Your data is at the heart of your business, and it is crucial to have continuity when you are moving to a new platform. BQE Custom Conversion Team ensures that your journey with BQE CORE starts out on the right foot, with all your data exactly where you need it. Here is the process of custom data conversion for new CORE users. You will see how the BQE Team converts and moves your existing data to your new CORE database. You can contact your Account Manager at sales@bqe.com for this.
Data Conversion Options
CORE includes built-in integration features for QuickBooks Online and MYOB AccountRight, as well as paid data migration services for current BQE customers using BillQuick, ArchiOffice, or EngineerOffice. The integration options allow you to sync your data on your own. However, data conversion requires sufficient time and strong technical knowledge to plan and carry out the data transfer. You do not want to risk data errors or waste valuable time. That is why we highly recommend using our Data Conversion Services for migrating your data into CORE, if:
- you plan to switch to CORE completely and want to transfer all your accounting data and detailed transactions
- you do not have the technical confidence or time to plan, conduct, test and re-run conversions or integration options
If this is the case, you can work with our Data Conversion Team for a custom conversion of your existing data.
Custom Data Conversion
Besides our classic software products like BillQuick, ArchiOffice and EngineerOffice, CORE consultants are able to convert data from a growing number of programs. Some of those include:
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
In addition to these software programs, BQE CORE Consultants have successfully moved data from proprietary software, Excel spreadsheets and other data sources. You have an option to provide data for conversion in the standard BQE import template.
Note: Consulting fee for customized data conversion to CORE is non-refundable.
Data Conversion to CORE
Our proprietary custom conversion tools transfer the following data from the source program to CORE. If you have archived your data and need it in CORE, you need to restore it prior to the conversion.
|
Source Data |
CORE Data |
Notes |
|
Customer/client records |
Client records |
Contact details only (name, address) |
|
Service items/ billing codes |
Activity items |
ID, description, active or inactive status, billable status |
|
Expense items/charge items |
Expense items |
ID, description, active or inactive status, billable status |
|
Project/job records |
Project records |
Contract type, contract amount, project name, project manager |
|
Employee records |
Employee records
|
Contact details only (name, address), active or inactive status, employee bill rate (if available in the source data) |
|
Time records |
Time entries |
Associated with a project or client. The billable value, billable status, and bill and cost rates may not transfer if not set up correctly in the source. |
|
Expense records |
Expense entries |
Associated with a project or client. The billable value, billable status, and cost rates may not transfer if not set up correctly in the source. |
|
Invoice records |
Invoice records |
Links to time and expense records included on an invoice will transfer only if you have created invoices based on time and expense entries. |
|
Payment records |
Payment records |
Associated with invoices only. Retainer payments should be associated with a project or client. |
|
Vendor/supplier records |
Vendor records |
Contact details only (name, address) |
|
Rate cards/bill schedules |
Fee schedules (services) |
We transfer rate cards from Sema 4 and Deltek FMS |
Accounting Data
Chart of Accounts:
- Custom conversion ensures that the chart of accounts is transferred from your existing accounting system to CORE along with the detailed transactions. These accounts are required for the functioning of the Accounts Payable features in CORE. These accounts also display in the Income Account and Expense Account drop-downs in the Activity Items, Expense Items and other CORE screens.
- All reconciliation data is pulled from your existing accounting system with a proper marking for cleared and uncleared data. If you run a reconciliation report in CORE, it will match exactly with the one in your system.
Classes:
- CORE supports the assignment of user-defined classes for all transactions, including time and expense entries. If you are already using classes in your existing accounting system, there is no need to re-enter them in CORE manually. You can transfer classes and assign them to items and projects in CORE. We also make sure that the classes are assigned at the transaction level (invoices, vendor bills, journal entries, etc.)
Credit Cards/Checks/Bills/Deposits:
- Credit card charges, checks, bills, manual checks, and deposits are transferred from your existing accounting system to CORE. You can also transfer credit card charges to CORE as expense entries for job costing purposes as long as they are associated with a job.
