While there are many benefits to upgrading an existing Enterprise ERP suite, many companies are still hesitant to jump into the deep end. Upgrades are seen as time consuming, expensive and labor intensive. Using a partner for an upgrade is a great solution to these real concerns. In the end, a properly executed upgrade initiative to improve and update ERP systems can have far-reaching benefits, providing enterprises with improved productivity, greater streamlining, and more robust capabilities. So it is crucial to examine your current JD Edwards solution and make sure it is the best it can be. Ask yourself if you are taking advantage of all of the business benefits available to you, or if it is time to upgrade. And do you want to go this tricky transition alone, or are you looking for an MSP partner to help smooth out the rough edges?

There are many business benefits of upgrading your JD Edwards EnterpriseOne applications and tools; the main ones are cost reduction, increased efficiency during the project and shorter project duration. No matter if your industry is healthcare, financial services, retail, manufacturing or distribution--we, as an MSP, have seen these benefits time and time again. Knowing how to plan, what to look out for, and having realistic expectations is key.

Cost Reduction

Business applications need to be upgraded over time, or else you will end up spending more money on maintenance than you would have spent on just doing the upgrade. They are like cars in that way, and it is an apt metaphor. Do your scheduled maintenance, replace worn tires, etc., and you will save money on costly repairs down the line. You can also save money by having a partner, like an MSP, whose experience enables them to avoid known pitfalls. By hiring an MSP, you can avoid overburdening current staff or hiring more, making it a cost-saving method of beefing up capabilities before the advantages of the change are fully realized.

Increased Efficiency During the Project

We get it. Upgrading can be a pain. And intimidating. It can muck up daily operations, increase workload for systems and staff, and it can mess with morale (a hard to define, but no less important grey area). But partnering with an MSP during an EnterpriseOne Upgrade doesn’t have to be like that. An MSP can help you plan carefully, cover all eventualities, and come up with a project that is perfect for your organization and needs. Since no two organizations handle their infrastructure the same way, solutions for upgrades and continued productivity should be personalized by a team that has experience with every cloud computing iteration under the sun. An MSP that partners with existing IT staff provides the perfect mix of experience and deep knowledge. And for a small to mid-sized company, where IT resources run to a more generalist approach, this is a way to get specialized help without bringing on specialized staff that is only intermittently needed.

Shorter Project Duration

Once you’re ready to do the upgrade, you’ll want it over as quickly as possible so you can start reaping the benefits of your new capabilities and get your business operations back to (better than) normal. The best way to assure the project is on time and under budget is by working with an MSP. As this process can be complicated, working with seasoned professionals with experience doing hundreds of upgrades makes sense. Making the process as quick and painless as possible is the goal of any MSP partner. 

An upgrade is a fact of life; technology moves on and improves and business is pulled along with it. But an upgrade should not be synonymous with the pain of a root canal. Let a partnership with an MSP ease the journey to better functionality, cost benefits and increased productivity.