Implementation & data migration
We do the heavy lifting before you go live.
We work directly with your team to configure DealerRock, review and import your data, connect the integrations you need and train each department before go-live.
Most implementations are handled remotely, which lets us work with your people without requiring days of travel or shutting down the dealership for training.
Typical implementations are measured in weeks, with the exact timeline based on your data, integrations and dealership setup.
Hands-on, mostly remote
You get real help without turning implementation into a roadshow.
Most DealerRock implementations are completed remotely.
That does not mean we send you a checklist and disappear.
We meet with the people who know your dealership, work through configuration with you, review data, train departments and stay involved through go-live.
Remote implementation keeps scheduling flexible and lets the right DealerRock team member join when their area of expertise is needed.
DealerRock DMS implementation typically includes dealership configuration, structured data import, integrations, department-specific training and go-live support.
Who does what
The right people work on the right part of the setup.
Your implementation does not live with one generic support rep.
Questions about accounting, service, data, integrations or other areas can be routed to the DealerRock team member who knows that part of the product.
What DealerRock does
- Configure DealerRock around your dealership
- Review your exports and import the data that can move
- Work through the integrations you rely on
- Train each department on the work it does
- Stay available through go-live and after
What we need from your dealership
- The people who know the dealership, available to make decisions
- Usable structured exports of the data you want to bring over
- Who needs to be involved on your side
- Time for each department to attend its training sessions
The process
How implementation works
- 1
Understand your dealership
We start with the basics: locations, users, departments, taxes, your current DMS, accounting, integrations and anything unusual about how your dealership operates.
We also identify who needs to be involved on your side.
- 2
Configure DealerRock
We set up DealerRock around the dealership you actually run.
That can include users, permissions, locations, departments, taxes, service statuses, parts setup, customer communication settings and other supported configuration.
- 3
Review & import your data
If you can get data out of your current system in a usable structured format, we can work with it.
Core imports commonly include customers, units and parts. Historical sales, service history, documents and other records depend on what your current system can export and how that data is structured.
We review the files before import so you know what is coming over and what is not.
- 4
Connect the systems you need
We work through the integrations your dealership relies on so the important connections are ready for go-live.
Depending on your setup, that may include QuickBooks® Online, payments, lead sources, websites or other supported integrations.
- 5
Train the team
Training is done by department.
A service writer needs to know how to open and manage repair orders. A salesperson needs to know leads, customers, quotes and deals. A technician needs the tools used in the shop.
We focus training on the job each employee actually does instead of putting the entire dealership through one generic class.
- 6
Go live — with us
Go-live is not the moment we disappear.
We stay available while the dealership starts doing real work in DealerRock. Questions that only show up when the first real deal, work order or parts transaction happens can be addressed while the team is building confidence.
After launch, support continues with people who know DealerRock and can route questions to the right person.
Your data
If you can get it out in a structured format, we can usually work with it.
Every DMS stores and exports data differently. We do not promise that every record from every system will transfer perfectly.
What matters is whether your current system can provide usable structured data — typically spreadsheets, CSV files or another organized export we can map.
We review what you can provide, tell you what we can import and define the plan before go-live.
Step 1
Your current DMS
Step 2
A structured export: spreadsheets, CSV or similar
Step 3
We review the files and tell you what can move
Step 4
Imported into DealerRock before go-live
Common core data
Commonly imported
- Customers
- Customer contact information
- Unit inventory
- Unit details and specifications
- Parts inventory
- On-hand quantities
Depends on the export
May include
- Historical sales
- Historical service
- Open work
- Documents and attachments
- Transaction history
- Vendor information
- Other historical records
The limitation is often not DealerRock. It is what the old system will let you export.
A new DMS is also a chance to stop carrying bad data forever.
Old systems often contain duplicate customers, obsolete parts and years of records nobody actually needs.
Migration does not always mean copying every old problem into the new system. We can work with you to determine what data matters and what should be left behind.
Timeline
Weeks in typical cases — not an endless implementation project.
