Skip to content
English - United States
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

Data Conversions

Learn about Bravo's data conversion process when switching from another point-of-sale system, including what's typically included, required documentation, and how to prepare for a smooth transition.

Data Conversions We here at Bravo have moved hundreds of customers, from dozens of programs to our system. Chances are we've already converted data from your current platform to ours. Our dedicated conversion experts can do a complete analysis of your current data and make recommendations best suited for your specific situation. There are several options when it comes to moving your business data from one pawn system to another. These range from a complete, automated transfer of data to manually re-entering all your customer, inventory and pawn information individually, and everything in between. There are trade-offs and challenges associated with each option. Here are some common questions we get when it comes to data conversions.
What is a Data Conversion? A "Data Conversion" is taking the information stored in the system you are currently using and bringing it over into our Bravo system. Because each program stores data differently, we must first look at the storage format of the existing system, try to determine where all the important pieces of information are located, and then convert it into a format Bravo can use.
What's the alternative to Data Conversion? A simple alternative to doing a "Data Conversion" is running "parallel" systems. This means running both Bravo and your old system at the same time, for a short period of time. Running "parallel" until all of your active transactions have been moved gives you the most accurate transfer of customers and active transactions you can get.
What does running parallel systems involve? As a customer comes in to make a payment, you close out the loan in your current system and then enter the customer and loan information into Bravo. That's it. Bravo's easy to use interface and fast data input options make this process simple and painless. The few extra seconds it takes to move transactions in this way can save you hours of headaches in the future.
How many conversions have you done in the past? We have done few hundred data conversions from a wide variety of software systems into Bravo. Each and every one comes with its own set of unique challenges.
Who should be doing my conversions? Be on alert for companies who say conversions are "no problem," especially if they have not taken the time to look at your data. Would you buy a gold ring without looking at it first? Every conversion is different. Just because they may have converted data from your current software in the past, does not mean they are prepared for the challenges your specific conversion could present. An in-depth analysis is a must before even agreeing to "Data Conversions". Bravo has dedicated conversion specialists on staff. Our team will do a complete analysis of your data to find the best recommendation for your specific situation.
What can be brought over into my new system? This depends on what system you are currently using, what it stores and how it stores the data. Customer information is usually the easiest to convert because they are fairly easy to identify (an address is an address, a phone number is a phone number, etc.). This does not account for human error or other issues that may have caused the original data to be inaccurate. Even in cases where all the data is entered correctly, we find some information, such as the ID Expiration Date, that can be a challenge to import. Sometimes active pawns can be converted, but this can be a challenge as well. All systems calculate pawn transactions differently and many of them do not do it correctly to begin with. Bravo is designed to be highly flexible, so it can be configured to meet regulations all over the world. Most other systems are designed to meet the needs of a few states at best. Because of this, they often do not have all the information needed to be completely accurate. We will be able to identify those issues in our analysis process and let you know what information can and cannot be converted. In our experience, customer information and historical redemption rates are the least problematic to convert. Many customers ask about converting their inventory data. While it seems like it could be a time saver at first thought, it usually ends up costing more time and money than it's worth. Every system organizes inventory differently. Bravo uses item types that may not be available in other systems. Even when inventory items are brought into Bravo, it still requires someone to go through and re-categorize each item individually. For shops dealing in firearms, they have another challenge in keeping the BATF gun log compliant. In these cases we almost always recommend a manual entry of inventory. Bravo has many easy and fast input options that can make this process faster than you might expect.
How accurate will my "Data Conversion" be? Accuracy depends on the integrity of the current system. Even easily converted data, such as customer information, can create all kinds of challenges if the old system has corrupted the database over time. Good, clean data is required for a good conversion.
What is "corrupted" data? "Corrupted" data can mean a few things. It could be data that is unreadable, formatted incorrectly or stored in the wrong location. It can also mean portions or an entire database is unreadable. These types of corruptions may not even be visible through your current program. We've seen everything from phone numbers stored in an address field to entire customer records that are nothing but garbage information.
If I have "corrupted" data, what are my options? It depends on where the inaccuracies are. If the customer information looks intact, we can usually convert it with few challenges. However, if any part of a database is corrupted, it's a strong indicator that there are other inaccuracies and we usually recommend avoiding bringing any data over. In these cases, we recommend running "parallel"systems.
How will I know which options are best for me? Contact us at Bravo Store Systems and we can analyze your data and make recommendations based on the integrity of your data and our years of experience. A dedicated team of conversion specialists work day in and day out on helping to convert data from other systems. Great care is taken in adhering to a conversion process.