Transitioning to a new platform might seem like a daunting task, filled with potential disruptions and data loss. However, with careful planning and the right guidance, migrating off of BILL can be a seamless process. We’ll walk through the migration process using Settle as our accounts payable example in this step-by-step guide to ensure a smooth transition. Still deciding whether to use Settle for your AP automation needs? Check out our comparison guide to see how we stack up against BILL.
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What does a successful migration look like?
A successful switchover will migrate the following information to Settle:
Vendors stored in your accounting software:
The vendor’s name, EIN/TIN, and contact information (if available)
Associated bank account information (if available)
An active accounting sync
A connected bank account
Historical bills and payment information
Migration timeline
Preparing the migration
Clean up your existing bill pay and accounting software:
Ensure all bills are updated in your existing bill pay and accounting software
Eliminate any duplicate vendors in the accounting software
Close any periods in the accounting software that you do not want Settle to interact with
Import historical bills and vendors
Add team members to Settle
Decide on a migration/switchover date and communicate it with your team
Day of migration
Turn off existing bill pay accounting sync
Turn on Settle accounting sync
Preparing for the migration
Clean up accounting software data to ensure a successful sync
If your books are properly reconciled and past periods are closed, you are already done with this step! Within your accounting software, we recommend reviewing your vendors and confirming that all open bills are up to date so that you will not need to make any changes in Settle.
Connect accounting software
You can easily connect your accounting software to Settle through Settings. When you first connect Settle to your accounting software, data only syncs in one direction: accounting software > Settle. To keep your accounting software up to date, we recommend configuring the write permissions to enable a 2-way sync with Settle.
To allow Settle to write to your accounting software, click configure → enable Write to [accounting software] (QuickBooks example shown). You will also need to map your connected bank accounts to the corresponding expense accounts in your accounting software so that all journal entries are recorded correctly.
Choose a switchover date and inform your team
It is important to establish a date your team will fully transition from BILL. We recommend selecting the 1st of a month so you will not have to use both BILL and Settle to close your books. Once a date has been determined, communicate to your team that they need to log into Settle before that date and discontinue using BILL once the transition takes place.
TIP: Align your team on how your business is going to approach uploading, approving, and paying invoices. Speak with a Settle team member to schedule a demo to ensure your whole team is trained and confident on Settle!
Migration Day
Disconnect BILL sync with accounting software
It is time to disconnect your BILL sync with your accounting software. Once you disconnect, you’ll want to set up your Settle sync with your accounting software. To start, navigate to bill.com > login > settings > Sync setup > Disconnect (BILL instructions).
Connect Settle sync with accounting software
Navigate to Settle’s Integrations page (Settings > Integrations). Here, you will be able to select your accounting software, which will take you to a login page. Once you log in, Settle imports your chart of accounts and financials, taking you to the integration preferences page to map your accounts to linked bank accounts. Upon clicking Save, Settle will import your vendors.
Importing open and historical bills to Settle
If you want your historical bills and their paid/unpaid status to be imported to Settle, follow these steps:
Click Add bill in the top right corner
Select Import from [Accounting Software]
Import either open bills or historical bills based on a date range
How to handle sync errors
When syncing Settle and your accounting software, there may be instances where a bill cannot be exported successfully. To help resolve these issues, Settle offers a user-friendly sync status view that tells you when and why a bill was not exported.
To access the Sync Center, click on the sync status icon in the left sidebar. Within the Sync Center, you can filter for all bills with errors, each of which will have an associated error message and instructions for resolving the error.
That’s it! You’ll have successfully migrated your accounts payable from BILL to Settle. For smoother workflows, we recommend that your team conducts all of their accounts payable tasks within Settle and familiarize themselves with our Help Center or reach out to our customer support team with any questions.
Still unsure whether to use Settle for your accounts payable needs? Check out our handy comparison guide to see how we compare against BILL. You’ll see how Settle can save you $3,500 a year1 and you can get access to a super simple interface, PO management, and flexible financing2. You'll also get access to a migration specialist to walk your team through the migration to ensure a smooth transition process.
1. Number calculated based on a customer account on Settle’s Plus plan and Bill’s Team plan that has 2 users, making 40 payment transactions (and averaging the various transaction fees among the various payment types) and comparing the total costs (subscription fees plus transaction fees for 40 payments) between Settle’s Plus plan and Bill’s Team plan. Savings of approximately $288.75 a month, or $3,464.97 a year. Bill pricing and plan information based on published pricing on its website. 2. For qualified businesses.
*The information in this article is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal, financial, or professional advice. Settle makes no representation or warranties, expressed or implied, and in no event shall Settle or its affiliates, agents, or employees be liable to you or anyone else for any decision made or action taken in reliance on the information contained herein.