Tips for migrating from C5 to 365 Business Central

If you are reading this blog, there is a good chance that you are stuck in an old ERP system such as C5. First of all — we feel for you. It cannot be fun. C5 is not enough any more. It may be time to migrate from C5 to Business Central.

The world is developing and becoming more digital with every day that passes. As a company, that means you have to stay up to date on all the most efficient ways of working. Unfortunately, C5 is no longer part of that equation, but Dynamics 365 Business Central is. If you are considering migrating from C5 to Business Central, then read on here first and get insight into which principles create a successful project.

Make a plan for the project

That ought to go without saying, right? A good plan for a project helps you stay on course along the way and makes sure you know what to do to reach the goal. In the planning process it is important to align expectations. Make sure that all stakeholders and partners are on the same page, know which individual goals are expected of them and know what result has to be in place when the project is finished. If you fail to plan your project — both staffing, tasks, finances and so on — you risk ending up with a lot of wasted time and a project you might as well start over. Planning is extremely important.

Before migrating from C5 to Business Central

There are many steps before you get to the migration itself. For example, you can start out with a trial migration. Most ERP partners can help with this, and they typically come in at a 50-100 hour run. You can always ask for a smaller start with a trial migration, and you secure yourself a way out with the partner.

Look at your current processes

How do you use your ERP system now? Are there any particular processes that are business critical? Do the same functions exist in Business Central? Make sure you are clear about the way you use your current ERP system, and what you expect from Business Central. If your company has critical functions in C5 that do not exist in Business Central as standard, then you have several different approaches.

– You can consider whether you want to change your processes.

– You can consider having the function tailor-made for Business Central.

– You can choose to take the process outside an ERP system (not recommended)

The first two solutions are clearly the best. The last one simply creates more manual work, and that would be a shame and damaging for your business. Be aware of what should come along, what should be changed and what should go. That is how you make the process far more efficient.

Analysis of current processes and future wishes

It is important to note that a successful migration requires thorough planning and preparation, including an analysis of existing data and work processes, identification of data sources and formats, and the drawing up of a detailed migration plan. It is therefore recommended to involve experienced consultants and partners in the process to ensure an efficient and problem-free transition from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Here are some business processes you should look into:

1. Financial management: Our company has to be able to handle all financial processes, including bookkeeping, payments, invoicing and budgeting. The solution has to allow us to generate financial reports and analyses.
2. Sales and customer service: The solution has to help with the sales process, including quoting, order processing and invoicing. The solution also makes it possible to handle customer contacts and support.
3. Purchasing and supplier management: We need to look into a solution that can help with the purchasing process, including requests for quotes, order processing and payments. The solution also makes it possible to handle supplier contacts and collaboration with suppliers.
4. Inventory management: Handling of stock levels and logistics processes, including purchasing, receiving, warehouse placement and picking.
5. Project management: In the future we have to optimise project management, including scheduling, resource management and project accounting.
6. Production: Efficient handling of production and production processes, including planning, production monitoring and inventory management.
7. HR and payroll: A new system that can help with HR processes, including recruitment, training and performance. The solution can also handle payroll administration and time registration.

not all processes are relevant, but see this analysis as a springboard to something better and far more efficient.

From one data source to several?

Historically, many companies have used C5 as more than just an ERP. We often see this solution ending up as the ultimate place to store all data about the company. Examples of this are C5 storing not only financial elements, but also the following:

• Images – an ERP is not intended as an image database.
• Sales texts – an ERP does not have good formatting options. It is a nightmare to maintain.
• Imperfect product relations – not very smart relations between products. There has to be a system behind why products have relations between each other, something that should be generated from purchasing patterns.
• Product attributes – it quickly becomes messy. Many systems you have to integrate with need order.

Spread your data out across different systems. Systems that are intended for the purpose they are built for. Below we can mention the following sources you should consider:

• ERP
• PIM/DAM
• CRM
• eCommerce

A good analysis can map out your needs and which systems can be used for the right purpose.

Choose the right implementation partner

The chances that you would be able to handle this task yourself are — no offence intended — doubtful. And that makes really good sense, because the people who can actually handle this task, well, they usually make a living doing it for others. It is a complex process, and your data set as an eCommerce company is guaranteed to be really deep. It takes a steady hand, technical skill and experience to carry out a task like this and to do it so that the new system runs without errors.

Read our guide here on choosing the right ERP partner.

