Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper

Hello JDE Connection listeners, and welcome back to another exciting episode with your hosts Chandra Wobschall, Senior Business Analyst at Brightview Landscapes, and Paul Houtkooper, Vice President of JD Edwards Product Development at Oracle. In this episode, we are thrilled to chat with Shannon Alred, ERP Special Project Manager at Brown and Root.

Shannon’s Journey and Brown and Root’s Growth

Shannon kicked off the conversation by sharing a bit about herself and Brown and Root. She introduced us to Brown and Root construction company that has seen substantial growth in the past seven years. Brown and Root started on JD Edwards 8.0, upgraded to 9.2 in 2021, and recently upgraded to Release 24. Shannon has overseen these projects while juggling multiple hats, including being the Business Analyst for Billing and Job Cost. We suspect Shannon’s experience resonates with many of our listeners.

The Conference Game Changer

Shannon’s initial conference experience was a virtual one in 2020, transitioning to in-person at BLUEPRINT4D in Vegas three years ago. Despite attending alone, she found the experience transformative. Initially terrified, she found herself engaging in sessions, asking critical questions, and discovering the immense value of conferences in building partnerships and learning practical solutions.

Finding Low-Hanging Fruit

Wondering how to get buy-in from leadership for adopting untapped technology in your ERP, Shannon emphasizes the importance of finding low-hanging fruit to demonstrate ROI. For instance, a simple orchestration streamlined the invoice printing process, significantly reducing manual effort and gaining leadership’s support for further technological initiatives. Her advice: find small, impactful projects that resonate with leadership to gain their buy-in.

Leveraging Composed Pages for Efficiency

Shannon also highlighted the use of composed pages for training and once-a-year processes. By providing step-by-step guides, she simplified complex processes for users, saving time and reducing errors. This innovative approach exemplifies how small changes can lead to significant improvements in user experience and efficiency.

Networking and Continuous Learning

Attending Quest conferences has also expanded Shannon’s network. She stressed the value of Quest SIG groups and how connecting with peers and Oracle representatives provides a support system for solving problems and advancing projects. Conferences are not just about sessions; they are about building relationships and finding resources that help navigate challenges.

Finding Commonality Across Use Cases

Shannon’s approach to learning involves applying session concepts to her specific business needs, even if the session topic doesn’t directly align with her day-to-day operations. This adaptability allows her to leverage new technologies and methodologies to enhance Brown and Root’s processes.

Midwesternism of the Day

This week the Minnesota State Fair has finally published their list of Specialty Sips debuting this year. We review the list and share our favorites as we map out our plan of attack. With 63 brand new brews and beverages premiering this year, there is no shortage of slushies, seltzers, or ciders to pick from.

Thank you for joining us in this insightful conversation. We hope Shannon’s experiences inspire you to explore new possibilities and leverage conferences for your organization’s success. Tune in next time for the conclusion of our conversation.

Don’t forget Early Bird Registration for INFOCUS 2024 in Denver, Colorado, closes Monday, August 19th.

For any questions, concerns, or feedback on this episode, or if you have ideas for future episodes, please reach out to us at [email protected]. Until next time, let’s keep learning, sharing, and most importantly, laughing together.

Toodles!

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