Before your next AMS implementation, listen in on 25+ years of lessons learned in data migration projects.

It’s easy to get excited about finally having a new AMS system in place for your association. Especially when you’ve been getting by with an old one that doesn’t meet your needs.

And it’s even easier to get excited about all the new features and possibilities you’ll soon have at your disposal.

It might be harder to get as excited about … the data migration part of this project. But the reality is that this part of the work will determine how well all those new features work — or don’t!

Even if you aren’t a data mapping wizard or someone who knows what SQL is — our latest edition of AMS + has some essential, accessible insights about the best (and worst!) ways to validate your data and more tips for a successful AMS implementation. If that project might be on your horizon soon, take a look! And let us know if you have questions or want to connect with our data migration specialists .

Hard time cleaning your data?

As you know, maintaining clean data in your AMS or CRM starts with some thoughtful standardization for how your data is brought into your system.

And, as everyone (including our team!) knows: record and data maintenance are chores that often get overlooked (even indefinitely).

Pristine or not, wherever your data is at today, your next AMS adoption is a prime opportunity to review your data maintenance — and the processes that affect how you gather, store, and update your data.

Historically, AMS data has not always been easy to manage and keep clean. Redundant data and bad data entry practices make reporting difficult and increase database bloat – which can also affect system performance. A data migration is a great time for “spring cleaning” where you can choose to leave behind bad data or duplicate data and bring over only essential data relevant for your business to function well using the new AMS.?

During this spring cleaning, you can even consider not migrating data that is beyond audit period windows so that your new AMS is lightweight and your data is easier to report on. Any data that is not brought over can still be made accessible through a SQL backup file. So, in the off chance you end up needing something from 15 – 20 years ago that you chose to not migrate, you can still get to that data through the backup file.

Wishing it was easier to clean up your system? Looking for practical, actionable ideas for better data maintenance? Our CRM data management article has great tips for associations.

The #1 most common data migration question

In a migration project we’re often asked something like:?

What does your team need from our team to make this data migration successful?

In general, I've seen that the quality of the collaboration between the association team and our team directly translates into the quality of the data migration project. We know what to ask and where the sticking points are after so many years of orchestrating these projects.?

I'd say that a consistent structure for the data throughout the project is an essential that more inexperienced migration providers might not fully appreciate. Cobalt's process helps surface these kinds of questions and needs early on, so we all minimize the chance for surprises later.?

We think the big takeaway from the most common question we get is to simply commit to giving good attention to your data migration as early as possible, after you’ve chosen a new AMS system and vendor .?

Don’t fall into the trap of letting your excitement over new features delay getting down to the brass tacks of your data needs and decisions!

Our AMS and CRM migration guide is updated for 2024. Check it out over at Cobalt’s blog to get additional best practices and things to look for early in your data migration project. Read our data migration guide .

Validating data after your migration

There’s a lot to plan and get on the same page about? before a data migration project. By the way, Cobalt’s process for data migration is just one of the completely transparent ways we operate with partners and prospects. Our Data Migration Checklist gives a detailed overview (with a flowchart!) of how we approach this work.

One of the things you’ll need to clarify is how to validate the data migration work to ensure everything came through successfully. There are varied opinions and ideas about the best way to do this. These are the two best ways we’ve found!?

The “Champion Record Approach”

Think of your best or most ideal members and how they interact with your AMS. Let a handful of those exceptional records be the benchmark for validating your data after the move. Another variation on this idea is to take a persona-based? approach and map the ideal customer journey: when they became a member, when they pay dues, events they might attend, etc. With either approach, take the benchmark record and ensure everything matches when you compare your current system to the new one being implemented.

Run Queries

Hopefully, you have at least one IT team member at your association who can get deep in the weeds to run queries after the data migration. They'll be able to see exactly what got moved, where it lives now, and ensure everything matches. ?

What about my reports?!?

Today, you’re almost certainly running reports for your team that were time-consuming (and probably painful!) to build, tweak, and get right in the first place. You’ve got a lot invested in that effort.?

As you approach an AMS implementation project it might be tempting to think about running your current reports as a way of judging how successful the data migration went. There are a couple of fatal flaws in that expectation, though.

1.??? Any problems in your current reports (and none of them are perfect!) will only muddy the water. And sorting out whether the culprit is the report or the migration can take forever. Essentially, you need to test reports with test data. Using your current reports to validate or test the migration’s success never goes well.

2.??? The bigger problem is harder to see, though. Your new system should almost certainly require some changes in your data structure and in how you’re accessing it. Otherwise, you’re not really getting a new system! Your also not engaging the challenges and opportunities inherent with evaluating and updating your core business processes. The ideal situation often turns out to expect to run an equivalent report to what you’re getting now.

Here's how we avoid the problems with reporting and keep everyone focused in a positive way. We start with the essential question:

“What is the problem that needs to be solved?”

When we understand the core problem a report solves for, then we can work to create an improved solution — one that still delivers the critical information and insights from your old reporting.

Here's Ben Tycz again, with an analogy he likes to use about his role in the process.

These projects are like moving to a new house or office space. I’m essentially one of "the movers" you hire to help you get everything you need there safely, and in the right spot.? If we want your new?"house/office"?to be optimized and usable on the first day of its occupation (the go-live date in our analogy), then every piece of information needs to be placed in the correct data structure location, order, relationship, and orientation to get the best result.?

Our clients' input is essential when they tell us to move the "couch" a foot to the left, or where the "books in the bookshelf" go and in what order. Sometimes we need the client to design, or tell us to design, an entirely different room to store their data objects in. In either case, that's another critical spot where our deep data migration experience comes into play. That's how you make this move to a new AMS as smooth, secure, and painless as possible!?

Here’s a longer article from Ben about E.T.L. (Extract, Transform, Load) and some of his favorite data migration strategy suggestions.

How much data do you really need to bring?

Ben’s house moving analogy raises another golden question in the AMS implementation process. You’ve spent so much time, money, and effort to collect the invaluable data in your current system … how much are you going to bring to your new system?

“All of it!” doesn’t seem like an unreasonable answer. Until you look the real costs of migrating — and storing — all that data. Our Dynamics 365 Data Migration post takes this subtopic on in more depth. But here’s a brief word about the importance of making those kinds of decisions …

One of the most important factors for a successful data migration project is giving good attention to the scope of the project. Sorting out what information your team absolutely?needs for business continuity is a huge consideration when you switch to a new AMS.

It might be hard to see initially, but there are often some big advantages (including saving significant amounts of money!) in being somewhat selective in your data migration. In an ideal?migration, your team can work closely with your?migration partner to make those decisions — and a back-up plan for any data you?decide not to migrate.?

What else should you consider before your next data migration?

Your association’s uniqueness will inevitably present challenges — and opportunities. We love digging into business processes, the tough problems most other AMS vendors don’t want to touch, and helping teams like yours get the most out of their data migration project.

Cobalt’s Migration Guide boils down essentials and it’s perfect for teams that are moving from an on-prem system to a cloud-based CRM or AMS. But it also has good general considerations for any team that’s planning a data migration soon. Snag a copy or send your data migration questions to one of our experts !