PIPELINEGuide
Checklist: preparing for data migration
What you should clarify before requesting quotes for data migration. The more of this is settled beforehand, the more reliable the quotes will be.
Before deciding on data migration, a quick inventory is worthwhile: which process costs the most time, who will support the system later, and whether the necessary content even exists. The complete checklist is below.
01 — Checklist
Clarify before the first quote
- What should improve? In one sentence, no jargon.
- How will you know? One number that should change.
- Who decides? One person, not a committee.
- What budget is available? A range is enough — it makes quotes comparable instead of arbitrary.
- By when? And what the deadline depends on.
- Which systems are involved? And who has access to them.
- What do you already have? Content, data, preliminary work — this reduces the cost.
02 — Participation
What we need from you
- A contact person who can make decisions — not just forward them.
- Access to the affected systems, in time and not on launch day.
- Real examples from daily business — the messier, the more useful for testing.
- Two to four hours for coordination, distributed over the project duration.
- An answer to the question of what success means. Without it, nothing can be assessed afterward.
03 — Questions
Questions you should ask
- What happens if the project becomes more expensive than estimated — who bears that?
- Who owns data, access, and, if developed, the source code?
- What does operation cost in the second and third year?
- What does the documentation we receive at the end look like?
- How would you measure whether the project was successful?
- Is there a case in which you would advise us against this?
04 — Questions
Frequently asked questions
How long does a migration take?
The transfer itself usually hours. The time goes into analysis, rules, and trial runs — typically two to six weeks, depending on the condition of the legacy data.
What if something is missing after the switchover?
That's why count protocol and fallback option: the legacy inventory remains untouched until acceptance is complete. Subsequent additions of individual areas are possible.
Can we keep working in parallel?
For short transitions yes, with a cutoff date. For longer migrations, you typically continue working in the legacy system until the switchover and transfer the additions at the end.
What happens to attachments and documents on the record?
They are transferred along, provided the target system supports them. Where the format doesn't fit, it's clarified beforehand whether conversion is necessary or external storage remains more practical.
Do we need access to both systems simultaneously for the migration?
Yes, at least for the period of trial runs and the actual switchover. After that, access to the legacy system can be restricted or terminated.
How do we ensure nothing gets lost?
Through the count protocol: number of records before and after is compared, samples are checked for content. Only after this acceptance is the migration considered complete.
Do we take everything?
Rarely makes sense. Dead records, test datasets, and ten-year-old transactions burden the new system. We recommend migrating the active inventory and keeping the rest archived and accessible.
05 — Next
Related pages
Next step
Initial assessment, no obligation.
Briefly describe what you need. You'll get an honest answer about what's realistic and what it will roughly cost.