From the Archive: Timberline to Viewpoint 2008
17 or 18 years ago, we ditched our Timberline accounting system and upgraded to a new system called Viewpoint. A lot of things were different back then. We hosted the software on a server in our basement. We bought 8 PCs and set them up in the training room and did training in person with a trainer on-site. There were no cloud or virtual meetings or Teams or Zoom.
We are in the midst of another accounting system change, this time to CMiC. Viewpoint had been bought a few times, and it seemed like every time ownership changed, it got a little worse. So it was time for a change.
And while some things were different back then, the excitement and opportunity of a new system were just as real as they are today. And so were the headaches, challenges, and long hours. System setup, data conversion, training on and learning a new system are all very challenging tasks. And you can’t just shut down for a month while you make the switch. A lot of things, like payroll, must happen every week. Michael, Suzie, Cynthia, Grace, and the PM staff have been putting in a lot of extra hours and putting up with a lot of headaches over the past few months. This kind of software never works the first time you run it. There are always hiccups, redos, and corrections. We still have a few months to go before we will be 100% switched over, but everything is up and running now.
We made it through the switch in 2008, and we will make it through this one as well. Some things change, but a lot of things stay the same. I hope this system lasts us a lifetime, my lifetime at least!
