4 STEPS TO TAKE WHEN MOVING YOUR DATA

Also known as the process where you might not even know where, or how to begin. So because you’re most likely thinking about other work projects and that super important meeting you have this week – let’s simplify data migration.

Much like moving house, data migration follows the same principles.

1. Choose a destination

Are you changing CRM systems? This is probably the most common reason for moving data. Just like you choose a house, ensure that your CRM has the right qualities for you and your business. Prices, features, personalisation are all key characteristics to consider when choosing your CRM. You wouldn’t buy a house with 32 acres, stables and tennis courts if you wanted a city centre penthouse and much like this, make sure that the potential CRM you’re buying suits your needs. See if you can demo a few or at least use the interface before you commit to buying.

2. Sort through your belongings

Anyone who’s moved house knows how important but time consuming this step can be. Not only is there so much stuff to go through, you find yourself getting distracted with old teddies and memories and it just makes the process twice as long. The same goes for your data – you need to go through it and remove unnecessary records before migrating it all over. Deceased records, goneaways, preference centre registrants all need to be spotted and dreaded duplicated records need to be merged. You wouldn’t put a load of old, useless stuff in your beautiful new house – so why trouble your new database with outdated records from a bygone era?

This process also means you notice what you might need – a centre piece for your dining table or a new lamp for your bedside cabinet. Whatever it is, it’s an excuse to go down to Ikea and come out with most of the shop in your shopping trolley – nobody likes an empty home after all.

Well your database isn’t much different. Use enrichment to fill in gaps such as missing email addresses or incomplete addresses, telephone numbers etc. You wouldn’t want to move a sofa with a missing cushion without getting a new one, so don’t move your data if it has gaps!

3. Moving your belongings

Unless you’re particularly brave, the majority of people hire house moving companies to shift their stuff. Some even pack it all up in beautifully labelled boxes and move it to the room it’s to be unpacked in. Talk about tailor made service.

Data management companies can help you to move your data over seamlessly and ensures you don’t leave any behind, or miss out any fields in the transfer. The processes they use also greatly reduce the risk of a data leak as they have the technology and expertise to handle such large bundles of data.

4. Getting settled

So your data is all happy in its new home. Much like you get moving home gifts, new databases get new leads coming in. You appreciate new home gifts that actually fit with your home, and it’s great when new leads fit and work with your CRM. I’m talking about validating information at the point of entry. Email addresses, postal addresses, telephone numbers. The lot. Treat your CRM to up to date information and hopefully you’ll have a happy home for your data where you won’t have to move for a while.

So this is data migration at a glance, any more questions? You can speak to an expert here!