Applied Net 2020 Speakers Maureen Boeing and Sherry Burrell, of the conference's three-part series on "Applied Epic Tips and Techniques", sat down with Connections to share their top tips for Applied Epic users, as well as discuss what it's been like to take their education virtual over the past year.

Both Boeing and Burrell were positioned among the first agencies and brokerages to convert to Applied Epic as beta users in 2007. Through that journey, according to Burrell, the two eventually decided to put what they'd learned and package it into something that could be helpful to others. 

"I believe Sherry’s agency was the seventh and mine was the fifteenth to go live on Epic," said Boeing.

What started as one, 1.5-hour session modeled after previous Applied TAM tips education, eventually evolved into a multi-part series. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and the shifting of Applied Net 2020 to a virtual format, the two knew they'd have to balance content into a shorter time frame and opted to focus on both new and key tips. Here, we offer a preview of those tips.

10 Tips and Techniques for Mastering Applied Epic

Tasked with a nearly impossible request to share their top five tips for using Applied Epic, the duo took things a step further by each sharing five tips for a total of 10! To all the Applied TAM users out there: Boeing advises gaining efficiencies by managing your "Home" screen activities and learning about "Utilities" (the equivalent of "Configure" in Epic).

1. Make Use of Drag and Drop – Drag and drop can be utilized in several places: from Microsoft Outlook to attachments in Epic (hold your shift key and the email will be deleted from Outlook after attaching); from your computer to attach a file; from unrouted attachments to the account; and, from unrouted faxes. Using drag and drop is much simpler than going through the "Attach" workflow.
2. Home Base – Use "Home" as your starting point every day and customize the view so it works for you.
3. Address Changes: Solved – "Change address" on a Client account can be pushed to contacts, billing information on line detail, future and pending invoices.
4. Service Summary Rows – Learn the power of the "Service Summary Rows" and how much knowledge you can gain from the Policy list alone. Activities and Attachments provide a deep dive into the details.
5. Variables FTW  – Take full advantage of variables in the configuration of Activities, Transactions & installments and/or Downloaded e-docs in order to eliminate entry by users and increase consistency.
6. Access Button – The "Access" button is your best friend.
7. Expenses – Use default and recurring for disbursements, vouchers and journal entries for those expenses that are generated regularly (i.e., Payroll, Rent, Applied Support fees, etc.).
8. CTRL + R – CTRL + R gets you through all the required fields quickly so you can make sure you haven’t missed any.
9. Major Sort – To change a "Major Sort" in reports, change the data field sorted rather than adding a major sort and deleting a major sort.
10. Knowledge is Power – This isn’t a specific tip, but take the time to learn the "Configure" area of Epic, there is so much you can do to customize your experience!

Be on the lookout for more education from Maureen and Sherry at local chapter events and during Applied Net 2021! 

Maureen Boeing, owner of Maureen Boeing Consulting LLC, took a cue from Steve Jobs who said, “The only way to do great work is to love what you do." She turned her passion for agency automation into a fulfilling consulting career in 2014. Since then, she has traveled the country helping agencies implement Applied Epic. Bringing 22 years of agency experience in service, operations, accounting and management, Boeing helps agencies utilize Epic fully in all aspects of their operations. Having implemented Epic at her agency in early 2009 as a beta agency (version 2!), she brings a deep understanding of Epic features and functionality to all my clients. Boeing has also volunteered with Applied Client Network since 1995, starting with establishing a local chapter, chairing national committees and serving on the Board of Directors — including serving as Chair in 2012. She became a Master Presenter in 2000 and has presented at annual conferences and chapter meetings around the world since.

Sherry Burrell is president of Grimes Insurance & Financial Services in Duluth, GA, and has primary responsibilities of management of the agency, including IT, accounting  and human resources. She began her insurance career over 40 years ago and has been a principal of the agency since 1999. Her agency has been on Applied Epic since 2008 as a beta user of the system and was on TAM prior to Epic. Sherry has presented at her local Applied Client Network (ACN) chapter and at Applied Net conferences since 1997. She has served on the board of her local chapter and chaired the Education Committee for ACN for several years. Sherry is married and has 3 children and 6 grandchildren who all live close enough for her to spoil! In her leisure time, she enjoys reading, sewing and quilting.