Converting ERP Data from Legacy Systems

One of the biggest challenges we have in moving clients from an older legacy system to a newer system such as the current versions of Intacct Cloud Accounting, Dynamics SL, or Dynamics GP is the issue with data conversion.

Often clients that are moving to a newer system expect better integration tools, better reporting tools, and better speed.  Usually we can provide all three.

Where it is difficult at times is when the prospect understands that to get us to understand the table structure enough from their old system to be able to convert their data into one of our systems-they will have to pay us a lot of money.

Data such as vendors, customers and items are easy to convert.  Open payables, receivables, open sales orders and purchase orders are not too much harder.  What becomes very challenging and expensive however for the client and us is converting historical data.

We have recently used a tool called “Monarch Pro” however that provides a better paradigm.  Instead of learning other system’s databases to convert data, this program allows you to convert reports from text files, pdf’s and even other databases into data we can massage and import using the nice data import tools in the programs we offer. 

Monarch Pro unlocks critical data buried in your reports and business documents and turns it into data that you can use right away. It also lets you access and analyze data from other content rich, but hard to get at sources including PDFs.

Monarch clients tell them, “The data I need is buried in my reports. If only there was some easy way to work with the data…” That “easy way” can be Monarch Pro.

Easily Extract and Analyze Data

Monarch Pro is Windows-based software that extracts data from existing reports created by any information system. Monarch Pro lets you customize, analyze and visualize your data and export it to Excel, Access, PDF files and more without help from the IT department.

Monarch Pro can make it easy to extract and join report data from multiple sources so you can achieve that heretofore elusive “one version of the truth” without a big expenditure of time and money.

Spreadsheet Compliance and Auditing Made Easy

Monarch Pro allows for the optional inclusion of the source report files in an Excel export so there is no doubt as to the original data for the spreadsheet. Excel users can easily jump from the spreadsheet to the source data using Monarch Context™ (a free Add-in for Excel) to see if any changes have been accidently or purposefully made. Digital signatures can also be embedded for maximum security.

No Assistance from IT Needed

Unlike other solutions that access and analyze business data, Monarch Pro requires no programming skills or assistance from the IT department. IT wins as well because there are fewer demands for custom database queries and report writing jobs.

Works with any Report

Monarch Pro works with any report used in your organization, including print files, spool files, TXT files, and formatted ASCII files, etc.

Monarch Pro also Mines Data from PDFs, Databases and More

Monarch Pro also enables data extraction from PDF files, plus importing and combining data from virtually any corporate database, spreadsheet, desktop database, HTML files or other data source. In addition, it lets you combine report data with database data to create multiple “lookups” of data, and more.

To find out more about the hardware requirements and other tools the developer, Datawatch, has for extracting and analyzing data from multiple sources, please click on this Monarch link.

If you would like help using Monarch or simply want someone else to convert this data for you, please email me at jboyer@boyerasssoc.com or ask your consultant to help with this easy-to-use product.

One of the exciting things to me about this product is that as long as the older legacy system’s reports tie to the general ledger and have good data integrity, we know we are starting at a good place in our data conversion efforts.  We don’t have to worry that in order to get all of the data we actually should have fetched one or two more additional fields from tables we did not know about.

We recently were asked to review a work order a new client had for a consulting firm that wanted to charge our client $40,000 to convert data from a legacy system.  With Monarch, we were able to offer a fixed fee of $25,000 and we are confident the client will choose this less costly, faster and safer option.