Your ERP is the systematic backbone of your company, and it is important to get the most value you can from your investment. New releases and versions of Infor VISUAL contain enhanced functionality that can make your company run more efficiently. In addition, Infor VISUAL upgrades allow you to take advantage of new versions of underlying technology, like Windows, server operating systems, and database platforms. Having a regular cadence of upgrading keeps you current and up to date with all the latest technology and reduces your risk of falling behind with an unsupported version of your ERP.
At Visual South, we have been performing Infor VISUAL upgrades for clients for over 30 years. And in those years, we have refined the upgrade process to a simple and straight forward process as possible, ensuring you can get your organization upgraded to the latest version with limited business interruptions.
Prior to providing an estimate of the time needed to upgrade, we always gather as much information as possible about your environment, as every customer’s situation is different. We typically direct our customers to our online upgrade form as this allows use to learn more about your current version of VISUAL and databases. Once customers complete the form, it is automatically sent to our technical team to review and is used to create an estimate. Our team will collaborate with the customer to refine the estimate and ensure it covers all needs and expectations for the Infor VISUAL upgrade. Once the estimate is agreed to, we launch the methodology and steps listed below:
The pre-conversion step is when our consultants acquire a copy of our customer’s database, and then upgrade it in our own environment. This is performed so our consultants can prove that the database can be upgraded and validate the process for doing so. This process will be used again in the actual conversion step.
After the pre-conversion is complete, we typically install the upgraded database into a test environment for our customer — we’re testing the database to ensure it is functioning the way we expect it to. Our customers can do this on their own, with our assistance, or with us fully managing the testing process. The goal is to discover as many issues and validate as many processes as possible prior to going live.
Next, we provide training on the new version of the software that’s tailored to the customer’s individual situation. Or, more specifically, we introduce the customer to the new functionality, so they can take advantage of it. In some cases, there is turnover, and the Infor VISUAL upgrade is a good time to address any new training needs that come about as a result of the decision to upgrade. Upgrade training usually involves remote walkthroughs of all new or changed features, as well as creating work instructions for these new abilities and features. This also helps to ensure our customers experience the system upgrades under our expertise.
Once testing and training are complete, we schedule the actual conversion. This typically takes place over a weekend, but in some cases, customers are able to accommodate this on a weekday if they are shut down or it’s a holiday, etc. Basically, we take what we have developed from the pre-conversion, along with anything uncovered from the testing phase, and perform the actual conversion in the production environment.
We provide go-live support, either remote or on-site, depending on customer needs, for our customers after the Infor VISUAL upgrade. This is to ensure everything goes smoothly, and there are resources available to address any issue that pops up as a result of the upgrade. We want our users to be happy.
Related: Read our VISUAL (formerly known as VISUAL Manufacturing) review
An Infor VISUAL upgrade is a “non-event,” meaning there are typically very few issues, and the process is smooth, simple, and straightforward, thanks to the methodology we have developed over the 30 years we have been doing this. If you are considering upgrading to Version 10 or the new Version 11 (expected in Q4 2024), reach out to your Visual South account manager or visit our Infor VISUAL upgrade page.
Also, if you are upgrading from a version older then VISUAL Version 9, you will be introduced to Shop Floor Mobile. Check out our Shop Floor Mobile page to learn more. Shop Floor Mobile can be licensed to customers running VISUAL Versions 9 or higher.