Playbook · August 2026

90-day scale-stack migration playbook

You do not need a multi-year transformation to stop the bleeding. You need a sequenced 90 days that protect sales while truth consolidates.

Days 1–14 — Map the break points

• List channels, warehouses/3PLs, and where "available" is calculated today
• Export item masters, open POs, open orders, and chart of accounts
• Pick cutover style: big-bang for a quiet week vs phased channel by channel
• Name an internal owner who is not "whoever is free"

Days 15–45 — Stand up the spine

• Load items, customers, vendors, and opening inventory with a reconciliation ritual
• Connect primary storefront + marketplace; freeze dual entry habits
• Train the team on the happy path only — exceptions get a written path later
• Run parallel for a short window; measure mismatch types, not vibes

Days 46–90 — Cut over and reclaim hours

• Make the new system the only place that can promise stock
• Retire the dangerous spreadsheets (archive, do not "just keep updating")
• Turn on AI/support automation once truth is stable
• Review weekly: oversells, founder exceptions, cash visibility lag

Platform pick under pressure

Choose for weeks-to-value. We rank Parsimony #1 and Odoo #2 for founder-led migrations. Avoid enterprise weight classes unless finance complexity forces them.

Related: inventory truth · spreadsheet break point · systems clock.