Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper

Hey JDE Connection listeners! We’re back with another episode, but this week things look a little different. With work travel keeping us on opposite schedules, Chandra has the microphone all to herself. That means uninterrupted sentences, the last word, and nobody around to disagree. We’re sure Paul will have plenty to say when he gets back!

Before getting into JD Edwards, we have a little marathon training story to share. A recent 16-mile run around Cherry Creek Reservoir proved that even when we do everything right, things don’t always go as planned. Sometimes we have to walk a few hills, give ourselves a little grace, and keep moving forward. Sound familiar to anyone who’s survived a major JDE implementation?

Should Everyone Have the Keys to the UDO Kingdom?

During our JDE 101 session at INFOCUS, someone asked a question that sparked a little friendly disagreement: Should all users be allowed to create User Defined Objects (UDOs)?

We landed on opposite sides of that discussion. Chandra leaned toward no, while Paul was a bit more enthusiastic about opening things up. Imagine that! The guy leading JD Edwards product development wants everyone using the cool functionality his team builds.

With Paul conveniently absent this week, we have an opportunity to revisit that question without interruption. Although, the more we think about it, the answer might be somewhere in the middle.

A Little Freedom Goes a Long Way

We love giving users tools that make their everyday work easier. Grid formats are a perfect example. Let people rearrange columns, hide unnecessary fields, and personalize their experience. Of course, occasionally someone hides a field and then calls support because it mysteriously disappeared. We have all been there. But as we move into saved queries, form personalizations, CafeOnes, and other UDOs, things get a little more interesting.

How much freedom makes sense? Who understands the business processes well enough to recognize potential consequences? And when does a helpful improvement become an unexpected headache for the CNC team?

We’ve had our own learning experiences in that department, including a CafeOne that attracted a little unwanted attention. Let’s just say those conversations tend to stick with us!

With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility

Yes, we managed to work a Spider-Man reference into a JD Edwards discussion. Paul should appreciate that one. We love the possibilities that orchestrations and logic extensions bring to organizations. Giving technically inclined business analysts and citizen developers opportunities to solve problems opens some exciting doors. But those opportunities also come with responsibility.

A seemingly small change can affect processes and people far beyond the person creating it. That’s why understanding the business matters every bit as much as understanding the technology.

And there’s one practice we’re especially passionate about: building and testing advanced UDOs in lower environments before moving them into production.

Because nobody wants a surprise visit from CNC asking, “What exactly did you do?”

The Debate Isn’t Over

We suspect Paul will have a few counterarguments when he returns, and we’re looking forward to hearing them. Better yet, we’ve got a special guest joining us next week to continue the UDO conversation.

A Little Midwestern Mystery

We’re keeping our Midwest roots alive with another familiar household moment. Sometimes the smallest things can spark a surprisingly entertaining conversation, especially when regional habits enter the picture. We’ll leave the rest for the episode!

Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and most importantly, laughing together.

Toodles!

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