Data Migration from E-Conomic

E-Conomic is a cloud accounting system used primarily in Nordic countries. If you're migrating from E-Conomic to Light, this guide walks through the migration process, covering data export, transformation, import, and cutover validation.

# Migration overview

Migrating from E-Conomic involves:

1. Prepare: Understand what data transfers to Light
2. Export: Export data from E-Conomic
3. Transform: Convert E-Conomic format to Light format
4. Import: Import transformed data to Light
5. Validate: Verify migrated data is accurate
6. Cutover: Switch to Light as primary system

The process typically takes 2-4 weeks depending on data volume and complexity.

# What transfers from E-Conomic

Light can import from E-Conomic:

• Chart of accounts: GL accounts and structure
• Customers: No file import — create customers individually in Light or via the API
• Suppliers: Vendor information, payment terms
• Invoices: Outstanding AR invoices (unmatched payments)
• Bills: Outstanding AP bills (unpaid)
• Budgets: Budget data (if applicable)

What typically doesn't transfer:

• Fixed assets: Light does not support direct import of a fixed asset register. Instead, enter fixed assets by creating journal entries, bills, or sales invoices with a Fixed Asset release template on the lines. The fixed asset register lives at Accounting → Releases — filter by Fixed asset type to view only fixed assets. See Configuring releases for setup details.
• Historical transactions >1 year old (migrated via opening balances instead)
• Closed invoices/bills (migrated via GL balances)
• Payment history (reflected in opening balances and outstanding document balances instead)
• Internal notes (not easily portable)

# Pre-migration steps

Before exporting from E-Conomic:

1. Close prior year: Close all prior-year transactions in E-Conomic
2. Reconcile: Complete all bank reconciliations
3. Validate GL: Ensure trial balance balances
4. Document processes: Note E-Conomic-specific processes that will change in Light
5. Set cutover date: Decide when to switch to Light (typically month-end)
6. Prepare team: Train team on Light before cutover

This ensures clean migration.

# Exporting from E-Conomic

Export all necessary data:

1. Log into E-Conomic
2. Navigate to Settings (gear icon) > Data > Export
3. Export each module:
   • Chart of Accounts: General → Account (export structure, names, balances as of cutover date)
   • Customers: CRM → Customers (names, addresses, terms, contact info)
   • Suppliers: Suppliers (names, addresses, terms, payment methods)
   • Invoices: Sales → Invoices (outstanding AR only)
   • Bills: Purchases → Bills (outstanding AP only)
4. Export as CSV or Excel format
5. Store exports safely

# Preparing E-Conomic data for Light

E-Conomic and Light have different data structures. Transform E-Conomic exports:

Chart of Accounts mapping:

E-Conomic uses 4-level account structure (Main Group, Main Type, Sub Type, Group). Light uses flat account codes.

• E-Conomic: 4.5000.1 (liability, payables, trade payables, individual)
• Light: 2010 (Accounts Payable)

Create mapping between E-Conomic and Light account structure.

Customer mapping:

Light does not support importing customers from a file. Use your E-Conomic customer export as a reference to create customers individually at Business partners → Customers with + Create customer, or create them programmatically via the API.

Invoice and bill migration:

E-Conomic invoices have line item detail. Transform to:

• Document number, customer/vendor, date, total amount, tax
• Line items with account coding and amounts

# Creating mapping templates

Create Excel templates for transformation:

Template 1: Account Mapping

Template 2: Customer Mapping

Template 3: Invoice Mapping

Use these templates to guide transformation.

# Data transformation process

Transform E-Conomic data to Light format:

1. Accounts: Map E-Conomic accounts to Light account codes based on nature (asset, liability, etc.)
2. Customers: Create Light customer records from E-Conomic customer exports
3. Suppliers: Create Light vendor records
4. Invoices: Transform E-Conomic invoice format to Light format
5. Bills: Transform E-Conomic bill format to Light format
6. Opening balances: Create JE for opening balances as of cutover date

Tip: Use Python, Excel, or specialized migration tools to automate transformation. Manual transformation is error-prone for large datasets.

