Looking for best practice in deploying customizations

I would advise against preventing personalization.

Unless you really want or need to micromanage people's interfaces, I recommend letting them do as they wish.
Just keep them aware that any changes to the form will erase their personalizations and show them how to save them to be restored.
I was completely up front with the users when we went live with 8: we make no attempt to save your personalizations, you make them at your own peril. They are lost when we modify a form, but we will give you plenty of notice so you can save you personalizations, and I wrote up instructions on how to save them and restore them.
if they call and say their personalizations are lost, I ask did you save them and if they reply no, then I say, sorry, redo them. Not rudely of course, but that's the gist of it.

I haven't given thought to SOX or ISO issues. ISO I'm very familiar with, SOX, less so, but as far as I know the personalizations people are using most here are which columns they want to see, and so on.
They aren't changing the means of acquiring data, storing data, or changing any of the data itself. Our users here are just doing things like grouping by warehouse in Part Tracker to see what's on hand.





----- Original Message ----
From: Todd Caughey <caugheyt@...>
To: "vantage@yahoogroups.com" <vantage@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 1, 2008 9:03:14 AM
Subject: RE: [Vantage] Re:Looking for best practice in deploying customizations


Not to thread-jack and, mind you, we are not to the point to being able to personalize so I have no direct experience with this but I have been considering whether it is a best practice at all to allow personalization. In our planning for 8.x I have been thinking that personalization could introduce some support issues...especially if we get into a multi-site environment where I can't easily see the user's screen (short of remote viewing tools).

I know there may be good reasons for allowing personalization. ...rather than doing them as a customization for everyone. But I'm having a hard time reconciling this with supporting users when their screens look different from mine. Also....how does personalization impact process and procedure documentation for ISO 9001:2000 type considerations?

Bottom line is that at this early stage of migration planning I am hesitant to even let it be known personalization is available and thus push all system changes towards customization. What, besides my time doing the customization, would I be giving up? What too would the end user being losing?

Thoughts on these issue will go a long way towards firming up our planning.

Thanks,
-Todd C.

____________ _________ _________ __
From: vantage@yahoogroups .com [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups .com] On Behalf Of Ahmet Erispaha
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 8:47 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups .com
Subject: Re: [Vantage] Re:Looking for best practice in deploying customizations

Based on Debbie's input, here's my process so far:

1. Test the customization in a test environment
2. Export the customization from the test environment
3. Import the customization into the production environment
4. Test the customization in the production environment
4a. REMIND USERS TO EXPORT THEIR PERSONALIZATIONS
5. After close of business (or notification to users to exit Vantage)
6. Deploy the customization via Menu Manager
7. Notify users to restart Vantage and IMPORT ANY PERSONALIZATIONS THEY MAY HAVE MADE IN THAT PROGRAM.
7a. User will have to recreate any hotkeys settings they may have made in that program.

Any other considerations?

Ahmet Erispaha

--- On Tue, 7/1/08, Debbie Stokes <debbie.stokes@ hilo-pss. eu<mailto:debbie. stokes%40hilo- pss.eu>> wrote:

From: Debbie Stokes <debbie.stokes@ hilo-pss. eu<mailto:debbie. stokes%40hilo- pss.eu>>
Subject: [Vantage] Re:Looking for best practice in deploying customizations
To: vantage@yahoogroups .com<mailto:vantage% 40yahoogroups. com>
Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 8:45 AM

I looked at this last week because my users lose their hotkeys every
time I customise a form. I found that the more complicated
personalizations can be exported and imported but when I tried it they
didn't include the hotkeys. If anyone can solve the hotkey problem I
will have lots of happy users!

kind regards

Debbie Stokes

Vantage Administrator

Hilo-PSS Group

01793 647136

************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *******
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Murdock Road
Dorcan Industrial Estate
Swindon

SN3 5HY

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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I just deployed my company's first CUSTOMIZATION yesterday -- a minor change that hid a checkbox and label which we don't use.Â
Â
This morning I had a couple of users in a panic because they lost their PERSONALIZATIONS.  I didn't anticipate the impact the customization would have on any personalizations done to the existing version of the program so I didnt' send out a notification until after the fact -- my oversight.  So now I'm looking to articulate a best practice in deploying customizations. Here's what I have so far:
Â
1. Test the customization in a test environment
2. Export the customization from the test environment
3. Import the customization into the production environment
4. Test the customization in the production environment
5. After close of business (or notification to users to exit Vantage)Â
6. Deploy the customization via Menu Manager
7. Notify users to restart Vantage and reapply any personalizations they may have had.
Â
What am I missing? I'd appreciate any feedback.
Â
Also, is there any easy way for end users to apply their personalizations to the newly customized program short of doing it all from scratch.
 Ahmet Erispaha




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
I looked at this last week because my users lose their hotkeys every
time I customise a form. I found that the more complicated
personalizations can be exported and imported but when I tried it they
didn't include the hotkeys. If anyone can solve the hotkey problem I
will have lots of happy users!



kind regards



Debbie Stokes

Vantage Administrator

Hilo-PSS Group

01793 647136



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action in reliance on it. If this email has been sent to you in error, please notify us immediately by telephone.
This has been transmitted by -

Hilo-PSS Group
Murdock Road
Dorcan Industrial Estate
Swindon

SN3 5HY

Company Registration No: 01028915.

