A practical guide to moving your society’s ledger from Excel to software

Most associations start with an exercise book, move to Excel, and eventually reach the point where the spreadsheet holds more questions than answers. Moving to proper software is worth it — but only if the move is planned. Here is the sequence that works.

Step 1: Pick a clean start date

Choose the first day of a month — ideally the start of the financial year (1 July for most associations in Bangladesh). Everything before that date becomes opening balances; everything after is recorded in the new system.

Step 2: Clean up the register

Before importing anything, make sure your list of houses, flats and members is correct:

• One row per flat (or per member, for clubs), with a unique code.
• Owner name and mobile number; tenant details where the tenant pays.
• Flat status: occupied, vacant, or under construction.

Duplicates and missing mobile numbers are the most common problems. Fix them in Excel first — it is much easier there.

Step 3: Agree the opening dues

For each flat, write down exactly how much was outstanding on the start date. Get the committee to sign off on this list. Never let the new system start with dues that nobody has verified; every future argument will trace back to them.

Step 4: Record opening balances for the books

• Cash in hand and each bank account, matched to the bank statement.
• Fixed deposits.
• Amounts owed to suppliers.
• Any advances members have already paid.

The difference between what you own and what you owe becomes the association’s general fund.

Step 5: Import, then reconcile

Import the register and opening dues from your spreadsheet, then check three totals against your Excel file: number of flats, total opening dues, and total of each bank balance. Only go live when all three match.

Step 6: Run both systems for one month

For the first month, keep recording collections in your old method as well. At month end, compare. Small differences reveal training gaps early, while they are easy to fix.

If your organisation is a cooperative society rather than an apartment association, Somity Keeper is built for savings, loans and instalment collection — and Somity Keeper Lite is the lightweight option for small groups.

Step 7: Train the people, not just the treasurer

The collector, the office assistant and at least two committee members should all be able to collect a payment, find a flat’s dues and print a receipt. A system that only one person understands is a risk.

Tip: announce the change to members with the first bill from the new system. Explain the SMS receipts and online payment options — it is a good moment to win back late payers.

Society Keeper includes an Excel import with a reconciliation report before go-live, opening balance entry, and hands-on training for committees and collectors.