If you are concerned that the traditional accounting software you currently use is inefficient and outdated, or you’re feeling the effects of ongoing recruitment difficulties, with accessibility from home becoming more important, then making the move to cloud-based accounting software may be the solution for you.

In our latest blog, PM+M director and cloud expert, Rosie Cooper, outlines the process and discusses how to maximise your move to the cloud.

1. Systems review

A full system review is a good place to start. Our detailed scoping report will outline your key processes and any interaction between other software. We will spend time with your finance team, and potentially wider team members, to understand the current processes, pain points and then make clear recommendations to get the most out of your new software.

2. Conversion and implementation

Moving systems can often feel like a daunting task, which is why many businesses tend to delay it and endure inefficiencies or issues. However, enlisting the expertise of a conversion and implementation team can provide valuable insights into selecting the right system for your needs and tailoring it to your specific circumstances.

Our dedicated team will collaborate closely with your business to understand your unique business requirements, ensuring a smooth transition.

Once the software needs have been agreed and your app stack is designed – we will talk to you about the level of historic data that needs to be transferred for comparability and what we can do with older data to make sure you adhere to company law. We will also discuss the cut off point and timescale for conversion so that there is no need for parallel runs on two pieces of software. Once timescales and level of data is agreed, we will provide appropriately phased plans and dates.

Depending on the size of the business and level of data being converted, a conversion can typically take between 1 – 7 days. For larger entities, this may be phased over several months to allow for work to continue and where a phased approach is more appropriate.

3. Training

Training is an important, and often overlooked, aspect of implementing a new system or process, with some assuming that their employees will just pick things up over time. We will provide a comprehensive training plan from the outset to ensure your team are utilising the system to the best of its capabilities.

Training should be seen as an investment to ensure your change in systems runs smoothly, and you are gaining maximum efficiencies as early as possible.

4. Post implementation support

Ongoing training and support are paramount in ensuring any issues with using the system are quickly rectified, and your team are confident with the changes. By working with a cloud accounting team like PM+M, you can be rest assured that we will provide the specialist advice, training, and post implementation support to build your teams confidence in using the system, and to ultimately achieve the best return on investment.

5. Expert app recommendations

With an ever-increasing number of apps on the market (there are over 1000 in the Xero eco-system alone), it can be challenging to understand which will benefit your business.

Our team of experienced advisers spend their time reviewing and testing a multitude of apps on the market, and can confidently recommend those which will work for you. From data inputting to approvals processes, expenses to automated reporting, we can help you improve efficiencies by implementing an app roadmap which aligns with your goals and objectives.

6. Data health checks

Once your new system is implemented and the data has been migrated, it is critical that you undertake regular reviews to ensure the data is free from errors or duplications which may harm your reporting or insights. Our Xero Health Check service has become a popular option to ensure you are still getting the best out of your Xero subscription.

Get in touch

Our team of cloud accounting experts are on hand to support you with your transition to cloud accounting, from the initial systems review, through to implementation, training and expert app recommendations. If you would like to speak to a member of the team to discuss your accounting solution in more detail, we would love to help. Send an email to enquiries@pmm.co.uk and one of our cloud experts will get back to you.