Ready or not, the NetSuite 18.2 Release is here! (Update: See the 2019.1 Release here) This latest release brought more upgrades than you could count with new capabilities for companies in manufacturing, retail, professional services, software, and more. What’s not to love? Well, if your team wasn’t ready for it, you may still be catching your breath or singing the NetSuite Release blues right now.

For companies without the right support for their NetSuite solution, regular upgrades can become a hassle. Whether it’s a skills gap or a bandwidth issue, if you don’t have the right support in place, you’re likely scrambling to catch up with all the new features.

Don’t just let a NetSuite Release happen to you ever again. Here’s how you can get ahead of the NetSuite Release Blues today and change your tune for future releases:

Have a Plan

This sounds like a no-brainer, but it’s an often overlooked piece of the puzzle for a variety of reasons.

This goes beyond knowing when the release is happening and what the new features are but also includes who will be managing the release and how. One of the most common fears surrounding ERP upgrades is the disruption it could cause to normal business operations. The more prepared you are, the less likely that is. And don’t forget to make sure everyone is in on the plan. As is so often the case, communication is key to success, so make sure everyone is in the loop before the release goes live.

Take Full Advantage of the NetSuite Preview

NetSuite starts teasing out the new release months in advance. In some cases you can even start previewing new features before the official release (usually six to eight weeks out). These are emails you don’t want to miss. Using this preview to fully test the new features in your system is an important next step in getting ahead of those post-release blues.

Test. Test. Test. (and Test Again)

The release preview should be tested in your release preview account. Having a smooth transition means making the most of that preview period by testing everything. Even if you’re running everything with factory settings (don’t), testing for each and every role is imperative to ensuring a smooth transition when the new release rolls out.

Customizations (and Integrations) Need Extra Love

And if your NetSuite solution is full of customizations and integrations (which is normal) making your ERP work better for your company, testing becomes that much more integral. Simply letting the release “happen” can throw these customizations completely off the rails if you’re not ready, resulting in potentially big issues with respect to how you run your business.

Find a NetSuite Champion

If you’re already working with an outside consultant to manage your NetSuite solution, but still ran into problems with your upgrade, you might have a communication problem. Your partner should be your NetSuite Champion — keeping you in the loop on how they’re managing your cloud ERP solution and sharing insights about streamlining the upgrade process.If they’re not, they’re doing you and your team a disservice, especially when it comes time to plan for the next release. Knowledge sharing is a huge value add; if you’re not getting it, it might be time to find a new support solution.

If this sounds like the same old song to you, it’s time to find a better way. We’d love to help you find the right support system for your team and change the tune of your NetSuite release strategy. Contact us today to start the conversation.

And for a quick skim of what your support options are, check out our NetSuite Support Cheat Sheet. It spells out the capabilities of all the top NetSuite support solutions to help you find the right solution for your company based on what you actually need.

You can get your own copy here and drop us a line here to start the conversation about getting your NetSuite solution the support it needs.