Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper
Hey JDE Connection listeners, Chandra and Paul here! We’re back for the third and final part of our FDA for BAs series, where we keep peeling back the layers of Form Design Aid (FDA). Arguably one of JD Edwards’ most underrated tools for curious Business Analysts.
In the first two episodes, we showed how Business Analysts can use FDA to trace where data goes when an application updates a record, and then how to see where data comes from when an application loads information on-screen. This time, we looked at how to take that understanding further, using FDA not just to analyze, but to problem-solve, reverse-engineer, and learn.
When Curiosity Meets Complexity
The conversation kicked off with Chandra sharing her attempt at applying the techniques we’d used before to trace data backward from what’s displayed in an application to the table or calculation behind it. To test the theory, she decided to start big (as usual) with one of JDE’s most complex programs: Job Status Inquiry. And if you’ve ever worked with that application, you know, it’s a monster. Columns are user-defined, formulas are configurable, and the data that appears depends on how your system is set up. As Paul pointed out, it’s a brilliant piece of engineering but nearly impossible to untangle if you skip straight to the end of the logic. In this case, we learned that not every question has a shortcut. Sometimes you have to “walk through the front door” and follow the setup step-by-step before the data makes sense.
A Simpler Case: Contract Billing Inquiry
To prove the approach could still work, Chandra switched gears and opened Contract Billing Line Inquiry (P5222), a program with a few intriguing data fields like Retainage Amount Prior and Retainage Amount to Date.
Using FDA, she started digging:
- Columns marked with a turquoise triangle? That meant they came directly from a business view.
- Columns with a yellow corner? Those were data dictionary items populated through calculations or additional fetches.
In this case, FDA revealed exactly what was happening: some fields pulled straight from table F4822, while others were calculated on the fly. By printing and searching the event rules, we could see how values were derived and then verify the math directly in the application.
As Chandra put it, “Trust, but verify.”
Why This Matters
We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: you don’t have to be a developer to understand how JD Edwards works.
With a little curiosity, FDA lets Business Analysts:
- Trace data flow from screen to table and back
- Troubleshoot when values don’t match expectations
- Reverse-engineer old logic or forgotten customizations
- Communicate more effectively with developers
Paul summed it up nicely: “The ability to reverse-engineer is a powerful skillset. You don’t need to change anything, you just need to know where and how to look.”
What’s Next
This series has focused on FDA, but we’re not stopping there. Next, we’ll start exploring Report Design Aid (RDA), another tool that often gets overlooked but can reveal a lot about how reports are built and where they pull data from.
We also touched on how AI tools are beginning to make reverse-engineering even easier – helping teams visualize logic, explain dependencies, and understand customizations faster than ever before.
So, whether you’re learning FDA, RDA, or new AI-powered assistants, the goal remains the same: give BAs the tools to understand their systems better, solve problems faster, and help their business end-users get their job done more efficiently and effectively.
A Sweet Ending
Before wrapping up, we kept with our holiday theme. This time with a classic treat made from cereal, chocolate, and peanut butter that tends to disappear faster than documentation after a go-live. Let’s just say it’s the kind of dessert that requires stretchy pants and no regrets.
Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and laughing together.
Toodles!
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