JobBOSS to E2 Shop System Migration Checklist
Moving a small machine shop from JobBOSS to E2 Shop System is mostly a data and discipline project, not a software install. This checklist walks through scoping, cleaning data, open transactions, testing and cutover in the order shops usually need them.
0 of 32 items complete
11 critical items still open - these are the highest-risk gaps.
1. Decide and scope
2. Clean and extract data
3. Open transactions
4. Test and train
5. Cutover and stabilize
Tick items as you finish them. Every critical item must be done before you turn off the old system for data entry.
Get a data migration risk review
Optional: send us your object list and we will flag the items most likely to cause cutover problems.
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How to use this checklist
Treat each group as a phase gate. Do not start group three until the clean extract in group two has been reviewed by someone who knows the parts and customers. Critical items are the ones that, if skipped, usually cause a bad first month: no backup, unreconciled AR or AP, unverified open purchase orders, or a cutover with no read-only fallback. Export the list to Excel and assign an owner and a date to each line.
What actually moves and what should not
Master data moves: customers, vendors, parts, bills of material, routings, work centers and rates. Open transactions move selectively: open jobs, purchase orders, sales orders, inventory and open balances. Closed history usually should not. Converting years of closed jobs adds cost and noise, and you can keep the old database read only for reference. The same logic applies if you are going the other direction from E2 to JobBOSS, since both are job shop systems with similar structures.
Validation and reconciliation
Do not accept a load because it finished without errors. Compare record counts per table, inventory value against the general ledger, and open PO and AR totals against the old system. Pick twenty parts and walk each from quote through routing. Check that converted open jobs show hours and material already spent, otherwise job costing will look wrong for months.
- Record counts per object, source versus target
- Inventory quantity and value by location
- Open AR and AP aging totals
- Sample parts with full BOM and routing walk-through
Common mistakes
Shops underestimate cleanup, try to convert everything, skip training on the shop floor terminals, and cut over in the busiest week of the quarter. Another frequent miss is forgetting custom reports and forms: the traveler, packing slip and certificate that customers rely on. Rebuild and test those before go live, not after.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a JobBOSS to E2 migration take?
For a small shop with clean data, expect roughly two to four months from decision to cutover, mostly driven by data cleanup, testing and training. Shops with messy part masters or heavy customization take longer. Treat any vendor timeline as a plan, not a promise.
Should I convert closed job history?
Usually not. Convert master data and open transactions, and keep the old JobBOSS database read only for history, quoting reference and audits. Converting closed jobs adds cost and risk without helping daily operations.
Can I run both systems in parallel?
Short parallel testing on a few jobs is useful, but running both for live production doubles data entry and causes inventory drift. Pick a clean cutover date, freeze the old system, and keep it read only afterward.
Does this checklist work for other ERP switches?
Yes. The phases of scope, clean, open transactions, test and cutover apply to any job shop ERP change, including Global Shop Solutions, ProShop and Fulcrum. Adjust the item names to match your source and target systems.
If you want help extracting and validating data between systems, or loading history into a private searchable archive, we can discuss options. Many shops do the core move themselves with their vendor.
Related Tools
Job Shop ERP Data Migration Worksheet
Plan a data migration object by object: source, record count, data quality, owner and estimated effort hours. A planning sheet for JobBOSS, E2, Global Shop, ProShop or Fulcrum projects.
ERP Migration & SelectionJob Shop ERP Selection Scorecard
Ten questions about how your shop quotes, schedules, tracks and certifies work. Shows how demanding your ERP requirements are and what to prioritize when comparing systems.
ERP Migration & SelectionJob Shop ERP Implementation Cost Calculator
Estimate the first year and multi-year cost of a job shop ERP: licenses, implementation hours, data migration, training, hardware and annual support. Includes a chart of cost against user count.
Costing & FinanceJob Shop WIP Report Template
A month-end work in process report layout for open jobs: costs to date, percent complete, billings and over or under billing, with sign-off lines for the controller.
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- ERP Go-Live Readiness Checklist
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