The views within this email are those of the author and not
necessarily those of Planned Storage Systems Ltd.

** This email has been scanned for viruses, vandals and malicious content **
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[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Based on Debbie's input, here's my process so far:
Â
1. Test the customization in a test environment
2. Export the customization from the test environment
3. Import the customization into the production environment
4. Test the customization in the production environment
4a. REMIND USERS TO EXPORT THEIR PERSONALIZATIONS
5. After close of business (or notification to users to exit Vantage)Â
6. Deploy the customization via Menu Manager
7. Notify users to restart Vantage and IMPORT ANY PERSONALIZATIONS THEY MAY HAVE MADE IN THAT PROGRAM.
7a. User will have to recreate any hotkeys settings they may have made in that program.

Any other considerations?
Â
Ahmet Erispaha

--- On Tue, 7/1/08, Debbie Stokes <debbie.stokes@...> wrote:

From: Debbie Stokes <debbie.stokes@...>
Subject: [Vantage] Re:Looking for best practice in deploying customizations
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 8:45 AM






I looked at this last week because my users lose their hotkeys every
time I customise a form. I found that the more complicated
personalizations can be exported and imported but when I tried it they
didn't include the hotkeys. If anyone can solve the hotkey problem I
will have lots of happy users!

kind regards

Debbie Stokes

Vantage Administrator

Hilo-PSS Group

01793 647136

************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *******
This email is intended for the addressee only and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any
action in reliance on it. If this email has been sent to you in error, please notify us immediately by telephone.
This has been transmitted by -

Hilo-PSS Group
Murdock Road
Dorcan Industrial Estate
Swindon

SN3 5HY

Company Registration No: 01028915.

The views within this email are those of the author and not
necessarily those of Planned Storage Systems Ltd.

** This email has been scanned for viruses, vandals and malicious content **
************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]


















[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
Not to thread-jack and, mind you, we are not to the point to being able to personalize so I have no direct experience with this but I have been considering whether it is a best practice at all to allow personalization. In our planning for 8.x I have been thinking that personalization could introduce some support issues...especially if we get into a multi-site environment where I can't easily see the user's screen (short of remote viewing tools).

I know there may be good reasons for allowing personalization....rather than doing them as a customization for everyone. But I'm having a hard time reconciling this with supporting users when their screens look different from mine. Also....how does personalization impact process and procedure documentation for ISO 9001:2000 type considerations?

Bottom line is that at this early stage of migration planning I am hesitant to even let it be known personalization is available and thus push all system changes towards customization. What, besides my time doing the customization, would I be giving up? What too would the end user being losing?

Thoughts on these issue will go a long way towards firming up our planning.

Thanks,
-Todd C.

________________________________
From: vantage@yahoogroups.com [mailto:vantage@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Ahmet Erispaha
Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 8:47 AM
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Vantage] Re:Looking for best practice in deploying customizations


Based on Debbie's input, here's my process so far:

1. Test the customization in a test environment
2. Export the customization from the test environment
3. Import the customization into the production environment
4. Test the customization in the production environment
4a. REMIND USERS TO EXPORT THEIR PERSONALIZATIONS
5. After close of business (or notification to users to exit Vantage)
6. Deploy the customization via Menu Manager
7. Notify users to restart Vantage and IMPORT ANY PERSONALIZATIONS THEY MAY HAVE MADE IN THAT PROGRAM.
7a. User will have to recreate any hotkeys settings they may have made in that program.

Any other considerations?

Ahmet Erispaha

--- On Tue, 7/1/08, Debbie Stokes <debbie.stokes@...<mailto:debbie.stokes%40hilo-pss.eu>> wrote:

From: Debbie Stokes <debbie.stokes@...<mailto:debbie.stokes%40hilo-pss.eu>>
Subject: [Vantage] Re:Looking for best practice in deploying customizations
To: vantage@yahoogroups.com<mailto:vantage%40yahoogroups.com>
Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2008, 8:45 AM

I looked at this last week because my users lose their hotkeys every
time I customise a form. I found that the more complicated
personalizations can be exported and imported but when I tried it they
didn't include the hotkeys. If anyone can solve the hotkey problem I
will have lots of happy users!

kind regards

Debbie Stokes

Vantage Administrator

Hilo-PSS Group

01793 647136

************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *******
This email is intended for the addressee only and may contain information that is privileged and confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or take any
action in reliance on it. If this email has been sent to you in error, please notify us immediately by telephone.
This has been transmitted by -

Hilo-PSS Group
Murdock Road
Dorcan Industrial Estate
Swindon

SN3 5HY

Company Registration No: 01028915.

The views within this email are those of the author and not
necessarily those of Planned Storage Systems Ltd.

** This email has been scanned for viruses, vandals and malicious content **
************ ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* ********* *********

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]





[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]