The importance of education and training during an accounting system changeover

If you’re implementing new accounting software for your company, a bright new future awaits. Cloud-based accounting systems have so many business advantages that you’re bound to reap the benefits when upgrading – as long as you and your staff all understand what the new software can do.

Education is a fundamental part of any software changeover; here we’ll explain why moving to the cloud requires a comprehensive programme of education and staff training.

Get the best out of your software

Today’s technology is so powerful that we don’t always use it to its full potential. Software vendors often observe the 80/20 rule: commonly, 80% of clients will only make use of 20% of their system’s capabilities. That’s a lot of processing power that’s going to waste. There’s no point in going through the effort and disruption of a software changeover if employees revert to habit and continue to use the complex workarounds that they were used to with the old system – so training is vital if you’re going to get the best out of your upgrade.

AccountsIQ not only provide a revolutionary cloud-based accounting system, but also the training, implementation and customer support to go with it.

Adapting to change

In general, people don’t take kindly to change. The longer we’ve been accustomed to our own way of doing things – even if it’s slow, frustrating and inefficient – the more resistant we are to anything that disrupts us from our comfort zone.

So, the importance of education during the changeover can’t be overstated; people need insight into the personal advantages and benefits that a change in their role or habits will bring.

Tips on education and training

Staff education is an ongoing process that can begin as soon as you decide to upgrade your system. Accounting software training is a more hands-on activity that involves learning how to carry out specific tasks.

Here are some tips on educating your employees about moving to the cloud:

• Get them involved: ask for feedback on how their roles are carried out and what changes they’d like to see.
• Offer a demo: get your software provider to let staff ‘play’ with a dummy version of the new system before its implementation, to see for themselves what it will be like.
• Keep talking: by getting enough people engaged, you’re more likely to convince your staff of the merits of the change.

Everyone in the company needs to understand the importance of training and make time for it in their schedules. Software changeovers involve significant changes in everyone’s working day, and employees need to feel confident and happy with the adjustments to their role.

• Remember the 80/20 rule? Don’t be one of those clients: by providing full and comprehensive training sessions from the start, you’ll ensure that your company is using the system to its full potential.
• Split your staff into different types of user: they’ll have different training needs depending on how they use your software.
• Use a variety of different training methods to meet employee needs. These could include everything from group and one-to-one training sessions to online learning resources such as videos and documentation.
• Following staff training, a ‘hand holding’ period allows you to work closely with the software providers to ensure that you are getting everything you need from the system.
• A responsive customer support system will help you with ongoing queries as you continue to use the system.

If you’re needing advice on accounting system changeover, contact one of our experts for more information on 0203 598 7350 or to get an overview of the sophisticated functionality within AccountsIQ, Request a Demo.