Transferring accounting to the cloud for a client. Analysis of a popular task

We recently published a fundamental article on how to deploy a remote office in the cloud for a team. But clients do not always have tasks of this scale. Quite often, companies need to move to the cloud a separate service. One of the most popular requests is to move accounting to a virtual server. So, based on many implemented tasks, we have decided to analyze in detail a typical example of transferring accounting to the cloud and tell you about:

• what prerequisites to the task the client has;
• how the migration process works in steps;
• how much the solution costs;
• what result the client gets.

With the task of moving accounting to the virtual server, we were approached by the client — a training center that specializes in conducting courses in the field of IT. Before the client decided to move the operation of some departments to the cloud, the team worked for a long time on physical servers in the office, which is located in Kharkiv.

The client's team consists of 15 employees, including 4 accountants.

Before the quarantine, the training center conducted classes offline. But with the beginning of the quarantine, our client began actively implement an online format of classes. So, the specialists whose work does not involve direct contact with students also got the opportunity to work remotely. Firstly, this concerned an accounting service: the specificity of its work allows working effectively from home.

It should be noted that the client contacted us on a personal recommendation of a Tucha partner. The partner recommended us a company that implements programs from 1C: Enterprise line, and as the company that for a long time maintains the operation of their client`s platform. It was the partner who recommended moving accounting to the cloud from Tucha when they found out that the client had such a need.

Our team was faced with the task of organizing remote workspaces for four employees and providing them with stable access to the cloud from home at any time. To do this we have completed the following steps.

Step 1. We discussed with the client what exactly needs to be done to organize the work of the accounting in the cloud. It was needed to:

• provide the necessary resources to host the platform 1C: Enterprise and coordinate actions with the partner that took part in the migration of the program to the client's cloud;
• upload on the server a network version of M.E.Doc and its database;
• configure token connection;
• create workspaces for four users on the server;
• install a Microsoft Office Suite, an internet browser, and create a shared folder for users;
• install a program Cobian Backup for managing backups.

Step 2. We have selected the appropriate solutions.

To determine which Tucha services are best suited for solving the client's task, we asked the client where they want to store data — in Ukraine or abroad. The client preferred to place the data outside of Ukraine, in Germany, and chose the service TuchaFlex+. The technical characteristics of the servers based on this service and the total price of the project satisfied the client.

Based on the information we received, we offered the client to deploy a virtual machine of this configuration:

• 2 CPU;
• 5 GB RAM;
• 80 GB SSD;
• 1 IP address.

In addition, according to the client's needs, we also installed a Microsoft® Windows Server Standard license and Microsoft® Windows Remote Desktop Services licenses (terminal access for four users) on the cloud server. The client rented all these licenses from us since Tucha is a partner of a Microsoft SPLA program. By the way, clients can use their software licenses if they have them.

We note that the variety of Tucha services allow our clients to choose a solution for any task. For example, if a more budget-friendly solution is required or hosting data abroad is not critical, we will suggest deploying a virtual machine based on the service TuchaBit. If the main factor is the work speed, the best service is TuchaBit+.

For more information about how to choose the right cloud solution for transferring accounting to the cloud, visit this page.

Also, to enhance the security of data storage and the ability to restore individual files, the client wanted to supplement the solution with cloud backup hosting. This is exactly what the service TuchaBackup is best suited for. The service helps you securely place backups of all important data on remote servers.

To start, we offered the client a configuration that provides 50 GB of disk space. In the future, if the client needs more disk space, they can change the configuration of the service by simply contacting us with a request. We wrote in a separate article about how much it costs to store backups in the cloud.

Step 3. We asked the client if they need a free test period on the server within the standard period of 7 days. But since the client contacted us on the partner`s recommendation, there was no such need. The client gave us a credit of trust and immediately started working with us on a contract base by joining the Public Agreement (offer).

Step 4. The specialists of the Tucha technical support service deployed the virtual machine of the desired configuration from a ready-made template and sent the client all the necessary data to access the server and its control panel by email. By the way, our illustrative article will help you understand how to work on the server and with the control panel in particular.

Step 5. Together with the client, we agreed on all the stages of migration.

Step 6. We have started the direct process of transferring data to the cloud. Let us take a closer look at this step.

For the client's accounting department work in the cloud, our technical support specialists performed the following:

1. Deployed the virtual machine of the desired configuration from the template, installed an operating system with the necessary software to host the 1C: Enterprise platform.

