Software downloads that take eons. Financial reporting systems that have to be manually integrated. Sound familiar? It’s something everyone in the hotel accounting space has been through. So, why can switching to new software feel like more of a pain than a relief? 

We’ve found that the fear of switching hotel accounting software solutions is the biggest barrier to investing in better hotel accounting. The struggle isn’t in finding the software itself—it’s the fear of what it will take to implement that software.

That’s why we’ve created a roadmap detailing all the features you will need to seek out before considering switching hotel accounting platforms. We’ll also discuss the best ways to avoid the pitfalls of hotel accounting software migration.

Phases of Switching Hotel Accounting Software

Phase 1: Assessment and Data Audit

Doing a proper audit and assessment of your company’s data is an essential first step to avoiding a long and drawn-out hotel accounting onboarding process. It’s important to look for a partner that can read a hospitality general ledger and spot where USALI alignment is missing, identifying data hygiene issues that a generic migration team would have missed.

Phase 2: Configuration and Chart of Accounts Setup

To properly configure and set up a chart of accounts when switching hotel accounting software, you’ll want to ensure that your partner offers a hospitality-native COA that is standardized across brands, flags, and property types. M3, for example, offers software with accounting architecture refined over 25+ years of hotel deployments. At a deep level, this software is built to fit hospitality-specific needs.

Software that is configured specifically for the hospitality industry will inherently shorten migration times because they are built to understand and host hotel-specific data.

Phase 3: Data Migration and Integration

A software company’s PMS/POS integration track record is a key factor when it comes to a successful hotel accounting software migration. The software vendor’s existing integration library, along with ensuring the vendor maps daily revenue capture correctly, determines whether day one of migration is a smooth or painful start. Look for a partner and software that has a wide range of integration capabilities in order to assure data is migrated totally and accurately.

Phase 4: Training and Parallel Run

When looking for a hotel accounting software vendor, their implementation team should be able to describe their parallel-run playbook in detail, offering tried and true methods of running old and new accounting systems side-by-side to ease transitions and prevent errors in data.

Phase 5: Go-Live and Stabilization

Switching hotel accounting software doesn’t end when migration is completed. At M3, the post-go-live experience begins on day one with the assignment of a dedicated Customer Success Manager (CSM). That same CSM remains a consistent partner throughout the customer’s entire lifecycle with M3, providing personalized guidance, continuity, and ongoing support as their business evolves.

A post-go-live service wraparound is crucial to long-term success using a new hotel accounting software. These services reduce go-live risk dramatically, and are typically not something a pure-software vendor can readily offer. 

How Long Does it Take to Switch Hotel Accounting Platforms?

Now that we’ve covered all the phases of hotel accounting software migration, how long will this whole process actually take? 

This is absolutely a question that you should pose to potential vendors. The answer should be anywhere from 30-90 days, depending on portfolio size. Any more and it’s a red flag that the software vendor might not be right for your needs.

Common Migration Fears, Addressed

Will I Lose Historical Data?

Certain processes are built into hotel accounting software migration phases that prevent the loss of historical data, such as a parallel-run playbook, a comprehensive integration library, and a hospitality-native chart of accounts. Hotel-specific software is more likely to offer these than generic accounting software, meaning less chance of a loss of historical data.

Will My PMS Integrations Break?

Only if certain phases are missed or improperly performed. For example, data mapping and configuration are essential to preventing revenue code mismatches or tax code drift. One of the most important aspects to ensuring PMS integrations don’t break is a solid parallel-run playbook.

How Long Will it Take Until My Team is Proficient in the New Software?

The time it takes for your team to reach proficiency in a new software is dependent on a few factors. 

Firstly, it will depend on whether the software has hotel-specific features. If not, the new software might look a lot different than what your team would actually need in order to find, track, and analyze data. 

Secondly, how the software vendor handles the migration process and any ongoing onboarding or training needs will matter immensely. That’s why it’s important to look for a software vendor that helps you through the process of data transfer, ensuring your team can actually use the software in which you’ve invested.

Switching Hotel Accounting Software Shouldn’t Be a Nightmare

If hotel accounting software implementation has seemed daunting to you, you’re looking at the wrong companies and the wrong products. Modern platforms built for hospitality can accelerate data mapping and validation during migration using automated matching, and hospitality-specific vendors like M3 offer implementation support throughout the migration process. 

If you have a roadmap and a seasoned software vendor that specializes in hospitality, hotel accounting software migration can be a walk in the park that takes your finances to a new level. Contact us today to schedule a migration readiness assessment or a demo of our hotel accounting software.

FAQs

What data transfers during a hotel accounting migration?

Ideally, a good hotel accounting software will have the ability to transfer all of your data during a migration so that none of it is lost.

How do you minimize disruption when switching hotel accounting software?

The best way to minimize disruption when switching hotel accounting software is to invest in a solution that is hotel-specific, offering things such as a hospitality-specific chart of accounts, a post-go-live service wraparound, and ongoing hotel accounting support to further smooth any potential bumps in the road.