INTERACTIVE PLANNING GUIDE

Prepare institutional data for a controlled migration

Inventory sources, assign owners, reconcile records and define acceptance before the final cutover.

Data specialist in an orange sweater and a colleague checking records on two monitors

THE PEOPLEInventory and ownership

Start by understanding which sources exist and why they are authoritative. A spreadsheet may contain a useful exception that has never reached the main system.

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Registrars · Finance owners · IT teams · Data stewards

A migration preparation checklist with a clear owner and acceptance path for each data set.

University registrar discussing an academic pathway with an adult learner

Prepare institutional data for a controlled migrationInventory and ownership → Acceptance and cutover

SEE HOW THE WORK CONNECTS

Check the whole record, not just the upload

Confirm totals, identities and sample histories with the people who own them.

01
Inventory and ownership
Start by understanding which sources exist and why they are authoritative. A spreadsheet may contain a useful exception that has never reached the main system.
02
Mapping and quality
A source value needs a defined destination and a rule for exceptions. Rehearsing early makes structural problems visible while there is still time to correct them.
03
Acceptance and cutover
Business owners should accept the migrated information using agreed checks. A technical success message alone cannot establish whether the institution can safely use the records.

Illustrative workflow · Shape the details around your institution.

Inventory and ownership

Start by understanding which sources exist and why they are authoritative. A spreadsheet may contain a useful exception that has never reached the main system.

List source systems and working filesFor each source, record the owner, export format, approximate record count and period covered.Identify the authoritative source for each fieldResolve conflicts in identifiers, contacts, enrollment status and financial balances before mapping them.Agree historical scope and retentionDecide what must be imported, what should remain in an accessible archive and what should not be carried forward.

Mapping and quality

A source value needs a defined destination and a rule for exceptions. Rehearsing early makes structural problems visible while there is still time to correct them.

Map identities and relationshipsCheck student keys, guardian links, program references and staff relationships. Keep source references for traceability.Resolve duplicates and invalid valuesAgree who reviews suspected duplicates, missing required fields and values that do not match the new academic model.Run a representative trial importInclude active learners, historical records, transfers and exceptional cases. Record rejects and corrections rather than silently dropping them.

Acceptance and cutover

Business owners should accept the migrated information using agreed checks. A technical success message alone cannot establish whether the institution can safely use the records.

Reconcile counts and control totalsCompare agreed record counts and financial totals where relevant, then inspect complete sample learner histories.Agree the final change windowDefine source freeze or incremental-update handling, user communication and responsibility for any late changes.Document sign-off and recovery decisionsName the accepting owners, unresolved issues and the conditions for delaying cutover or following the agreed recovery plan.

Make it specific to your institution.

Team notes, owners and open questions

Keep this working copy free of student records, credentials and sensitive personal information.

Questions before the next step.

Should we clean all historical data first?

Prioritize the data required for the agreed launch scope, while preserving retention obligations and access to history. Decide explicitly which historical quality issues block migration and which can be managed separately.

Who should validate the imported records?

The teams that own the meaning of the information: registry for enrollment and relationships, academics for outcomes and finance for financial records, supported by technical checks.

Can we keep using the old system during preparation?

Usually the preparation and trial-import work needs an explicit plan for ongoing changes. Agree how the final source will be frozen or reconciled so updates made during preparation are not lost.

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TURN THE READING INTO A USEFUL CONVERSATION

Bring your questions. Start with your context.

Use a workflow, a checklist or an unresolved decision to shape a tailored demonstration.