Hosted by Chandra Wobschall and Paul Houtkooper

Welcome back, JDE Connection listeners! We’re thrilled to bring you Episode #39, where we dive into the topic of de-customization with our special guest, Pete Cotton from IREX Services, LLC. We explore the ins and outs of de-customizing JD Edwards EnterpriseOne with Pete, who provided his company’s systematic approach to reducing the number of customizations.

De-customization: Why It Matters

Pete opened the discussion with a fundamental point: customization is common. Most JD Edwards environments come with layers of customizations built over years to meet specific business needs. As Pete pointed out, it’s rare to encounter a completely vanilla JDE environment. Paul reminded us that, at one time, customization was JD Edwards’ standout feature. However, the very customizations that once made systems agile have now created challenges for those who want to stay current with new releases. In other words, customization, while initially helpful, can weigh you down like an anchor, especially during upgrades.

Step 1: Inventory and Catalog

The first step, Pete explained, is building a detailed catalog of customizations. Whether you’re using Oracle’s Customization Object Analyzer tool or diving into project documentation, having a clear list is essential. For each customization, you want to know its purpose and whether it’s still relevant to your business, some might simply be relics.

Step 2: Retire What You Don’t Need

Once you know what’s in your system, the next step is to identify any customization you can completely eliminate. If the feature has been replaced by Oracle’s official updates, that’s a win! “Go vanilla where you can,” Pete said. If you can retire something, you’re removing one more hurdle from your upgrade path.

Step 3: Replace Customizations with User-Defined Objects (UDOs)

For those customizations you still need, Pete’s approach is to replace them with UDOs wherever possible. UDOs offer the flexibility to tailor your JDE system to your business needs without creating upgrade headaches. For example, form personalization, grid formats, and watchlists can help you achieve the same level of customization without altering core JD Edwards code.

The Power of Orchestrations and Logic Extensions

One of the highlights of our discussion was about orchestration and logic extensions. Pete shared practical examples where orchestration can replace custom event rules in forms, allowing you to keep business processes customized while maintaining code integrity. Logic extensions, he explained, give users powerful ways to build conditions and workflows without diving into core code, making upgrades smoother and faster.

Get Creative with Queries and Notifications

We also covered how saved queries can sometimes replace custom reports. Paul was quick to point out how flexible JD Edwards has become—logic extensions can trigger orchestrations and vice versa, adding layers of automation and alerts that don’t require direct customization of base objects. If you want an alert on a particular form value or a critical change, notifications can be set up to keep your team informed in real time.

Takeaway: Small Wins Add Up

De-customization doesn’t mean stripping away everything you’ve built. It’s about creating a sustainable, upgrade-friendly system by focusing on what’s necessary and achievable. By taking small wins, like replacing field name customizations with form personalizations, you’re already lightening your baggage.

But Wait There’s More!

This is only part 1 of our discussion! We had a great time with Pete breaking down the process into achievable steps—our goal was to leave you with actionable advice. Whether it’s using orchestration to automate, leveraging saved queries, or just taking that first step of cataloging your customizations, there’s something here for everyone. Tune in for part 2 of our conversation to hear even more ideas for replacing customizations, Pete’s future roadmap ideas, and the importance of making the cultural shift to avoid rebuilding your technical debt.

As always, we couldn’t end a show without a Midwesternism and this week we pay tribute to our guest with another phrase used to express exasperation or surprise.

Remember, we want to hear from you! So, please send us your questions, feedback, or ideas for future episodes to us at [email protected].

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

Toodles,

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