The JD Edwards Advisor

A few weeks ago, I posted an article about a tool I’ve created that makes it easier for EnterpriseOne and World users to balance their general ledger (GL) against perpetual inventory. I also posted a screen shot of the solution, which all of us at Andrews Consulting Group call RapidReconciler. The problem is, that screen shot is now obsolete! I’ve just completed work on a new interface for RapidReconciler that is much easier to use. Today, I’m going to share parts of that interface with you. I welcome any questions or feedback you might have about what I’ve done.

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A couple of weeks ago, someone asked me, “We are upgrading to EnterpriseOne from World and have some programs that run on our AS/400 to extract data. Is there a way for us to call these programs from EnterpriseOne?” Upon hearing this question, I just smiled and thought, “Sure you can do that.” In fact, it is easier than most people would think. Just use the business function in EnterpriseOne called Execute External Program. This function lets developers call a program external to EnterpriseOne from within the EnterpriseOne architecture.

Sound difficult? It’s not, and here’s a step-by-step way to do it. I encourage you to try it.

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If you went to Collaborate last week, chances are good that you heard an Oracle executive mention some recent management changes within the company’s Applications Group. While the changes were subtle, they could influence the course of JD Edwards applications in ways that are difficult to foresee at this point. That makes the changes important enough for us to watch Oracle closely and see if it behaves differently in the coming months.

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Earlier this month, I posted an article to the JD Edwards Advisor entitled “What is High Availability for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne?” At the end of the article, I promised that I would post a full slide deck on EnterpriseOne high availability options after I presented the slides at Collaborate. Now that Collaborate is over, I’m keeping my promise. Here is the full deck for your thoughtful review. (Please be patient…this is a big file!)

As you will see from the slide deck, I discuss many of the issues that an EnterpriseOne shop must consider if it wants to ensure application availability. Besides defining what high availability for EnterpriseOne is, the slides cover the following topics.

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After months of waiting, JD Edwards World users can celebrate an important milestone in the transformation of their applications. This morning, World General Manager John Schiff officially unwrapped World A9.1, a new version of the enterprise application suite, to a packed room of customers. World A9.1 features about 1,300 enhancements in three major categories.

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Ever since Oracle announced its Applications Unlimited strategy last year, it has made it clear that it plans to enhance JD Edwards EnterpriseOne and World for years to come. However, the vendor has been less clear about the specific enhancements it will make to the applications and the timelines for those enhancements. That appears to be changing, as Oracle executives are becoming increasingly open with us about their product road map through the rest of this decade. What they are saying leads us to conclude that EnterpriseOne will continue to be a viable solution well beyond 2010. That should reassure current users who are concerned about the impact that Oracle’s Fusion Applications will have on their software.

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Will you be at Collaborate next week? A bunch of us from Andrews Consulting Group (ACG) and Global Systems Integration (GSI) will be. Besides roaming the floors like everyone else, we will be hosting two booths on the exhibit floor and making several presentations. Here’s a quick rundown on what we are doing and where you can find us.

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Earlier today, IBM executives stepped up to microphones in San Francisco and Boston to announce a big change in how IBM packages and prices its System i, the heir to the venerable AS/400. The company unveiled System i Express, new models whose prices are based entirely on the number of users they support instead of IBM’s arcane system of “interactive” and “batch” performance ratings. More importantly, the per user prices for these models make them potent competitors to Microsoft Windows servers. In addition, IBM made other announcements that significantly reduce the price of running enterprise applications on the System i.

I am not going to dive into the details of the System i Express announcement here, as I have already done so in an article about the new models in MC eServer Insight. (I would encourage you to read that article, which should be posted by now.) However, I am going to discuss the implications of IBM’s latest announcements for JD Edwards customers. And trust me…the implications are significant. Here are the key points you need to understand.

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At the end of every month, the blood pressure of thousands of JD Edwards professionals rises several points. Why? Many times, it’s because their CFOs are pounding the table asking why they can’t balance their general ledger (GL) against perpetual inventory.

Several years ago, I looked at the inventory reconciliation headache and started asking questions. Why does a process that should take a few days end up taking several weeks? And why are the integrity reports in World and EnterpriseOne so inadequate to the task? Those questions led me to develop a solution to the problem. I’m going to talk about that solution at Collaborate ’07. If you’re going, I invite you to see me. I’ll be presenting on Thursday at 9:45AM at Session 23770. I’ll also be at the Andrews Consulting Group/GSI Booth 718 in the exhibit hall if you want to talk.

If you are not going to Collaborate, keep reading. I’ll give you a high-level overview of the solution.

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During the challenging period from 2003 to 2005, our studies of the JD Edwards user base indicate that the EnterpriseOne product line was losing more accounts than it was winning. Today, however, EnterpriseOne is experiencing a modest yet significant reversal. Based on discussions with sources inside and outside of Oracle, Andrews Consulting Group concludes that EnterpriseOne is once again experiencing a net gain in customers. Moreover, existing customers are stepping up their investments in the software as well. Interestingly, much of the new account growth is coming from emerging economies and from companies that are smaller than typical customers.

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If you are on the verge of purchasing a server to support your World or EnterpriseOne applications, I have a one-word suggestion for you…WAIT!

Why am I saying this? If I told you now, IBM would have to kill me. So in the interest of self-preservation, let me simply say that Big Blue will make an announcement next week that will affect a lot of server purchase decisions among JD Edwards users. When that happens, I will post further information on this site. I will also point you to a column I am writing for MC Press Online that will provide further details on the announcement.

Feeling intrigued? That’s good. This is one announcement you will want to know about before you write your next check for a server.

In today’s global marketplace, just one hour of unplanned downtime could cost your company hundreds of thousands of dollars. That’s why chances are good that you are being asked to ensure the availability of your EnterpriseOne applications. So where do you start? In this post, I’ll lay down some basic definitions you can work from to start developing your high availability strategy. For more help, just email me at kherrig@gsi-solutions.com or see me at Collaborate ’07. I’ll be presenting on this topic at Session 20710 and representing Global Systems Integration (GSI) at Booth 718.

Let’s Get Started!

What is “high availability” with regards to EnterpriseOne? Well, everyone’s definition of “high” is different, so we should really refer to it as, “HIGHER Availability.” But for the purposes of this blog, the upcoming presentation, and familiarity, we will go with “high availability.” That being said, what is “High Availability for JD Edwards EnterpriseOne?”

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