Obvious reasons to undergo a data migration or data conversion include change in costs for your accounting software; adopting new software solutions due to business expansion; trimming the size of historic financial data; to clean up issues with data integrity; and so on. Part of the concern is retention of historic company data – if deemed necessary to do so.
Bringing your financial data into one accounting software solution from another requires diligence – before, during, and after the process. Ideally, automated migration or conversion tools make converting or migrating your data conveniently pain-free. Such tools, though, aren’t widely available because of the intricate database structures each solution utilizes to track your financial data. The tables not corresponding in a 1:1 fashion can cause unexpected results. For example, converting between QuickBooks Online and QuickBooks Desktop can be tricky, also, without the requisite awareness to obtain satisfactory results. Further, we delve beyond mere preparation – glossing over what our team does during and after entire scope of a data migration or data conversion. When it has been determined a data migration will benefit your business more than a data conversion, here are some pointers you will want to keep in mind throughout your experience. This even applies when going from one version of QuickBooks Desktop to another.
What Do I Really Need to Know or Do Before a Data Migration or Data Conversion?
Our team’s collective QuickBooks experience has taught the necessity of setting proper expectations, then resetting them when necessary. This often comes through various occurrences during a data migration or data conversion. Because of this, the first order of business is backing up your data – ideally after having its data integrity validated using your accounting softwars available options and tools, before moving forward with a data migration or conversion.
Next, our team will assess with you what needs to be brought over, and what doesn’t need to be brought over to the new data file your company will be using. Secondarily, it will figure out what can be easily migrated; and what may require additional work to bring certain data pieces into your new company file.
Then, it looks at what enhancements or add-ons to your current accounting software are being used: does the accounting software you are migrating to – for example, QuickBooks Desktop or QuickBooks Online have the same add-ons or comparable ones to what were previously used. Better yet, it may discover a feature native to the adopted accounting software delivering the same functionality.
What Will Happen During a Data Migration or Data Conversion?
Primarily, you will have to combat the probability of double work on the part of your employees – when it comes to record keeping. The main reason is you will be without your file until you get everything into your new file – whether by data migration or conversion. To keep pace with day-to-day events, naturally your personnel will record transactions it needs to, in the meantime. If you are worried about this, let our team know; and they will gauge everything to provide a sufficient time table, and other possible measures to make it easy for you and your business.
When data is brought over into your newly adopted accounting software – like QuickBooks, the data brought in needs to be checked against the data where it came from. This isn’t limited to numbers seen in reporting data, but is extended to how your item list, contact lists (vendors, customers, employees, etc.), chart of accounts, inventory, etc. check out. Knowing this, it will be best to contact our team to gain awareness of what will happen during the entire experience. Also, there may be correspondence involved when it comes to tying out the financial data after information is migrated.
Provided financial data ties out, our team usually assists in preliminary setup for enhancements or add-ons to round out or complete your company file profile – making sure they retain functionality within your working environment.
When Do I Know My Data Migration or Data Conversion is Complete?
After our team finishes its integrity and performance review of your file, you will be contacted by them regarding your file’s readiness for day-to-day work. Its readiness won’t be solidified, unless you and your business affirm its readiness – before getting the file back to you. In the immediate aftermath, it is often recommended to stay engaged with our team to make sure your data migration ends up as well as possible – especially when things go on in your file which are different from what is mutually expected.