Running the business, 7 min read

Switching software without losing a week

By the PackDay team. Checked against the sources listed at the end.

Moving to new software doesn’t have to mean a lost week of double bookings and confused staff. With a plan, a clean export and a short overlap, most daycares can switch with barely a ripple.

Start with a quiet week

Timing matters more than anything else. Pick a week when bookings are steady but not heavy, and when your most experienced staff are rostered on.

Avoid school holidays, the weeks around Christmas and Easter, and the end of the financial year, when you’ll want your old records settled and untouched. Check that nobody key is on leave. Put the date on the staff calendar at least three weeks ahead, so everyone knows what’s coming.

Choose a Monday or Tuesday as your go-live day. That gives you a few working days to fix small problems before the weekend.

Export everything, then export it again

Before you change anything, get a complete copy of your data out of your current system. Ask your old provider how to export each type of record, and in what format. CSV or spreadsheet files are the easiest to work with.

Make sure you have:

• Clients: names, phone numbers, emails, addresses, emergency contacts and authorised pickup people.
• Dogs: names, breed, age, sex, desexing status, vet details, feeding notes, medication and behaviour notes.
• Vaccinations: vaccine type, date given and expiry date for every dog, plus copies of certificates if you store them.
• Packages and credits: how many days or sessions each client has left, and when they expire.
• Upcoming bookings: every future booking, including recurring ones.
• Notes and history: incident reports, allergies, special handling and anything staff rely on.
• Financial records: invoices, payments and refunds.

Some things don’t export well, especially package balances and notes. For those, run a report or take a screenshot so you have a dated record. Save one copy of the raw export somewhere safe and never edit it. Work on a second copy.

Clean the data before you import it

Moving messy data just moves the mess. An hour or two of cleaning saves days of confusion later.

1. Remove duplicates. The same client often appears twice with slightly different spellings or two email addresses.
2. Archive inactive records. Clients who haven’t visited in a long time, and dogs who have passed away, can be kept in your archive rather than imported as active.
3. Fix phone numbers and emails. Use one consistent format so reminders actually arrive.
4. Check vaccination dates. Flag anything expired or missing so you can follow up before the dog’s next visit.
5. Match dogs to owners. Every dog needs to be linked to the right client, especially in households with more than one dog.
6. Check package balances. Compare a handful against what clients have actually paid for and used.

Ask your new provider which columns they need and in what order. Matching your spreadsheet to their template before you send it is the single biggest time saver.

Run both systems for a short overlap

A short overlap lets you catch problems without relying on memory. Three to five working days is usually enough. Much longer and staff start entering things in the wrong place.

During the overlap:

• Take all new bookings in the new system only.
• Keep the old system open, read only, for checking history and notes.
• Each afternoon, compare tomorrow’s bookings in both systems and fix any differences.
• Check package balances for every client who visits, so nobody loses a day they paid for.

Once the new system has matched reality for a few days in a row, close the old one to new entries.

Train staff with real situations

Staff learn software by doing the jobs they do every day, not by watching a demo. Run a short session for each person using real scenarios:

• checking in a regular dog and a first-timer
• a client who arrives without a booking
• moving a booking to another day
• a dog whose vaccination has expired
• adding a note after an incident
• sending a report card
• checking out and taking payment

Let staff practise on test bookings before go-live. Make a one-page cheat sheet for the front desk and name one person per shift as the go-to for questions.

Tell clients what’s changing

Clients don’t need the details. They need to know what changes for them, when, and whether they need to do anything. Send a short email a week before you switch and a reminder the day before.

Here is sample text you can adapt:

Hi [first name],

From Monday [date], we’re moving to a new booking system. Your bookings, packages and your dog’s details are coming across with you, so there’s nothing you need to re-enter.

You’ll get an email inviting you to the new app. Once you’re in, please check your dog’s details and vaccination dates are correct, and let us know if anything looks wrong.

Drop-offs and pickups won’t change. If you have any questions, reply to this email or call us on [phone].

Thanks, [your name]

Your day-one checklist

On go-live day, work through this list before the first drop-off and again at the end of the day:

• Today’s bookings match the dogs who are expected.
• Vaccination warnings are showing for the right dogs.
• Feeding, medication and behaviour notes are visible to staff on shift.
• Payments and package deductions are working.
• Reminder texts and emails are sending, and replies reach you.
• Report cards send and arrive with photos.
• Every staff member can log in.
• Your old system is still available, read only, for reference.

Keep a shared list of anything that goes wrong, however small. Send it to your new provider at the end of the day.

What to check after a week

After a full week, sit down for half an hour and review:

• Are any clients missing, duplicated or linked to the wrong dog?
• Do package balances match what clients expect?
• Did any bookings fall through the gaps?
• Are reminders reducing no-shows the way they should?
• What are staff still finding slow or confusing?
• Has the old provider been told about your cancellation and notice period?

Keep your old records

Switching software doesn’t end your obligations to keep records.

• Tax and business records: the ATO says you need to keep most records for 5 years from when you prepared or obtained them, or completed the transaction, whichever is later. Electronic records are fine, as long as you can access them and convert them to a standard format when asked.
• Staff records: the Fair Work Ombudsman says employers must keep time and wages records for 7 years. If your rosters or timesheets lived in your old system, export them.
• Privacy: the Privacy Act generally doesn’t cover small businesses with an annual turnover of $3 million or less, with some exceptions, such as businesses that trade in personal information. A draft privacy bill released in August 2026 kept that exemption, but it isn’t law yet, so check the OAIC website for the current position. If the Act does cover you, the Australian Privacy Principles require you to take reasonable steps to protect the personal information you hold. Either way, store your exports somewhere secure.

Once you have a safe, complete copy, ask your old provider how and when they will delete your data from their system.

Sources

• Australian Taxation Office: Overview of record-keeping rules for business
• Fair Work Ombudsman: Record-keeping
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: Small business
• Office of the Australian Information Commissioner: Australian Privacy Principles quick reference
• Aitken Partners: Privacy Reform 2026: What the Draft Bill Means for Businesses