Preferably, transferring the work of this program to the should be cloud done by specialists who previously configured it for the client. This is important because setting up 1C: Enterprise for each company has many peculiarities about which these specialists know better. In the case that we are describing now, it turned out exactly like this: to transfer the platform to the cloud, the specialists of the partner company were involved, who implemented it for the client and constantly maintained the program.

So, we contacted the partner team to coordinate the migration nuances and provide all the necessary resources.

2. Moved the network version M.E.Doc to the cloud.

The process of transferring this program is simple: we copied the database from the client's physical server and hosted it on the new virtual machine. So, the transfer of the program itself is not required — it is enough to download it from the official website and update it to the version that the client usually uses.

3. Moved the M.E.Doc program database to the cloud.

To do this, the client gave us access to the program hosted on their local server. Using the features of the interface, we created a backup copy of the M.E.Doc database and moved it to the new virtual machine.

Also, sometimes clients send us a backup of the database created on their own, and the specialists of Tucha directly place it in the cloud.

4. Configured token connection.

To do this, in the program for connecting to a remote desktop, we ticked the corresponding checkbox - "Smart cards or Windows Hello for Business" in the "Local devices and Resources" section.

5. Created user workspaces on the server.

6. Installed the Microsoft Office Suite on the server.

Our technical support team performed this step by connecting a virtual disk with the Microsoft Office distribution to the server. The installation process takes just a few minutes.

7. Downloaded an Internet browser to the server and create a shared folder for users.

8. Installed a backup management program.

For easy and effective work with backups and their management, we installed Cobian Backup according to this visual instruction.

The cost of working with accounting in the cloud for the client was formed from the following components:

• Rent of a virtual machine based on the service TuchaFlex+ — 73.00 euros/month (here and further — in hryvnia at the NBU exchange rate on the first day of the current month).
• The service of providing and maintaining an additional dedicated IP address from a third-party address range — 10 euros/month.
• Rent of a Microsoft® Windows Server Standard license (1 pack) — 20 euros/month. Note that the pricing is based on the total number of CPU cores. Licenses are provided in packs; 1 pack includes 2 licenses.
• Rent of Microsoft® Windows Remote Desktop Services licenses (terminal access for four users) — 34 euros/month. The cost of renting one license for one user is 8.50 euros/month.
• Use of cloud backup hosting based on the service TuchaBackup — 5 euros/month.
• Constant administration of the server (type of technical support) — 41.50 euros/month (50% of the cost of the server).

Accordingly, convenient, and reliable work with accounting costs the client only 183.50 euros/month.

It is important that as part of the chosen type of support, we provided the client with a service for transferring programs and data to the virtual server for free. Let us remind you that the cost of the migration service is 100% of the cost of the server, paid once, but not less than 30 and not more than 300 euros.

An effective and fast resolution of a client's task is always a joint coordinated work of the Tucha team and the client's team.

On our side, the following specialists and departments worked on the project:

• A specialist of the solution selection service, who discussed with the client all the features of their task, helped to determine the necessary service and configuration, and coordinated the further actions of the client with other services of our company.
• Technical support specialists who agreed with the client on technical issues (installation and configuration of the necessary operating system and necessary software), deployed the virtual machine from the template and transferred the data to the client's cloud server. Our specialists also helped to organize remote workspaces for each employee, set up work with peripheral devices and programs for working with data backups.
• Customer care department, which performs the function of conducting mutual settlements with the client.

The stages in which the client was mostly involved are the selection of the solution and configuration (description of the task, needs, and desired result), as well as interaction with the specialists of the partner company that specializes in working with specific programs (in our case, we are talking about the 1C: Enterprise platform). If needed, we contacted the client via messengers or phone calls to coordinate individual issues.

Our client is satisfied with the quality of transferring programs and data to the cloud. The entire process took two days — from identifying the needs and selecting the solution for the client to the final settings in the cloud and the start of the client's work in it. Also, we helped the client's team to handle the work on the server at the initial stage.

Transferring a company's accounting department work to the cloud is a really useful solution for a business, profitable for owners, and convenient for teams. And in modern conditions, the ability to work safely, conveniently, and remotely is a real urgent need.

The acquired experience in the selection of the cloud services, high-quality programs, and data migration to the cloud and ensuring further smooth operation allows us to offer our clients truly the best cloud solutions. If you also have a task for the Tucha team or have any questions for our specialists, feel free to contact us! Call us at +380 44 583-5-583 or email at sales@tucha.ua and ensure reliable operation of your business today.