As software becomes outdated (which happens almost the minute you install it!), you will need to keep up and transition it out for newer business applications. There are a couple of different ways you can do this so that your employees are not utterly confused about how the new software works. Here are some of the most common methods of business application retirement.

Application Retirement Service

Consultants help your company slowly transition from one set of business applications to the next. This creates a more seamless flow that allows your employees to pick up the subtle differences as the company moves toward total software replacement. Usually, the consultant is an IT specialist who knows how to meld the old applications with the new until everyone understands how the new ones work. Then the old applications are cut out of the system completely, uninstalled and destroyed. This is a good approach for any company that has especially sensitive information in their business files (e.g., doctor's offices, clinics, lawyers, etc.).

Rapid Transition Via Universal Training

A rapid transition is used when a business wants to not only keep up with the rapid changes in business applications and software, but also wants to get ahead of the competition and ahead of the development of new applications and software. To conduct this type of transition, a consultant meets with a large group of employees in a training room. Several computers have the new software and applications already loaded and ready to go.

Then the training lasts anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. This may depend on the complexity of the applications and programs and how different or similar they are to the ones your company currently uses. Once all of the employees have completed this training, the old applications and software are deleted from the company computers and the new ones are installed and ready to go for work on the following business day (typically over a weekend so that they are up and running on Monday).

Chuck Your Applications with Your Equipment

If your computers are as old as your business applications, you could just chuck all of it and buy entirely new computers. Many new computers are now fully loaded with dozens of fresh, new business applications that are fairly intuitive and user-friendly. Then you would not have to worry about retiring or transitioning out old applications because you would have all new ones on new equipment. This approach is a little extreme however, and quite expensive, so unless you feel that it is definitely time to overhaul your company's equipment, you may just want to try one of the other two approaches above.

For more information or assistance, contact companies like Data Mining and Analysis.

Share