We are currently using AFN 6.x and will be converting to FE 7.x going live on January 1st of 2007. How many other people out here are preparing for conversion? I would like to start up some way of keeping in touch with others who are converting so that we may keep each other informed on things that didn't go smoothly, or things to look out for while doing the conversion.

We converted our database over a year ago. We are not a large organization but one word of caution: The conversion itself took over 13 hours of server time. The A/R module took an added 3 hours to convert its data also so its just something to consider. Other than the time took, we had no significant issues. The utilities that viewed our data etc found everything that we needed to address and the instructions were clear so the conversion itself went well just took a very long time.

I agree that conversion might take long time because old database uses Sybase ASE and new database uses MS SQL server. Christmas break is probably a good time. More than physical conversion accuracy of data checks are important. If you are using new hardware for the migration, it will be much easier than upgrading on the same hardware system. We did practice conversion on a standalone system before we did live. You should have definite plan with timings. I am not sure how big shop is yours, but the results (reports) must always be checked by the authorized person before you go live. Hope this may help.

We are planning on converting in January as well. We are still trying to determine whether to convert to all verion 7 modules or hold of on student billing for a little while. Any suggestions?

I was wondering how your pre-conversion has been. Are you still on target to convert in January? We are in the process of converting also. We have two issues that we are working through: 1) we have the projects module currently and we are considering making the change to require projects on our balance sheet entries. could anyone offer pros and cons to making this change 2) FE7 has a new level of grants in addition to the current projects. It almost seems as if it's just out there and no one is really sure of the best way to implement it. Is anyone utilizing the new grant feature in projects and grants for FE7? Does the grant level allow budgets? What are the pros and cons? Thanks for your input!!

As far as being on time nope. We had originally scheduled to convert with Jeff Sobers from blackbaud doing our Conversion work and training the week before Thanksgiving. Jeff had to put us off until the week after Thanksgiving in order to make sure that he was more comfortable with the time he could give us. Then it got put off until the last week in January, because a conversion he was working on for payroll was not working and he had to stay with another client longer. He was able to do a pre-conversion run for us though. And we actually have that up and running on our new server, We all have been checking out FE and I have ran a few reports that we needed for last fiscal year out of it and handed them out to the vps. We have projects and grants but don't plan on changing anything in it. One thing I can say is I like the reports and queries in FE way better then in AFN. We are not converting to payroll 7 now especially with the problems he had with the other client.

Thanks for the input. Do you require projects on your balance sheet accounts?

Usually for our balance sheets we break down by project then the account numbers we want to see. Especially when we are balancing out accounting side to RE activity.

Happy New Year everyone!! Just wanted to send this inquiry out again since it was originally sent out close to the holidays: We are in the process of converting to FE7. We have two issues that we are working through: 1) we have the projects module currently and we are considering making the change to require projects on our balance sheet entries. could anyone offer pros and cons to making this change 2) FE7 has a new level of grants in addition to the current projects. It almost seems as if it's just out there and no one is really sure of the best way to implement it. Is anyone utilizing the new grant feature in projects and grants for FE7? Does the grant level allow budgets? What are the pros and cons? Thanks for your input!!

We are preparing a conversion to FE from a DOS based legacy system.  We will begin on April 9th and would appreciate any learnings you have discovered in your implementation.  I hope yours went (is going) well.

We are also preparing to convert to FE from AFN 6.x on 4/1/08.  I'll let you know how things are going.

Hi Karen,

We are also converting, but not until August.  I would truly appreciate any input, suggestions, warnings, etc. you might have for me after you convert.  Are you doing a full conversion or just records/configuration only?

Thanks!

Melissa Norwood

melissa.norwood@smes.org

St. Margaret's Episcopal School

We are doing a full conversion.  I'll let you know how things go!

 

Karen

Bob, one thing we noticed, yesterday we sent our files for the test conversion and I didn't think to make sure that all AP batches had been posted, I believe they were able to post them for us, but I'm sure it will make it easier if everything is posted before sending the files.

Karen