Data Migration: The Unsexy Make-or-Break
Nobody gets excited about data migration. But it is the single step most likely to derail your system launch.
Data migration is the part of every implementation that everyone wants to rush through. It is tedious, it is detail-oriented, and it is invisible when it goes right. But when it goes wrong, the entire go-live is compromised.
The Common Mistakes
The most common mistake is assuming the data in the old system is clean. It is not. Every legacy system accumulates duplicate records, orphaned entries, and inconsistent formatting over its lifetime. Migrating that mess into a new system does not give you a fresh start; it gives you the same mess in a different interface.
The Mapping Exercise
Before any data moves, you need a field-by-field mapping document. What does each field in the old system correspond to in the new system? Where are the gaps — fields that exist in one system but not the other? Where are the transformations — date formats, address structures, SKU schemes that need to be converted?
Test Migrations
Run the migration at least three times before go-live. The first run reveals mapping errors. The second run reveals edge cases. The third run is your dress rehearsal. Each run should be followed by user acceptance testing where actual users verify that their data looks right and the workflows work correctly.
The Cutover Plan
The cutover — the moment you switch from the old system to the new one — needs a precise plan. What time do you freeze the old system? How long does the final migration take? What is the rollback plan if something critical is wrong? Who validates each data set? Answering these questions before go-live is the difference between a smooth weekend cutover and a chaotic Monday morning.