JDE Release 24 is everything because it’s something Oracle can use to send easy-to-understand messages to the market. On a basic level, a new release signals to the installed base that Oracle continues to invest in JD Edwards EnterpriseOne.
At the same time, it’s nothing, because of continuous delivery. Let me explain.
While a release represents a virtual landmark in the evolution of the software, it has less relevance to a business that continuously invests in E1. I say this because what’s important is the codebase itself. With continuous delivery the codebase is evolving all the time. It is this evolution that allows companies to continuously innovate and to ensure E1 remains at the heart of their digital enterprise.
This is only possible if companies are running projects where E1 is integrated and helps to deliver business improvement. Projects might, for example, augment the customer experience, increase the resilience of the supply chain, enhance the quality of manufacture, or automate an oft repeated and laborious internal process.
Most businesses will have a long list of projects they would like to see delivered. However, because E1 is likely to be a cornerstone application within a complex and varied digital landscape, it is important to make sure E1 doesn’t become a barrier to change. Enterprise applications work best when they are fully integrated, if outdated versions of software preserve data siloes and limit potential gains, they become inhibitors rather than enablers. This is one of the strongest arguments for getting and staying code current.
Having said this, it would be remiss of me not to mention how E1 is evolving. Oracle is continually investing in new features and functionality, with more value being added with every release. Of course, you don’t need to wait for a major release to take advantage of new features, you simply need to keep an eye on the regular comms coming out of Oracle. Here are two resources you may find useful:
Whether you find inspiration in the details of how Oracle is evolving E1, or not, there is a good chance that its trajectory will reflect technology trends and predictions that business leaders are reading about from analyst groups like Everest, Forrester, Gartner, IDC, etc.
The digital landscape is constantly changing, with new technologies (and risks) emerging. With premier support for JDE E1 extended to at least 2034, this means that the security of the application is constantly under review and is being improved as the codebase evolves. From a purely technical perspective (or from a Tools Release perspective in old JDE-speak) this means that getting current and staying code current isn’t just optional, it’s imperative..
If getting current and staying current is everything, but JDE Release 24 is nothing, what are you supposed to do?
- Recognize that keeping E1 viable within your enterprise application portfolio is all about the code
- Make getting code-current part of at least one E1 project every year
- Get in the habit of updating applications and tools at the same time
If you want to learn more about timing of code-current projects, and how you might make any project a code-current change event, you might want to read Lee Balsom’s blog, “‘Tis the season to be code-current?”
If you want to better understand your modified E1 codebase, and what it will take to keep that current, please do not hesitate to contact us.