# Importing to Light

Once transformed, import to Light:

1. Each import lives on the page for the records it creates — there is no single central import screen:
   • Chart of accounts: Settings (gear icon) → Chart of accounts (CSV or Excel)
   • Vendors: Business partners → Vendors (CSV upload with column mapping)
   • Journal entries: Accounting → Journal entries (bulk CSV, including opening balances)
   • Sales invoices, bills, credit notes, customer credits: the corresponding page for each document type (separate CSV import per type)
   • Budgets: Planning & Reports → Budget
2. Import in this order:
   • Chart of accounts (so accounts exist for other data)
   • Vendors (customers are created individually or via the API)
   • Opening balances (GL accounts initialized)
   • Outstanding invoices (AR)
   • Outstanding bills (AP)
   • Budgets (if applicable)
3. Validate each import before proceeding to next
4. Light validates each file and reports errors so you can review and fix lines before completing

See Data import and migration tools for detailed steps per import type.

# Validation after import

After importing, validate data is accurate:

1. Trial balance: Compare Light GL trial balance to E-Conomic trial balance (should match)
2. AR aging: Compare Light AR aging to E-Conomic AR aging
3. AP aging: Compare Light AP aging to E-Conomic AP aging
4. Account balances: Spot-check major accounts (cash, AR, AP, equity)
5. Customer/vendor counts: Verify number of active customers/vendors matches

Discrepancies indicate transformation errors to fix.

# Parallel running period

Optionally run both systems in parallel for verification:

1. Continue posting to E-Conomic for 1-2 weeks
2. Also post to Light
3. Compare results between systems
4. Once confident Light is accurate, switch over
5. Archive E-Conomic as backup

This reduces cutover risk but requires duplicate data entry.

# Cutover execution

When ready to switch to Light:

1. Final E-Conomic close: Close E-Conomic for the cutover month (month-end typical)
2. Final GL balances: Export GL as of cutover date from E-Conomic
3. Final import to Light: Import final GL balances and any last-minute invoices/bills
4. Announce cutover: Notify team Light is now primary system
5. Disable E-Conomic posting: Stop posting to E-Conomic (archive only)
6. Begin Light posting: All new transactions post to Light

Cutover typically happens on a Friday to allow full week of Light before next close.

# Post-cutover reconciliation

After cutover, reconcile accounts:

1. Bank reconciliation: Reconcile cash accounts to bank statements
2. AR reconciliation: Reconcile AR subsidiary ledger to GL
3. AP reconciliation: Reconcile AP subsidiary ledger to GL
4. Fixed asset verification: Verify fixed assets were entered correctly via journal entries, bills, or sales invoices with Fixed Asset release templates applied. Review the register at Accounting → Releases, filtered by Fixed asset type
5. Customer contact verification: Contact customers to verify AR balances

This ensures migration accuracy.

# Handling E-Conomic-specific features

Some E-Conomic features may not transfer directly:

E-Conomic workflows: May need to be rebuilt in Light using different tools.

E-Conomic integrations: Redirect integrations from E-Conomic to Light.

E-Conomic custom fields: Map to Light custom properties.

E-Conomic approval workflows: Implement similar workflows in Light.

Document these changes and update processes accordingly.

# Common migration challenges

Multi-currency: E-Conomic uses different currency handling than Light. Test FX conversion carefully.

Custom accounts: E-Conomic may have accounts not matching standard GL structure. Create corresponding Light accounts.

Complex tax: E-Conomic's tax handling may differ. Test VAT calculations in Light.

Dimensional accounting: E-Conomic supports dimensions. Use Light cost centers and custom properties to replicate.

# Team training

Train your team on Light before cutover:

1. Accounting basics: How transactions work in Light
2. Invoice processing: Creating AP and AR invoices
3. Reconciliation: Bank and account reconciliation in Light
4. Reporting: Generating reports in Light
5. Month-end close: Light's close process

Invest in training to ensure smooth adoption.

# Ongoing E-Conomic archive

Keep E-Conomic available for reference:

1. Export final state of all E-Conomic data
2. Archive securely (cloud storage, archive server)
3. Keep login available for password-protected access
4. Maintain for historical reference (audits may require it)
5. Eventually decommission (typically after 7+ years per retention policy)

This preserves historical data if needed.

# Related articles

• Data import and migration tools
• Data migration from QuickBooks
• Cutover fundamentals and execution
• Audit-ready record keeping