Software operations · SOULTWARE LLC
How to plan a business software data migration
A data migration moves meaning as well as values. The team must decide which records are valid, how old fields map to new ones, and how to prove the result is complete enough for the business to use.
Profile and map the source data
Inspect representative exports for missing values, duplicates, inconsistent formats, stale records, and undocumented codes. Identify the business owner who can decide which records should carry forward.
Map each source field to a destination field and state how values are transformed. Mark fields that have no clear equivalent rather than dropping or guessing silently.
Rehearse with checks
Run an import against a safe test environment and record rejected rows and transformation errors. Compare counts and sample records using checks chosen by the business, not only a successful script exit.
Have users review records that drive important decisions. Automated checks can find structural errors, but staff may need to confirm the meaning and usefulness of the result.
Prepare cutover and recovery
Choose a cutover window, define whether the source system becomes read-only, and assign who approves the switch. Preserve a recoverable copy according to the data policy.
Define rollback conditions and how changes made during cutover would be reconciled. Do not destroy the old source until the new system has been verified and the retention decision is approved.