Switching POS Systems: Migration and Cutover Checklist
A POS migration should start with exports and reconciled opening balances. Test the new system using a small copy of the data before choosing the date when live trading will move.
Establish what can be exported
Request sample exports for products, prices, customers, invoices, payments, credits and current stock. Check whether product IDs and transaction references remain stable across files. Keep a list of attachments and records that must remain accessible in the old system.
Ask the supplier how to retrieve data after cancelling a subscription. Agree the retention period, export format and any charges in writing. Save a copy of the documentation with the export.
Map fields before importing
Match each old field to its new destination. Confirm how variants, barcodes, units of sale, tax categories, inactive products and multiple currencies are represented. Preserve leading zeros in barcodes and codes.
Use a small test import containing awkward records: a long description, a duplicate name, a foreign currency customer, a fractional quantity and an archived product. Review the import errors and the resulting records before using the full dataset.
| Data group | Reconciliation check |
|---|---|
| Products | Record count, unique SKU, barcode and unit of sale |
| Stock | Quantity by product and location at the agreed cutover time |
| Customer accounts | Open invoice and credit balances by currency |
| Payments | Reference, amount and allocation to an invoice |
| Historic records | Access to previous receipts, tax documents and supporting files |
Approve the opening position
Take an opening stock count and reconcile customer balances to the old reports. Decide whether history will be imported as transactions or retained separately. Importing a historical sale as a new live sale can deduct stock and inflate revenue.
Have the owner or accountant approve the opening values and the exception list. Keep the original exports unchanged so the migration can be reproduced.
Choose and rehearse the cutover
Use a quiet trading window, name the person who approves go live and record the final export time. Define how sales made after that export reach the new system. Train staff on normal sales, returns, held orders and cash closing.
Rehearse the first day with sample records. Agree a rollback decision point and the treatment of any real transactions already processed. Switching back without reconciling them can create a second set of sales.
Prepare a scoped migration request
DSDillon POS provides CSV imports for products and customers. Transaction history, historic balances and integrations require a separate mapping and reconciliation plan. The existence of an API in the former platform does not guarantee complete migration.
Send the software name, approximate product and customer counts, number of locations and a redacted sample export. Keep passwords, payment credentials and unredacted customer records out of the public enquiry form.
Questions before you decide
Can all of my historic sales be imported?
That depends on export access, field compatibility and how the new system handles historical records. Agree the scope and reconciliation method before beginning.
Should the old POS be deleted after cutover?
Preserve the required historic access and backups under the agreed retention policy. Confirm tax, contractual and business record obligations before removing the old system.
Tell us how your business sells.
Share your business type, locations, currencies, invoice requirements and payment providers. We will scope the workflow, connections and acceptance tests.
