Build a Donor Data Migration Strategy in 10 Steps

Data migrations are not fun.

Yet, there's one specific instance early in my career at Neon One where I realized that the value of a well-thought-out data migration goes beyond the transactional number quoted for the work.

As with most major data providers in the nonprofit technology space, we offer in-house data migration services for a fee. While some folks prefer to go the fully Do-It-Yourself route, many people ultimately want to have this work taken off their plate if they can help it.

In one of my earliest sales discussions, I worked with a marine science center on Raiser's Edge. We had gone back and forth on how they were using that system's different features, including the membership configuration that is distinct from donations data.

Now, unlike other vendors in the market, we actually can do fully custom data migrations that don't outright follow a data template format but instead can review the raw files (usually exported from the current system into multiple CSV files) and then take that legacy data and map it correctly into Neon CRM.

It's more work on our end but infinitely easier for the client. And especially with databases like Raiser's Edge that are more sophisticated, those folks are always worried they are going to lose something.

Yet, I was very green in my sales career and uncomfortable talking about money like this. I was a fundraiser, I wasn't practiced in negotiating contract terms around data migrations! So when I was preparing to give the data quote to the marine science center, I was worried out of my gourd, she would be angry with me.

Instead, she said, "You'll do everything for only that much?"

Turns out that she was given a quote from Blackbaud to clean up her database, and it far exceeded the premium approach we offer. She didn't blink an eye and this organization is still using us nearly a decade later.

Why do you think she did this? Here's what I was able to glean from our conversation that sticks with me today:

• The current disconnected data structure they had was costing them money because of how difficult it was to maintain people data alongside the different transactions they had
• Keeping the existing database actually would cost them more money to clean up, let alone set them on a path toward growth
• The time spent managing all of this meant that they were spending way more than what was on their contract

Understanding that sometimes it costs you more money to stick with a bad solution than to put the correct time and effort into a new integrated approach is a critical mindset shift to make. They could only make this decision because they knew exactly what they needed, and we were a perfect fit.

My team wrote a great blog on getting ready for migrations like this, so I will pull out some of the immediate things folks can do and then encourage you to dive deeper if you'd like to learn more about the cleaning itself.

Build a Donor Data Migration Strategy in 10 Steps

Migrating your donor data into your new CRM sounds like a daunting task. While it’s going to require a lot of hard work and careful attention to detail (you’ll get way too familiar with proper USPS street address formatting), the actual strategy part of the equation is pretty simple.

So simple, in fact, that we’ve broken down the process of building a donor data migration strategy into 10 simple steps. Just follow these, and you’ll be ready to rock once your new system is up and running.

1. Assess your needs: Conduct a thorough analysis of your current donor database’s shortcomings, challenges, and the goals you aim to achieve with the new system. Define specific metrics and outcomes you expect from the migration to guide your strategy.
2. Form a migration team: Form a dedicated migration team involving fundraising professionals and data management specialists with clearly defined roles and responsibilities. You may also want to look for an IT professional; we’ll touch on that later on.
3. Set a timeline and milestones: Develop a realistic timeline that breaks down the migration process into manageable phases. Set milestones and deadlines to keep the project on track and assess progress regularly.
4. Build a data mapping plan: Understand your current data structure comprehensively, identifying the fields and attributes you use at your organization. Map each field from the old database to its corresponding field in the new system, accounting for data format differences and potential transformations.
5. Perform data cleaning: Weed out redundancies, inaccuracies, and inconsistencies from your data. Develop a data cleaning plan to standardize formats, eliminate duplicates, validate information, and ensure data accuracy. This is a great time to clean up duplicates, fix typos, adjust salutations, etc.?
6. Do testing and validation: Perform test migrations with a subset of data to validate your data mapping and cleaning efforts. Identify discrepancies or errors and refine your strategy accordingly.
7. Make a communication plan: Develop a communication strategy to keep everyone in your organization in the loop about the migration. Address concerns, provide updates, and ensure a transparent transition process.
8. Prioritize training and adoption: Train your staff on the features, functionalities, and best practices of the new system. Foster internal adoption to guarantee efficient usage and accurate data entry.
9. Implement security measures: Implement robust security protocols to protect donor data during the migration. Back up data regularly to prevent loss and ensure data integrity.
10. Post-migration, evaluate your success: After migration, evaluate the success of the process against predefined goals. Gather feedback from staff and donors to identify areas for improvement.

An effective donor data migration strategy is the cornerstone of a successful transition between database systems. In the rest of this article we will discuss the heart of the data migration process—steps 4, 5, and 6—in greater detail.

What is Data Mapping??

A thorough data mapping plan is pivotal in the success of a nonprofit’s donor data migration strategy. Having a good plan in place will ensure accurate importation of data, fostering a seamless transition from one system to the other.

So what is a data mapping, exactly? Data mapping is a plan that outlines how information from one system corresponds to information in another during migration. It specifies which fields in the old system translate to fields in the new one, addressing format differences and transformations.?

In other words, data mapping is the process that lets you take the data set in your old database and migrate it into the new one. Without data mapping, you’d pretty much have to move everything over by hand, and nobody’s got time for that, least of all your average nonprofit staffer.

How to Create a Data Mapping Plan

Creating a data mapping plan isn’t actually that complicated. You’ll simply create a document that matches each field from the old database to its equivalent in the new one. You’ll want to ensure accuracy by identifying matching fields, even if they have different names or structures.?

This is the time to address any differences in data format or structure between the two systems.?

In many cases, information that takes up one field in an older, less-advanced system will need to be translated into multiple fields in the new one.?

Here are some examples of how data fields would need to be translated from one system into another:?

Once you have your data mapping plan in place, you’ll want to make sure it’s documented, including field mappings, transformations, and validation rules. This serves as a reference point for your team during the migration.

Now you’re ready to move onto the next phase: Cleaning your data so that it’s ready to migrate.?Interested in what our team has to say on this topic? Then check out a much deeper dive here.

Generosity Xchange Session Spotlight

In our numbers-driven sector, data is invaluable. Yet, numbers only paint half the picture, especially when understanding marginalized communities like BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ+, and the disabled. Experience often tells stories numbers can't.

Join Allison Rolle at Generosity Xchange on October 11-12 as she delves into "The Imperial Nature of Empirical Research." ??

Here’s what we’ll explore:

1. The profound impact of research on marginalized groups.
2. Ethical principles to guide community-driven research.
3. The transformative role of experiential knowledge in fostering donor diversity and enhancing community ties.

It's a fresh perspective on how experiential knowledge enriches our understanding beyond metrics. See you there!

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