Migrating data from Excel to a system: how to move your data without chaos

Step 1: take stock of your data

List all the spreadsheets and data sources that are to go into the system. For each one, establish who maintains it, how up to date it is and whether it will still be needed.

Step 2: decide what to move

Not everything has to go into the new system. Data from years ago can stay in an archive, while the system receives the data needed for day-to-day work.

Step 3: clean up the data

• consistent formats: dates, phone numbers, addresses,
• removing duplicates,
• filling in missing mandatory data,
• one name for the same customer or product.

Step 4: trial migration

The data is first moved to a test version of the system. The people who know the data best check selected records and report errors. The trial is repeated until the result is correct.

Step 5: final migration

Set a cutover date after which data is entered only in the system. There should be no period in which changes go into both the spreadsheets and the system.

Step 6: post-migration checks

• comparing the number of records before and after the migration,
• checking totals, for example order values,
• users verifying randomly selected records.

The most important rule

Migration is not a technical add-on at the end of the project, but a separate stage with its own plan and acceptance. If you are planning to move from spreadsheets to a system, book a consultation.