SyteLine Upgrade Customization Impact Assessment Guide
Custom code is the primary risk factor in any SyteLine upgrade. Custom forms, IDO extensions, database modifications, reports, and integrations all have the potential to break when the underlying platform changes. A structured customization impact assessment identifies every custom element, evaluates its compatibility with the target version, and produces a remediation plan with effort estimates. This disciplined approach prevents upgrade surprises and ensures accurate project planning.
Customization Inventory and Classification
The first step is building a complete inventory of all customizations in your SyteLine environment. SyteLine stores custom form definitions in the application database alongside standard forms, making them identifiable by the modified flag or custom naming conventions. IDO extensions are cataloged from the IDOExtensionClasses folder on the utility server. Database customizations require a comparison between your current database schema and the standard SyteLine schema for your version. Each customization is classified by type (form, IDO, report, database, integration) and complexity (simple modification, medium extension, complex custom development).
- Extract custom form inventory from the application database by querying forms with modified flags or Uf_ prefixes
- Catalog all IDO extension class DLLs from the IDOExtensionClasses folder with version and dependency information
- Compare your database schema against the standard SyteLine schema to identify all custom objects and modifications
- Inventory custom SSRS reports and Crystal Reports with their data source dependencies and parameter definitions
- Document all integration touch points including flat file interfaces, web service calls, and direct database connections
Compatibility Analysis and Risk Scoring
Each customization is analyzed against the target SyteLine version for compatibility. The Infor Upgrade Assessment Tool automates some of this analysis by scanning for deprecated APIs, changed database columns, and modified IDO structures. Manual analysis is required for complex customizations that depend on specific platform behaviors or undocumented features. Risk scoring considers the probability of breakage (based on the extent of underlying platform changes), the business impact of failure (critical, high, medium, low), and the remediation effort required.
- Run the Infor Upgrade Assessment Tool to auto-detect compatibility issues with deprecated APIs and changed schemas
- Manually review complex IDO extensions for dependencies on internal framework methods that may change between versions
- Score each customization on breakage probability (1-5), business impact (1-5), and remediation effort (hours)
- Identify customizations that can be retired because the target version now provides the functionality natively
- Prioritize high-risk, high-impact customizations for early remediation in the upgrade project timeline
Remediation Planning and Effort Estimation
The remediation plan translates the compatibility analysis into actionable work items for the upgrade project. Each incompatible customization gets a remediation approach: retrofit (update custom code to work with the new version), replace (substitute with standard functionality available in the target version), or retire (remove the customization entirely). Effort estimates combine technical remediation work with retesting requirements for each customization. The total remediation effort forms the core of the upgrade project budget and timeline.
- Categorize each incompatible customization as retrofit (update), replace (use standard), or retire (remove)
- Estimate remediation hours per customization including code changes, unit testing, and integration testing
- Identify dependencies between customizations that require coordinated remediation to avoid cascading failures
- Build a remediation execution sequence that addresses high-risk items first and enables progressive testing
- Include contingency buffer of 20-30% on total remediation estimates to account for discovered complexity during execution
Assess your customization risk before upgrading SyteLine. Netray performs thorough impact assessments with detailed remediation plans and effort estimates.
Related Resources
SyteLine 9 to 10 Upgrade Checklist
Complete upgrade checklist for migrating from Infor SyteLine 9 to SyteLine 10, covering Mongoose migration, database conversion, and form compatibility steps.
MigrationSyteLine Upgrade Testing Strategy
Design a comprehensive testing strategy for SyteLine upgrades including regression testing, performance benchmarking, integration validation, and UAT planning.
MigrationSyteLine Upgrade Rollback Strategy
Plan a reliable SyteLine upgrade rollback strategy with database restore procedures, go/no-go decision criteria, and risk mitigation for failed upgrades.