How to Avoid Inventory Chaos During a System Conversion or Upgrade

By Rosita Johnson

Preparation for Inventory System Conversion

It’s 7 AM on Go-Live day. Everyone is anxious to see how the new system will perform and how much it will change their daily work. Our Issue Counter gets the first customer order for a pair of gloves and safety glasses. The clerk walks over to bin B07… and finds it completely empty.

If you’ve been through a system conversion before, you know how fast inventory accuracy can fall apart, and how expensive those mistakes can be. Whether you are moving from a legacy Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) into an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system like Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing (SAP), upgrading with Enteria for better procurement and contracting, or adding Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) for a broader operational view, the risks are the same. Without preparation, strong data practices, and a well-trained floor team, inventory control can go off track within hours.

Switching systems disrupts the normal flow of warehouse operations, and without preparation, small issues can quickly become major problems. The challenges you may run into include:

• Data mismatch – Inventory on hand and stocking levels in the old system do not match actual counts at go-live.

• Frozen transactions – Stock movements during migration are not captured.

• Incomplete master data – Material numbers, bin locations, or vendor records are missing or incorrect.

• Process confusion – Staff struggle to navigate new screens and workflows.

These problems not only slow down processing inventory issues and receipts but can also cause procurement delays, missed contract milestones, and equipment downtime. Many of these risks can be reduced, or avoided entirely, with strong pre-cutover safeguards.

Pre-Cutover Inventory Safeguards

The most successful migrations begin with thorough preparation well before the cutover weekend. Cleaning up data and tightening controls in advance significantly increases the likelihood of a smooth start in the new system. For larger organizations or those with extensive data records, this preparation phase can take a year or more to do properly. Timing also plays a critical role, and aligning go-live with the start of the fiscal year is often the optimal choice to minimize disruptions and streamline reporting.

To protect inventory accuracy during a system cutover, it’s important to take specific, measurable actions in the weeks leading up to go-live. Key steps include:

• Targeted Cycle Counts: In the weeks before cutover, perform focused cycle counts for high-value and fast-moving items. Give extra attention to bins or locations that have a history of inventory discrepancies.

• Stock Reconciliation Plan: Pause receiving new stock for a set period before migration. Confirm that physical counts match the ERP snapshot before loading data into the new system.

• Transaction Freeze Windows: Establish clear no-movement periods for warehouse transactions just before data extraction. This helps prevent phantom inventory or duplicate entries from appearing in the system.

In past projects, we have supported phased migrations where both legacy and new systems ran in parallel for several months. This ensured that open transactions, such as pending purchase orders, partial receipts, and material returns, were properly closed in the old system before being decommissioned. During this time, our team provided daily operational support, refined procedures to match the new workflows, and kept training documentation up to date so staff could adapt quickly.

Data Before and After Migration

Data cleanup is not something you do once and forget. Every inaccurate record you bring into a new ERP will cause problems later. Cleaning material, vendor, and location records before the cutover is essential, but so is keeping that data clean after you go live.

“Garbage in means garbage out! Clean your data prior to SAP migration and continue cleansing efforts thereafter,” says Brian Galloway, who has participated in multiple system conversion projects with ASCI. “Good data is critical to ensuring SAP operates efficiently and delivers accurate information to the business.”

Maintaining good data health requires an ongoing process. This means establishing clear ownership for each data set, running regular audits, and setting up automated validation checks where possible. Simple steps, like requiring approval for new material entries, standardizing vendor naming conventions, and removing obsolete locations, go a long way toward keeping your ERP system reliable. Good data management should be treated as part of daily operations, not as a special project that only happens during a system change.

Floor-Level Readiness

Technology alone will not make a cutover smooth. You can have the most advanced ERP system on the market, but if the people using it are unsure of their roles, the transition will stumble. Every warehouse associate, issue counter clerk, and procurement specialist needs to know exactly what is expected of them during cutover weekend and in the days that follow.

One of the most effective ways to build confidence is to run practice sessions that simulate real work. Use actual order scenarios, urgent inventory requests, or vendor deliveries so staff can walk through the new processes before they go live. This not only builds familiarity with the system but also helps uncover small issues that can be fixed before they become real problems.

Once training is complete, it’s just as important to have the right support structure in place for go-live. This ensures that when questions or problems arise, they are addressed quickly and operations keep moving.

• Assign point people in each functional area who can act as quick responders during cutover. These individuals should be trained in both the old and new processes so they can troubleshoot and guide others without slowing down operations.

• Have backup methods ready. Paper forms, spreadsheets, or RF scanners with offline capabilities can be a lifesaver if there’s a temporary system hiccup. The goal is to keep inventory and order flow moving, even if technology takes a pause.

• Communicate clearly. Make sure everyone knows what will change, what will remain the same, and exactly who to call when something isn’t working. Keep contact lists and escalation paths visible in the work area so nobody wastes time searching for help.

In previous system conversions, our teams not only trained end-users but also staffed help desks during go-live, ensuring immediate support for any issues. As the new system became more familiar, we adjusted Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to take advantage of efficiencies and added quick-reference guides for newly discovered features. This kept the workforce confident and minimized operational slowdowns. Our hands-on approach and ability to adapt processes quickly have been key factors in ASCI’s track record of delivering successful, low-disruption cutovers.

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ASCI specializes in helping businesses like yours to address supply chain management challenges. Visit our website to learn more and to arrange for a free consultation.