Accounting Software: Why change and how to choose the right tool?

A change of accounting software is a very delicate but often necessary operation. The key is to know how to select the appropriate tool. 

Why change accounting software? There are many reasons to change… 

• Technological obsolescence is the first factor of change. Your existing software has announced the end of life, the solution is no longer evolving, and you have the feeling that you are wasting your time on checks or tasks that can now be automated.
• If you see that it is complicated to make your accounting software evolve to the new needs of your organization due to a merger or an acquisition or to new regulatory standards, it is also a sign of change.
• SaaS or License? If your company is willing to switch to SaaS for an Opex model then this is also the right time to reconsider the solution used.

How to select the best accounting management tool? 

It is not a question of choosing the cheapest accounting management software on the market or the one most recommended by a third party, but of selecting the one best suited to the objectives and structural characteristics of your business and the complexity you have to manage.

• A solution adapted to your size and organization
• A solution with a functional coverage capable of satisfying you today but also in the future
• A solution that uses the latest technology to bring you the desired level of automation and performance
• Services tailored to your needs
• A team with whom you feel comfortable, aligned and with whom you have good communication
• A long-lasting, solid and expert provider in finance.

Is drafting specifications a must?

Yes, it clarifies things, avoids misunderstandings and omissions, and enables clear communication between the teams and service providers.

Defining a specification document describing all the current and future needs allows you to clearly define your expectations in terms of functional coverage, vendor profile, level of services expected, geographical coverage, SLAs and security levels. Finally, it specifies the needs in terms of process automation, benefits and expected return on investment. All this data allows a better comparison of the different offers of the selected vendors and to choose the service provider best adapted to the size, the stakes and the structure of the company.

Some advice in a period of transition

The first alert concerns data transfer. This is often the great danger when changing software. In order to guarantee a successful transition certain steps are necessary.

• Define a recovery strategy

Is it necessary to keep everything or is it time to sort it out? Reducing the perimeter necessarily limits the risks of recovery errors, the need for cleaning and the time needed for recovery tests.

• Accompanying the transition

It is necessary to inform the employees concerned of the tool change. This involves regular information on the progress of the project and training on the new tool.

• Regular test phases

The responsibility for this stage concerns both the client and the provider. The objective is to verify that the existing data is integrated into the new software according to the pre-established strategy.

• Allow yourself some time to adapt

It is also necessary to allow a period of overlap during which both software packages are used simultaneously to promote a gradual and successful switchover to the new software. If possible, the old accounting software should be left installed on one workstation in case old information has to be retrieved at the request of, for example, the tax authorities.

• Anticipating future needs

Finally, why not take the opportunity to extend the functional scope of the solution (towards CPM, add an accounting review solution, simulation of the payroll, etc.) to adapt as well as possible to the new current and future needs of the company.

Talentia Corporate Performance Management is a unique platform for reporting – real-time, strategic analysis, budgeting, forecasting, consolidation and closing. Designed for organizations of all sizes, it integrates with any financial management software. The solution provides process transparency and a dynamic, collaborative framework to reduce time and improve the performance of your finance department.

If you would like to know more, please do not hesitate to contact us.