5 Signs It’s Not Time to Upgrade JDE: When Waiting is the Smarter Move

If you’ve started to consider an upgrade to your JD Edwards system, you’re probably already feeling the pressure to take action – and fast. Maybe you’ve read about the latest features. Maybe you’ve heard how much easier life can be on the newest version.

But deep down, you’re wondering, Is now the right time to upgrade?

Upgrading JD Edwards can be a gamechanger, absolutely, but only when the timing and circumstances are right. ERP Suites has helped customers across the full gamut of industries upgrade their JD Edwards system to meet their unique needs and goals. Our experts have decades of combined experience to help you feel confident in your upgrade decision.

In some cases, rushing into an upgrade can lead to more problems than it solves.

In this article, we’ll help you identify the signs it’s NOT time to upgrade JDE so you can make a decision that’s smart, informed, and aligned with your business’s needs.

Why It’s Okay to Press Pause on a JDE Upgrade

Let’s start by addressing the elephant in the room: it’s okay to wait. Just because there’s a new version doesn’t mean you need to drop everything and upgrade immediately.

There are plenty of reasons for wanting a technical upgrade – like gaining access to the UDO Framework, UX One, various automations, etc. It’s important to identify them all and be sure you’re looking at the right kind of upgrade. Sometimes, a JDE upgrade can even be part of a larger business overhaul.

Whatever the reason, your ERP system is at the core of your business operations. An ill-timed or poorly planned upgrade can lead to disruptions, wasted resources, and frustrated employees. Sometimes, the best decision is to hit pause and focus on preparation or alignment before making the leap.

These are some of the top signs you’ll see that waiting is the better option:

1.     Heavily customized environment
2.     Undocumented and non-standardized procedures
3.     Fragile budget
4.     Timing and alignment
5.     Poor planning

1. Your JDE System is Heavily Customized

If your JDE system is heavily customized, it can be a major hurdle during an upgrade. While customization can make your ERP more tailored to your business needs, it also makes upgrades more complex.

Here’s why:

• Custom code can break: During the upgrade process, the new version of JDE may not be compatible with your existing customizations.
• Poor documentation slows things down: If your team doesn’t have detailed records of why, how, and when certain customizations were implemented, you’ll be flying blind.
• Risk of losing functionality: Customizations that are no longer supported could leave critical workflows in limbo.

Area of Opportunity: Audit your customizations.

Identify which ones are still essential, which ones can be replaced with new features, and which ones you can do without. A lack of clarity here is a surefire sign to press pause.

2. Your Processes Aren’t Documented or Standardized

Imagine trying to assemble a complex piece of furniture without instructions. You’d be lost. That’s how it feels when you try to upgrade JDE without properly documented internal processes.

If your processes aren’t well documented, it’s likely that they’re not standardized, either. This can open you up to unnecessary risk and drag out the upgrade transition. If you constantly need to manually check whether something is done this way or that, time will add up.

Ask yourself:

• Do we have testing scripts or scenarios in place?
• Do our processes rely on a few employees instead of several?
• Do we have clarity on how different departments are using JDE?

If the answer to any of these isn’t straightforward, you’re not in the best starting position for something as complex and detail-reliant as an upgrade.

Area of Opportunity: Document how your team uses JDE

Document how your teams use JDE daily. Map out workflows, dependencies, and testing scenarios. This groundwork lays the foundation not only for a smooth upgrade, but for smoother daily operations.  

3. Your Budget Isn’t Ready

A JDE upgrade is an investment, both in the financial short term and in your business’ economic long-term. Costs can range widely, depending on factors like existing customizations, documentation, and the complexity of the upgrade.

For example, let’s take a small to mid-sized manufacturer. With some customizations and documentation, they could expect to pay somewhere from $200,000 to $400,000. For a similar customer who has minimal documentation and testing, the range is more like $500,000 to $800,000.

To account for that cost, customers typically plan and budget for JDE upgrades as part of their annual IT budget cycle. Internal alignment and buy-in from business leaders is essential to have at the outset of any upgrade project, to ensure the budget is approved and allocated. Additionally, the upgrade planning process should start well in advance to align with the customer's budgeting timeline.

The cost of a JDE upgrade can vary significantly depending on several factors – any many of these impact other areas of an upgrade, too:

•  Level of customizations: Heavily customized environments will be more expensive to upgrade.
• Current JDE version: Upgrading from an older version (e.g., 9.0) will be more costly than upgrading from a newer version (like 9.2, Release 24, etc.).
• Documentation and testing: Lack of documentation and testing scripts will increase the complexity and cost.

Area of Opportunity: Assess the cost vs. benefit of upgrading

Before committing to an upgrade, conduct a detailed cost analysis and align it with your company’s budgeting cycle. If the funds aren’t available yet, focus on preparing for the upgrade so you’re ready when the next budget cycle comes around.

4. It’s a Bad Time for Your Business

Timing is everything. Even if your system could benefit from an upgrade, external factors might make it a poor time to start the process. Internal factors are just as important. If your team isn’t fully aligned, it won’t matter if everything else is. You’ll have slow, choppy adoption, and likely experience unnecessary resistance.

Bad timing can include:

• Peak business seasons: For example, retailers shouldn’t upgrade during the holiday rush. Your ERP will be working overtime, and you don’t want to endanger productivity.
• Major product launches or campaigns: These events require your team’s full attention, and an upgrade could divert resources.
• Internal reorganization or transitions: If your team is going through changes, it’s best to stabilize before adding an upgrade to the mix.

Area of Opportunity: Create alignment before upgrading

Build consensus before starting an upgrade. Hold workshops, share potential benefits, and address concerns upfront. Without alignment, the project may face unnecessary roadblocks.

5. You Don’t Have a Clear Upgrade Plan

A lack of planning is one of the biggest reasons upgrades fail. If you don’t have a clear roadmap, it’s better to delay than to move forward without direction.

Questions to ask yourself:

• Have you identified the goals of the upgrade?
• Do you know how the new version will benefit your business?
• Have you created a realistic timeline and budget?

Area of Opportunity: Create an upgrade plan

Take the time to create a comprehensive upgrade plan. This includes setting clear objectives, identifying potential risks, and defining success metrics. Even if it’s not the right time to upgrade entirely, there’s never a bad time to check your system’s components, especially security, which always requires a vigilant eye. 

How to Prepare While You Wait to Upgrade

You’ve cut through the sense of urgency the word “upgrade” creates. And whether it’s too cost-prohibitive for this next budget, the timing is off in general, your plan is undefined, you’ve got a lot of customizations, or your documentation is lacking, you’ve identified signs it’s not the right time for an upgrade. But that doesn’t mean it won’t be later. 

For an even more comprehensive look into getting prepared for an upgrade, take our Upgrade Readiness Assessment.