The clients everyone avoids (until someone finally moves them)

Every accounting firm has them: the manufacturer still running Sage 200, the creative agency managing projects in Paprika or the long-standing client on a local accounting package that nobody in the firm has touched for years. The business everyone agrees should probably move, but somehow never does.

Interestingly, these are rarely problem clients. They are often some of the most valuable clients in the portfolio. These are the ones growing and investing. They want better reporting, more automation and better visibility across the business. Yet year after year, they remain on the same software. Why? Because nobody wants to touch the migration.

Growth changes the conversation

Most legacy accounting systems were implemented for good reasons. Sage 200 is a perfect example.

For years it has helped organisations manage finance, reporting and operational processes. Many businesses built successful companies on top of it. The challenge appears when the business starts asking different questions.

• Can we automate more?

• Can we improve reporting?

• Can we connect systems more easily?

• Can we get real-time visibility instead of waiting for month-end reports?

Suddenly the discussion is now about whether it still supports where the business is heading. That is usually the moment accountants start recommending change.

The opportunity nobody picks first

The strange thing about software migrations is that the destination is often clear. I mean, most accountants can quickly identify the right next platform. The hesitation lies in other factors, such as years of historical transactions and custom reporting structures. But also, in multiple entities and business-critical processes. Nobody wants to be responsible for getting that wrong. As a result, many firms keep postponing the conversation. The client remains where they are, so the inefficiencies remain there. Another year passes, and nothing changes.

The hidden cost of waiting

What often gets overlooked is the cost of standing still. Businesses continue working around limitations while finance teams rely on manual workarounds and reporting takes so much longer than it should. Growth becomes harder to support. Meanwhile, software that once fitted perfectly slowly becomes a bottleneck. The irony is that these clients often represent the firm's biggest opportunities. Once the migration barrier disappears, entirely different conversations become possible:

• Forecasting.

• Automation.

• Better management reporting.

• More strategic advice.

• The migration becomes the unlock, not the destination.

The projects that fall outside the standard route

The reality is that not every migration can be handled through a standard self-service conversion.

That is especially true for platforms such as Sage 200, older ERP environments and heavily customised accounting systems. These projects need more planning and more validation. Exactly the reason why we developed our Assisted+ service. Instead of simply starting a conversion, Assisted+ begins with understanding the environment first. Existing structures are analysed, reporting requirements are reviewed and migration pathways are validated before the project moves forward. Where necessary, pilot migrations and controlled testing help reduce risk and build confidence before a full rollout.

The clients worth revisiting

Every accounting practice has a list of clients that have been left alone for years because migration felt too complicated. Maybe it is time to look at those clients again. Sometimes, the biggest opportunity inside a client portfolio is hiding behind the software nobody wants to touch.

If you're unsure whether a client migration fits a standard conversion path, an Assisted+ session can help determine the best route forward.