When it comes to implementing new financial software, the rules have changed.

Making the jump to cloud-based technology 
If you’re delaying the move from a legacy, on-premises technology like Microsoft Dynamics GP to a cloud-based finance system because you remember the long, painful software implementations of the past, it’s time to bust some myths. 

Today’s cloud-based solutions like Sage Intacct bring countless benefits, including added efficiency, higher levels of security, easier scalability, and a lower total cost of ownership (TCO). Best of all, organizations of any size can implement cloud software quickly with minimal disruption, lower costs, and less IT involvement than you’d expect. 

Join us as we bust 7 common software implementation myths and learn just how easy it is to upgrade to a new best-in-class solution. 

The Sage Intacct Marketplace lets you choose from hundreds of easily integrated solutions you can use to streamline workflows, enhance automation, simplify payroll, and more.

Myth 1: The install process will be brutal
Traditional software migrations—usually performed on legacy
technology with updates on disks—often created many snafus, including server issues and access problems. Cloud-based software eliminates every one of these headaches for a simple reason: there’s nothing to install. Instead, you get provisioned access to an always-available and up-to-date environment that you can access online. 

85% of organizations will have a cloud-first strategy by 2025.1

Myth 2: We’ll have to code everything
In the past, if you wanted to customize an on-premises financial software system, you needed to know complex coding languages like Dexterity, Visual Basic, or PowerBuilder. That meant the only people who could do the migration work were a few select members of your team—or pricy consultants. Sage Intacct is customized by clicks, not code. Robust out-of-the-box features and a network of easy-to-add integrations give you flexibility without complexity. And when you work with a certified Sage Intacct implementation partner, we’ll meet with you to understand your organization’s unique requirements and configure your instance to meet those needs.

Myth 3: Our IT team can't handle this right now
While IT should always have a seat at the table, business users typically take the lead in cloud-based implementations. The finance team gives the implementation partner the data they need to get started—vendor lists, customer lists, General Ledger balances, etc. Then, your implementation partner will do the heavy lifting by populating that data into standardized templates and setting up your environment. You’ll have a front seat for configuration and integration decisions and not have to wait until the IT team has an opening on their project docket. 

70% of firms using on-premises accounting systems plan to move to the cloud.2 ​

Myth 4: Software installations create redundant work
Old-school migrations often required parallel testing with finance teams working in the old and new systems simultaneously until the older one was phased out. This didn’t just double the workload, it hampered adoption rates, as employees stayed committed to the old, familiar system as the source of truth. 

Today, implementation is handled on a module-by-module basis while daily work continues unabated. Your data is uploaded, validated, and approved right before the live date, with just the open bills and invoices being uploaded right after the system goes live. This process allows maximum control and minimum disruption—and no redundant work. 

Myth 5: New technology takes too long to learn 
Cloud-based accounting software is built with the end user in mind. Most clients find they’re able to do everything they did with their existing system—and more. It’s easy to learn and access, too. Users have anywhere, anytime access through a browser with no need to use a Windows PC. Thorough documentation allows users to click on any screen and get information about how to use new features and functions more effectively. Clients who opt for premium memberships can also access the Sage Intacct Training Center, which is filled with helpful on-demand and instructor-led how-to courses. 

Myth 6: We'll have to rush month-end close 
You can upload your GL data into cloud-based accounting software at any time. A best practice is to time your go-live right after a close period. This will give you nearly 30 days to the next close to upload the historic data you need for reporting, as well as adjust to and optimize the new system. Your implementation team will be there at every step over the first 45 days of go-live— including your first close—to answer any questions. After that first close, most of your tasks will repeat monthly. 

3X ROI  Cloud deployments increase business agility and deliver  3X ROI vs. on-premises.3 

Myth 7: The costs of tech support alone will sink us 
With no hardware needed and no physical server infrastructure necessary, the capital expenses and hefty maintenance contracts associated with on-premises systems disappear when you switch to the cloud. Costly upgrades become a relic of the past, as Sage Intacct automatically updates its cloud software four times each year. You’ll enjoy a more cost-effective implementation, a lower TCO, and 24-hour customer support. 

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Forget about the time-consuming and expensive software migrations of the past. Today, organizations can implement cloud-based accounting software in just a few months with no downtime. Our certified experts will work with you at your own pace and create the smoothest transition possible, so you can reap the cloud’s many financial and operational rewards. 

1. Gartner 
2. Sage Intacct 2021 Close the Books survey
3. Nucleus Research ​