ERP migration

Moving from MYOB, Reckon or Xero to an ERP

Most Australian businesses start on MYOB, Reckon or Xero, and many should stay there. This page covers how to tell when it is time to step up, what you can keep, and how to migrate without disrupting BAS, payroll or customers.
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Stay, extend or move?

There are three honest options, and moving is not always the right one.

Stay and extend

  • Your accounting system handles the ledger well and the pain is in one area, such as stock or jobs
  • A well-chosen add-on, properly integrated, would close the gap
  • Volumes are modest and one entity is enough
  • See Xero integration and ERP integration.

Move to an ERP

  • Several add-ons now hold critical data and none of them agree
  • Stock, production or job costing is run in spreadsheets
  • You need several entities, warehouses or currencies in one system
  • Month end depends on exports, re-keying and manual reconciliations
  • Reporting on margin by product, customer or job is slow or unreliable

From each starting point

From MYOB Business or AccountRight

Common next steps are MYOB Acumatica, Business Central, ERPNext or NetSuite. MYOB Acumatica is a separate product, so treat it as a migration, not an upgrade. Check how payroll will move.

From Reckon

Reckon users are often on desktop software with long history. Decide early how much history to bring across and how to archive the rest so it stays accessible for the ATO.

From Xero with add-ons

Xero-based businesses can sometimes keep Xero as the ledger with an operational system connected. If several add-ons are fighting each other, consolidating into an ERP is usually cleaner.

How a migration runs

  1. 01

    Map processes and decide scope

    Agree which processes move to the ERP, which tools stay, and what the new system of record is for each type of data.
  2. 02

    Choose the cut-over point

    Usually the start of a month, quarter or financial year, so BAS and reporting periods are clean on both sides.
  3. 03

    Clean and map the data

    Customers, suppliers, items, chart of accounts and tax codes are cleaned and mapped to the new structure.
  4. 04

    Bring across balances and open items

    Opening balances, open invoices and bills, stock on hand and open orders, reconciled back to the old system.
  5. 05

    Run payroll and BAS safely

    Payroll and Single Touch Payroll reporting continue without a gap, whether payroll moves or stays in a dedicated system.
  6. 06

    Test, train and go live

    Test with real transactions, train each role, go live, and keep the old system read-only for reference.

Keep the old records

Australian businesses generally need to keep financial records for five years. Plan how historical data in MYOB, Reckon or Xero will be retained and accessed before you cancel any subscription.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Is MYOB Acumatica an upgrade from MYOB Business?

Not in the technical sense. MYOB Acumatica, formerly MYOB Advanced, is a different system built on the Acumatica platform. Moving to it is a migration with its own implementation, data mapping and training, even though the vendor is the same.

Can we keep Xero and add an ERP?

Yes, in some cases. Some businesses keep Xero for the ledger and use an operational system for stock, production or jobs, with an integration posting summaries or transactions to Xero. It works when the split of responsibilities is clear and volumes are moderate.

How much history should we migrate?

Usually less than people expect. Opening balances, open transactions and master data are essential. Detailed history can often stay in the old system, kept read-only or archived, as long as it remains accessible for reporting and compliance.

What happens to payroll?

Payroll needs particular care because of Single Touch Payroll and super. Many businesses keep a dedicated Australian payroll system and integrate it with the ERP. Whichever path you take, plan the cut-over so there is no gap in pay runs or STP reporting.

Related

Outgrowing your accounting software?

We will help you decide whether to extend what you have or move to an ERP, and plan the migration if you do.

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