Moving to Kontala from another system

Kontala does not have an automated migration importer, so moving over means entering a small amount of standing data and importing your bank activity. Done in the right order, it is straightforward.

1. Pick a start date

Choose the date your books move to Kontala, ideally the start of your accounting year or of a VAT period. Set your accounting dates to match, under Settings, then Accounting Dates. See Accounting dates and settings. Finish any work dated before your start date in your old system.

2. Enter bank opening balances

Add each business bank account in Banking, and set its Opening balance to the real bank balance on your start date. The opening balance can only be changed while the account has no transactions, so enter it when you add the account. See Add a bank account.

3. Import statements from your start date

Import each account's statements from your start date onwards, then explain the transactions. This is the main bulk import into Kontala. See Import a bank statement.

4. Re-enter open invoices and bills

Re-create any invoice that was still unpaid at your start date, so payments can be matched when they arrive. Do the same for unpaid bills. See Create an invoice and Create a bill.

5. Re-create your contacts and items

Add customers, suppliers, and the products or services you sell, either up front or as you need them. See Create and edit contacts and Create items.

6. Record the rest of your opening position

Your bank balances and open documents are only part of what the business owned and owed on your start date. Go to Settings, then Opening Balances, and enter the rest: loans, reserves, VAT owed or owing, and anything else on your old balance sheet.

Equipment you already owned goes in here too, with its original cost and the depreciation accumulated so far, so it reaches your asset register and carries on depreciating properly.

The figure marked still to allocate must reach zero. Until it does, you cannot approve a year end or close a tax year.

See Opening balances.

Keep your old records

Your history does not move across, so keep your old system's records or exports available for reference and record keeping.