Running the old and new systems side by side for a period and comparing results before relying on the new one.
A parallel run is a period, typically one month, during which the business records transactions in both the old system and the new ERP and compares the outputs: trial balance, VAT figures, stock valuation, payroll. It is a way to prove the new system produces the same answers before the old one is switched off.
It matters because it gives the owner and CFO confidence with evidence rather than assurance. For a UAE business it is particularly useful for the VAT return and WPS payroll, where an error is visible to a regulator. It also shows whether staff can keep up with the new process under real volume.
In an ERP project, be realistic about the cost: double entry for a month is a real burden on a small finance team, and many businesses choose a shorter parallel run on finance only, or a thorough UAT instead. If you do run in parallel, define exactly which reports will be compared and what tolerance counts as a pass, and stop the run on a fixed date rather than drifting.
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