Data Migration: Challenges & Best Practices

Many companies have rolled into 2023 with fresh new budgets and the intention of unlocking a wave of productivity and organizational resilience by investing in new platforms or upgrading existing systems.  

In 2021, Salesforce commissioned a research project with Forrester Research™ to understand how organizations are meeting the future of work with the next generation of CRM platforms. The key findings largely illustrate the chronic underutilization of CRM technologies, specifically in the area of data migrations. 

The danger with a bad data migration is that it easily eats away at the momentum of the overall project. The process of stops and starts to make multiple rounds of corrections causes a buildup of delays increasing anxiety levels, especially in communicating these delays up-ladder.

Common Data Migration Challenges

1. Data loss or corruption: Incorrect data mapping or translation can result in loss of data or data corruption, leading to inaccuracies and inconsistencies in the migrated data.
2. Incomplete data: If data is not properly analyzed or cleaned before migration, the migration may be incomplete, resulting in missing or incomplete data in the target system.
3. Data mismatch: If data is not properly mapped between systems, it can result in mismatched or incorrect data in the target system.
4. Data duplication: If data is not de-duplicated before migration, it can result in duplicate data in the target system, leading to inaccuracies and inconsistencies.
5. Performance issues: Large data migrations can put a strain on system performance and cause slowdowns, making it difficult to access the data in the target system.
6. Inconsistent data: If the data is not properly validated or tested before migration, it can result in inconsistent data in the target system, leading to errors and inaccuracies.
7. Technical issues: Technical problems, such as compatibility issues between systems or network connectivity problems, can impact the data migration process and result in errors or delays.

Tips & Guidelines for Conducting Successful Data Migration

Once these common data migrations issues have been identified and delegated out to team members, it’s time to refocus on the project roadmap of how to complete the data migration. 

While it is easy to imagine the end game of how the system is supposed to work, we often don’t give enough attention to the hard work that actually gets the project over the line.

Suggested best practices for data migration between platforms: 

1. Plan and prepare: Before starting the migration process, create a clear plan for what data will be migrated, the timeline for the migration, and the resources needed. 
2. Map data: Map the data between the two platforms to ensure that all relevant data is included in the migration process and that it is accurately translated.
3. Clean data: Clean up the data to ensure that only relevant, accurate data is migrated.
4. Test and validate: Before finalizing the migration, test the data migration to ensure that the data is accurately translated and that all relevant information has been included.
5. Use a migration tool: Consider using a data migration tool to automate the migration process and ensure that the data is accurately and efficiently transferred. 
6. Document the process: Document the entire data migration process so that it can be easily repeated in the future if necessary.
7. Monitor and adjust: After the migration, monitor the data in the target platform to ensure that it is accurate and up-to-date, and make any necessary adjustments.
8. Provide training: Provide training to users on how to use the data and how to maintain the data once the migration is complete.
9. Support and maintenance: Administer ongoing support and maintenance for the data migration to ensure that the data remains accurate and up-to-date.

Final Thoughts on Data Migration Challenges & Best Practices

Today’s business leaders must ensure their CRM meets the changing needs of their organization.

This can be done by identifying the features and capabilities that are most important to the company’s specific needs, and the ongoing evaluation and optimization of the platform. 

It’s also important to maximize the value and ROI of the CRM platform. This can be done by identifying the features and capabilities that are most important to the company’s specific needs and focus on optimizing the use of those features.

This may require additional training or support for users and the ongoing evaluation and optimization of the platform to ensure it continues to meet the changing needs of the organization.

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