Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper
Hey JDE Connection listeners – Chandra and Paul here!
In this episode, we welcomed Jason Rice, one of the brilliant minds behind JD Edwards’ lifecycle management and update process, to talk about a topic that might not sound glamorous at first – but trust us, it’s a big deal: dependencies.
If you’ve ever wondered why sometimes getting one small fix requires taking a whole bundle of other updates, this episode is for you.
From Horses to Dependencies
We kicked off this episode with our usual Midwestern banter, and this time our saying of the day —“Don’t put the cart before the horse”— ended up being the perfect metaphor. Dependencies, as Jason explained, are all about sequence and relationships. If you try to run before your foundation is in place, things break. Literally.
What Are Dependencies, Really?
Jason took us behind the curtain of JD Edwards development to explain what’s actually happening when you apply fixes or enhancements:
- Every update includes objects that depend on other objects.
- Some of those are logical dependencies—like A calls B, B calls C.
- Others are blind dependencies—where a developer unknowingly calls something that may not exist in your environment. And if those connections aren’t satisfied? You’ll end up with breaks, build errors, or code that simply doesn’t run.
As Jason put it, dependencies are like the chain links holding the product together. They keep the system cohesive, but if you try to skip one, the chain snaps.
Why They’ve Grown Over Time
One of the big insights Jason shared was how the move from major upgrades to continuous delivery changed the landscape. In the old days, we had big releases like 9.0, 9.1, and 9.2—major upgrades that reset dependencies. Now, with continuous code lines, we deliver new features and fixes all the time. That’s great for innovation, but it also means dependencies can grow if you’re not staying current.
If you’re still running a base install from 10 years ago, those updates pile up. But staying current—quarterly, semi-annually, or even annually—keeps things manageable.
Managing Dependencies in Real Life
We talked through how tools like Update Manager and Change Assistant make this process far easier today than it used to be.
- Updates are smaller and faster to deploy.
- Dependencies are tracked automatically.
- Staying current actually reduces the size of what you need to take next time.
As Jason explained, taking a cumulative update is no longer a “five-day, two-year project.” You can download, deploy, and test in a fraction of that time.
Why Customizations Complicate Things
Chandra brought up the elephant in the room: customizations. Many organizations hesitate to stay current because of the effort required to retrofit custom code. Jason’s advice? Take advantage of UDOs, extended forms, and logic extensions to replace traditional modifications. It makes future updates far less painful.
He also shared how tools like Object Usage Tracking can reveal how often those custom objects are actually used—and often, the answer is not much. Cleaning up unused customizations not only simplifies your environment but makes updating smoother.
Staying Current Without Burning Out
We also addressed a common concern from customers: “You’re delivering updates so frequently—how do we keep up?” The answer: you don’t have to take everything the week it’s released. Updates are delivered weekly for flexibility, but most organizations do best with a quarterly or semi-annual cadence.
As Paul put it, “It’s about separating staying current from adoption.” You don’t have to adopt every new feature right away, but keeping your system current ensures those dependencies don’t spiral out of control.
Midwesternism of the Day
This week’s saying couldn’t fit better. Whether you’re updating your system, adopting new features, or analyzing your dependencies—take things in the right order. Do your due diligence, understand what you’re taking, and don’t make assumptions.
Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and laughing together.
Toodles!
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