- If there is any discrepancy in the company accounts, you can make adjustments in the General Journal screen in CORE.
Vendor Bills:
When transferring bills from your existing accounting system to CORE, take note of the following:
- If a line item description does not have a value, then the expense description is used. If the expense description is also not present or if the expense does not exist in CORE, then the payee name is used for the description. If the payee name is also not present, then a placeholder is used.
- All line items on a vendor bill are transferred via custom conversion, even if they are not job-related.
- Vendor bill payments, such as checks paid to vendors, can be transferred to CORE via custom conversion.
From this point onwards, your data will be in a single database. In other words, all your historical information – billed and unbilled time and expenses, paid and unpaid invoices, payment history – is now in CORE. After the conversion, you can archive your old data at your convenience.
Data Conversion Process
In order to successfully transition from your accounting system to CORE, it is very helpful to understand the process involved.
What to Expect
In the conversion process, we suggest that you set realistic expectations about timetables and the tasks that both you and your CORE consultant are undertaking.
|
Timeline |
Tasks |
|
Timetable . . . |
Data conversion can take more than 30 days depending on the availability of BQE engineers. Data conversions are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis with the CORE Conversion Team. You will be given a preliminary start date, and will be kept informed of any unforeseen delays. |
|
Conversion begins only after you provide the required information such as record counts and key amounts. This is called control information, and data conversion will not start until the required information is provided (see Conversion Steps below). Delays in receiving information, including source files, may shift your place in the team’s schedule. |
|
|
Preliminary data conversion time estimates are based on previous data conversions jobs. These jobs include only the data required to process within CORE (see 'Data transferred' below). The final number of hours required to complete the conversion depends on unforeseen issues with the data or data beyond what CORE requires. Any additional hours required may extend the timetable and increase your conversion fee. If such a situation arises, you will be informed as soon as possible. |
|
|
If you adapted your old software to accommodate the unique information tracking or processing needs of your business (for example, using data fields for something other than their original purpose), your CORE Consultant will provide an estimate of additional time. This may also increase the data conversion fee. |
|
|
Data transferred . . . |
Standard conversion services include only transferring the data CORE requires to function properly. |
|
Vendor bills are not transferred to CORE. If you want vendor bills transferred, and the information can be transferred reliably and accurately, there will be an additional charge. |
|
|
Payroll data is not transferred because CORE does not do payroll yet. Depending on your old data and your new accounting package, your CORE Consultant will recommend solutions for transferring this data. |
|
|
Accounts Payable data is not transferred. Depending on your old data and your accounting software, we will suggest solutions to transfer this information. |
|
|
Any other data transfers (or special requests) will be considered as an additional service. |
|
|
QuickBooks and accounting data |
When appropriate, BQE recommends making simple journal entries for each G/L account as ‘Balance Brought Forward.’ |
Note: Any requests, issues, or unique situations that affect the timetable or conversion fee must be authorized and payment made before conversion work will recommence.
Types of Conversions
You can get your data converted by our team in one of the two ways, depending on your needs.
Detailed Data Conversion
This type of conversion pulls all the detailed accounting data from your accounting system into CORE, so the account details, as well as the balances, match exactly. You should choose this type of conversion if you are particular about getting all the transaction details and not just matching account balances. If you drill down an accounting report by clicking an account, it then shows all the detailed transactions. After the conversion, you can archive your old data at your convenience.
Matching Numbers Conversion
If you want to close the books in your accounting system for the previous financial year and start using CORE for the current financial year, in this method every account is matched with your accounting system by creating a general journal entry for each account. This journal entry is done on a monthly (recommended) or yearly basis, depending on the situation. Doing it monthly ensures that if you run any accounting report for any period, it always matches with your existing accounting reports. Doing it yearly at the end of a financial year means the accounting reports match only when run with a particular year-end filter. If you drill down an accounting report by clicking an account, it only shows the consolidated journal entry that was made to match the account balance.
