Moving from the desktop version?
We’re migrating every desktop customer to the cloud version of The Leading Hand. Same product family, same support team, no relearning the basics. The desktop version stays supported until 31 October 2027.
If you’re an existing annual-support customer: 50% off year 1 of the cloud version.
Why move now
The cloud version is just better.
- Cloud means no desktop to install, no Windows updates breaking the integration, no on-premise backup to remember
- New features ship continuously — not in big-bang desktop releases
- Two-way accounting sync (Xero, MYOB AccountRight, QBO, Reckon) — no more manual exports
- SMS to customers with two-way replies, including one-tap booking approvals
- Multi-branch, multi-user with proper roles and audit trail
- Mobile-friendly — service advisors and technicians can check job status from a phone or tablet
What stays the same
Nothing you rely on goes away.
Same support team
Same phone number. Same people who know how the product works.
Same core workflow
Customer, vehicle, booking, job, invoice — without relearning anything.
Same data
We bring across your customers, vehicles, parts catalogue, and recent service history.
Same Australian product
Built by the same team. Independent. Australian.
The offer
50% off year 1 — for existing annual-support customers.
If you’re currently paying annual support on the desktop version of The Leading Hand, you get 50% off your first year of the cloud product. After year 1 you pay the full advertised price.
Applied as a coupon when you activate the cloud subscription. We’ll set it up automatically — no voucher code to remember.
This offer is for existing R-customers only and expires on 31 October 2027 (the end of desktop support).
How migration works
Six steps. About a week, end to end.
- 1
Talk to us.
A 20-minute call, by phone or video, to walk through your setup and answer questions.
- 2
We export your desktop database.
You install our small export tool, click run, send us the file. Read-only — your desktop install isn’t affected.
- 3
We import into your cloud tenant.
Customers, vehicles, recent service history, parts catalogue, pricing. Spot-checks together before we go live.
- 4
Connect your accounting package.
Xero, MYOB AccountRight, QuickBooks Online, or Reckon. We walk you through the OAuth handshake.
- 5
Run both in parallel.
For two weeks if you want. Most customers cut over in a week.
- 6
Old desktop install stays usable.
Through 31 October 2027. We’re not deleting anyone’s data.
Desktop EOL
31 October 2027.
The desktop version of The Leading Hand reaches end of life on 31 October 2027.
- 31 October 2026— formal end-of-life announcement. No new features after this date. Critical bug fixes only.
- 31 October 2027— final support day. After this date the desktop product is unsupported.
We’ve supported workshops on this product family for 40+ years. We respect long-tenured customers. The transition is not a forced march — but the calendar is real.
FAQ
Migration questions, answered.
- What if I’m not on annual support?
- The 50% offer is for existing annual-support customers. Lapsed and casual customers can still move to the cloud at the standard pricing — talk to us if there’s a special situation.
- Will my reports look the same?
- The cloud product covers the same operational reporting ground (and adds owner, advisor, and technician dashboards on the home screen). Sample PDFs during the demo.
- What happens to my old desktop data?
- It stays on your machine, under your control. We don’t touch it during migration — we work from a read-only export.
- I have customisations on the desktop version.
- Some are reproduced as configuration in the cloud product (pricing rules, role-based UI, custom report columns). Bring a list to the migration call.