Becoming a successful Business Analyst (BA) in the JD Edwards (JDE) world requires more than just functional knowledge — it’s about mastering navigation, understanding core objects, and developing the skills to connect end users with the right solutions. At INFOCUS 2025, Linda Sloan-Compton, IT Support Supervisor for Pinal County and President of the Quest Business Analyst SIG, shared her decades of experience with new and aspiring BAs. Her session, Business Analyst 101, offered practical tools, terminology, and insights designed to guide professionals from beginner to advanced levels.

A Career Built on JD Edwards

Sloan-Compton’s journey is a story many in the JDE community can relate to. She began nearly 30 years ago as an accounts payable clerk and steadily grew into a subject matter expert, eventually leading major upgrades and implementations. Today, she supports JDE EnterpriseOne 9.2, payroll, procurement, HR, benefits, and financial modules while mentoring new analysts. This career progression underscores a central message of her session: strong business analysis skills are built over time, through both technical understanding and hands-on problem solving.

Navigating JD Edwards: Tools Every BA Should Know

One of the first areas Sloan-Compton covered was system navigation—a seemingly simple skill that forms the backbone of productivity. She highlighted features like:

• Fast Path & Task Search – Accelerates access to applications, reports, and business views without drilling through menus.
• Favorites & Watchlists – Personalization tools that allow BAs to quickly access frequently used applications or track critical data points.
• Breadcrumbs & Preferences – Features that streamline navigation and help users avoid unnecessary work orders caused by “missing” options.

For BAs, knowing how to configure and guide others through these tools isn’t just about efficiency—it’s about enabling smoother workflows across the organization.

Understanding Object Types and Data Structures

Sloan-Compton emphasized the importance of knowing object types in JDE:

• P (Programs/Applications) – Interactive screens where transactions occur.
• R (Reports/UBEs) – Batch applications for reporting or updates.
• F (Files/Tables) – The data structures behind the system.
• BV (Business Views) – Views that define how tables interact.

She also underscored the value of cross-reference tools and the Data Browser, which help BAs understand where specific fields are used across applications, tables, and reports. These insights are crucial for troubleshooting, building orchestrations, and supporting end-user requests.

Tips and Tricks from the Field

Drawing on her public sector experience, Sloan-Compton offered practical advice for handling common challenges:

• Object Reservations – Build orchestrations to automatically clear locked records, reducing help desk calls.
• Security Role Awareness – BAs may not assign security but must understand roles to effectively troubleshoot.
• Work Center Utilization – A vital tool for tracking job statuses, troubleshooting errors, and accessing workflow notifications.

These small but powerful tactics can save countless hours for both analysts and their end users.

Resources for Continued Learning

Sloan-Compton closed with a reminder that no BA learns in isolation. She encouraged leveraging:

• Quest Oracle Community – SIGs, forums, and recorded sessions.
• LearnJDE – Oracle’s official resource for technical catalogs and process documentation.
• Podcasts like JDE Connection – Real-world insights from practitioners.
• Regional user groups – Local networking and peer-to-peer support.

By tapping into these communities, BAs can stay sharp, connected, and equipped to handle evolving JDE challenges.

Takeaway: A BA’s Role is Part Navigator, Part Problem-Solver

The Business Analyst 101 session reinforced that business analysts are more than system guides—they’re bridges between technical teams and end users. From mastering navigation shortcuts to understanding the deep structure of JDE, BAs who continually expand their toolkit create lasting value for their organizations.

Want more?

Explore more content and resources to help you get the most from your JD Edwards investment:

• Be sure to check out the INFOCUS 2025 Event Hub (coming soon) for presentation slides – available exclusively to Quest members.
• Explore the JD Edwards Orchestrator Strategic Content Center for more Quest-exclusive resources.
• Visit the Quest Learn Library for blogs, how-to demos, and on-demand sessions.
• Connect with peers in one of our Quest JD Edwards Community User Groups to swap stories, ask questions, and share tips with other users facing the same challenges.

Not a Quest member yet? Join today and tap into the ultimate Oracle customer network.