Upgrade Issue

[PCampa@xxxxxxxxxxx]

We are using XA Release 6.0.  Our upgrade strategy is to wait a minimum of
six months
after the official MAPICS general release.   However, We have worked with
MAPICS on Beta testing
of specific modules

We have extensive custom code in the COM modules in the area of ATP logic.
We have also
done a great deal of work in incorporating our add-on modules via the
INTEGRATOR.
According to the MAPICS Technical Newsletter our development in the area of
INTEGRATOR
may be a constraint in moving to the next release.

Further, our MISL synchronization with our site in France requires both
sites use the same MAPICS release.
It would be nice if MISL supported features and options or had a product
configuration integration.

MAPICS foreign language releases typically lag and consequently so do
conversion efforts.
This is also an added constraint in moving forth with the upgrade.

We also have a number of 'add-on' modules that we need to insure they are XA
7.0 compliant.
We do not have a constraint in supporting queries.  We have created a data
warehouse that replicates
our MAPICS essential files onto a SQL server.   (This is being moved to SQL
400 and accessed via AS400 Netserver)
Users develop their own queries using Windows querying tools such as Crystal
reports, Access, Excel, etc.

At this point our critical path constraint is the migration of INTEGRATOR
development to XA 7.0
We are waiting for MAPICS to address this issue.   We have begun the impact
analysis of custom code and expect
to be ready for XA 7.0 upgrade by the 4th quarter of this year.

Regards,

Philip Campa @ Newport