A switching checklist that follows the data

Before choosing a date

Compare the old system’s exports with the new system’s actual import fields. Catalog import, customer import, opening inventory and transaction history are separate questions. Test representative records instead of assuming one CSV covers everything. Identify gift cards, deposits, store credit and open orders that need a specific balance-transfer or ongoing-access plan.

Before the final export

• Keep an untouched backup and record the date, time and system it came from.
• Resolve duplicate product identifiers and preserve leading zeros in barcodes.
• Define which system records sales during the changeover and how later adjustments are reconciled.
• Check hardware ownership, cancellation obligations and access to historical reports.

Before the first live sale

Have a cashier complete the essential workflows with the real counter equipment. Have a manager explain the resulting stock and closing report. Record a failed payment, a return and a permission request as part of that rehearsal. Assign an owner to every unresolved issue, and do not mark a promised future capability as ready.

After the first close

Reconcile sales, cash, terminal totals and sample stock balances. Keep the old records accessible for the period your business needs, with appropriate access controls. Confirm each cancellation separately and retain the receipt. A software change does not automatically cancel a processor or equipment agreement. If the first close exposes a material mismatch, use the agreed fallback plan and resolve it before expanding the rollout.