Typical DealerRock implementations are measured in weeks. Straightforward dealerships can sometimes move faster.
Larger dealer groups, custom integrations, difficult exports or unusually complex setups can take longer.
We would rather explain what affects your timeline than give every dealership the same made-up number.
Data
How quickly can the old system provide usable exports, and how much history needs to move?
Integrations
Which external systems need to be connected before go-live?
Dealership complexity
One store is different from ten. A straightforward operation is different from a group with specialized processes.
Availability
Implementation moves faster when the people who know the dealership can make decisions and review setup and data promptly.
Training
The goal isn't to make everyone an expert before day one.
The goal is to make employees comfortable enough to do their job when the dealership goes live.
Then they get faster as they use the system in real situations.
Dealer teams often begin feeling comfortable with DealerRock within the first few weeks.
Because DealerRock is designed to be easy to use, training can focus on the dealership work rather than memorizing how the software is organized.
Service writers
Opening and managing repair orders.
Salespeople
Leads, customers, quotes and deals.
Technicians
The tools used in the shop.
Parts
Inventory, purchasing and receiving.
Training can happen without pulling everyone into a conference room for a week.
Most training is handled remotely and by department. That makes it easier to schedule the right employees for the right sessions without bringing the whole dealership to a stop.
Go-live
The first real day is when the questions get real. We're there for it.
Test data and training examples only go so far.
The first time a salesperson completes a real deal, a service writer opens a real work order or parts receives a real order, questions can come up.
DealerRock stays available through go-live so those questions can be handled while the team is building confidence.
Support
Implementation ends. Support doesn't.
Once the dealership is live, you continue working with a U.S.-based DealerRock support team.
Questions are routed to the person best suited to help, whether the issue is service, accounting, integrations or another part of the product.
We also listen to dealer feedback. Many DealerRock improvements start with a dealer showing us something that could work better.
After go-live
The goal is confidence, not just a launch date.
“Like many others, we had been searching for a DMS with underwhelming results for our dealerships. Then we found DealerRock. This platform is incredibly user friendly and streamlined our operation from day one synching multiple locations. Their team is always reachable and open to ideas for continuous improvement. The future is bright with DealerRock!”
Jay G.
Dealer Principal, New England Watersports
Still deciding whether to switch at all? Why dealers decide to make the move.
Implementation questions
Not seeing your question? Ask us directly.
Is implementation onsite or remote?
Most DealerRock implementations are handled remotely. We meet with your team, configure the system, review data and train departments without requiring a large onsite deployment. If a specific implementation requires something different, we can discuss that during planning.
How long does implementation take?
Typical implementations are measured in weeks, and some straightforward dealerships can move faster. Larger groups, complex integrations or difficult data exports can require more time. We set the timeline after understanding your dealership and data.
What do you need from our current DMS?
We need usable structured exports of the data you want to bring over. CSV, Excel or other structured exports are common. What is available depends on your current system.
Can you bring over our history?
Often, but it depends on what the current DMS can export and how the data is structured. Core data such as customers, units and parts is commonly imported. Historical sales, service and documents are reviewed case by case.
Do we have to clean the data first?
Not necessarily. We review the export and can explain what needs attention before import. In some cases, switching systems is also a good opportunity to leave obsolete or unusable data behind.
Who trains our employees?
DealerRock trains your team by department so employees learn the part of the system they actually use.
Do we have to shut down the dealership for training?
No. Training is generally scheduled remotely and by department so the dealership can keep operating while employees prepare for go-live.
What happens on go-live day?
Your team starts processing real business in DealerRock, and our team remains available to help with questions as employees work through their first real transactions.
What happens after implementation?
You transition into ongoing DealerRock support. The relationship does not reset after launch, and questions can be routed to the team member best suited to help.
Want to know what implementation would look like for your dealership?
Tell us what DMS you use today, how many locations you have and what data or integrations matter most. We'll walk you through the setup, migration and training plan before you make the move.