This post was inspired by Ludette Luab’s blog entry. Just like her, I see question marks popping out when I tell people that I am a JDE Analyst Programmer Support person.
JDE is short for J.D. Edwards which is a software company that created the OneWorld business application. OneWorld is a database driven accounting software.
APN (NZ Herald) uses JDE OneWorld to track subscription payments, adverts billing, newstrade returns, outdoor billboard rentals, payables, receivables, cash receipts, bank reconciliation and so much more. Our company publishes 10 regional daily newspapers and several weekly lifestyle and fashion magazines. We also have outdoor advertising. The JDE software tracks the sales of each publication daily. Let me cite one example – if someone advertises with NZ Herald, the information is fed to the system, which calculates the cost of the advert based on page size and colour as well as days of the week the advert will be for. The system will then bill the client based on the number of runs the advert will be published for. There are different sets of data coming from other software applications which needs to integrate to JDE. My job is to make sure that the data is validated – the advert is marked to the correct publication and the client is billed the precise amount. Triggers to alert the ‘Top Wigs’ when data does not match certain parameters are expected to run smoothly. Automated statement of accounts, invoices, buyer created invoices and reports that are used to verify data needs to give out accurate output at all times. Figuring out how to make a slow process run faster is also part of my job. Thus the ‘Analyst Programmer’ on the job title.
On a typical day, I would get calls from users requesting for new reports, pleas to fix data entry catastrophes that can only be caused by them, questions on why the GL is out of balance, how to record credit card dishonours, request for user access, password resetting and why their computer is ef’ing too slow (for real!). This is where the ‘Support’ role from the job title kicks in.
Our department is made up of several groups, each supporting different softwares. One group support Microsoft Exchange and networks. Another group handle the Database Administration. Everytime a user needs help, the Help Desk receives the call and matches each request to the correct department to which the call will be transferred to.
We get to support all kinds of users, the brilliant ones, bright ones, nag pa bright bright, dili kaayo bright ug worst – walay utok. =) Thus, it is up to us to distinguish which one to take seriously. After one year on this job, I have matched the names to a category.
The last day of every month is the busiest. Labaw na gyud ang year end and audit season.
So this is what I do. Still scratching your head? Then, maybe I should just be a Pole Dancer, aye? =)
