Data migration makes, breaks accounting software upgrade

You followed the accounting solutions playbook to the letter: planned well to consider business processes, selected the right accounting system software, got top management buy-in and involvement, employed adequate training and implementation assistance, and instituted a change management program.

Oops. What about legacy data migration? “The main reason that implementations fail is the legacy selection process commonly used is flawed,” according to an it.toolbox.com/wiki article entitled, “How to select and implement an ERP system that you will be happy with.”

Following are some general guidelines to help you find and refine legacy data migration accounting solutions:

Make a final decision on your accounting software upgrade product only after confirming legacy data conversion protocols. Otherwise, you may discover that you can’t “get there from here” without myriad twists and turns. Or worse, you may be unable to access critical accounting software data. If migrating to Microsoft Dynamics GP from a program such as QuickBooks, you’ll have multiple data conversion options. But, if you’re migrating from a “homegrown” system to GP, be careful. One rule of thumb to get your started, at least in the GP world, is: Ability to capture all accounting services data needing to be converted in an Excel spread sheet. If you can get it into Excel, your data conversion can excel!
Assess your present level of accounting services technical experience, and match that to the challenge. The gap between the two is where you’ll need to find additional resources. Traditionally, you were stuck hiring expensive technical talent to “close the gap.” Now, however, there are accounting software applications that seamlessly convert data—enabling companies with limited technical experience to move forward efficiently and cost-effectively.
Decide precisely what needs to be imported into the new system. Master Records and GL are standard items, but what about historical data? This can be a challenge in many conversions—often requiring time-consuming, belabored processes. Decide what historical data you need to retain. Then, you can either keep it in the legacy system for lookup during conversion—or tackle a full-blown historical migration as part of the accounting system software implementation.
Establish realistic accounting software implementation deadlines. Remember that the implementation timeframe will be affected by the number of accounting software modules installed, the number of authorized users, and the amount of data to be converted. Be clear on all these requirements before finalizing deadlines.
Establish how effectively the conversion protocol “scrubs” data. Obviously, quality of information is crucial to success. Get very clear upfront about the quality of the accounting software scrubbing process as a key element of your decision-making.

By employing a comprehensive data conversion evaluation upfront, you can avoid turning an otherwise stellar implementation into mission impossible.

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