How to master data migration
Migrating data to a new system—whether a CRM/ERP, cloud platform, or digital database—can be complex. In her insightful article for Charity Digital, Christine Chiu outlines practical, actionable steps that can help charities ensure a smooth, secure, and successful data migration.
Here’s a summary of the key recommendations:
- Devise a Plan. Clearly define what data is being moved, who’s managing the process, how it will be executed, and the timeline. A detailed plan reduces the risk of errors, data loss, and costly delays.
- Identify What Data is Legacy. Not all data needs to come along for the ride. Identify outdated or unnecessary data and filter it out early. This helps reduce storage needs and keeps your new system streamlined.
- Determine the Data Mapping. Ensure your current data fields align with the structure of the new system. Triple-check compatibility—mismatched fields can cause major headaches once migration is complete.
- Don’t Expect Business Lines to Manage the Process. Data migration should be a cross-team effort. Relying solely on individual departments can lead to gaps. Get IT, operations, and end users involved from the start.
- Prioritize the Datasets. Some data—like donor financials or HR records—is more sensitive and complex. Identify high-priority datasets early so they receive the attention and protection they require.
- Pilot and Test. Create a test environment using real data. Run pilots to uncover issues in data mapping, field alignment, and system performance. Keep an issues log and refine the process before the full launch.
- Lockdown Systems During Migration and Minimize Downtime. Prevent last-minute data changes by freezing legacy systems during the move. Schedule migrations during off-peak hours and consider incremental (batch) transfers to reduce disruption.
- Don’t Migrate All at Once. Break the migration into manageable phases—such as by department or data type. This allows for greater control and minimizes the impact if something goes wrong.
- Retire the Legacy System. Once the migration is complete, decommission the old platform. This reduces costs, eliminates duplication, and helps your organization focus on using the new system fully.
- Training on the New System. Migration isn’t complete until your team is confident using the new platform. Offer clear training to avoid data entry errors, reporting issues, and staff resistance.
Data migration is a major step in any charity’s digital journey. With careful planning, collaboration, testing, and follow-up training, you can ensure your data moves safely—and your team is ready to thrive in the new system.
