Getting started
Moving bookkeeping from spreadsheets without losing the story
A controlled way to move an Irish business, charity or club from disconnected spreadsheets into reviewable books.
Do not migrate every historical cell simply because it exists. Start with the organisation's real responsibilities, a reliable opening position and the evidence needed for current work.
Checklist
Name the real workflow
List who records activity, who holds evidence, who reviews the books and who owns filing or governance decisions.
Choose a clean starting point
Agree the first period and opening balances with the authorised accountant or reviewer.
Map accounts and purposes
Translate spreadsheet headings into clear accounts, funds and membership or grant structures.
Bring evidence separately
Keep source documents as evidence rather than embedding unexplained links and notes inside totals.
Reconcile before expanding
Complete one bank account and one period before importing more complexity.
Keep the old records
Retain the approved historical files under the organisation's legal and professional retention policy.
The safest migration is understandable, reversible and reviewed. Rian's controlled pilot starts with one real workflow rather than promising a one-click conversion.
Related lesson: Set up your books — Start with the right organisation and review settings.