Data migration fails when it is treated like copying files.

Data migration is not copying. It is translation, cleanup, and being confident it is truth.

A responsible team plans migration early because data is the product. If the data is wrong, the software is wrong.

Why Migration Can Break Projects

Most teams underestimate these realities:

Data fields mean different things in different systems
The “source of truth” is often unclear
Duplicates and missing values are normal
Old systems hide exceptions in notes and emails

Migration also affects speed. If it is delayed until the end, it becomes a high-pressure launch blocker. We discuss this with every client we have.

The C.L.E.A.N Plan

C . Catalog

List every data source and table that matters.

Spreadsheets
CRM
Accounting
Emails
Legacy databases
Shared drives

Define owners. Every dataset needs a responsible human.

L . Label the truth

Choose the source of truth for each field.

Customer name
Address
Product codes
Status values

If two systems disagree, decide which one wins.

E . Eliminate duplicates

Duplicates create chaos after launch.

Same customer in multiple forms
Old inactive records mixed with active ones
Multiple product codes for the same thing

Use rules. Do not rely on manual cleanup alone. Scripts can be created by your software partner to lighten this load.

A . Accept “good enough”

Perfection is expensive. Unless perfect data is critical to business needs, define quality thresholds. Examples:

98% of active customers must have valid email
100% of invoices for the last 24 months must migrate
Archived records can stay read-only in the old system

This is speed with control. The goal is reliable launch, not endless cleanup.

N . Nail the rehearsal

Run test migrations early. Then run them again.

Validate counts
Validate totals
Validate edge cases
Validate reports

Craftsmanship shows up here as repeatable scripts, clear logs, and rollback plans.

Mini Case Study. Finance Client Data Cleanup

Problem: A REIT moved from scattered spreadsheets to a custom client portal with document tracking and workflow approvals. Client records were inconsistent and duplicated across teams.

Mistake: Migration planning was postponed. The team assumed spreadsheets could be imported near the end. They discovered conflicts late, and launch slipped.

Fix: The project paused feature work for a short, focused C.L.E.A.N sprint.

Cataloged all spreadsheets and owners
Labeled sources of truth for each field
Removed duplicates using matching rules
Defined “good enough” thresholds
Ran two rehearsals with real validation

Responsibility showed up as owning the mess instead of blaming the data. Generosity showed up as building simple tools and guides so staff could keep data clean after launch.

Result: Launch happened with stable client records, fewer support tickets, and faster adoption because users trusted what they saw.

Quick Takeaways

Migration is translation and truth, not copy and paste.
Use C.L.E.A.N: Catalog, Label, Eliminate, Accept, Nail.
Rehearsals prevent last-minute disasters.
Data trust drives adoption.

Final Tip: Identify your top 3 datasets and assign a named owner for each before the project starts. Make them the owner

Data Migration Without Misery. The C.L.E.A.N Plan