TFC #03 - Risk vs Reward: Assessing the Need for Software Updates

Updating business-critical software such as Cabinet Vision can be a tricky decision for any cabinet shop. On one hand, new updates can bring important security patches, bug fixes, and new features that can improve efficiency and productivity. On the other hand, updating software can also introduce new bugs, cause compatibility issues, and disrupt normal operations.

As someone who works both at a software development company, Cabentry, and as a consultant helping cabinet shops set up and optimize their Cabinet Vision software, I have a unique perspective on the pros and cons of updating to the latest version of business-critical software. In this article, I will share my insights and provide some useful tips on how to navigate this complex issue.

Cabentry Perspective

From the perspective of working at Cabentry, I always highly recommend our customers to update to the latest version of our software as soon as it becomes available.

It is easier to maintain our infrastructure and internal processes when most of our customers are on the latest version. It seems like we are always making changes and we want to push to get everyone on the latest version so these changes can be in place across the board.

Another reason I like to have everyone on the latest version is because as a fairly young software company, we love to listen to feedback on our product and implement those ideas into our software. So most of the time, I'm excited for people to try out the new version because our team has worked hard to plan and develop the new features.

However, I will admit, as the software becomes more complex, it can also become easier to accidentally introduce new bugs or break existing functionality.

Our team is very thorough in our testing processes and we try to avoid this as much as possible, but it's worth keeping in mind that there is always a chance that something might go wrong.

Consultant Perspective

On the other hand, as a consultant working with cabinet shops, I often dread updating to the newest version of software such as Cabinet Vision.

This is especially true when making the jump from Solid 11 to 12, 2021, and now 2022. Cabinet Vision made very drastic changes to their construction methods which is a core part of the software. As a result of this, it made the upgrade and migration very frustrating and difficult because things that were working previously, no longer worked, or had to be done a different way. It almost felt like starting over again for some shops.

The bad part is, for a lot of people, things were working perfectly fine in Solid 11, however Cabinet Vision was "encouraging" people to upgrade or else they wouldn't be able to buy new licenses as long as they were on Solid 11. So most people felt pressured to get up to date even though there was not a major feature that they were looking for in the new versions.

So as a consultant, I recommended most people to wait as long as they could, assuming things were working fine in their current version and they didn't need any of the new features.

Pros & Benefits

• Improved security: Updating business critical software can help protect your organization from known vulnerabilities and security threats.

• Bug fixes and performance improvements: Updating software can also help fix any bugs or glitches that may be impacting the performance of your systems. This can help improve the overall efficiency and productivity of your organization.

• New features and capabilities: Updating software can also bring new features and capabilities that can help your organization work more effectively and efficiently. For example, new updates may include new tools or functionalities that can help your team work more collaboratively or automate certain processes.

Cons & Downsides

• New bugs or compatibility issues may be introduced, causing disruptions to normal operations.

• Updating software can be time-consuming and require significant resources.

• There is a risk of disrupting established processes and workflows, requiring additional training and adjustment time for employees.

Questions to Consider

So, what should you do when faced with the decision of whether or not to update your business-critical software? Here are a few questions to consider:

• Does the new version add specific functionality that would be useful to your business? (Be sure to read the release notes carefully!)

• Will the company limit your usage of the old version if you don't update? (For example, will you be unable to buy new licenses?)

• Do you have the time and resources to troubleshoot and fix any potential problems that might arise from updating? (don't update during your busiest week)

My Advice

For most businesses, if the software is working normally and you don't need the new features, it may be wise to stay on the version you're currently using.

The risk of not being able to send jobs out the shop floor and potentially running out of work for your employees to do that day or even that week is too high.

When you do decide it is worth it to update, make sure you have enough jobs for the shop to work on and buy yourself some time for potential bugs before committing to a major update.

However, it's worth remembering that you can only lag behind for so long.

Take the example of the FAA software outage on January 11, 2023 that forced the Federal Aviation Administration to ground thousands of flights. The software that failed was 30 years old and not scheduled to be updated for another six years. This highlights the importance of regularly reviewing and updating business-critical software to ensure that it is secure and able to handle the demands of the present day. Read the full story here

Another interesting example of software causing disruptions is the example of Wood-Mode laying off 500 workers for two weeks because of a software virus on January 9, 2023. Read the full story here

Final Thoughts

If you don't need the new features or bug fixes, don't update.

When you decide to move forward with the next version and grab the latest features, be smart and plan ahead to make sure you don't cause a disruption for your business.

And that's it.

I hope you find this issue helpful as you navigate the decisions of when to update the core software of your business.

Have a wonderful Friday.