How to Transition from On-Premise to Cloud Axis

Are you currently using the On-Premise version of TPS Software and curious about TPS Cloud Axis– the online version of our accounting practice management solution?

First, we want you to know that you are under zero obligation to transition to Cloud Axis. We value our On-Premise clients and will continue to update and add new features to our flagship On-Premise solution. It’s not going anywhere, we promise!

That said, 2020 brought a lot of changes to the way firms work and communicate with their own clients and employees. We first introduced TPS Cloud Axis in 2018, and we sure are glad the program was available and up-to-speed for 2020!

If you’ve been considering transitioning to a remote practice management solution, you’re not alone. Many TPS clients have made the transition to Cloud Axis and it’s been serving them well.

Why transition to TPS Cloud Axis?

The biggest reason to transition to TPS Cloud Axis is, of course, the 100% remote access. You and your employees will be able to use all aspects of the program, whether in the office, working from home, or on-the-go. You can easily access from any computer, anywhere– no installation required.

There are other benefits to TPS Cloud Axis, including:

• Automatic backups
• Powerful tools and features
• No need to update software
• Multi-office capability with Ultimate plan
• New features being added throughout year
• New multi-factor authentication to be implemented

We offer a conversion service that will get you up and running in no time. You can also manually import your information, including client lists and work codes.

Getting to know TPS Cloud Axis

There are some excellent videos the administrator and staff can review to familiarize themselves with the TPS Cloud Axis. While it is very similar to TPS On-Premise, there are some differences.

Here are some of the most common questions we get asked about transitioning to TPS Cloud Axis. We invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our team to discuss any other questions you may have.

How long will it take to transition?

Using our conversion service, the transition does not take long at all. It can be done in just a few business days, depending on the amount of information and how busy the transition team is at the time. The transition team likes to do a “pre-test” of the database conversion so they’re aware of any potential issues. This allows us to give a more exact estimation for how long the conversion may take.

If you choose to convert your information manually, your overall transition time will depend on the amount of data you have to transfer and how much time you or your staff are able to commit each day. If you have a tech-savvy person on staff who is familiar with your current On-Premise solution, they should be able to handle the transition process.

How much will it cost?

Each conversion is different, as it depends on the volume and complexity of the data. For most clients, it ranges from $350-750 maximum. As mentioned above, when our transition team runs their “pre-test” they will be able to provide a more exact cost and time estimate.

What are the steps to transition?

Coordinate the conversion of the database

The first and most important task is to coordinate the conversion of the database.

The transition team will ask for a current copy of your TPS database so they can do a test run of the conversion. This will help them understand what is included in your database.

Depending on how many years you have been with TPS, they will also ask you if you wish to convert some or all of your current historical data. The more data they convert, the more it may potentially cost as the fee is based on the conversion team’s time. Most clients choose to convert the last ~5 years of historical data.

Organize a time to transition

Once the team has reviewed your test run of the conversion, they can organize a time with your team to transition to TPS Cloud Axis.

You will want to set up your new TPS Cloud Axis subscription with all employee licenses in place so they can access the program. Each employee will be given a username and password, both of which can be changed at any time in the future.

Complete the subscription process

During the subscription process, you will create a username and password for the main administrator of your subscription.

This administrator will have control over your subscription version, number of licenses and which licenses are active as well as the payment methods.

The firm will also choose its own unique URL for the TPS Cloud Axis that will become the URL for the login, for example– https://yourfirmname.tpssoftware.com

Once the subscription is in place, the transition team will give you a timeline of how long the conversion will take.

Refrain from making changes during the conversion period

During the conversion period, your team must refrain from making new entries in the current TPS On Premise program, as those items will not be converted.

You may want to have your team take note of their time in an alternative manner during the conversion process so they can accurately add that time later. Since the conversion process does not take long, this should not be too arduous.

Log in and add/review information

Once the transition team is complete, they will alert you so your team can login using their unique username and password and begin using the program. This includes adding time, creating invoices and payments, as well as work flow entries.

The firm administrator should review the following as soon as the new TPS Cloud Axis converted data is online.

1. Verify the current Aged AR and Aged WIP balances to the existing TPS On-Premise numbers
2. Employee Permissions
3. Employee Rates
4. Work Code Rate Levels – especially the expenses as they now have the possibility to have unique pre-set rates
5. Firm and Office Set-up – including taxes if applicable
6. Invoice, Statement and Custom Letter template set up with new set of variables
7. Client Billing rates or automatic billing as TPS Cloud now permits multiple monthly, quarterly or annual automatic billing
8. Client telephone and emails as TPS Cloud offers an unlimited number of each
9. Work Flow – as the existing Due Dates have been replaced by Work Flow entries it is important to review the clients recurring entries and familiarize yourself with all the new features in Work Flow like the ability to add time entries and how the firm vs the employee calendar and grid view provides more flexibility and control.

Get up to speed with tutorial videos

Once the basic transition of data is complete, there are a number of videos that the admin and staff should take the time to review. There are overview videos as well as very detailed instructional videos that will help you and your staff make the most of TPS Cloud Axis and the powerful tools it offers accountants.

To make this easy for you and your staff, we have included hundreds of TPS Cloud Axis videos within the program itself. Look for the small red “play” icon to launch a video. You will first want to review the main videos of each section like Client, Time, and Billing.

You can also access our main introductory videos and instructional videos here on our website, as well as our growing Youtube library.

Transition to TPS Cloud Axis or Keep Your On-Premise Solution

We hope that this guide was helpful in providing an overview of how your firm can transition to TPS Cloud Axis. Whether you decide to transition or remain a valued On-Premise client, we look forward to continuing to provide the important updates and personalized service you expect from TPS Software.

If you are interested in transitioning to TPS Cloud Axis, we invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation with our team.