ERPs are implemented to streamline not just the Business Processes of the organizations but to streamline the way data is captured and utilized. How easily a CEO generates accurate consolidated report on yearly/quarterly sales, not just depends on how the ERP is storing data, but more importantly on how the data from legacies have been migrated to the new ERP.
Large numbers of ERP implementation fail because not much attention is paid towards the entire process of data migration. This paper talks about the problem, Challenges and some do’s and don’ts of data migration
Data Migration though is a part of the entire ERP implementation; it is and should be considered as a separate project in itself. It should involve not only the Business Owners, but the IT and Vendors (if you are planning to do away with the vendors as part of Implementation) too. IT is important as they own the data in the legacy and you are completely dependent on the Vendors for the data they have been maintaining for ages.
Before starting the planning for Data Migration, keep in mind and prepare yourself for Data Leakages. The Leakages re bound to happen if you do not have the exhaustive knowledge of the legacies and Vendor Software. No Migration is Perfect Migration hence do not even dream about it.
Problem
Organizations invest a large amount of money, time and effort in buying and customizing a new ERP system.
The problem begins when they overlook the challenge of populating it with legacy data and the data migration activity is left to the last minute and end up dropping data from the legacy system straight into the new system.
A lot of planning has to go into it even before you actually start preparing the Migration scripts.
Lot of organizations complain that they have migrated the data which probably would not go along with the new ERP they have implemented. This happens when Data Mapping is not done with the new ERP and the other sources.
Another problem which pulls down the Data Migration Project is Lack of Methodology. The Organizations do not have the concrete Methodology like they do have for the ERP Implementation.
Challenges
The major Challenge for Data Migration is to determine which legacy data is fit for moving to new ERP and which data can be done away with or can be discarded.
ERP Implementations are done to integrate different Business Process together, in other words moving from different Legacy System to Single Source of truth. This requires lot of Homework on the Data management Front
Many of the Implementations are goofed up because of the Improper Execution of Data Migration Activities or the lack of it.
- Data Identification
- Data Collection
- Data Verification
- Data Massaging
- Data Verification (again after Massaging)
- Data Movement
- Data Maintenance
These activities have to be done in same sequence only. Challenge lies in the execution of the steps mentioned above as most of the Legacy systems are owned by different departments and it becomes a nightmare for the Project Team to coordinate with them and get the right data
Do’s and Don’ts
Every Implementation has its own set of Challenges in terms of the Data Migration. There is no exhaustive list of the Do’s and Don’ts, but here is the list which I would recommend
1. Establish a Project Board that monitors both the ERP Implementation and ERP Data Migration Project
2. Start the ERP Data Migration project immediately after all the Business Processes are mapped with the new ERP System
3. Identify all of the Legacy systems.
4. Decide on an approach to migrating historical information – which data to migrate and which to trash
5. Decide whether to migrate data in “Phased Manner” or “One Shot”
6. Do not let the duplicate data go in erthe new ERP if there are many legacies with redundant data
7. Follow the Data Migration Activities mentioned above
By: Purushottam K Karanjgaonkar