Best Practices for Data Migration to New Leasing Software

Introduction

You want to migrate your leasing data into a new piece of software. It feels daunting. But it can also be an easy process that allows you to work more smoothly and productively. In this article we lay out what we think you should consider when migrating data to new leasing software.

Understanding Data Migration

Data migration takes place during a change of information systems, during which information is transferred from the old system to the new one (its accuracy, integrity and accessibility are preserved along the way).

Importance of Data Migration

Ziller says that data is a leasing operation’s most significant asset. ‘If the software you’re migrating to doesn’t have the capability to capture important data from the previous software, then it’s a no-go right there,’ Ziller tells me. ‘Without the capability to migrate data, the transition will be a disaster. You might as well avoid the entire change and stick with your existing system, regardless of its performance. The key to a successful software transition is comprehensive data migration. If you neglect this aspect, then it won’t make any difference if the new software is user-friendly and comes with all the features you need.

Choosing the Right Leasing Software

Choosing the right leasing software is a key step towards ensuring that the migration leads to a successful outcome. Features that should be considered include compatibility with other systems that are already in use, scaling potential, user-friendliness, and data security features.

Preparing Your Data

Having a system ready to go in advance does not guarantee that you’re not making a mess with your migration. Some time before you copy data, take a moment to prep it for the move.

Data Cleaning

You can delete irrelevant, obsolete, or redundant information from what you’re migrating to make the process go more quickly and to improve your data quality in the target system.

Data Mapping

Even if you only have text files, draw a diagram to show how the text is grouped and relates to other text, so that the analysis satisfies track length and matches the schema of the new database software.

Data Validation

You’re just quoting from the literature.’ Don’t take my word for it. But do make sure you validate your data adequately before migration, and clean up any dirty data that may have slipped through the cracks. You don’t want to end up with 27 Albert Einsteins.

Planning the Migration Process

Planning is the key to a successful data migration. You need to set some clear objectives about what you want to do and make a roadmap of how the migration should proceed.

Setting Clear Goals

Identify which specific goals are an improvement – eg, saving time or keeping the database clean – and either add disruptors that could impede those goals or mention goals that could be under threat by adding the disruptor.

Establishing Timelines

Come up with a practical timeframe for each stage of migration – from discovery to cleanup – based on data volume, complexity and the team’s bandwidth.

Executing the Migration

With careful planning in place, it's time to execute the migration process.

Backup Procedures

Copy your data to another location as a last resort to avoid losing or corrupting your data in case anything goes wrong during the migration.

Testing and Troubleshooting

Conduct thorough testing of the migration process to spot and address any problems or anomalies as soon as they arise.

Post-Migration Best Practices

Afterwards, to prevent data loss, resource exhaustion and maintain long-term integrity and performance, follow these best practices.

Data Integrity Checks

Reassess your data regularly to check ongoing accuracy and integrity as you begin to use the new software for leasing.

Training and Support

Train and support users so that you’re sharing what it’s all about and why they should trust it, while also fine-tuning utilisation and productivity.

Conclusion

Moving your data into a new leasing software package is a large project with potential benefits if planned, executed and maintained properly. We hope that the best practices above will ensure a smooth transition and lead to the best return on your new investment.