Guest Blog written by Mike Current, Upgrade Specialist – OnBase at DataBank IMX
So you’ve decided to upgrade your OnBase system. Great! A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step, so the saying goes. But knowing everything that’s involved in an upgrade project, deciding the first few steps can feel overwhelming.
Most organizations deal with OnBase upgrade projects once every 2-3 years. Because of that, you’re not expected to be an OnBase upgrade expert. This is one of the many reasons we’re bringing you this series so you can have a quick resource to help guide you through an upgrade. On top of these resources, bringing on an upgrade expert to help evangelize the small but necessary steps will help you avoid the common pitfalls that people who don’t upgrade every day may not see coming.
So let’s get started!
Much like building a house, there are multiple steps and processes that need to take place ahead of time before you can even begin fixing it up. Hence, the pre-upgrade checklist! Use this guide to help bridge the gap between deciding to upgrade and the upgrade project itself. (You can also download a PDF of this checklist here!)
1. Get approved to start an upgrade – That is, assuming you’re not the decider yourself. If you want an upgrade but don’t know how to prove its value, skip to #2 and we can help drive that conversation!
2. Reach out to your account manager – They can guide you through the next steps and get the ball rolling, no matter what range of involvement you’re looking for, from simply checking upgrade readiness all the way to full ownership of the project.
3. Review Third Party Compatibility page – There’s nothing worse than getting halfway through an upgrade, only to realize one of your applications has compatibility issues. Measure twice, cut once! Log in to OnBase Community to access the Third Party Compatibility chart here.
4. Get to know your upgrade options – Check out our webinar from 2017 to see the different upgrade project options and find the one best-suited for your organization.
5. Make sure your test system is up to date – If it’s not, we can also help with that.
6. Identify your test plan – Testing random functionality isn’t a great use of your time; prioritize areas of need and areas of complexity.
7. Identify your solution experts for testing – OnBase upgrade testing works best when it’s being tested by end users who use the software every day. Ask for volunteers, but bribing them with doughnuts or cookies can work, too.
8. Prepare for a configuration freeze – While the upgrade project is going on, it’s best to pause all major configuration changes. This doesn’t include adding users, doc types, keywords, etc. but it would include changing workflows, security settings, or password policies. Plan this freeze until the upgrade project is complete.
Don’t hesitate to take care of these pre-upgrade steps, but do take the time to give each step careful consideration. Doing so will get your journey started on the right foot, and will give you the positive momentum needed to start your best upgrade project yet.
Up next in this series? What to expect when you begin your OnBase upgrade! We’ll also link each post in the series at the bottom of the blog so you can follow along from start to finish.
5 reasons to upgrade | Planning for an upgrade | What to expect in an upgrade
