Data migration in Salesforce takes a lot of time, but it is an important thing to do. It is a challenging task that requires tackling technical and organizational hurdles. But why is data migration important? That’s because data needs to be properly organized for the business to use data in the best way possible. If the data is not maintained well your business will not be able to make the most out of it. 

There are a few reasons why your data may be out of place. Huge companies may have their databases managed by different departments. In a merger or acquisition scenario, unifying the databases may jumble up the data.  Whatever be the case, there arrives a time when data migration in Salesforce is required. 

Salesforce data migrations are different for different organizations. It depends on the format, size, and accuracy of the source data. However, before you start the data migration process, there are certain things that need to be in place for the process to go as smoothly as possible. 

Here is a list of things that need to be considered before you go ahead with data migration in Salesforce:

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• Make sure wherever the data is being migrated, the administration of records there is set up properly.
• Clean up the data and apps that are not needed going forward. Check for unused apps, duplicate files, etc. 
• Make sure all the necessary profiles are set up in advance.
• Ensure that there is enough space in the current Salesforce ecosystem to accommodate the additional data being migrated into it.
• Make sure that a backup of the existing Salesforce data has been taken before shifting new data into the ecosystem.
• Organize and categorize the data present in the existing Salesforce ecosystem.
• Make sure you have left yourself enough time to complete and test the data migration within the project’s timeline. 

Strategies for Successful Data Migration

Inform your shareholders

Informing the terminal users and your shareholders is necessary before migrating your data. You need to create a strategy with them to determine the plan of action when it comes to data migration. 

You must notify concerned stakeholders to get their approval of the project. Shareholders are experienced and have valuable insights to share about how to migrate data and what data to bring forward.

Identify the data 

Experienced shareholders know what kind of data needs to be shifted at the time of data migration. They can offer their expertise on the way data should be structured, where the data should be stored, how to form or identify well-defined data, how to identify duplicated data, etc. 

You may also need to create new fields and values of those fields in order to make sure data migration takes place successfully. Consulting the shareholders is an important strategy in this case.

Create a data backup

This is a crucial aspect of data migration in Salesforce. Creating a backup for your existing data is vital. When your data is backed up, it is easier to integrate it with the migrated data and you can use it in case of emergency. 

Once you have created a backup for your data, you can go ahead with the data migration process at ease, without the fear of losing valuable data. All the actual data will be safe whenever you need to refer to it or retrieve it.

Prepare the data

After identifying the data required and having taken its backup, it’s time to prepare the data. You have to arrange and sort the data in a suitable manner for easy integration. This will help in the smooth migration of data so that there are no mistakes during the process and the data gets transferred efficiently. 

Select the right tools

AppExchange and Salesforce provide many tools that are helpful in the data migration process. These tools help in modifying data as per needs or a separate tool may be created to better suit the needs of the organization. Having the right tools is an important part of the data migration strategy, it makes the process smooth and efficient.

Conduct a test migration

Before going for the real deal, do a test migration. This will help you understand whether you have taken all the necessary steps and if there are any gaps that need to be filled. 

You need to conduct this test migration in the Sandbox and settle any arguments that may arise. A test migration is best to test the waters so that you don’t put the actual data at risk during the migration.

Allocate the right people for tasks

For a challenging task like data migration, you need to allocate tasks to the right people to make sure things get done in an orderly manner. Properly define the rules to make it easier for them to do their job. 

Also, do not allocate tasks to too many people to avoid confusion and snags in the process. Make the selected people clearly understand their role and are capable of executing the process efficiently. 

Migrate the data

Now that you’ve taken the necessary steps, it’s time to execute the final step of the strategy, which is migrating the data. The test migration gives you the assurance that you’re ready to go ahead with the big step. 

Before data migration in Salesforce, notify the concerned stakeholders and shareholders. Do thorough checks on the data to make sure everything is exactly as it should be. Once you cover all your bases, you are ready for data migration. 

Final Thought

Salesforce data migration is a task of high importance and needs to be done correctly. Since data is the greatest asset a business can have, it is important to handle it with care and precaution. 

Before data migration, always make sure your existing data is backed up and safely stored for future reference. Sort the data properly for ease of finding it later and setting up the Salesforce ecosystem. Run thorough checks and do a test migration before you do the final one.