The advantage is it enables you to:
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Correct the deficiencies in your old accounting package (their must be a reason you are moving from the old accounting package).
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Add the new functionality available in Manager to your old records
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Test Manager with your real live data prior to training your staff or using it for several years to accumulate a significant amount of new data.
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Show historical comparison data in all your reports.
Many users (but not all) find this capability useful however there is no automated transfer of data when changing accounting programs. This applies to all accounting programs.
Electronic importing of data into Manager is actually quite well supported but even so, the process typically takes a few days of solid work, for which you will need to pay either in your own time or employing someone skilled in that area to do it.
The details of how to achieve electronic data importing varies depending on what electronic data you have available and what historical data you actually want in Manager. Old electronic bank transaction records can be readily imported. Other tables / tabs are imported via Managers batch create.
I find importing the last couple of years data worth the time investment (with starting balances covering periods prior to that), but that is just my assessment of the value of my business data to me. Others will assess the value of their business data differently.