CRM Data Migration Checklist: Switch Systems Without Losing Data

Data migration is the most feared part of CRM implementation—and for good reason. Horror stories of lost customer data, duplicate records, and corrupted information are common. This comprehensive checklist ensures your migration goes smoothly.

Pre-Migration Planning (2-4 Weeks Before)

1. Audit Your Current Data

Customer Records Inventory:

Service History Review:

Financial Data Check:

2. Clean Your Data

Data Cleaning Tasks:

Pro Tip: Cleaning data before migration is 10x easier than after.

3. Map Your Data

Create a Field Mapping Document:

<pre>

Old System Field → New System Field

Company → Business Name

Phone 1 → Primary Phone

Phone 2 → Mobile Phone

Notes → Customer Notes

Service Addr → Service Address

</pre>

Common Mapping Challenges:

4. Prioritize Your Data

Migration Priority Levels:

Priority 1 (Must Have):

Priority 2 (Should Have):

Priority 3 (Nice to Have):

Migration Methods Comparison

Method 1: Manual Entry

Best For: <100 customers

Pros: Complete control, data cleaning built-in

Cons: Time-consuming, error-prone

Time: 1-2 minutes per record

Method 2: CSV Import

Best For: 100-10,000 customers

Pros: Faster, maintains data integrity

Cons: Requires spreadsheet skills

Time: 2-8 hours total

Method 3: API Integration

Best For: Complex migrations

Pros: Automated, real-time

Cons: Technical expertise needed

Time: Varies by system

Method 4: Migration Service

Best For: Large, complex datasets

Pros: Professional handling

Cons: Expensive ($500-5000)

Time: 1-2 weeks

Step-by-Step Migration Process

Phase 1: Preparation (Week 1)

Day 1-2: Export Your Data

Day 3-4: Clean and Format

Day 5-7: Test Import

Phase 2: Migration (Week 2)

Day 1: Customer Data

Day 2: Service History

Day 3: Financial Records

Day 4: Scheduling Data

Day 5: Final Validation

Phase 3: Post-Migration (Week 3)

Validation Checklist:

Common Migration Pitfalls

1. The Duplicate Disaster

Problem: Same customer imported multiple times

Prevention: Clean data first, use unique identifiers

Fix: Merge tools in new CRM

2. The Format Fiasco

Problem: Phone numbers, dates, currency formatted wrong

Prevention: Match new system's format requirements

Fix: Bulk update tools

3. The Missing Link

Problem: Jobs not linked to customers

Prevention: Use consistent customer IDs

Fix: Manual matching (painful)

4. The Custom Field Catastrophe

Problem: Special fields don't transfer

Prevention: Map every field before import

Fix: Add fields, re-import

5. The Historical Hysteria

Problem: Lost service history

Prevention: Export everything, prioritize import

Fix: Keep old system accessible

Data Migration Templates

Customer Import Template

<pre>

First Name, Last Name, Company, Email, Phone, Mobile, Address, City, State, ZIP

John, Smith, "", john@email.com, 555-1234, 555-5678, 123 Main St, Boston, MA, 02101

ABC, Plumbing, ABC Plumbing Inc, info@abc.com, 555-9999, "", 456 Oak Ave, Boston, MA, 02102

</pre>

Service History Template

<pre>

Customer ID, Date, Type, Description, Amount, Tech, Status

1001, 2024-01-15, Repair, Water heater fix, 350.00, Mike, Completed

1001, 2024-06-20, Maintenance, AC tune-up, 125.00, Tom, Completed

</pre>

Platform-Specific Migration Guides

From QuickBooks to CRM

Special Considerations:

From Excel to CRM

Special Considerations:

From Paper to CRM

Special Considerations:

Testing Your Migration

Smoke Tests

Detailed Validation

Training During Migration

Week 1: Basic Navigation

Week 2: Data Entry

Week 3: Advanced Features

Maintaining Data Quality

Ongoing Best Practices

When to Get Help

Consider Professional Help If:

Cost-Benefit Analysis:

Post-Migration Checklist

Day 1 After Go-Live

Week 1 Monitoring

Month 1 Review

Conclusion

Data migration doesn't have to be a nightmare. With proper planning, systematic execution, and thorough testing, you can switch CRM systems without losing critical business information. Take your time, follow the checklist, and remember: clean data in equals clean data out.

The effort you put into migration directly impacts your CRM success for years to come.

Ready to migrate? Use our [CRM Comparison Tool](/tools/comparison-tool) to choose your new system, then follow this checklist for a smooth transition. Questions about specific migration scenarios? Check our [Implementation Guide](/blog/crm-implementation-mistakes).