Data Migration in Salesforce: Checklist to Prepare and Best Practices for Migration

Transferring data between two systems is just like moving to a new flat. You have a bunch of staff to be moved and the challenge is to pack it and arrange it harmoniously. This is how data migration from legacy systems to Salesforce looks like: 

• You have to be careful with sensitive data;
• Everything must be in its place;
• Incompatible objects should not be mixed.

The main challenge about the data migration process in Salesforce is that any mistake can cause errors. Therefore, in this article you will learn how to provide data transferring safely, securely and without risks for your eCommerce business. 

The material is based on cases from the PowerSync team that provides Salesforce consulting and development services. Contact us to learn more details.

Data migration in Salesforce is the process of moving information between systems. It must be accurate, neat and systematic. You need to be sure that after the process all data will be organized nicely.

There are two cases of this kind of migration. In the first case, you need to transfer the data from another system or CRM platform to Salesforce. In the second case, you need to move the information between Salesforce orgs.

There are a lot of possible reasons to do that. For example, there is a need to use different organizations for your system. Instead of losing data you will automatically get the information from one org to another by using Salesforce data migration.

Why do you need data migration in Salesforce?

The need to transfer data may appear whilst your business is developing. The current CRM system may not meet your requirements, or maybe you need more scalable functionality for analyzing. In any case, it’s a game-changer solution to empower your business goals.

The main nuance is that the Salesforce data migration process is not a quick and effortless procedure. Let’s review the key points of the data transferring view.

• From this aspect, decide how you will manage the information after the data integration. Then select the right tool for the process;
• The next steps are to determine the procedure of data migration and plan the naming of objects and fields;
• Make sure you entered the right data format. And lastly, make sure you double-check the system to avoid errors and unexpected problems.

It is impossible to describe all the advantages of the transferring process in one article. Therefore, to save your research time, here you can find the main six benefits of Salesforce data migration.

Centralized management saves time and resources for achieving more vital business goals. Since it’s the cloud streamlined CRM system, your team will have full access to any files or materials to perform the work.

Once you have finished the migration plan, your team can start using the system immediately. Salesforce is intuitively understandable and functional. Therefore, the speed of the working process will increase and your customer’s loyalty according to better service will as well.

Since Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM system, you can get access to all information from any device. You only need a reliable Internet connection and а laptop, mobile or tablet — and all of the essential information to your hands.

All of the types of data migration in Salesforce work on improving your business strategy. The clearer and more accurate your data is, the more crucial insights you will receive about your eCommerce business. This allows you to improve sales and service quality.

Switching to a new CRM system with a complete set of tools for eCommerce business is a game-changer. Tracking, organizing, and processing the obtained data reaches your success rate in planning and creating strategy. Moreover, it improves communication with customers and the development of new features.

After you transfer the materials, the next vital stage is to keep it precise, up-to-date and safe. With a relevant CRM-system and accurate migration, this will not be a problem. You and your team will be able to control data integrity through one trustworthy extension.

Do you want to learn how exactly the migration works in Salesforce? Just schedule a call to get more information.

Data transfer is a long-term and resourceful project. To carry it out without extra stress, spending a lot of money and energy, you have to prepare your company for the process of data moving. So, here is a Salesforce data migration checklist to provide a safe process.

According to the ProjectPro study, 80% of all efforts in transferring information are put into cleaning and preparing the data. The whole process depends on these stages: possible rating risks, defining the time you need for the migration process, etc. Make sure you have completed every step:

• Define the key points. Answer the question “Why do I need this migration?” Understanding your goals will make the process more smooth.
• Set the deadlines. It is necessary to determine how much time is required to complete this stage, because during this period the team will not have access to the system functions.
• Backup the data. This is the most crucial part of data migration steps in Salesforce. If the transfer goes wrong, you can always get all the information back and restart the process.

You have to verify the data that you want to transfer, since not all of the information you need is stored in one place.

• Identify the data. It means deciding what details you need to transfer. Determine what information is the most relevant and will help your eCommerce business achieve its goals.
• Select the data sources. Different types of information are stored in different parts of the systems: backend, CRM, or others. For example, the customer’s credit card details are kept in the CRM, but orders may be stored in the backend.

This stage is needed in order to prevent duplicates. For example, when you want to transfer the data from two different systems. Follow these steps:

• Define the number of sources. The more systems you have, the more complicated the migration process will be.
• Assign an ID. Every source system must be identified with a unique indicator. So after the process is finished, you don’t need to clean the data and look for duplicates. It’s one of the best practices to prevent data loss.

This stage is needed in order to prevent duplicates. For example, when you want to transfer the data from two different systems. Follow these steps:

• Define the number of sources. The more systems you have, the more complicated the migration process will be.
• Assign an ID. Every source system must be identified with a unique indicator. So after the process is finished, you don’t need to clean the data and look for duplicates. It’s one of the best practices to prevent data loss.

Transferring data is a long-term process with lots of variables: preparations before the moving, choosing the right tools, etc. In this block you will discover the best practices for migrating data to Salesforce to provide an effortless process.

Take the time to set up the required points. Precisely determine what kind of details you will be moving. Specify types of information, make sure you have duplicates of all of the data.

This practice is vital if you store similar information on different parts of your system. Therefore, to avoid duplicates of multiple objects after moving, tag the details with an ID.

Use the right tool

Standard solutions may not be enough if you have a complex system for organizing materials. So, you will need a skilled professional for Salesforce development services and dynamic tools to provide a safe and accurate migration.

Review the moved details to verify that child-parent relationships are saved and all the information is correct. Some data can be wrong, damaged or incomplete, so you will have to restart the process.