Migrating data from an old system: how it works

Many businesses stick with old software even when it annoys them every day. The reason is simple: it holds thousands of products, customers and years of history. Nobody wants to retype all that by hand or risk losing something.

Short answer: a migration has four parts: you map the old data, do a trial migration, check the result and bring over the latest data right before launch. Finally you redirect the old addresses so your Google rankings survive. With NUNDINAE, I do this work myself.

What can be brought over from the old system

Products. Products come across with their variants, such as size, colour or volume. Instructions for use, ingredients and other product information become attributes in the new system, which the product page shows under their own headings. I have brought products over from WooCommerce, for example.

EAN codes and stock levels. Codes can be added in bulk from a supplier's price list in the form SKU;EAN. Stock levels come from a stocktake CSV in the form SKU;quantity or EAN;quantity. The quantity is the new level, not a number to be added on top.

Customers and visits. From a CSV or Excel file, you choose which column means what. An export from the old program or a manually kept spreadsheet both work. A repeat import updates existing data and doesn't create duplicates.

Bookings. From the old booking software's export, both past and future appointments can be brought over:

• Future appointments are in the calendar and hold their slot, so those times are no longer offered online.
• Future appointments get the same reminders as new bookings.
• Past appointments are on the client card and count towards the number of visits.
• An old booking can be invoiced at the price agreed there.
• Former staff remain in the history, but new times are no longer offered with them.

Old addresses. Every old product and category address is redirected to the new one. I wrote about this in more detail in website redesign without losing SEO.

What shouldn't be brought over blindly

Marketing consents. Only transfer consents whose origin is known. If the old system had a tick but nobody knows how it got there, ask for consent again. This isn't legal advice. If in doubt, consult a data protection expert.

Old orders and invoices. You and I look at these separately. Sometimes it makes sense to bring over the entire history, sometimes a customer summary is enough. Accounting documents must be kept as the law requires, so don't delete the old system until you know where they will stay.

Faulty data. A migration is a good moment to tidy up duplicate customers, forgotten products and the old category tree. That way old mistakes don't reach the new system.

How the migration works step by step

1. Export and mapping. I look at what the old system can export and you and I agree on what goes where. If there's no export function, I look for another route to the data.
2. Trial migration. I move the data into a test environment and see a summary before the real import: how many rows are coming and which are faulty.
3. Checking together with you. You and I compare sample products, client cards, stock levels and future appointments. You know your data best.
4. Latest data. Right before launch, I bring over the freshest data so that orders and bookings made in the meantime aren't lost.
5. Launch and redirects. The new system goes live and the old addresses are redirected. In the admin, "Broken links" shows addresses that still return "page not found", and they can be redirected with one click.

Three mistakes that make a migration expensive

• Everything at once at the last minute. Without a trial migration, errors only come out with real customers.
• Closing the old system too soon. Keep it running and accessible until you have checked the data in the new system.
• Forgotten addresses. The products exist in the new shop, but old links on Google and Facebook return a 404.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to give up my current design?

No. I can carry over the logo, colours, fonts and page layout, or create a new design. Design is a separate matter and doesn't touch the data.

What if the old system won't release the data?

I check whether the data is available from reports, the database or through the provider. The practical solution depends on the provider. I'll tell you what's possible before the work starts.

Do sales have to stop during the migration?

Generally not. The old system keeps working during the trial migration. A short quiet moment is only needed for bringing over the latest data, and you and I agree on when.

Can I also get my data out of NUNDINAE later?

Yes. Reports and tables can be downloaded as CSV, a customer's data can be exported as a file and each business has its own database. I wrote about this in self-hosted or cloud software.

You don't have to migrate alone

Write to me about the system you use now and what data it holds. I'll look at how to bring it over and tell you honestly whether moving is worth it. Order NUNDINAE or ask for a demo.