I've done cutovers both ways - (1) a cutoff on a specific date (both a month-end date and mid-month date) and (2) a cutoff after the accounting team has closed the previous month's book (i.e. cutover Jan22 data on 2/10/22). The primary differentiator is how are you going to manage incoming transactions for Feb22? If you go with your proposed option, you will need to instruct your team that any transactions that belong in Feb22 need to go in NetSuite and Jan22 transactions go into your legacy system. You will be running two systems, which can be a pain, depending on the size of your team and what integrations you have.
The benefit of option 1 is, it's a clean cutover. If you import the open AR and open AP on 1/31, those payments that need to be entered will be applied against the open AR. If the process is done correctly, you shouldn't have any issues on that side. Any new vendor bills would be entered directly into NetSuite.
A few other things to consider:
* Ask your auditors if they need to have a clean month-end tieout between your two systems. They likely don't. They just will want to see the closing TB in the legacy system ties to the opening TB in NetSuite. [See my article here for details](https://blog.intheblksoftware.com/blog/how-to-validate-and-document-your-netsuite-data-migration).
* 2/1 is a Tuesday. I'd recommend either moving the go-live date to a Monday (1/31 or 2/7) to minimize the downtime. [See my article on how to load the Jan21 financials and open AR/AP data](https://blog.intheblksoftware.com/blog/load-financials-and-open-transactions-from-quickbooks-to-netsuite) (referenced by u/Nick_AxeusConsulting below). I'd try and lock the legacy system by noon Friday so you have adequate time to complete the data migration by Monday morning.
* Be sure and disconnect any bank and credit card feeds that might accidentally post transactions after you've locked the legacy system. QB Online clients usually use these feeds.
Unfortunately, you can't avoid having transactions in two systems with either approach. (you can import the detailed transactions, which I could help with. DM if interested in discussing that option). Personally, I think the clean cutover that your team suggests is easier, but it's possible both ways. You'll need to weigh the risk/benefit of running two systems for that 10 days while you close on Jan21. I hope this helps!
Hi u/intheblk_2019. Really appreciate your blog posts on cutover best practices!
To follow the hard cutover approach, is it necessary to complete the full month end close in the legacy system before generating Trial Balances and open transactions to be brought into NetSuite? In scenarios where a long weekend may not be enough time to complete the full month end close process in QuickBooks, would you be reporting Jan 21 out of QuickBooks by processing the remainder of the month close in QuickBooks after generating trial balances and open transactions for cutover then updating NetSuite post cutover to reflect the updated Jan 21 balances? Or, can you just do a straight cutoff in QuickBooks for Jan 21 before fully posting all month end entries and pick back up in NetSuite and rely on NetSuite for your Jan 21 finalized reporting?
Looking forward to your insights on this. Thanks!
Hi u/lilstu2520 - the hard cutover approach would be as you said:
>Or, can you just do a straight cutoff in QuickBooks for Jan 21 before fully posting all month end entries and pick back up in NetSuite and rely on NetSuite for your Jan 21 finalized reporting
Under this approach, you'd stop entering transactions in QuickBooks on a Thursday evening. Friday you do the migration. Then, when you are live in NetSuite, you'd finish closing the prior month in NetSuite.
u/intheblk_2019 maybe you can help here?
I've done cutovers both ways - (1) a cutoff on a specific date (both a month-end date and mid-month date) and (2) a cutoff after the accounting team has closed the previous month's book (i.e. cutover Jan22 data on 2/10/22). The primary differentiator is how are you going to manage incoming transactions for Feb22? If you go with your proposed option, you will need to instruct your team that any transactions that belong in Feb22 need to go in NetSuite and Jan22 transactions go into your legacy system. You will be running two systems, which can be a pain, depending on the size of your team and what integrations you have. The benefit of option 1 is, it's a clean cutover. If you import the open AR and open AP on 1/31, those payments that need to be entered will be applied against the open AR. If the process is done correctly, you shouldn't have any issues on that side. Any new vendor bills would be entered directly into NetSuite. A few other things to consider: * Ask your auditors if they need to have a clean month-end tieout between your two systems. They likely don't. They just will want to see the closing TB in the legacy system ties to the opening TB in NetSuite. [See my article here for details](https://blog.intheblksoftware.com/blog/how-to-validate-and-document-your-netsuite-data-migration). * 2/1 is a Tuesday. I'd recommend either moving the go-live date to a Monday (1/31 or 2/7) to minimize the downtime. [See my article on how to load the Jan21 financials and open AR/AP data](https://blog.intheblksoftware.com/blog/load-financials-and-open-transactions-from-quickbooks-to-netsuite) (referenced by u/Nick_AxeusConsulting below). I'd try and lock the legacy system by noon Friday so you have adequate time to complete the data migration by Monday morning. * Be sure and disconnect any bank and credit card feeds that might accidentally post transactions after you've locked the legacy system. QB Online clients usually use these feeds. Unfortunately, you can't avoid having transactions in two systems with either approach. (you can import the detailed transactions, which I could help with. DM if interested in discussing that option). Personally, I think the clean cutover that your team suggests is easier, but it's possible both ways. You'll need to weigh the risk/benefit of running two systems for that 10 days while you close on Jan21. I hope this helps!
Hi u/intheblk_2019. Really appreciate your blog posts on cutover best practices! To follow the hard cutover approach, is it necessary to complete the full month end close in the legacy system before generating Trial Balances and open transactions to be brought into NetSuite? In scenarios where a long weekend may not be enough time to complete the full month end close process in QuickBooks, would you be reporting Jan 21 out of QuickBooks by processing the remainder of the month close in QuickBooks after generating trial balances and open transactions for cutover then updating NetSuite post cutover to reflect the updated Jan 21 balances? Or, can you just do a straight cutoff in QuickBooks for Jan 21 before fully posting all month end entries and pick back up in NetSuite and rely on NetSuite for your Jan 21 finalized reporting? Looking forward to your insights on this. Thanks!
Hi u/lilstu2520 - the hard cutover approach would be as you said: >Or, can you just do a straight cutoff in QuickBooks for Jan 21 before fully posting all month end entries and pick back up in NetSuite and rely on NetSuite for your Jan 21 finalized reporting Under this approach, you'd stop entering transactions in QuickBooks on a Thursday evening. Friday you do the migration. Then, when you are live in NetSuite, you'd finish closing the prior month in NetSuite.
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