PIPELINEGuide
How long does a data migration take? Realistic timeline
A data migration project isn't a weekend job, but it's not a six-month project either. What happens in which order, where things typically get stuck, and how to shorten the timeline.
In practice, data migration takes 2 to 6 weeks. The biggest time factor is almost never the implementation itself, but how quickly content, access, and decisions come from your side.
01 — Timeframe
How long it takes
- Typical duration
- 2 to 6 weeks
- Price
- Individual based on effort
The timeline starts after approval of the quote. Lead time for initial meeting and quote: typically one to two weeks. We provide a fixed price after this initial meeting.
02 — Process
The steps in detail
Analyze existing data
A report on the actual state. It's regularly uncomfortable and always useful.
Define rules
What gets migrated, what gets cleaned up, what stays behind.
Test run
Complete test migration with comparison. Only then is a date set.
Switch over
Migration with count log and defined fallback option.
03 — Bottlenecks
What typically causes delays
- Content and deliveries. By far the most common cause of delay. Text, images, price lists, access credentials — what's missing blocks progress.
- Decisions. When it's unclear who approves, the project waits. A named contact person with decision-making authority noticeably shortens the timeline.
- Access to third-party systems. Getting access to inventory management, phone systems, or CRM regularly takes longer than the integration itself.
- Endless review rounds. Two correction rounds are normal, five are a sign that the goal wasn't clear at the start.
04 — Scope
What's included
- Analysis of existing data with report on quality issues, before migration
- Mapping rules between old and new structure
- Cleanup: duplicates, formats, missing mandatory fields
- Test migration with comparison and count log
- Switchover with fallback option
- Log that makes every record traceable
05 — 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.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
06 — Next
Related pages
Next step
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