Inventory the source and destination
List the record types, fields, identifiers and relationships involved. Confirm which historical data must move and which can remain in an archive. Review retention and access requirements with the business. Do not assume every old field deserves a new home; some may be obsolete, duplicated or poorly understood.
Agree transformations and exceptions
Document how dates, units, categories and missing values will be converted. Decide how duplicates and invalid records are handled without silently discarding important information. Keep the original data protected and record the transformation rules. A sample migration should include awkward records, not only the clean examples selected for a demonstration.
Reconcile more than record counts
Counts can reveal missing rows, but equal counts do not prove correctness. Compare representative field values, totals and relationships. Check whether attachments remain connected and whether users can complete real tasks with the migrated records. Involve the people who understand the data because a technically successful import may still change its business meaning.
Plan the cutover and recovery
Decide when source changes stop, how final differences are captured and who approves the switch. Keep a backup and a tested route back where appropriate. Define the checks that must pass before the old system is retired. After launch, monitor exceptions and preserve enough history to investigate issues without exposing unnecessary personal data.
Your practical checklist
- Map records, fields and relationships
- Document transformations and rejected records
- Reconcile values and real workflows
- Approve cutover checks and recovery options
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