MAS 90 and MAS 200 Upgrade To Version 4.x

MAS 200 End User is looking to upgrade from MAS 200 version 3.71 to
version 4.20. Any advice that can be given about this process would
be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

 

Hi Roy,
First the end user should consider contacting their reseller. If they
are not currently working with someone they can call Sage and Sage
will connect them with someone in their area.
If they are determine to do this on their own my first suggestion
would be to read carefully the Getting Started Guide that comes with
the CDs. Sage's website has lots of good information.
Next, after reading everything available they should create a check
list. A lot of what is in the Guide and website seem a bit overkill,
I have found it to be a good idea to do all the recommeded task.
Most important...make a back up!!!! I make sure the client has a
backup onto a tape (or what ever process they use every night) AND I
make a copy on the system (just a copy and paste).
One quirkly thing I have found in 3.71 to 4.2 that I have not noticed
in 3.71 upgrades to other versions is that the Misc Charge codes in AR
do not migrate. You have to reenter. I have not found that to be a
big deal and many clients, generally those using SO, don't use the
misc charge codes.
Also, your end user MUST review all the setup options for each module
after the upgrade. There are a lot of new features that get turned on
or off and you definately need to pay attention to them.

Merilyn Van Zwieten

 

There is a lot more to consider than the Misc Charge codes needing to
be re-entered when MAS 90 or MAS 200 owners upgrade from version 3.
For example - how about the "Fix" function in the GL module that
allowed users to plug their accounting data without audit trail? In
version 3 of MAS90 and MAS200, users with Supervisor security rights
had the ability to click a "Fix" button in the GL module and plug a
number to the GL account balances without leaving any footprint or
audit trail. That concept alone pokes a small hole in MAS's touting
of being a CPA lovin' application. Anyway, if that Fix feature was
used in version 3 of MAS, when the MAS90 MAS200 owner upgrades to
version 4, the upgrade conversion programs will recalculate the GL
balances of all accounts based on transaction history. If the Fix
Function was ever used in version 3, the Trial Balance and Financial
Statements in version 4 - post conversion - will now be out of
balance; sometimes significantly. Or how about this one... if you
use the Custom Financial Statements in version 3, all the custom
financial reports have to be rewritten using the new financials tools
in MAS90 version 4.

Let's just speak plainly and truthfully about things and see if we can
promote real change in the MAS product that will drive its success
into the years ahead, instead of blindly campaigning for Sage in a way
that resembles rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic.