Migration from Other Systems

Import your data from your current accounting system into Rebased. Bring your chart of accounts, opening balances, and outstanding invoices, or prepare your chart of accounts before a future go-live.

Overview

Choose migration if you are moving from another platform and want to bring your data with you. You can prepare Rebased ahead of a future go-live date, or you can backdate your accounting start date and begin using Rebased now.

The Migration tab asks you to choose one of two paths:

• Backdated Migration (recommended): best when you want to start using Rebased now. Pick a clean conversion date, usually the start of a BAS quarter, then bring activity from that date forward.
• Pre Go-Live Setup: best when your conversion date is in the future and final balances are not available yet. This imports your chart of accounts only so you can configure the rest of Rebased before cutover.

The migration flow is report-based, not platform-locked. If your system can generate the required reports in a readable format, you can use this process.

Commonly used source systems:

• Xero
• MYOB (AccountRight, Essentials)
• QuickBooks Online
• Other platforms that can export equivalent reports

For the full timing guide, see Migration Best Practice.

Pick Your Timing

Pre Go-Live Setup

Use this when your Rebased start date is in the future. Upload a Chart of Accounts report or Trial Balance PDF to create account structure only. Balances stay empty, no conversion journal is posted, and final migration is completed later through Backdated Migration at cutover.

After your chart of accounts is ready, you can configure linked accounts, item defaults, payroll settings, employees, users, branding, payment terms, payment processing, and templates.

Backdated Migration

Use this when you want to start using Rebased now with an accounting start date already in the past. Bring in final opening balances, invoices, bills, bank transactions, and any old-provider payroll accounting from that start date. This is the recommended path when you are ready to switch now.

For Australian businesses, a BAS quarter start is usually easiest for accounting:

• 1 July
• 1 October
• 1 January
• 1 April

1 July is the cleanest overall date when payroll is involved because it also starts a new STP income year. Other BAS quarter starts still work; payroll can move on the next clear pay-date handover.

Step 1: Set Conversion Date

Go to: Settings → Accounting → Migration

The conversion date is when you start using Rebased. All data before this date becomes “historical” (represented by opening balances). All data from this date onwards is actively managed in Rebased.

What to do:

1. Open the Migration tab
2. Select your conversion date
3. Click Save

Tips:

• Choose the start of a month or BAS quarter for clean reporting.
• If your date is in the future, use the time before go-live to prepare accounts, linked accounts, settings, team, and payroll details.
• If your date is in the past, bring in activity from that date and reconcile forward in Rebased.
• Consider financial year boundaries. In AU, 1 July is the cleanest payroll handover because STP YTD starts fresh.

Step 2: Import Trial Balance

The Trial Balance contains your Chart of Accounts and opening balances.

The behaviour depends on the path you selected:

What to do:

From Xero:

1. Reports → Trial Balance
2. For Backdated Migration, set the date to the day before your Rebased start date
3. Export as PDF
4. Upload to Rebased Migration tab

From MYOB:

1. Reports → Accounts → Trial Balance
2. For Backdated Migration, set the date to the day before your Rebased start date
3. Print to PDF
4. Upload to Rebased Migration tab

From QuickBooks:

1. Reports → Accountant & Taxes → Trial Balance
2. For Backdated Migration, set the date to the day before your Rebased start date
3. Export as PDF
4. Upload to Rebased Migration tab

What happens:

• AI automatically reads accounts and balances
• You review and confirm each account
• In Pre Go-Live Setup, only account structure is imported
• In Backdated Migration, balances are imported as opening balances
• System accounts auto-detect

If you used Pre Go-Live Setup first, the final Backdated Migration upload can reuse those account codes. Rebased matches existing accounts and applies the final opening balances instead of creating duplicates.

Payroll and Old-Platform Close-Out

Payroll start date means the first pay date Rebased will process and lodge through STP.

If your old platform processes payroll after your accounting conversion date but before Rebased payroll starts, those pays remain old-provider payroll. Record the accounting impact in Rebased as external payroll journals or payables, and reconcile bank payments against those balances.

Do not recreate old-provider payroll as Rebased pay runs, and do not import previous-provider STP YTD into Rebased. The previous provider remains responsible for payroll it processed and any required STP finalisation.

Before final migration, close out the old platform:

1. Finish reconciliation in the old platform up to the conversion date.
2. Export the final Trial Balance as at the day before Rebased starts.
3. Export invoices, bills, and supporting reports needed from the conversion date onward.
4. Finalise or close out old-provider payroll according to STP obligations.
5. Stop entering new operational activity in the old platform once Rebased is live.

Step 3: Confirm Linked Accounts

Go to: Settings → Accounting → Linked Accounts

What to do:

1. Review system account mappings
2. Verify:
   • Accounts Receivable mapped
   • Accounts Payable mapped
   • GST/VAT accounts mapped
   • Sales and expense accounts mapped
3. Adjust any incorrect mappings
4. Confirm item defaults

Why this is required: Ensures imported invoices and bills use correct GL accounts for any journal entries that need to be created.

Step 4: Import Invoices

Optional but recommended. Import outstanding invoices so you can track who owes you money.

Important: Two-part import

The gap: Invoice List exports are filtered by date, so they won’t include invoices issued before the conversion date that are still unpaid.

Example:

• Conversion Date: 1 Oct 2025
• Invoice #123: Issued 15 Aug 2025, still unpaid
• Invoice List export: Won’t include #123 (before conversion date)
• Aged Receivables: Will include #123 → imported as pre-conversion outstanding

What to do:

Step 4a: Import Invoice List (first)

1. Export Invoice List from old system (conversion date → today)
2. Upload to Migration tab
3. Review detected invoices
4. Confirm import

Step 4b: Import Aged Receivables (second)

1. Export Aged Receivables report as of today
2. Upload to Migration tab
3. Review outstanding invoices
4. Confirm import

System automatically skips duplicates (invoices already imported in Step 4a)

Important Accounting Note

Aged Receivables import does NOT create journal entries. The accounting impact (Accounts Receivable balance) was already captured in your Trial Balance opening balances. This import is purely for tracking purposes — so you can see who owes you money and follow up on collections.

Step 5: Import Bills

Optional but recommended. Import outstanding bills so you can track what you owe suppliers.

Important: Two-part import

The gap: Bill List exports are filtered by date, so they won’t include bills received before the conversion date that are still unpaid.

Example:

• Conversion Date: 1 Oct 2025
• Bill #456: Received 15 Aug 2025, still unpaid
• Bill List export: Won’t include #456 (before conversion date)
• Aged Payables: Will include #456 → imported as pre-conversion outstanding

What to do:

Step 5a: Import Bill List (first)

1. Export Bill List from old system (conversion date → today)
2. Upload to Migration tab
3. Review detected bills
4. Confirm import

Step 5b: Import Aged Payables (second)

1. Export Aged Payables report as of today
2. Upload to Migration tab
3. Review outstanding bills
4. Confirm import

System automatically skips duplicates (bills already imported in Step 5a)

Important Accounting Note

Aged Payables import does NOT create journal entries. The accounting impact (Accounts Payable balance) was already captured in your Trial Balance opening balances. This import is purely for tracking purposes — so you can see what you owe suppliers and manage payments.

Step 6: Complete Migration

What to do:

1. Review all imported data
2. Verify balances match your old system
3. Check outstanding invoices/bills are correct
4. Click “Hide Migration Tab” when satisfied (optional)
5. Start using Rebased

Next Steps After Migration

After completing migration, Rebased analyses your Trial Balance and suggests next steps:

Connect Bank Accounts

If your Trial Balance contains bank accounts, you’ll see a card like this:

2 bank accounts detected in your Trial Balance

What to do:

1. Click “Go to Bank Page”
2. Add BSB and account numbers for each account
3. Connect a live feed (Pro) or import statements manually
4. Start reconciling from your conversion date

Live feed and migration: If you connect a live bank feed, transactions are imported from your conversion date onwards — matching the boundary of your migration. Pre-conversion transactions are represented by the opening balance from your Trial Balance import.

If you already have a manual account for the same bank, the system will detect it and ask if it’s the same account. If you confirm, the live feed starts from today instead of the conversion date, avoiding overlap with your manual account’s history.

Note (AU): Open Banking (CDR) consent allows up to 12 months of historical data. If your conversion date is more than 12 months ago, the live feed will import from the earliest date the bank can provide.

Set Up Fixed Assets

If your Trial Balance contains fixed asset accounts, you’ll see a card like this:

1 fixed asset account detected

What to do:

1. Click “Go to Fixed Assets”
2. Create asset types (e.g., Vehicle, Equipment)
3. Register the asset with purchase date and original cost
4. Set up depreciation schedule

Set Up Loans

If your Trial Balance contains loan accounts, you’ll see a card like this:

1 loan account detected

What to do:

1. Click “Go to Loans”
2. Add interest rate
3. Set up payment schedule (monthly/weekly)
4. Track principal vs interest payments

Hide the Migration Tab when you’re satisfied with the setup.

Payroll During Migration

If you have employees, keep the payroll handover separate from the accounting conversion date.

Accounting conversion date is when Rebased starts as your accounting system.

Payroll start date is the first pay date processed and lodged from Rebased.

Payroll already processed in your old system stays in the old system for STP. Rebased starts payroll from your first Rebased pay date.

If you switch payroll during the financial year, employees may see income statements from both payroll providers for that year. That is normal when changing payroll providers mid-year, as long as each provider reports the pays it processed.

Backdated Accounting with Old-Provider Payroll

If your accounting conversion date is before your first Rebased payroll date, treat the earlier pays as external payroll in Rebased.

Example:

The 5 April, 19 April, and 3 May pays stay in the old payroll system for STP. In Rebased, reconcile the related bank transactions to payroll payable or clearing accounts, or match them to manual payroll summary journals if those journals exist.

Do not create Rebased pay runs for pays already processed by the old provider.

