Changing accounting software: tips to make it a smooth process

The short version

• Switching at a quiet point in your VAT cycle, rather than automatically at year-end, usually gives your team more room to learn the new system.
• The right accounting software is chosen against your future reporting needs, not designed around how your old system already works.
• More than a quarter of software implementation projects run over budget and almost a quarter run over schedule – but it doesn't have to be that way.
• Migrating data from your old system is possible, and a good vendor handles it as part of implementation.
• Involving your team early, and being upfront about training and support, reduces the resistance that derails many switches.

Changing accounting software can feel like a daunting prospect. The old system may be outdated but it is familiar, and a finance team can be understandably unsettled at the thought of learning something new.

Panorama Consulting Group's 2026 ERP Report found that more than a quarter of software implementation projects ran over budget and almost a quarter ran over schedule, most often because of organisational issues such as resistance to change rather than the technology itself. But with the right approach, the process is manageable, and it leads to a system your whole team is happy with, not just one you learn to tolerate.

If you're still weighing up whether now is the right moment or how to go about it, our guide to switching finance systems walks through the process.

When is the best time to change accounting software?

The best time to change accounting software depends on your finance team's workload, not the calendar year by default. Many organisations assume financial year-end is the obvious moment, since you can close one year and start the next with a clean slate. But year-end is also when finance teams are under the most pressure, so the end of a VAT period or a quieter point in the business cycle can work better.

Pick the point in the year when your team will have the most capacity to learn something new, not just the point that looks tidiest on paper.

How to choose the right accounting software

Consider why you are changing and what problems you need the new system to solve, rather than designing a new system around old processes. Compare providers on features, implementation support and total cost, including charges for extra entities or users, so you are comparing like with like.

The latest software may offer features and benefits you're not yet aware of, so make sure your research covers those too. It's possible to get modern cloud accounting features without paying for a full enterprise resource planning (ERP) system you don't need.

Look beyond the product itself. Assess what kind of relationship you can expect with the vendor, how supportive that vendor will be and whether your feedback and concerns will get listened to. Your research should also cover the implementation process itself: how much it will cost, how long it will take, and what resources you'll need to devote to it.

Tips for making the switch a smooth process

Making the switch smooth comes down to preparation on both sides. Agree with your vendor upfront who is involved, what each side needs to do, and how the old system's data will move across. Document your current processes, decide who needs access to what and give your team a clear runway to learn the new system before go-live.

• Allocate the right resources: Agree with your vendor who is involved from each side, and how much time and resource the project will need.
• Examine your accounting processes: Look at everything your finance team does today and ask whether it still needs to work that way. Document your processes so the new system can be configured around them.
• Decide what the new system must do: The software should handle your existing tasks at least as well as today – but think about what else you need. Do you need consolidated reporting for multiple entities, or reports your current system can't produce? Your implementation lead will talk this through with you.
• Work out who needs access: Decide who will use the system day to day, and which non-finance staff need to approve invoices or expenses.
• Plan how you'll access your old financial data: Check whether your data can be migrated to the new system, and if so, what you'll need to bring across. Your old provider may try to charge for "right to use" licences so you can keep viewing the old system; discuss that with your new vendor before agreeing to it.
• Check integration with your other software: Think about what else needs to connect to your new finance system, such as stock control or customer relationship management (CRM) tools. Will this be done through API (application programming interface) or through a third-party like Zapier – and what integrations are prebuilt in the system?
• Ask about a sandbox: A sandbox is a dummy version of the new system, populated with real data, so your team can practise before go-live and the vendor can make refinements based on how you actually use it.
• Involve your team early: Some staff may worry about learning a new system, especially if it automates tasks they currently do by hand. Reassure them early and explain how their day-to-day work will change.
• Be clear about training: Vendors may offer training in person, online or through recorded videos. Take up all of it rather than assuming people will pick up the new system on their own.
• Be clear about support: Once implementation is complete, you'll be handed over to an ongoing customer success or support team. Make sure everyone knows how to reach them and when they're available.
• Discuss scalability: Think beyond your organisation as it stands today. Confirm how easily you can add new entities, new users or other requirements you can already foresee.
• Ask for feedback along the way: A good vendor will want your input as the system is configured. Your feedback can also shape future updates for other customers.

Where iplicit fits

iplicit supports organisations through the practical parts of switching, including migrating data from your old system. At Durham Students' Union, people "barely noticed the changeover," according to Lisa Dodds, Central Services Coordinator. "Transitioning from Exchequer wasn't nearly as stressful as I expected," she says. "It was just 'Goodbye Exchequer, hello iplicit'." Marc Brady, Head of Finance at Walking With the Wounded, had never implemented a new finance system before and was "dreading it a little bit". He says: "I know people who've done it in the past and who said it was a nightmare. But actually I really enjoyed the process and from my perspective, it was really straightforward."

The bottom line

Changing accounting software doesn't need to be an ordeal. Pick a sensible time to switch, choose software against what your organisation actually needs rather than what it's used to, and bring your team along from the start rather than presenting them with a finished decision. Get those three things right and the process is manageable, not the stressful upheaval it can feel like at the outset.

Ready to see what a switch could look like for your organisation? Book a personalised demo and talk through your specific requirements with the team.