Category: computer consulting

Moving Your Accounting System to the Cloud

When your accounting system is hosted on a local server in your office building, the data is readily accessible.
There are few restrictions on importing and exporting segments of data upon need. Both access time and speed are
relatively reasonable.

When you shift your accounting system to the cloud, especially in a co-hosted environment, restrictions are set for both time and speed of accessibility. Store on the “cloud”, your data access is only as fast as the bandwith of your internet connection. Many accounting system hosts are restrictive on allowing you to front load a lot of historical data to their system, even though it is your own private installation. Co-hosting, after all, means you are sharing the server, even though a separate partition, with other businesses. This takes a toll on the pipeline to the co-hosted server.

Some cloud-based accounting systems have awkward data record layouts and don’t want to be taxed into figuring out how to convert your older, historical sales, purchases and financial information into their layouts. It’s not just their fear of scaring you about the costs to do so, but that it ties up their time in doing these conversions. They want cookie cutter operations. They want the majority of their clients to conform to their off-the-shelf programming. It’s easier to support and when updates are made available it can be deployed to many clients with less hassle.

The above is not to discourage you to consider moving your accounting system to the cloud but rather to be aware of all issues related to the move. If you need someone to help you navigate this transition, give us a call. We only have more than 35 years experience with business accounting systems.


Give us a call at 773-502-5771 or email us at info@lteren.com as a step in the right direction to overcoming concerns you have in your undertaking.

The Politics of Software Migration

What part of your business drives the need to switch software? If you are a manufacturer, probably a better bills of material, materials planning system. If a distributor, probably better order processing and inventory replenishment linkage. If ecommerce, probably software that offers an improved customer experience with data access.

Reality strikes when during the process of choosing new software you find that other departments object to features that are not how they want it to be even though they are a secondary need. In other words, those pushing for a better material planning system don’ t care if the new software they want has an awkward accounts payable section. Or the warehouse manager who is excited by features that improve his ability to track and process inventory finds that the sales department is being unreasonable if the reports they used to get are not readily available in the new system.

Be prepared to insist that whomever is rewarded with the contract to install your new software also be able to satisfy everyone so that there is no degradation of what you previously had. And be williing to pay for it. Or be willing to walk the political tightrope.

Learn more how we can help you navigate your business.

Call 773-502-5771 to get you on the right track.

Data Transfer to a New System


A client asked us to provide a software company that would be moving them into a new system with existing customer master information so that it could be imported into their system. The recipient of the data made no effort to discuss the data and notes provided. It became obvious that they posted the data into their new system with information that they labeled erroneously and designated its use incorrectly. Are they to be trusted when not even apologizing for the lack of effort?

Learn more how we can help you navigate your business.

Call 773-502-5771 to get you on the right track.



Company Vs. Customer Specific


One software purveyor told our client that their sales order processing tasks were company specific and not customer specific and to deal with it. What they were saying was that it was too much programming effort to allow exceptions to the rule when processing selected customers orders. Was that being lazy or just too difficult and complicated to start building in so many unique scripts of exceptions?

Learn more how we can help you navigate your business.

Call 773-502-5771 to get you on the right track.



That’s the Best We Can Do

“That’s the Best We Can Do” is not what you want to hear someone say when you are asking him or her for professional help. It’s not quite throwing in the towel but it is an admission that even if there is a better solution, he or she cannot do it. The recipient of this response then needs to evaluate the situation and decide if not getting the best or even a better solution is that important. They also have to decide if it is worth it to find someone else who can do better.


Learn more how we can help you navigate your business.

Call 773-502-5771 to get you on the right track.