Have customisations over the years quietly grown into a complex web of solutions?
With migration from old Maximo versions to MAS 8-9, you’ve got an opportunity not just to migrate — but to rethink. To clean up. To realign your system with how your business actually works today.
This plan gives you a clear approach to identify what to keep, what to rewrite, and what to leave behind.
1. Inventory of Functionalities
Before migrating anything, get very clear on what your system actually does — and why. I’m convinced this step is part of every migration — and for good reason. My approach? Always begin by zooming out, then zooming in, then zooming out again. Start with the big picture, dive into the details, and then step back to see where everything fits.
Sit down with business users, process owners, and key stakeholders to understand the true purpose behind each functionality.
The landscape has changed! Tools like SharePoint, AFAS, Power Automate, Power BI, and Azure Integration Services have reshaped how we manage business processes, documents, reporting and integrations.
Choose the right platform for each function!
2. Inventory of Customizations
Make a complete list of all automation scripts, Java extensions, JSP and JavaScript files.
Categorize by:
- Business function (put aside technical workarounds for backend limitations!)
- Technical component (script, Java, integration, JSP)
- Dependencies – which modules are these customizations quietly tied to?
3. Functional & Business Analysis
Yes, zoom out again! Every customization was built for a reason — but does that reason still exist? What still solves real problems, and what was simply a workaround because better tools weren’t available at the time?
Check the true purpose behind each customization.
Ask:
- Does MAS 9 already offer this out-of-the-box?
- Was this built in Maximo only because there was no better tool at the time?
4. Architect for the Future
While working on refactoring automation scripts or translating Java into automation scripts, please keep in mind three things:
- Scalability
- Security
- Performance
5. Java customizations
Customization in systems like Maximo is powerful… and dangerous. Understand exactly what it’s doing — and why.
Then: retire what’s no longer needed, move to the right platform what can be better handled elsewhere, refactor & rewrite in scripts what you want to keep using in Maximo Application Suite.
6. Automation Scripts
For scripts that you still want to migrate:
- Modernize the syntax
- Add error handling and logging
- Make it modular, reusable, clean
7. Testing and Validation
If it fails here, it doesn’t go live!
Plan:
- Functional validation of all customizations
- End-to-end testing across all integrated systems — from user action to backend data flow
8. Documentation
Don’t let knowledge live in someone’s head — document it:
- Architectural diagrams and data flows should always be up to date
- Functional purpose and business impact — the why behind each customization
- Code structure and logic — the how it works, not just what it does
Good documentation isn’t a bonus — it’s your system’s insurance.
Need help with customizations, scripting, or support during your MAS upgrade?
Reach out at info@maximovalue.com — let’s make your automation work for you using today’s tools and tomorrow’s needs.
