Transferring your data from one system to another is complex, sometimes incredibly so.
Anyone who tells you otherwise has presumably got a long wooden nose and a father called Geppetto.
Whether you are transferring data from an Excel spreadsheet or an intricate CRM system, logic dictates that the process will be fraught with complication.
You are taking data stored in a particular way and moving it into data tables that will be structured entirely differently to which they came.
Planning is vital here (as is a wealth of experience).
We wanted to amalgamate our experience of data transfers and share our top 5 things for you to be mindful of:
Data Mapping:
The first important task is to take your existing data and map it to the relevant fields within the new system. There will be naming convention differences that will need to be adhered to.
It’s also likely that some data will be missing from your data set. Where this is the case, additional data will need to be sourced to fill in the absent sections.
Structuring Your Data:
This process is complex when moving data from Excel. The beauty of a spreadsheet is it gives you the ability to write and structure your data however you want to. However, this freedom leads to huge inefficiencies in how the data is stored, especially if your data is crammed into a single sheet.
The most efficient way of structuring data is to make your data tables as small as possible with data sets being linked from one sheet to another. A process of de-aggregating the data and building it back up needs to occur to get everything ready for a clean import.
Making Logical Assumptions:
You may find in some instances that your data does not match the mandatory fields of the new CRM. There will never be a situation where you hold every facet of data for the CRM you are importing into. Where these examples occur, logic and consistency need to be used to make assumptions against your data. Normally this is enough for the data to operate correctly in your new system but it requires oversight of what makes good data assumptions.
Prioritising Your Imports:
It might feel intimidating to move to a new CRM and you will likely have tens of thousands of data lines. However, you can take the pressure away from the project by prioritising core data for the initial import.
Core data can be defined by data that has an immediate impact on your business. E.g. Live customers, live meters and commission statements for your current and previous financial year only. Any data that sits outside of this can either be stored locally (for auditing purposes) or can be loaded into your new CRM at a later date.
Profiling Your Data:
Trying to load ALL data within your first bulk import is a sizable challenge. You will likely have huge numbers of PDF documents and notes on accounts that go back a number of years. It’s prudent to split these out from your initial import.
PDF documents, for example, can be loaded in by the team once they start using the system on an account by account basis. This will spread out the workload for bulk importing and allows your data set to be built up to 100% over a more manageable period, taking the pressure off the initial exercise.
Our UtilityClick team has plenty of experience when it comes to supporting data imports. We have gone through this process a number of times with our clients and the imports have always been successful.
In brief with UtilityClick you have:
A Double Threat
A Software Company that not only understands data but understands the Energy Industry too.
Unprecedented Knowledge
Unprecedented knowledge in supporting the data import process.
A Deep Understanding
An understanding of the data structure required to efficiently represent your portfolio information.
Personable Team
A friendly team that can guide you through the process every step of the way.
Salesforce and Hubspot
Experience with transitioning data from off the shelf CRMs such as Salesforce and Hubspot.
If you would like to see a demo of our system and understand more on how we can help you transfer your data to our system then feel free to get in touch and we’d be happy to show you around.