Toddler bed transition

So I stupidly made a rash decision and decided to take the front part of my (almost) 3 year olds crib off, and put a bed rail on it. Last night my lo would not sleep in her bed and was crying for me to come in so my husband ended up sleeping on the floor with her in her room….I didn’t know it would be such a fuss! With her crib, she goes to bed no problem, but I guess she didn’t like the change. Anyone else have this issue - how can I transition her smoothly to her toddler bed?