Make sure there is sufficient training

What is the use of moving to a new system if the people who have to use it do not know it? Hint: it is no use at all. So make sure you invest time in training the users. They have to know how Business Central works, how they get the most out of it, and what they should be aware of when they use it, before you take the final leap into running the company’s new ERP system.

Test the system thoroughly

To be sure that everything works optimally, you have to make sure you take your new ERP system out for a test drive. See whether the solutions hold up, whether there are weak points and whether the machinery does what it is supposed to. Here is a little tip: Take one trip too many rather than one too few. A test period that is too short results in far more extra work than the extra testing would have cost you.

Have a plan for unforeseen events

What do you do when things go up in flames and your ERP system suddenly does not do what it should? Have you set aside time and money for that, or will it leave a bad taste in your mouth? Our advice here is that you should set aside money and time for unforeseen events and expenses. ERP systems are complex, and there can easily be aspects of your project that have been overlooked, or solutions that have to be coded from scratch for your project.

Make sure communication is good

Good communication is the key to almost everything good in life, and in particular also to migrating data from C5 to Business Central. Remember to voice your concerns, your needs and your opinions during the project. It can help the implementation partner and other stakeholders understand your business. In the end, that understanding is what creates the right solution for you.

Are you about to throw yourself into an ERP project? Use our checklist for a successful ERP project.

Data validation

Data validation is a critical process in any data conversion or migration process, including migration from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central. It is important to make sure that the data transferred from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central is accurate, complete and in the right format, to avoid errors and problems later in the process.

There are several steps that can help make sure the data is validated correctly during the migration:

1. Data analysis: Before the migration, it is important to review and analyse the data to be transferred from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central in order to identify any data quality problems and inconsistencies. This includes checking whether the data is complete, accurate and in the right format.
2. Data cleansing: After the data analysis, it is important to carry out a data cleansing to eliminate any duplicated, incorrect or incomplete data. This can include deleting duplicate records, updating incorrect data and filling in missing data.
3. Validation of the data transfer: After migrating the data from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central, it is important to validate whether the data has been transferred correctly, and that all data is intact and in the right format. This includes checking whether all records are correct and complete, and that all data elements have been transferred correctly.
4. Testing the data integration: After validating the data transfer, it is important to test whether the data integrates correctly with Dynamics 365 Business Central and other systems used in the company. This includes testing whether the data works correctly with other applications, integrations and reports.

It is important to make sure that data is validated carefully throughout the migration process in order to avoid errors and problems later in the process. This requires thorough planning and preparation, including the involvement of experienced consultants and partners to ensure a successful migration of data from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central.

Microsoft has written a little about validation and which data is transferred.

Migration tools in Business Central

Fortunately for your project, there are tools in Business Central that can help you transfer all your existing data to your new system. Make sure you get to know the tools if you are handling the migration yourself. Yes, Dynamics 365 Business Central offers a range of tools and features that can help with data conversion and migration from C5. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central includes, for example, a built-in data conversion tool that can help import and convert data from different data sources, including C5. In addition, a number of vendors specialising in C5 migration can help transfer data and configuration from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central.

A simple migration method

One of the most common methods for migrating data from C5 to Dynamics 365 Business Central is to export data from C5 in CSV or Excel format and then use Dynamics 365 Business Central’s data import tool to import the data into Business Central. In addition, Microsoft partners and third-party vendors can help create a tailor-made plan for migration and implementation that fits the company’s specific needs and requirements.

Give extra attention to historical data

Historical data in C5 refers to previously saved transaction data and information about previous actions that have been carried out in the system. This can include information about customers, suppliers, products, orders, invoices, payments, stock levels and other financial information that has been entered into the system.

Historical data is important because it allows users to track and analyse previous transactions and activities, which can help predict future trends and make better decisions. It can also help maintain the accuracy of data and make sure that the information in the system is up to date and relevant.

In C5, historical data can be accessed through various reports and queries that allow users to analyse and manipulate data as needed. This can help identify trends and patterns and help users make more informed decisions based on previous experience.

Summary

Migrating from C5 to Business Central is no small task. This blog post does show, however, that the only sure path to success is planning. The more detail you can map out the task ahead of you in, the better you can make sure you succeed with it. Planning also involves communication, expectations, finances and partners. All good things come to those who have a plan.

Are you changing ERP system?

We have helped a sea of eCommerce companies find the right partner for migration or ERP projects.

Do you have questions, or would you like to learn more?

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