Implementing Sage with the right planning, tools, and team, the journey can be smooth — and even energizing.
Are you frustrated with a system that no longer serves your organization’s growing needs? Do you still have systems in place that tie you to a physical server? Is it difficult to pull all of your data together for clear, concise, and timely reporting? Are you still tied down printing and signing vendor checks? It might be time to embrace automation and what is now available to cloud users.
As more organizations shift to cloud-based financial systems, the transition to a cloud system like Sage Intacct can feel both exciting and overwhelming. Having led multiple implementations across industries — from nonprofits to professional services, and everything in between — I’ve seen firsthand what makes a Sage Intacct rollout successful.
Whether you're upgrading from starter systems like QuickBooks, MIP, or from sunsetting systems like Great Plains, or migrating from a legacy on-premise system, here’s what to expect and how you can prepare both your team and your data for success with Sage Intacct.
I also asked two of my clients, Jenny Thornburg, financial services director of Lewis Communications in Alabama and Lori Mora, director of finance at Brothers Redevelopment Inc. in Colorado, what lessons they learned and would share with someone just starting down this path. I'll share their feedback throughout.
Pre-implementation planning: Set the foundation
Every successful implementation starts with establishing a clearly defined scope and aligning stakeholders. Before diving into configuration, take time to define your goals and seek answers to the following questions:
- What are the must-haves for today and things that can wait for a later phase?
- Are you looking to streamline reporting? Improve multi-entity consolidation? Automate approvals? Integrate your tech stack?
- Is your team on board, and do its members see the eventual gains of the implementation?
Jenny, suggests that those who are transitioning to Sage Intacct “look into implementation partners [who are] very experienced with the software but can also be your advocate if something is not working quite right.”
Because there is so much information being shared during product demonstrations, discovery sessions, and implementation calls, she also recommends recording these interactions, using meeting recording tools like Fathom, so that you can later reference important details.
Be prepared and open to making changes. An implementation is a fantastic opportunity to fix items you’ve been meaning to address. Re-work that chart of accounts to be more useful to your reporting, group together similar accounts, and get rid of old and inactive accounts that are no longer used.
For Lori, a key to success was that “the data was prepared and reviewed prior to implementation. We were not trying to fix prior year’s errors while also trying to get the new software up and running.”
The same holds true with vendors and customers. If you haven’t worked with them in two or three years, scrub them out. It’s easy to add them back in the future if needed.
Be open minded, as well, when it comes to hearing suggestions from your implementation team on how you can improve processes and add efficiencies. The idea is not to simply mirror what you do today, just in a new system.
Once you’ve selected Sage Intacct and CLA, you can expect a kickoff meeting to get things started. A strong kickoff meeting is essential and should address the following considerations:
- Introductions and role alignment
- Project methodology and timeline
- Project-management tools
- Data migration strategy (e.g., opening balances, trial balances, general ledger detail, reporting dimensions)
Implementation in action: Tools, teams, and training
System implementations are collaborative by nature. You can expect your implementer to provide subject matter knowledge and project management. On the client side, we look for a finance lead, IT liaison (if needed), and a few power users.
It's ideal to start with a core group of lead stakeholders. This helps keep meetings moving and allows for collaboration on decisions without bringing every cook into the kitchen.
We use a structured methodology that includes:
- Weekly status calls
- Milestone-based deliverables
- Sandbox testing and feedback loops
Training is a major focus of a successful implementation. We encourage clients to take advantage of learning provided by Sage Intacct and the implementation team, and to participate in training workshops. These resources help teams build confidence and reduce post-go-live support needs. Another great insight shared from Lori is regarding the time it takes to be successful during implementation. “I think the other thing I did was carve out enough time per week to dedicate to just this task. Though changing software is a heavy lift, if you dedicate enough time, you can make it happen.” Putting aside dedicated time during the testing phase is one of the biggest drivers of a successful transition.
Thorough testing of your real-world transactions and scenarios is paramount to a successful implementation. Any ERP solution knows how to process accounts payable (AP), but did you test the nuance of your transaction allocations and approval workflows? Is your procure-to-pay process running as intended? Those are the keys to a successful go-live.
Common challenges — and how to overcome them
No implementation is without its bumps. Below are a few common hurdles and how your implementation team might address them.
Data complexity
Migrating clean, structured data is critical. We often recommend a phased approach — starting with summary balances and layering in detail over time. Make sure the volume of data you migrate adds value; “garbage in, garbage out” adds no value to the new system.
Well planned dimensions
Clients love the flexibility of dimensions, but over-customization can backfire. Implement a system that your transactional users can understand and determine during data entry.
Third-party integrations
Many clients rely on external systems for payroll, budgeting, or payments. We help clarify integration types — whether CSV imports or pre-built connections — so they’re enabled correctly. These could be payroll providers, third-party expense/AP solutions, or a customer relationship management (CRM) system like Salesforce.
Sage Intacct offers an open application programming interface (API) and the ability to integrate with a wide array of other tools, but also provide the ability to create a custom integration.
Jenny, offers, “When syncing platforms, be sure to ask lots of questions, request a plan/timeline with detailed steps and milestones. Be sure they can sync the objects you need before you invest too much time and realize they can’t.”
Post go-live success: Support and strategy
Going live is just the beginning. Our implementation team will stay engaged for smooth transition and to help clients get the most from their investment. Key post-go-live activities include:
First month-end close
This includes confirming that subledger balances tie to the general ledger, bank feeds are connected where applicable, bank reconciliations are completed for the first month, and financial statements are validated and released.
Hypercare support
This phase includes troubleshooting, additional training, and minor configuration tweaks. It’s especially valuable when pre-launch testing was limited.
Change management
Your implementation team can provide documentation, training refreshers, and regular check-ins to help users adapt to the new system.
Digital assessments and continuous improvement
When your business continues to evolve and change, whether due to an acquisition, new line of business, or other changes, our team is here to help. Assessments or focused consulting projects can help clients align their tech stack with strategic goals.
Feedback loops
Surveys, follow-up sessions, and other opportunities to share feedback with your implementation team can help refine future implementations for your organization and assist the vendor in continuously improving and tailoring its approach to each client’s needs.
Lessons from the field: Real-world wins
One of the most rewarding aspects of implementation is seeing clients thrive after the launch. We see clients make significant improvements as a result of a Sage Intacct implementation. Some examples of real wins include:
- A monthly close process was shortened from 15 days to five.
- Check printing was eliminated, with all AP payments now triggered via automated clearing house (ACH) from the system.
- Approvals that were previously all signed, with printed copies and emails at play, were brought entirely into the system.
- Consolidations of multiple entities with multiple base currencies now take minutes instead of days of manual preparation in a spreadsheet program.
- Revenue recognition moved from a spreadsheet program and was instead automated by the system.
Implementing Sage Intacct is a strategic move that can transform an organization’s finance function. With the right planning, tools, and team, the journey can be smooth — and even energizing.