Switching to Abtrac | Abtrac

Pick a Go-Live Date

Let us know when you plan on getting started with Abtrac at your office. We call this a ‘go-live’ date.

If you’re bringing in data from your old system you might have two ‘go-live’ dates.
The admin and management teams can get started with Abtrac, setting things up and preparing data in a soft launch before you go live with the entire office.
The other option is to start fresh with Abtrac, with no historic data. You can simply retain a subscription to your legacy system to access any historical information.
Or your Abtrac Online trial can become your live version on request.

The actual down time from shutting off your current system to cutting over to Abtrac need not be much more than a day.

Preparing your team

Include the team when evaluating your trial version

Whether you’re a start up or an established firm it’s worth putting some time into your trial before you switch to Abtrac.

Even if your firm already has a great time tracking and project management culture we recommend that the team practises with Abtrac before going live.

For established firms the reality is that adopting a new management system will impact many aspects of your business.
And that’s a good thing – with a streamlined management platform, everything else falls into line.

If relevant staff put in serious time entering and editing data through its life cycle, from job creation to timesheets to final invoice, and reports; it will pay off immensely when you go live with Abtrac.

This is especially true if you have some legacy systems and reports that you are looking to replace, or refine.

We will work with you in this regard and offer prelaunch consulting and training, to achieve a great start.

Configuring your invoices and other documents

The standard Abtrac templates can be desk-topped with your company logo and layout.

This is usually done after you go-live with Abtrac, but it’s something to consider when preparing the team.

Invoice, Accounts Rendered, Subconsultant purchase orders and Project proposal documents can all be modified by you using the Abtrac designer module. However, we’re often asked to do this as part of the set up process because we can do it more quickly. There’s a fee for this if we do it for you.

Preparing to switch

Bring data from your old system

Tips when importing legacy data

We regularly help businesses switch to Abtrac from other systems, and we are often asked to migrate data into Abtrac from legacy software systems. Migrating data means everything is on the new platform from start-up, significantly reducing the need to keep going back to old systems.

You can choose to import :

current projects and invoices only
all information for the current financial year
or all historical information from your legacy system

When migrating data the Abtrac sales and technical team will work with you, and let you know what information is required.

Our technicians request at least 3 weeks’ notice in order to schedule a data migration ready for an agreed go-live date.

The preferred process is to run test migration or a soft launch (see below).
There’s a fee for each migration, including time spent addressing any issues that may arise. This will be estimated in your initial cost proposal, and a fee will be confirmed once we receive a data sample from your current system.

The soft launch approach

When migrating data the preferred process from the team at Abtrac is to run a test migration - or a soft launch. We will import your data twice, once into a trial version of Abtrac, and the second time at an agreed date into your live version of Abtrac.

When migrating data the Abtrac sales and technical team will work with you, and let you know what information is required.

We’ll also request any reports of work in progress, counts of clients and jobs, invoices etc. so we can balance the migrated data wherever possible to confirm the integrity of the Abtrac data you need to rely on.
Once data is transferred into a trial version your team can put time into getting ready to switch, evaluating Abtrac prior to the live cut over, to find and address any issues with data imported that may arise.
After everyone who needs to be involved has learnt what they need to know, this first lot of practice data is completely removed and your most recent data from your old system is copied into Abtrac on a chosen date.

Make a new start

Opening balances only

If you choose to start Abtrac with a clean slate you’ll likely still have information from your current projects that you need to include.
If you’re starting with a small amount of data you can simply enter opening balance information by way of a single invoice + timesheet line that records the relevant numbers.
The Abtrac sales and technical team will work with you, and let you know what information is required. In some cases this historic information can be entered as part of your training and set up sessions.

Going live with the new system

Implementation and Training

Every firm approaches moving to a new system differently.

Some Abtrac users are small teams that can be up and running with two or three online sessions, while larger organisations may require a more structured onboarding programme. Requirements also vary depending on whether you're migrating data from another system or starting with a clean slate.

Rather than delivering a standard training course, we tailor your onboarding to suit your business. We'll help determine the right level of implementation support based on your existing systems, data preparation, and the resources available within your team.

One of the first steps is planning your implementation. We'll review your existing data or migration, discuss how staff, projects and invoicing will be managed in Abtrac, and work with you to establish a realistic timeline for launching the system across your business. Taking the time to plan the rollout helps ensure a smoother transition and gives your team confidence before going live.

Training is then delivered in practical online sessions, with time between sessions to complete setup tasks, begin using Abtrac, and identify any questions. Every session is recorded, and you'll receive a copy afterwards together with recommendations for the next steps in your implementation.

On-going support

Throughout the transition and afterwards, our commitment is always to provide excellent training and support.
Your Abtrac subscription includes free email and telephone support for all members of your team.

Whenever questions arise, our experienced support team is only a call or email away.

Whether you need help with day-to-day questions, advice on improving your workflows, or guidance as your business grows, we're here to help you get the most from Abtrac.

Annual Health Check

Our company culture is to develop long term working relationships with our clients. We’ve been around since 1999 and we’re proud that some of the earliest adopters of Abtrac are still using it today.

As part of our commitment to your long-term success, we offer a complimentary one-hour Abtrac Health Check around your first anniversary.

This session provides an opportunity to review how Abtrac is being used across your business, identify opportunities to improve efficiency, and discuss features that can help your team get even more value from the system.