MB4 -> WHMCS Worries

[slim]

I have been contemplating upgrading to WHMC from MB4 for a few years now.. WHMCS seems to be going from strength to strength but one thing is holding me back - A complete lack of information regarding the import process from MB4.

 

It would seem as tho the provided import scripts import some but not all details (maybe the customer’s credit card details?)

 

This obviously isn’t good enough as WHMCS wouldn’t be able to bill clients.. I see that the support team at WHMCS offer an import service, but without knowing what they do over the standard script I’m reluctant to place my business into someone else’s hands.

 

Is there anyone that can either point to detailed information on the import script and what it leaves out or point to any other relevant MB -> WHMC information?

 

I’m really surprised at the lack of documentation regarding this sort of upgrade -- I would think there are thousands of MB4 users wanting to switch but are too scared to take the plunge - especially with no real documentation on the subject.

 

Further to this, are there any Australian based WHM and MB experts that could perhaps provide one on one guidance (for a fee!)

[Matt]

Hi,

 

The import script which is available from the client area is the full migration process. The reason for the little documentation is it really is that simple - you just need to install WHMCS, upload the importer, visit it, and then follow the instructions on screen (normally just entering database details)! That then transfers all the Clients, Products/Services, Domains, Invoices & Transactions from your previous system.

 

But you're right it doesn't do the credit card data. That's because they can't be transferred straight from the DB due to the encryption so we have to use a seperate non-automated process for that. This service which you need to get from us is unrelated to the main import and so you do still need to do that first.

 

Many users have successfully moved from MB but if you have any further concerns, just let us know!

 

Matt

[Damo]

G'day slim.

 

Just do it, you will not look back. I had the original developer license of MB (~8 years ago) and persisted with it over the years. It's now almost a year since we made the switch and whilst I was reluctant at first to have WHMCS take the cc details across the process couldn't have been easier.

 

If you haven't already done so, download the trial install it and import your data. I then went to the database directly and changed everyone email address to something@mydomain.com.au so that anything generated would come to me. There's a few little things that are done differently but I kid you not when I say you'll kick yourself for not changing earlier. I made the entire move including customisation within a day. Billing with the old system one night and then the new two nights later. I turned off the cron the first night as a safeguard for myself.

[dkent]

Don't do it! You'll regret it!!

 

Just kidding! Go for it, the process is straightforward and you can happily say goodbye to ModernBill forever!

[pdpd]

To not make the switch will be the biggest mistake you could make.

 

Just go for it. Do the import and have Matt and the excellent team move your card data over.

 

We made the MB --> WHMCS switch 2 years ago. Night and day.

 

MB is an absolute joke compared to WHMCS - really. Only when you have moved will you fully realise that!

 

Good luck.

[tulaweb]

I have been contemplating upgrading to WHMC from MB4 for a few years now.. WHMCS seems to be going from strength to strength but one thing is holding me back - A complete lack of information regarding the import process from MB4.

 

I switched from MB5 and the only thing I missed was discounts. MB (at least MB5) offers more ways to offer discounts, and those simply get dropped. The thing to do is get the 15 day trial, and do the import. It doesn't hurt your MB data. It's a real quick simple process and if you identify something that makes it a real problem, you haven't done anything you can't walk away from. I have to say that after MB, using WHMCS feels like I just stopped hitting myself over the head with a hammer.

[slim]

Hi (again) everyone

 

Im still around and still wanting to do the migration.. I will download the trial and migrate the data and see how it looks.

 

Thanks for the advice.

[bear]

I hope you find it as simple as I did. I recently took over a company that used MB4, and the import took just a minute or two for the few hundred customers in the database. I chose not to import CC numbers as they were given to the old owner, but all the data moved over easily.

Try the import, but don't set up a cron. It's really easy, and the best part is...no more MB! Worth more than you can imagine...

[slim]

Ive setup a trial of WHMCS and used the import script - Everything seemed to go really well.. All my client data is there, ive been able to setup and verify that my domain registrars (enom, aussiehq) are working and that the system can talk to each of my cPanel servers.. All good so far.

 

I do have one question.. When I look in the SETUP -> DOMAIN PRICING I get a little confused.

 

SEE ATTACHMENT

 

In the left column, should I use dots?

 

example: .com or should it be just com

 

I also cant seem to see any domains on any of the order forms. (Say I use the 'Domain Availablity Lookup' integration code on a page on my website the drop down box is empty. (see second screenshot)

 

I cant seem to find how this drop down box gets populated?

[slim]

ok, just found that the left column should include the dot, and now the drop down box seems to be populated!

Edited February 21, 2010 by slim

[timgws]

Hey Slim,

 

We moved away from MB4 and have not yet even considered looking back! It has been a great move. The only hickup you might see is that users will not be able to log in with their old MB password (or so for us ) so make sure you tell everyone to request a password reset!

 

Thanks,

Tim

[JofleyUK]

Hey,

 

We moved from MB4 ages ago and never ever ever ever looked back. Any teething problems with password resets seriously outweigh the benefits of WHMCS. WHMCS is by far the better system and offers so much more. You have just got to make a decision one Sunday evening to say. "What the Hell, lets do it!!"

 

Regards

Jeff

[activeforce]

2010 and still using mb4? wow major security risk and a audit worse nightmare...

[WHMCS John]

To be fair I've heard upgrading to version 5/6 isn't particularly easy.

[JofleyUK]

My woes from MB wer trying to upgrade to V5 and the system breaking constantly, invoice dates not coming over, recurring items not recurring anymore. It was a nightmare. I was ready to pull my hair out. Then Matt seemed to have written a piece of software that was easier to use, with slightly less features back then in V2 or 3. something which I still have kicking around my harddrive somewhere. Moving from MB4 was a breeze even back then. OK, so I moved to A*BS for a while but hey, I am back... For Good!!

[solokron]

We finally upgraded to WHMCS from MB4. So far so good. We'll see what happens with nightly invoices. We have a LOT of clients so that scares me a little.

 

We were delayed for a long time as a result of some lacking features which are all now covered. We also never went down the MB5 route. The company that took over MB, Site Studio and Plesk are just there to bleed the products dry with support costs to their consumers and little to no community support is available for them.

 

A couple things, import for the most part carries everything over. Packages all needed to be reconfigured though (associated email type,associated group type,variable fields, plan name on hosting server,etc) but the packages are all there so that is not so bad. Servers also need hashes re-added and you need to re-add any coupons you may have had. You will also want to make a note of what is in your MB API queue as that will be lost.

 

It's definitely a different beast but I am confident it will be beneficial down the line with the larger feature base and support community.

[JofleyUK]

A different beast indeed... but a friendlier one!

[solokron]

For the most part invoices seem to have run smoothly. For the most part. Any packages we had set to one time payment where the client was already charged were all duplicate so that is a little headache for us. It set the invoice due date for those packages to 1969 which I thought was cute.

 

The fact that with cPanel packages it tells us their bandwidth and space usage right from their client account is awesome. Also the epp key button is great. No more logging into enom, finding the domain, etc etc.

[paradoxic]

No comparison between mb and whmcs. The latter wins hands down.

[aaronfaby]

Ditch MB as soon as you can. I paid WHMCS for them to do the import for me and it was worth every penny.