing, shipments, and billing data tied to orders and jobs.
CRM and quality tools
Depending on version and add-ons, includes customer tracking and quality or inspection records.
Integrations and data access
Database
E2 has historically used Microsoft SQL Server. Reporting tools commonly read from it. Direct writes can break business rules, so use supported interfaces where they exist.
CAD/CAM and engineering
Part data and bills of material can be exchanged with CAD, CAM and nesting systems through import files or add-on connectors.
Accounting
Accounting is handled inside the product in some configurations and in an external package in others, with transaction exchange between them.
Data collection hardware
Barcode scanners, terminals and machine monitoring can feed labor and status into jobs.
Reports and exports
Custom reports, spreadsheet exports and scheduled data pulls are widely used to feed BI and planning tools. Confirm API availability for your version.
Step-by-step guides for ECI E2 Shop System:
Strengths
- Strong fit for quote-driven custom manufacturing
- Job costing tied directly to estimating, purchasing and shop floor time
- Long track record and a large pool of experienced users and consultants
- Practical for shops that want a focused system rather than a broad enterprise suite
- Flexible reporting for teams that invest in tailored reports
Limitations
- Older client-server architecture can make remote access, upgrades and integrations more work than with cloud-native systems
- Heavily customized installations can be hard to upgrade or document
- Less suited to high-volume repetitive, process manufacturing or complex multi-site operations
- Modern API and cloud integration options depend on version and add-ons
Where AI helps ECI E2 Shop System users
- - Propose quotes by retrieving similar past estimates and actual hours for an estimator to adjust
- - Answer questions about open orders, late jobs and material shortages in plain language over read-only data
- - Explain what a custom report or legacy customization actually does by reading its definition
- - Extract data from customer purchase orders and drawings into draft orders for human confirmation
- - Help plan an upgrade or migration by inventorying customizations, reports and integrations in use
Evaluating ECI E2 Shop System? Check these
- Identify your E2 version and every customization before comparing it with other systems or planning upgrades
- Ask ECI which hosting, support and upgrade paths exist for your version
- Test estimating and scheduling with real parts and routings during any demo
- Check how accounting is handled and how it reconciles with job costing
- Document integrations to CAD/CAM, shipping and reporting tools before any change
- Compare E2 and JobBOSS2 against your own process, not feature lists
Common alternatives: ECI JobBOSS2, ProShop ERP, Global Shop Solutions, Epicor Kinetic, Plex Smart Manufacturing Platform, Odoo.
Frequently asked questions
What is E2 Shop System?
E2 Shop System is an ERP and production management product for job shops and custom manufacturers. It handles estimating, orders, scheduling, shop floor tracking, purchasing, inventory and shipping, and it ties costs to each job. It was developed by Shoptech and is now sold by ECI Software Solutions.
Who owns E2 Shop System?
ECI Software Solutions markets and supports E2 Shop System. The product originated at Shoptech, whose product line became part of ECI. For current licensing, support terms and hosting options, ask ECI or an authorized reseller, as these can change.
Is E2 the same as JobBOSS2?
No. Both are ECI job shop products with different histories and interfaces. They overlap in purpose. Choosing between them depends on your processes, existing data, integrations and the vendor's guidance for your situation, so evaluate both against a real workflow.
Can E2 integrate with other systems?
Yes, typically through database reporting, file imports and exports, and add-on connectors. Capabilities depend on your version. Verify which APIs and supported methods exist before designing integrations with CAD/CAM, accounting, shipping or analytics tools.
Where can AI help E2 users?
AI helps most with quote drafting from history, natural-language questions over jobs and inventory, document extraction from purchase orders, and explaining legacy customizations. Keep access read-only at first, show the underlying query, and require approval for writes. On-premises models can be used when data must stay local.
Related
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