You have outgrown your accounting software. It is slow, it does not integrate, and support is useless. But you cannot leave — because your data is in there. Ten years of invoices, customer records, supplier balances, tax filings. You are trapped. Here is how to get out without losing your history or breaking your books.
The facts, in short
- What moves: Chart of accounts, customers, suppliers, open invoices, balances, history.
- How it moves: CSV/Excel import, API, or specialist migration tools.
- Parallel running: Run old and new together until they match.
- Timeline: One to two weeks for simple; four to eight weeks for complex.
What data actually needs to move
- Chart of accounts. Your account codes, names, and categories — the skeleton of your books.
- Customers and suppliers. Names, contacts, tax numbers, opening balances.
- Open invoices and bills. What is still unpaid on both sides.
- Bank balances. The opening position in the new system.
- Historical transactions. At least the current and prior tax year — for audits and trend analysis.
- Fixed assets and tax settings. Depreciation schedules, sales tax registration details, withholding rates.
The migration process
- Clean up first. Fix errors in the old system before moving. Garbage in, garbage out.
- Export from the old system. CSV or Excel where possible. If the old system will not export, you may need manual entry or a specialist tool.
- Map your chart of accounts. Your old codes do not match the new system's codes. Map them one by one.
- Import master data first. Customers, suppliers, chart of accounts — before any transactions.
- Import opening balances. The starting point in the new system as of the cutover date.
- Import transactions. Historical data, or at minimum the current tax year.
- Reconcile. Trial balance in the old system must equal trial balance in the new.
- Run parallel. Keep both systems for a month or two until you trust the new one.
Parallel running: the safety net
Run the old and new systems side by side for a month or two. Enter the same transactions in both. Compare reports. When they match every time, switch off the old one. Parallel running is what prevents a migration from becoming a disaster.
Keep the old system — read-only
Do not cancel the old subscription the day you switch. Keep it read-only for at least a year. You will need it for FBR queries, old invoices, and historical comparisons. Data you delete is gone forever.
Don't lose your history. Migrate properly.
We will handle your data migration — export, mapping, import, reconciliation, and parallel running — so your books stay clean from day one.
Frequently asked questions
What data do I need to move when switching accounting software?
Chart of accounts, customer and supplier lists, open invoices and bills, bank balances, historical transactions, fixed assets, and tax settings.
Can I import Excel into new accounting software?
Most software accepts CSV or Excel for master data. Transactional data is harder and may need specialist import tools or manual entry.
Should I migrate all history or just opening balances?
Full history is ideal for audits but expensive. Many businesses migrate opening balances and keep the old system read-only for reference.
How long does an accounting migration take?
Simple: one to two weeks. Complex with full history and integrations: four to eight weeks.