As digital transformation has accelerated across the corporate landscape and organizations race to the cloud, a significant skills gap has emerged in its wake. That rate of innovation has left many struggling to find qualified, expert resources for managing their cloud-based ERP systems including JD Edwards (JDE), along with leveraging the unique automation, machine learning, scalability, disaster recovery, etc. opportunities that come with it.

And while the opportunity to move to the cloud has simplified countless JD Edwards processes through automation, particularly with the JDE 9.2 upgrade, JDE does not yet run itself.  So this rapid change has made it more challenging than ever for many businesses to maintain the support and expertise needed for such initiatives as version upgrades, cloud migrations, implementing enhancements (i.e. UX One, Orchestrator, etc.). 

You likely have a JDE support solution already in place,  but are you certain it’s the right fit for your organization? With numerous support options and a small pool of true JDE experts (relative to re-architecting, optimizing, etc.), it can be extremely confusing and frustrating to find the best and most qualified support solution for your business. 

That’s why we’ve created a Definitive Guide to JD Edwards ERP Support to help organizations see the big picture when it comes to available support options for their JDE ERP solution. This guide walks you through top solutions, the pros and cons, and common business cases to help guide you to the right solution for your business and JDE solution. Below you’ll find a preview of some of the support choices outlined in the guide to get you started (download the full resource here): 

In-House IT

An internal IT team member(s) tasked with managing a company’s JD Edwards environment in the cloud works best for organizations that currently have an in-house admin and a strong company-wide understanding of JDE functionalities. In some cases, it may be their primary focus, but it’s frequently one of many tasks they’re responsible for. Many businesses have only fractional requirements for certain JDE support roles and therefore do not truly need a full-time employee with that level of specific expertise (i.e. the ROI just isn’t there).

Consultants (Independent or Agency)

Many businesses don’t require or have the resources to justify full-time support for their ERP solution. In these instances, working with a consultancy, either an independent contractor or consulting agency, can give a business a go-to resource for the times they do need support. When working with JD Edwards in the Cloud, a consultant relationship is best for organizations that need support solely with deadline-driven project initiatives, such as adding a new business unit, adding a new module, or a system integration versus ongoing support of a deployment. Organizations with strong internal project management experience can do well under this model.

Learn more about the pros and cons of each in our complete Definitive Guide.

Managed Services

Managed Services is a great choice for businesses that want their internal IT team to spend time focusing on strategic initiatives, because the MSP can take care of the more tactical. To make sure you’re keeping your JD Edwards cloud solution running smoothly, there is a level of daily admin that is required beyond just standard support. A JD Edwards managed services partner can provide your organization with a full team of JD Edwards cloud experts with 24/7/365 availability to manage, integrate, and optimize your JDE ERP system.

How to Find the Right JDE Support Solution for Your Business Needs

Of course, finding the right solution for your JDE environment isn’t as simple as deciding between three different options. Often times, the best support option is a combination of two or more, depending on your situation. At the end of the day, your business’ support needs are as unique as your business. 

We’d love to learn more about what support challenges your organization faces and how ManageForce might be able to help. Send us a note here to schedule a call, and take a closer look at the Definitive Guide to JDE ERP Support here for more details on available support options.