Converting to Helios from MSTan

[HollywoodTan48]

Noob poster here... Be gentle.

I recently purchased Helios 11 and am currently running MS-TAN Post 98 I think.

What kind of hassle is it going to be to convert my client data over to Helios? Their website says that a partial conversion is possible.

I didn't have much luck in getting answers from Tech support on another question, so I'm reluctant to call and waste my time again.

Has anyone ever converted their client database from another software?

Thanks!

[fyregod]

No but i'm interested in your MS-Tan...
I have POST98 now and would like to upgrade to the MS_TAN3.0...do you have the disk?

[Andy]

I have done a couple MS-Tan converts to Helios but it was a number of years ago.

If I remember correctly, the conversion converts Clients, Packages and Memberships but NOT historical transactions.

It will convert I expect to Helios V9 and then you will upgrade to V11 ... with only clients involved in the upgrade that will be VERY fast

[HollywoodTan48]

Andy,

I'm thinking about getting brave here...

MSTan has a way to export client reports to Tab Separated Value files.

It seems as if helios uses .MDB files for client info. Any suggestions on getting from my mstan TSV files to .MDB? (Visual basic style?) I'm thinking Microsoft Access should do the trick. I'm not a visual basic expert, but I was able to load the client database file into VB and break down the fields.

I don't want to convert my entire database. Just the one's I filter out. This salon has been in business for about 10 years and has alot of dead clients that haven't been in in a while.

Right now my existing database has about 15,000 clients. I only want to convert about 3000 or so of the most current ones.

Any tips on Microsoft Access for this type of conversion?

[HollywoodTan48]

Fyregod,

I don't have the disc for it. It was on the salon computer when I purchased the business. I am guessing that the old owner has the disc.

I am under the impression that ms-tan is a "free" software though I would think that someone around here has a copy of it that they've upgraded from.

It's a bit archaic for my tastes, but it seems to get the job done. I just hate the fact that you can't use it with Windows XP. Must be '98 from what I can tell due to it's DOS based platform. XP doesn't work too well with DOS programs.

[Andy]

Use the Helios convert and then filter out the ones you do not want within the Helios Client Access database.

I believe the package / Membership info is in a separate file in MSTan ... that will be the trick and the Helios convert will hold that info together with the appropriate client.

[HollywoodTan48]

Where can I get the Helios conversion?

I didn't find it on the CDROM.

I think you are correct that the package and client info is different files. But within MSTan, there is a feature that can create a tab delimited file that has ALL client info in one report.

From Tab del. it should be a straight forward conversion one would think.

[Andy]

Your call ....

Contact Helios Tech Support for the MS-Tan convert if it is not on the CD

[HollywoodTan48]

After many hours of sifting through my database to filter un-needed accounts, I finally started my conversion!

I gave myself a crash course in Microsoft Access and was able to get my tab delimited file into Helios.




It wasn't fun, and it's not something that everyone would want to tackle. Many, many hours of trying various ways of doing things. Good thing I had backup copies of everything too! I needed them. Well worth the effort to have my client database exactly how I want it.

[Helios Rocks]

fyregod

why would you want to use such an old program? The theft that Helios alone would prevent would more then offset the $39.99 a month plus you can cancel at anytime and still use Helios?