SoftwareAbout 7 days from inventory to full cut over

How to Switch to Aviation Detailing Software

Switching to aviation detailing software feels riskier than it is. The right approach treats it as a structured migration with explicit phases. This guide walks through the seven steps that take an operator from existing tools to fully operational on CoreOP in about seven days.

Braxton

Founder, CoreOP

Published 2026-04-27, updated 2026-04-28

Most operators who delay the switch delay because they imagine a long painful migration. The reality is that the work is mostly mechanical once you have a plan. Operators who follow the steps below typically complete the migration in less than a week of part time effort while continuing to run their existing operations.

Steps

Step 11.0 hours
Inventory your current tools and data
Make a list of every tool currently in use. Quoting tool. Scheduling tool. Invoicing tool. Customer database. Photo storage. Crew communication. For each tool, identify what data lives there and how to export it. The inventory takes an hour and is the foundation of the migration plan.
Step 21.5 hours
Export client and aircraft data from existing tools
Export client records and aircraft records from your current systems. Most tools support CSV export. Spreadsheets are already in a usable format. Email contact lists can be exported from most email clients. Build a single CSV with all client and aircraft records before importing anywhere new.
Step 330 minutes
Import into the new platform
Use CoreOP's CSV import to bring in the client and aircraft records. The import maps your spreadsheet columns to CoreOP fields. Review the mapping before confirming. Run the import. Verify a sample of records came in correctly before moving on. The import typically takes ten to fifteen minutes for under five hundred records.
Step 41.5 hours
Configure your services and pricing
Build out your service catalog and pricing structure in CoreOP. Use your existing pricing as the starting point. Save service line items as templates so quoting is fast going forward. Configure your standard quote PDF branding. Test by generating a sample quote for a known aircraft and confirming the output matches your existing professional standard.
Step 51.0 hours
Add your team and set permissions
Add each crew member to CoreOP with the appropriate role. Lead detailer, technician, helper. Confirm each person can log in and see what they should see. Walk the team through the mobile app and the GPS clock in workflow. The team setup takes about thirty minutes per person including the orientation.
Step 61.0 hours
Run a parallel test on real jobs for one week
Run the new software in parallel with your existing tools for one week. Quote, schedule, and document jobs in both systems. The parallel run reveals any gaps in the migration before you commit. Most operators find one or two missing pieces during the parallel run that they would have hit later if they cut over directly.
Step 730 minutes
Cut over fully and archive old tools
After the parallel week succeeds, cut over fully to CoreOP. Archive the old spreadsheets and tools rather than deleting them so historical data is still accessible if needed. Notify clients of the new client portal access. Update any external references like website forms or email signatures. The cut over moment feels significant but is mostly anticlimactic when the parallel run was successful.