Guest Blog written by Mike Current, Upgrade Specialist – OnBase at DataBank IMX
So – after months of planning your OnBase Upgrade renovation project, requesting project funding, attending project meetings, making test plans, executing test plans, troubleshooting reported issues, and rolling out new clients – the final coats of paint have been applied, and you’re now enjoying your shiny, new version of OnBase!
**insert celebration dance here**
A finished upgrade project is definitely a reason to celebrate, especially if you were suffering on an outdated version. But don’t trade in your OnBase hard hat for a party hat for too long!
Record your recent OnBase upgrade project
Don’t let the dust settle on your OnBase upgrade project without documenting it. While it’s still fresh in everyone’s memory, record your planning and testing and keep it as a reference for your next upgrade.
The first thing to do is schedule an internal “lessons learned” retrospective for all the people who worked on the project. Include OnBase support, IT, business users, and stakeholders. Set an agenda for an hour-long discussion on what worked, what didn’t work, and what could be done better.
Next, carefully compile your Test Plan from all your individual Test Cases. Add or refine any scenarios you may have missed so your testing continues to improve.
Plan your next upgrade window
DataBank and Hyland, makers of OnBase, recommend upgrading your OnBase solution every two years. There are circumstances where this recommendation may not be feasible, but if possible, make it your goal.
Work with your internal stakeholders now to set an objective. Sticking to a schedule every two years allows you to actually budget for an Upgrade since you can earmark the next project for a predetermined fiscal period.
It also allows your team to form tribal knowledge around the upgrade since the project is being done on a regular basis. Preparing and executing the project becomes much easier when your team is comfortable with the cadence.
Finally, upgrading regularly and as close as possible to the recommended every two years ensures that server compatibility should remain between now and your next upgrade, lessening the need for added server migration projects.
Keep OnBase in step with your IT Roadmap
Technology moves fast. What is now modern quickly becomes dated, then obsolete.
Microsoft Server 2003 is as dated as the pastel colors, chrome Formica tables, and linoleum flooring from the 1950s.
Microsoft Server 2008 – whose support will reach end of life in January 2020 – is like the shag carpeting, wood paneling, and indoor ferns from the 1970s.
But these old technologies don’t just look dated; they are unable to keep up with the needs of modern solutions and are more vulnerable to security risks. Unlike in the world of home design, once a technology is dated, it’s never coming back. Make sure you work with IT to ensure you’re always planning your OnBase servers and end-user workstation compatibility with the future in mind.
Remember the analogy we’ve used in this series? Your OnBase system is a home, and upgrades are the home renovations. To continue to build value on your investment and prepare for the future, improve your next upgrade by learning from your most recent one, leverage regular OnBase Upgrades at least every two years, and keep OnBase in the conversation as you plan your IT strategy.
5 reasons to upgrade|Planning for an upgrade|What to expect in an upgrade |Keeping It in Check During the Final Stages| Wrapping up your upgrade