In this case, only numbers are matched using the balance sheet, trial balance, and profit & loss statement in both forms—accrual as well as cash. For example, you might want to match numbers from your accounting system up to December 31 of the previous year and start using CORE from January 1 of the current year. In this case, there is no need to copy the entire history from your accounting system. You can even match data until any specific date and convert the rest. For example, you might want to match the old data to CORE until December 2023 and convert the data from January 2023 to December 2023 into CORE so that you can start using it from January 2024.
Note: Accounts are matched on both cash and accrual basis, irrespective of your accounting practice so as to give you the flexibility of switching from accrual to cash basis or vice versa in CORE.
Conversion Steps
Up until the final step (step 4 below) of the conversion process, you will continue to use your current software and database. Only in the final step will you stop using it so we can convert the latest data to CORE.
Step 1 – Dry-Run
- After purchasing CORE, please back up your old software database and send it to us. You can send a CD via mail or transfer a copy using the FTP protocol. Your BQE CORE Consultant can provide instructions to upload your file via FTP.
- Email the following control information to your BQE CORE Consultant:
|
Control Info |
Count/ Amount/ |
|
Total number of clients in your database |
|
|
Total number of projects in your database |
|
|
Total employee records in your database |
|
|
Total vendor records in your database |
|
|
Total amount of all un-paid invoices |
$ |
|
Total amount of un-billed time and expense |
$ |
|
Total amount invoiced |
$ |
|
Total payments received on invoices |
$ |
|
Total retainer amount received |
$ |
|
Value of billable & unbilled time entry |
$ |
|
Value of non-billable & unbilled time entry |
$ |
|
Value of billable & unbilled expenses |
$ |
|
Value of non-billable & unbilled expenses |
$ |
|
Aging report summary for all clients and projects (PDF format) |
$ |
|
Aging report details for all clients and projects (PDF format) |
$ |
|
WIP report (Unbilled Time and Expense for all clients and projects) (PDF format) |
$ |
|
AP Aging |
$ |
|
Balance Sheet as of for each accounting year that needs to be converted (Cash or/and Accrual) |
$ |
|
Trial Balance for each accounting (Cash or/and Accrual) |
$ |
|
Monthly Profit and Loss for each accounting year (Cash or/and Accrual) |
$ |
This control information ensures complete and accurate transfer of data. Please be sure the information is accurate because it can cause delays in the conversion timetable.
Step 2 – First User Review
- After the data is converted and verified against the control information, the new CORE database will be sent to you for review. If you notice any discrepancy in the data, please contact your CORE Consultant.
- If the discrepancy is specific to your database, the Consultant will fix the items for you at an extra cost by running one or more update queries. This is typically faster and less costly than manually updating many records.
- If the discrepancy is identified as a new element or a problem with the conversion program, the incident will be escalated to the BQE Development Team. Depending on the situation, this process may take several weeks.
Step 3 – Final Review
- After all noted discrepancies are fixed, a new database will be sent to you for final review. After you are satisfied with the accuracy and completeness of the final data, please let your Consultant know that you are now ready for the final step.
Step 4 – Switch Over
- Book a date with your consultant for when you will stop using your current database. This is typically after you have completed a billing cycle and completed tasks for the month. If possible, schedule the final conversion late in the week to minimize the days for manual tracking of time and expenses.
We strongly recommend you to schedule your BQE CORE Training at this stage. This ensures continuity in the conversion process and also the availability of trainers at the right time.
- Send the latest database for final conversion on the scheduled day. Normally, the final conversion takes 2 to 3 business days. You should not use your old software or database.
- When you receive your final CORE database, you will need to fine-tune the data for optimum value. Your Consultant will provide a list of edits and manual changes you need to make.
- After you are done with the optimization, you can then start working with CORE and schedule your trainings.
We assure you that our award-winning support and services teams make custom data conversion as easy and fast as it can be.
To learn more about CORE, check the BQE website. If you have any trouble in using the software, please contact BQE Support at (310) 602-4030 or Support@bqe.com. For other questions, please call us at (888) 245-5669 (US and Canada) or (310) 602-4020; or email Sales@bqe.com.