Migration from existing accounting software to a new system requires the expertise of a construction specialist. If you’re in the market for a new system, you’ll find that many software providers will advise you to use one of their certified installers. that may give you the impression that this is all you need to do to set-up your accounting system satisfactorily, but it’s certainly not the case.

The migration of legacy accounting software to a new system is an extremely business-critical and complex task that must not be taken lightly. A software installer will not understand the construction industry or the complexities of specific construction accounting mechanisms inherent within them so beware; their value is limited to the provision of initial expertise about the function of the package and a rough setup of the system to get you up and running.

The way in which an accounting package functions has little to do with the complexities of the way in which construction companies operate. It has even less to do with a well thought-out and planned migration. Our experience within construction has shown that their are certain important issues that must be considered closely by industry experts when planning a conversion.

In order to implement a successful migration that addresses ALL of your needs in an adequate manner, you’ll have to make some important decisions. For example, you’ll have to choose the best point in the fiscal year to transfer and decide how long you’ll be running dual platforms. You’ll have to assess the supply of additional human resources and the subsequent method of deployment. Migration also involves a number of key infrastructure tasks that must be identified and provided with a solution before you can begin. These tasks can include networking and hardware design and installation, wiring systems, Internet accessibility and office layout considerations.

Other important considerations include general ledger and financial statement design; the re-categorization of ledger balances and transaction detail information; data conversions and data entry; the integration of present manual systems and new computer methods; and personnel training – and that’s not even a comprehensive list.

TAM has been called upon many times to clean up the disasters once they’ve happened. Although we are happy to be able to help our customers solve their problems, we’d rather save them time and money by being involved from the start. Avoid a calamity now and contact us for advice about your planned accounting software installations. We can assess your existing systems, evaluate your needs, recommend perfect packages and manage a smooth transition. Or, if you’ve had a transition go bad, give us a call anyway; we’re also experienced at cleaning up a mess!