Reconciling Old-Provider Payroll Payments

For bank payments relating to old-provider payroll:

• match to a posted payroll summary journal if one exists,
• or code the net wage payment to wages payable or payroll clearing,
• code super payments to superannuation payable,
• code PAYG payments to PAYG withholding payable or BAS clearing,
• use BAS-excluded tax treatment for payroll liability clearings unless your accountant advises otherwise.

For clean reporting, keep the payroll summary from the old provider as support for the reconciliation.

YTD vs Cutover Data

Understanding the Split

OLD SYSTEM (Pre-Migration)
─────────────────────────────
Invoices: Created with original dates
Bills: Created with original dates  
Bank: All transactions reconciled
Ending Balance: $50,000

         │ MIGRATION (Oct 15)
         ▼
         
REBASED (Post-Migration)
─────────────────────────────
Invoices: Imported with original dates
Bills: Imported with original dates
Bank Opening Balance: $50,000
Bank Cutover Date: Oct 15

Live bank feed syncs from Oct 15 (cutover_date) onwards

Key point: Pre-cutover bank transactions are NOT imported. They are represented by the opening balance, because they were already reconciled in your old system. If you connect a live bank feed, the system uses your conversion date as the cutover — transactions are only imported from that date forward.

Why This Matters

• Aging reports work — Outstanding invoices/bills keep original dates
• Bank reconciliation starts fresh — From cutover date only
• No double handling — Pre-cutover bank work stays in old system
• Clean transition — Clear boundary between old and new

AU-Specific Notes

GST and BAS

• GST codes import with your Chart of Accounts
• Opening GST balances transfer to Rebased
• First BAS in Rebased covers from conversion date
• Consider timing migration at the start of a BAS quarter

EOFY Considerations

Migrating at financial year end (June 30):

• Cleanest transition
• All prior year data in old system
• Full year in Rebased

Migrating mid-year:

• Partial year data in both systems
• YTD reports span two systems
• Consider if you need historical reports
• If payroll moves mid-year, old-provider pays and Rebased pays may appear as separate employee income statements for the same financial year

Account Code Differences

Rebased auto-detects accounts by name pattern, so numbering differences don’t matter.

Troubleshooting

Trial Balance won’t upload

Issue: “Unsupported format” or reading fails

Solutions:

• Ensure PDF is clear and readable (not image-only)
• Check PDF wasn’t corrupted
• Try re-exporting from source system
• Contact support for manual import

Accounts not importing correctly

Issue: Wrong account type or missing accounts

Solutions:

1. Review each account during confirmation step
2. Change account type if needed
3. Add missing accounts manually
4. Contact support for bulk corrections

Balances don’t match

Issue: Opening balances differ from old system

Check:

• Conversion date matches between systems
• All accounts included in Trial Balance
• No transactions recorded between TB date and migration
• Rounding differences (small variances normal)

Invoices not detected

Issue: AI doesn’t recognise invoice format

Solutions:

• Ensure PDF is clear and readable
• Check date format in export matches expected format
• Manually add critical invoices
• Contact support for format assistance

Bank reconciliation confusing

Issue: Don’t understand what to reconcile

Remember:

• Only reconcile from cutover date onwards
• Pre-cutover transactions represented by opening balance
• Bank feed starts from cutover date
• Opening balance should match bank statement at cutover

After Migration

Verification Checklist

• Chart of Accounts matches old system
• Opening balances are correct
• Outstanding invoices imported
• Outstanding bills imported
• System accounts properly mapped
• First bank reconciliation matches opening balance

First Steps in Rebased

1. Connect your bank — Set up a live bank feed (Pro) or import statements
2. Reconcile first month — Match bank transactions
3. Create new invoices — Start using Rebased for new sales
4. Record new bills — Enter supplier invoices
5. Run reports — Verify everything looks correct

Keeping Old System

Keep access to your old system for:

• Historical reporting (prior to conversion date)
• Audit trails
• Detailed transaction history
• Tax record keeping (typically 5-7 years)

Comparison with Fresh Start

Common Questions

Can I migrate from an unsupported system?

Contact support. We may be able to help with:

• CSV imports
• Custom migration scripts
• Manual account setup guidance

What if I only want to migrate some data?

You can skip any migration step:

• Trial Balance only (accounts and balances)
• Skip invoices/bills if not needed
• Manually enter opening balances later

Can I change the conversion date after starting?

It’s best to get this right before importing. Changing mid-migration requires starting over. Contact support if you need to adjust.

What happens to my old system?

• Keep it for historical records
• Cancel subscription after migration complete
• Export any reports you might need later
• Maintain access for audit/compliance

Related Pages

• Fresh Start Setup — For new businesses (no migration)
• Migration Best Practice — Pre go-live setup, backdated migration, payroll, and reconciliation
• Opening Balances — Setting starting balances
• Setup Checklist — Complete task list
• Getting Started — Onboarding overview
• Bank Reconciliation — Post-migration reconciliation

Last updated: June 10, 2026