Reading time: 8 minutes
If you’ve decided to implement a new SaaS-based ERP system at your digital services company or to switch to a different one, this article is for you!
Data is essential to your business, because it’s the starting point for your strategic thinking.
When you deploy a new IT solution within your IT services company, in most cases, you’ll need to migrate your data. This process may seem daunting, but with a plan of action in place beforehand, this step isn’t so scary—and it can even be a very positive experience!
So how can you successfully migrate your data?
We explain everything in this article. Here we go!
What is data recovery?
Data is an essential component of your business because it serves as the starting point for developing your strategy.
Over the months or years that you’ve been using your old system, you’ve accumulated a significant amount of data. This data helps you make day-to-day decisions, whether in sales management, customer relationship management, billing, and so on.
Installing new management software doesn’t mean losing existing data.
As mentioned in the introduction, implementing a new IT solution—such as SaaS ERP software—requires retrieving the data stored in the old information system.
This process is known as data recovery .
Don’t worry, you don’t have to re-enter all the data manually as you work your way backwards in time.
First, because it’s a huge waste of time, and second, because data entry errors would compromise data integrity.
In practice, this involves moving the company’s data to the new database within the software package. This process is known as data migration.
IT services company: what are the challenges of data migration?
By choosing to implement ERP software in SaaS mode, you have chosen to centralize your database and migrate it to your service provider’s servers. This is one of the benefits of cloud computing and, therefore, of your SaaS software.
The process of migrating data to a new environment is a delicate step, as the quality of the data depends on this step. A successful transfer will enable business teams to easily locate their data and take full advantage of their new ERP system: easier and faster access to data, automation, simplification, centralization, time savings, and more.
That is why establishing a methodology is essential to ensuring that the data migration process goes smoothly. You need to consider which data you want to back up, as well as which data is incorrect, outdated, and so on.
Beyond the technical aspects, data migration is also an organizational challenge. It directly impacts internal processes, coordination between departments, and the company’s overall performance.
In fact, poor management of this phase can lead to disruptions in the processing chain, billing errors, or even a poor customer experience. That is why those responsible for administrative management and sales administration must be closely involved in the process from the outset.
It is also important to considerthe regulatory aspect. Depending on your industry, certain data must be retained for a legally required period, and its migration to the new environment must comply with applicable standards (for example, the GDPR).
To help you with this step, we’ve prepared a sample action plan.
Here’s a sample action plan for successful data recovery
1. List data
You need to identify the data you wish to migrate. In fact, your company has been generating them for several years, so it’s up to you to decide which ones will be useful for your business.
Tip: Now’s the time to clean up your data and get your new ERP system up and running again.
This preparatory work can be carried out with the help of your software vendor. They can advise you on which essential data to migrate first and which data is best to archive or delete. A thorough initial sorting process will streamline the rest of the project and ensure better performance from your new management software.
2. Categorize data
Once you’ve identified the data, you need to classify it according to type. The best way to do this is to use one or more Excel files. It’s also a good idea, at this stage, to arrange data types in the order in which they will be integrated into the new ERP system. For example, if you are taking over commercial contracts, you will need to have taken over the customers first.
At this stage, you can also map out data flows. This allows you to visualize how information flows between your various departments (HR, finance, sales, etc.) and anticipate any necessary adjustments. This comprehensive view is invaluable for ensuring consistency across administrative management, sales management, and billing.
This ensures that data is perfectly organized and consistent for future migration.
Tip: Check every step of the way to avoid ending up with unusable data.
3. Data Migration
Now that your Excel files are ready, you need to integrate them into your management software. Your new ERP system includes data import tools, which can be used either by you or by the project team assisting you.
These loaders will carry out the integration process and report any consistency or format errors in the data. Rollback” mechanisms are provided for replaying integrations by data type.
Tip: Remember to save your data to prevent loss – zero risk does not exist.
4. The test phase
Your data is now available in your new system. Now is the time to test it to make sure it’s properly linked and usable.
Tests should not only verify the presence of data, but also its consistency and proper functioning across the various modules of your management software. For example, the sales administration team can verify that customer histories are properly linked and that invoices are generated correctly.
Once this phase is complete, you’ll be able to work with your data officially.
Tip: Take the time to complete this testing phase to avoid any surprises once access is granted to all your employees.
To conclude on your data recovery success
When deploying a new SaaS solution, data migration is an important step. Indeed, implementing a new tool in the cloud involves a change in the information system.
Existing data must be transferred to the new information system.
This step is not insignificant, as the pooling, reliability and heterogeneity of data are at stake.
The success of this process will have a major impact on the use and effectiveness of the solution.
The aim of data recovery is to enable startup with an up-to-date, consistent and uncompromised database.
Putting in place an action plan is a good way to avoid being overwhelmed by data management. The data to be transferred must be scoped, integration scheduled and post-transfer tested.
The success of a data migration depends as much on technology as it does on human support. Raising awareness among your teams, providing regular updates on the project’s progress, and offering targeted training sessions are key strategies for facilitating the adoption of your new ERP system.
Finally, keep in mind that data migration isn’t just a technical transfer—it’s a strategic opportunity to reevaluate your practices, modernize your tools, and enhance your company’s overall performance.
Of course, don’t hesitate to follow up or ask for advice from your service provider’s project team, as they are there to support you.
Ensure a Successful Data Recovery with VSActivity
As you can see, data migration is a strategic step in any ERP implementation project. It determines the quality of your management, the efficiency of your processes, and your teams’ adoption of the new system.
With VSActivity, a SaaS ERP software solution designed for digital services firms and consulting firms, you’ll receive customized support to ensure the success of every step of your migration:
- Your data is securely stored, organized, and reliably integrated
- Your sales and administrative operations are back on track
- Your teams will be more efficient from day one
What if you could avoid the headaches of migration?
Schedule an appointment with one of our experts for a personalized demo.
Bonus: We’ll share best practices for organizing an efficient data migration—stress-free and without any data loss.
