Data Migration

ERP data migration playbook for clean cutover

Plan extraction, mapping, cleansing, reconciliation, and rehearsals to reduce go-live surprises.

Treat migration as a recurring programme of dry runs, not a one-off technical activity at the end of the project.

Define authoritative sources and reconciliation rules early to avoid disputes during user acceptance testing.

Use cutover rehearsals with timed runbooks to prove the transition window is realistic.

Why this guide matters

• Treat migration as a recurring programme of dry runs, not a one-off technical activity at the end of the project.
• Define authoritative sources and reconciliation rules early to avoid disputes during user acceptance testing.
• Use cutover rehearsals with timed runbooks to prove the transition window is realistic.

What a good approach looks like

• Create domain owners for customer, supplier, item, and finance data, each with measurable quality thresholds.
• Run migration cycles with fixed reconciliation checkpoints and sign-off criteria per data domain.
• Track defects by root cause category so the team fixes source problems instead of repeating cleansing work.
• Freeze critical structures at the right time to balance stability with late business changes.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Selecting software before agreeing the future operating model and decision criteria.
• Allowing one department to dominate the design while finance, operations, and IT assumptions remain untested.
• Using generic demos and partner promises instead of evidence from real scenarios, real data, and real reporting needs.

Practical next steps

• Document success metrics, owner accountabilities, and a realistic sequencing plan across finance, operations, and technology teams before committing budget.
• Use a weekly risk review with named owners, due dates, and mitigation actions so scope discussions do not restart every fortnight.
• Treat the guide as a working playbook and use it in steering meetings, partner workshops, and stage-gate reviews rather than leaving it as background reading.