BurtonSoftware01 What happens to our existing data?
Decide which history must remain accessible and which records are needed for Day 1: customers, SKUs, locations, opening balances, open orders, and open shipments. Older history may remain in the existing system or in agreed exports rather than moving every record into the new workflow.
Export authorized data, clean identifiers and units, map fields, import a sample, then compare counts, quantities, and key business totals with the source. Resolve discrepancies before planning a full import. Record the customer and implementation responsibilities for validation and acceptance.
02 How long does implementation take?
Timing depends on data quality, integrations, module setup, testing, training, and the number of sites or workflows. A go-live date follows an agreed scope and readiness assessment. Fixed migration dates or a zero-data-loss commitment require assessment and explicit written agreement.
| Phase | Readiness evidence |
|---|---|
| Scope | Day-1 workflows, owners, required connections, and acceptance criteria. |
| Setup and sample migration | Approved mappings, roles, master data, and reconciled samples. |
| End-to-end testing | Normal orders, shortages, partial shipments, errors, and billing checks. |
| User preparation | Role-based practice, work instructions, and a support route. |
| Cutover | Final reconciliation, update/freeze responsibilities, rollback criteria, and sign-off. |
| Stabilization | Exception review, named support owners, and resolution tracking. |
03 What if the team finds the change difficult?
Bring warehouse operators, customer service, finance, and supervisors into workflow review early. Let them complete actual daily tasks in a test environment. Training should use each role's work rather than a tour of every menu. Track confusion, unnecessary steps, and exceptions during the pilot and refine the process before rollout.
04 Can we switch in stages?
A limited warehouse, customer account, or workflow can be a useful pilot when interfaces and data boundaries allow it. Parallel validation helps compare quantities, order states, shipment results, and charges. Agree which system may write live records so parallel running does not create duplicate dispatches or conflicting stock updates.
Define cutover criteria and a recoverable return path before replacing a critical process. A staged approach reduces exposure; it does not remove the need for reconciliation and acceptance.
05 What should be written into the plan?
The plan should identify migration scope, testing and acceptance owners, training, support coverage, issue escalation, and exclusions. Confirm responsibilities and service commitments in the project agreement, including what happens if a readiness check fails.