Guest Blog written by Mike Current, Upgrade Specialist – OnBase at DataBank IMX
With every fresh year comes new opportunities, new ways to innovate, and new challenges to overcome. The same is true with every new version of OnBase. As we rise up to meet the new year’s challenges, our solutions must continue to evolve as well.
There are abundant reasons to regularly upgrade OnBase, but here are the top five reasons you should consider making an upgrade project a priority this year.
1. Windows 10 Fall Creator’s Update
If you haven’t had the discussion yet with your IT department, you will soon: according to reports, over half of all PCs worldwide are now on Fall Creators Update. Windows 10 adoption, in general, continues to skyrocket.
Why Windows 10? Creators Update and beyond have focused on security enhancements, primarily tailored for enterprises and IT administrators. The only version of OnBase that supports Fall Creators Update is OnBase 17. So if you don’t have the latest version of OnBase, your users can’t have the latest version of Windows. It’s that simple.
2. It’s been too long since you’ve upgraded
A few years ago, I suffered a rotator cuff injury.
If I would have accepted the injury, stopped exercising the shoulder and went straight to physical therapy, I’m told I would have saved myself a lot of pain. Instead, I ignored the pain, kept working out, prolonged the injury and made the treatment more painful than it had to be. Instead of a week or two of physical therapy, I had to go for months. If I’d have waited much longer, I probably would have needed surgery.
The same may be true if you haven’t upgraded for more than a few years. Older software stays on older servers with older operating systems. You may end up paying more for software and hardware maintenance, and in time integrations will reach their end of life.
The longer you let things go and accept the status quo, the more difficult and daunting your next upgrade will be. Continuing to delay will only cause more pain in the long run.
3. The ability to innovate and expand your OnBase solution
Raise your hand if:
- Your users have smartphones
- Your users travel or need access to OnBase on the go
- Your OnBase solution integrates with SharePoint, Office, SAP, ICAP or ESRI
- You use the Unity Client, WorkView or Workflow
I’m pretty sure we’ve all got our hands raised by now.
The point is, even if your OnBase solution is just one or two versions back, you may be missing out on several new enhancements that could benefit users. With OnBase 18 coming later this year, the number of benefits will only increase.
4. Security concerns
It seems like almost every week, another organization falls victim to a major security breach. Keeping your OnBase solution current is the best way to protect your organization’s data – at rest, in transit, and in use.
OnBase 17 has over 300 more security fixes and enhancements than OnBase 16, 800 more than OnBase 15, and nearly 1,000 more than OnBase 14. Since OnBase 14, OnBase R&D have had extensive Microsoft SDLC training, annual “Security Week” events, added a security team and implemented security champions and regular vulnerability reviews on every development project.
5. If you aren’t moving forward, you may fall behind
If you did not upgrade in 2017, and you miss the opportunity to upgrade in 2018, you’re going to be making things more difficult for your future self in 2019 – particularly if your organization is in a competitive space.
In today’s world, it is essential to keep pace with technology to keep your solutions relevant. This means operating systems, internet browsers, and application suites. It is important to adapt to the ever-changing world of technology to keep up with modern business.
OnBase 17 includes a new user experience with a modern look and feel. As the average user adapts to a more technological lifestyle, their expectations grow when it comes to user interfaces. Employees are looking for additional ways to be more versatile and efficient when it comes to work. So it’s up to the employers to facilitate a mobile user base and sometimes a remote workforce.
Plan your upgrade with purpose
If you feel like it’s been such a long time since you’ve upgraded that you wouldn’t know where to start, don’t let that hold you back! Start the conversation with your Account Manager or support today, and we’ll get you the necessary information to take that next step. Also keep an eye out for my next blog, on How to Start Planning an Upgrade Project.
Remember, the objective of an OnBase upgrade project isn’t the upgrade itself – the real objective is to improve your organization’s readiness for today’s challenges and strategically align yourself to face tomorrow’s. 2019 will be here before we know it, so make the best use of your time and budget this new year.
