Conversion for v4.1 user.

[Guest Jhagan]

We are currently operating on v4.1 and know we need to update to 5.0, then 6.0 but don't know where to start. We will be getting some advice from support, but wanted to ask the users if there is any "better" way to do this. We have annual plans so last year (PYE 09/30)when the 5.0 conversion was experiencing so many problems with the customized reports - we decided to wait until our year end processing was complete. We should have done something over the summer, but did not. Now we are at another year end and cannot afford to get tied up reprogramming all our customized reports. We have not prepared our system with any conversion type readiness so any detailed advice would be helpful.

[Guest]

I would imagine Qtech support to your situation, so things should actually go fairly smoothly. The most important step before going through the process is to verify that your reports are 'oracle-ized'. they could be 'gupta' even though you may have always been on oracle.

when naing (or renaming) your crystal reports, limit the name to 8 characters (Crystal now lets a name be greater than 8 characters) however, Qtech 6.0 will only read 8 characters, and they should all be placed in the same folder. Don't worry, when adding them to your Qtech directory at 6.0 you can attach a description to the report.

My understanding is that you actually will be going direct to 6.0. (5.0 gets added along the way) Depending on the number of workstations and the number of custom reports figure at least a good day without running things on Qtech.

(I am assuming the 5500s are done, that you can hold off on some quarterlys, etc.) remember, you have to fix your vesting % once you get to 6.0. (see comments below) its not bad or hard, but still needs to be done.

Its worth getting to 6.0 just for the ease of the sort ability of plans and census.

I am also assuming you have run the Qtech database check and reported the results to Quantech.

We had some initial problems going to 6.0 because we are on NT, but Qtech resolved those - I obviously can not speak for windows 98 or whatever.

on the custom report end of things, the main things you will have to 'fix' is vested %, if you are pulling the field. It is a 'different field' now. (There is no base vest and match vest field. it is simply vesting pct.) I'm not sure what others are doing, we do two different things depending on whether we are printing by source or by account.

anyway, I would recommend going to it as soon as you can. you know in a couple of months you will not have the time.