10 Steps to Conversion Success

We’ve all heard the horror stories of switching to a new accounting and project management software. Is all that pain and worry really necessary? Axium has spent much time speaking with clients, consultants and industry experts to devise a step-by-step process aimed at helping firms through their transition to Ajera/PORTFOLIO. By following these 10 steps, you can make certain that you know what to expect and how to avoid any pitfalls.

1. Plan ahead. There are no push button conversions; they take time and effort no matter who you’re switching to. To be prepared, you must consider the total time commitment for your conversion, including getting your staff trained. Start the process when your financials will be up-to-date or your business usually slows down. You should also ensure that none of your key staff will be on vacation during your conversion. There’s nothing worse than trying to get important information from somebody drinking margaritas in Mexico.
2. Talk with a consultant. After the sales process, you will be introduced to a consultant for your implementation. Don’t move forward until you and your consultant know exactly what you need to do to complete your transition. A helpful tool is to write out your specific goals and cross each one off as they are accomplished.
   
   “The Axium personnel and the consultant assigned to our conversion were very helpful and available. Axium trained our administrative staff on the software before the conversion and we spent the time to check all our data for accuracy. The conversion matched to the penny what we sent to Axium. Any questions we had were answered quickly and accurately. We were nervous about the switch, but Axium made it as painless as possible. There is always a learning curve with new software. We found this switch to have very few problems.” Jane Neal, Frank W. Neal & Assoc., Inc.



3. Thoroughly prep your data. Any errors or corrupt data will result in a longer conversion process and major headaches. Here you will need to reconcile your general ledger and your sub-ledgers for AR, AP, Cash, WIP and prepayments.
   Use this opportunity to clean up the junk data you have in your database. The last thing you want to do is clutter your new software with old employees, vendors, or projects that should be closed.
4. Verify all of your active projects. Consultants cite this as a major drag on conversions. Active projects will transfer, but many firms still have old projects or contracts that are open even though there are no billable services remaining. Those projects need to be closed and archived.
5. Post every account. You are now ready to send in all of your data for conversion, so it’s important that you post all of your accounts. After you post, run a few reports so you have a copy of your balances on record. Suggested reports include: AR Aging, AP Aging, WIP Aging, Accrual Trial Balance, Cash Trial Balance, and Project Detail.
6. Learn the new software. Use your trial database to train staff on Ajera/PORTFOLIO. Make sure you cover all the training that is vital first, in case you exceed your consulting time.
7. Complete your training. Your new workflow processes with Ajera/PORTFOLIO may be different and take time to get used to. For instance, Project Managers (PMs) are meant to be more involved than they are with legacy programs. That’s a scary thought for accountants and there’s usually resistance to allow PMs access to the system. One trick is to ease PMs into it by first setting up limited access, then gradually allow them to do more as they learn the proper procedures.
8. Verify the returned data. Use the reports you ran to make certain your returned totals match the totals you submitted. Take your time and review every section to avoid future issues and ensure your data is correct.
9. Keep your old software accessible. The amount of historical data transferred to Ajera/PORTFOLIO depends on your conversion level. You’ll need to have access to past projects and financials for audits or client issues that arise.
10. Take the Process Audit. With any new software, there can be growing pains. Process Audits are designed to address problems you have after implementation. Issues usually stem from adjusting to new processes and, as a result, accounts can fall out of balance.

Keep in mind that with any conversion, you get out what you put in, so make sure you’re prepared when the time comes.