Tally.ERP 9 vs TallyPrime

Many offices, coaching books and exam papers still use Tally.ERP 9, the product that came before TallyPrime. If you learned on it, or you join an office that still runs it, you need to know what is different. If you learned only TallyPrime, you still need to recognise Tally.ERP 9 screens and terms when you meet them.

In this lesson you will compare the two products, learn the key changes that trip up experienced users, follow the TallyPrime release history to 7.2, and migrate old data the safe way.

The big picture

Tally.ERP 9 was Tally Solutions' main product for over a decade. TallyPrime replaced it, starting with Release 1.0 in November 2020. The accounting logic (groups, ledgers, vouchers, the golden rules) did not change; the way you move around and many features did.

Tally Solutions states that Tally.ERP 9 is not being discontinued and will continue to work, but enhancements are made only in TallyPrime, and TSS renewal for Tally.ERP 9 is discontinued from 16 August 2026. Without TSS, the online services that depend on it (such as updates and connected features) stop being renewed. For new learning and new businesses, TallyPrime is the product to use.

What changed for users

The voucher keys for everyday vouchers did not change: F4 Contra, F5 Payment, F6 Receipt, F7 Journal, F8 Sales, F9 Purchase. So most data-entry habits carry over; the risk is in the few changed keys.

Tally.ERP 9 habit                     TallyPrime equivalent
Gateway > Display > Trial Balance  -> Alt+G, type "trial", Enter
Ctrl+F8 for a credit note          -> Alt+F6
Alt+F3 > Create Company            -> Alt+K > Create

TallyPrime releases at a glance

Releases 1.1, 2.0, 2.1, 4.0, 4.1, 5.1, 6.0 to 6.2 and 7.1 came in between. The table is a selection; read the full release notes for details. To see which release you are running, press Ctrl+Alt+B.

Migrating Tally.ERP 9 data

Company data from Tally.ERP 9 (Release 5.0 or later) and from TallyPrime 2.1 or earlier must be migrated before the latest TallyPrime can use it. Migrated data cannot be opened in Tally.ERP 9 again.

1. Back up the Tally.ERP 9 data (copy the whole data folder too)
2. Install TallyPrime in a NEW folder
3. In TallyPrime: Alt+Y (Data) > Migrate   (or F1 Help > Troubleshooting > Migrate)
4. Select the company
5. Backup Company Data before Migration = Yes
6. Review the options, press R to start
7. Read the Migration Summary: counts of masters and vouchers, and any exceptions
8. Compare the Trial Balance of old and new before entering anything new

TallyPrime keeps the original company and creates the migrated copy with a new (6-digit) company number, so the old data is not destroyed. Very old data from Tally 5.4, 6.3 or 7.2 must first be moved to Tally.ERP 9 and then to TallyPrime.

Check the migration with numbers, not by eye. If the old Trial Balance totals were ₹48,36,250 on both sides, the migrated company must show the same:

=IF(4836250 = 4836250, "Totals match", "Investigate")

Totals match

Replace the first figure with the old total and the second with the new one. Check a few ledger balances, the Stock Summary and the outstanding bills as well.

Common mistakes

• Using old keys for notes. Ctrl+F8 in TallyPrime opens a Sales Order. Read the voucher name before typing.
• Migrating without a backup. Migration is one-way. Keep the untouched old data.
• Installing TallyPrime in the Tally.ERP 9 folder. Use a separate folder.
• Skipping the after-migration check. Compare Trial Balance, stock and outstandings before continuing.

Key points

• TallyPrime replaced Tally.ERP 9 from November 2020; the accounting logic is the same.
• Navigation changed most: Go To, Switch To, multitasking and the Alt+K Company menu.
• Credit Note is Alt+F6 and Debit Note Alt+F5 in TallyPrime; the main voucher keys F4 to F9 are unchanged.
• TSS renewal for Tally.ERP 9 ends from 16 August 2026; enhancements happen only in TallyPrime.
• Migrate with Alt+Y > Migrate after a backup, then verify the Trial Balance, stock and bills.

1. Alt+G, type "trial balance", Enter
2. Alt+F6 (Credit Note), Item Invoice mode, Agst Ref the original invoice
3. Alt+K > Create
4. Day Book, F2 for the period, Ctrl+F, condition: amount greater than 50,000
5. Back up the data, install TallyPrime in a new folder,
   Alt+Y > Migrate, backup before migration = Yes, R,
   then compare the Trial Balance with the old one