In industries across the United States and around the globe, Q4 is well underway and the New Year is in sight. While many are busy planning for 2019, credit unions might need to widen their scope. If you are considering an upgrade to a new core platform, planning is key. Core conversions can be time consuming and stressful for any financial institution if not well thought out and prepared for. To ease the burden on your credit union, start planning more than a year in advance. That may sound like overkill but there are several reasons why this extended planning period will benefit your credit union in the end. Here is a timeline and items to consider if you are pondering a core conversion.

Change has never been to known to be easy. In fact, there is an entire industry built around change management or the process of preparing your credit union's leaders, boards, employees, and members for organizational change. Change comes in many forms, from navigating a merger or acquisition, to the conversion of core technology on which your credit union relies. While the process of selecting a new core system can be exciting for management-level staff during the initial review process, stress extends throughout the organization during implementation of the new system. Here are tips to address these potential pitfalls before they derail your conversion: