CFO Playbook: How to switch software with confidence

“For example, automated report generation is phenomenal,” says Cran. “Finance teams are astonished when they see how much granular detail can be generated with near-zero effort. If they are used to working with a basic package for small firms and startups, the ability to view data by division or subsidiary, with automated consolidation is a huge upgrade.”

However, selecting the right package is about more than running through a checklist of features.

“When CFOs ask me for advice, my message is to look beyond the sheer number of tools. The risk is being seduced into adopting a bloated ERP system. Given the Gartner research on just how many of those projects fail, you should stop and ask: do you really need a Netsuite or SAP ERP? In the majority of cases, as Gartner says, you’d be better off with a package designed for the mid-market, which focuses on what you really need.”

Basing your search purely on features can also mean becoming overwhelmed by choice.

“I’ve spent my life in accounting, first as a Chartered Accountant, then CFO, and today as CEO, and I have sympathy for finance teams in their search for the right accounts package,” says Cran.

“There are so many vendors and products. It’s not easy. That’s why it’s important not to get bogged down in the endless comparisons between each platform - focus instead on what truly matters to your business. The best solution is the one that meets your core needs, not the one with the longest feature list.”

Speed of implementation is a great way to assess suitability. Ask providers for the expected time to launch.

“A mid-market company should be able to migrate to a new system in a few weeks, and with confidence,” says Cran. Longer periods are a giveaway that the package may be an overengineered solution for your company.

“Six months is too long,” adds Cran. “And frankly, the bigger providers often take a year to 18 months to implement. The cost is brutal. The disruption is unfathomable. Time-to-value really matters.” In contrast, a modern, cloud-hosted solution like AccountsIQ can be fully deployed in just 4–6 weeks—at just 1/6th of the cost of the more complex systems.

Compared to traditional ERP platforms like NetSuite or SAP, which can demand a year or more of intensive implementation processes and significant investment, AccountsIQ delivers faster results with far less strain on budgets and teams, and no hidden or spiralling third party costs.

Demand installation projections from potential vendors. Ask for case studies of comparable firms. If migration is going to take half a year to a year, you can rule the vendor out.

Talk to your provider about the help they offer during a transition. For example, AccountsIQ supplies a dedicated migration team that will work with you to identify the best path to adoption. Training is also provided both in-person and online.

Integration with other applications is also key to the speed of implementation. Connecting with third-party applications is made easier with cloud-based systems. API connectivity makes it straightforward to integrate into other business packages across CRM, HR, sales, marketing, inventory, and other domains.

Take ExpenseIn, for example - now part of the AccountsIQ group following an acquisition in January 2025. It’s a powerful expense management tool that’s fully embedded into our platform, making the entire process from receipt to reimbursement seamless.

That kind of joined-up process is what finance teams expect now - and we’ve yet to come across an integration we haven’t already handled.”

Implementation speed is a big factor in Total cost of ownership (TCO). If the package is rapid to install and launch – days or weeks – the return on investment begins almost immediately. Conversely, a migration taking months or years can (and often does) cause chaos, and incurs expense before any valuable return is felt.

TCO is a vital metric – yet it is often miscalculated. The price of software is only part of the true total.
There are many hidden costs, including:
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‍Software license fees – often appear low initially but increase over time.
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‍Implementation costs – outsourced consultants drive up expenses.
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‍Parallel system costs – running two systems during long rollouts is costly.
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‍Premium support fees – ERP providers such as Netsuite start support charges at around £10,000 per year and these fees can reach above £100,000 per year for advanced customer support including third party involvement.

“TCO needs to include every expense,” says Cran. “This begins with software fees. Then add on implementation costs, internal costs incurred in the switchover, training and onboarding, and the expense of external consultants if you find the support offered by the vendor isn’t great.

Netsuite clients regularly seek third-party support, and the cost balloons. ”On the other hand, adds Cran, “a pain-free transition, including ongoing, accessible staff training via the vendor’s in-house service, means the TCO tumbles”.

So you’ve found a product that is quick to implement and has a reasonable TCO. But how  easy will it be for your finance team to operate it? Rather than just looking at the functionality to address this question, it is essential that you consider the customer support that is offered.

“You want local, expert support,” says Cran. “Your vendor ought to provide the personal touch. You want human help during the transition period with some hand-holding. And demand an account manager who’ll answer when you call. This isn’t what you’ll get from the likes of Xero, which offers online ticketing support only. It is impersonal and slow.”

Also consider whether support with that personal touch is included as part of your package, or comes at an additional cost, as is the case with Netsuite. At AccountsIQ, we offer in-house UKI-based support, dedicated account managers, rapid responses with a 27 minute average first response time and a 98% Customer Support Satisfaction score.