Every organization relies on data, one way or another. Bigger organizations rely on enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems to ensure better data migration. It covers data warehouse migration and data conversion to business process automation across the organization. The success of an ERP data migration is critical for the long-term success of the new system. Naturally, there are some considerations to ensure success.
This article will talk about the necessary things to consider with ERP data migration. Read on below to get started.
Why ERP Data Migration Matters
The importance of an ERP data migration is not just about the way it impacts the current and future operations of the company but also about the collective impact of all migrations happening at the same time. For example, a food manufacturer will not look at just their own data migration but also monitor the data migration of the suppliers and distributors.
The same applies to a bank or an insurance company, which all rely on other organizations for data, one way or another, to manage their core business operations. An ERP data migration can be a formidable task, but it can be done smoothly and successfully with better assessment and data migration planning.
With that out of the way, here are some essential things to consider:
Creating a Migration Team
Like any other project, the ERP data migration project needs to be handled by a team responsible for assessing the current situation and planning the data migration accordingly. Such a team should be from the technical side rather than the business side since it is the technical team that can assess the infrastructure, system capabilities, and software requirements for the migration.
Some of the things that the technical assessment will cover include:
- Establishing a data governance model.
- Identifying the business processes that are impacted.
- Determining the data migration goals and objectives.
As you can see, this team is not just technical but also plays the role of a data analyst. However, they are not the ones migrating. The team’s responsibility is to decide what needs to be done and then pass on the job to the ERP data migration experts.
Data Analysis and Mapping
The team you’re working with should gather all the available data and then perform a thorough data analysis. Data mapping is one of the most critical steps in this process. If you’re using a data management platform, the data mapping will be a part of the software’s capabilities. If not, you’ll need to invest in standalone software or hire someone to help you with this aspect.
Data mapping can be performed in multiple ways. It can be performed directly, or it can be performed indirectly using data discovery software. Coming back to the food manufacturer example, the data will be mapped directly to the basic ingredients used in the product to find where the data is coming from more easily. Meanwhile, the bank or insurance company may use data discovery software to look at the data from different angles to assess the quality of the data for migration.
Deciding What to Migrate
The first step of an ERP data migration is deciding what data will be migrated and what will not be migrated. Because ERP systems usually have a wide range of data and involve multiple systems, it’s crucial to identify the scope of the migration.
This is why a data discovery process is critical to the success of the migration. As you know, there is not a single source of data. Instead, there are multiple data sources, and chances are they may get integrated into the ERP system at some point. However, you don’t need to focus on them to start. For the initial migration, you should only focus on the relevant data.
Data beyond Its Intended Use
Keeping in mind that the ERP system was not initially built for the data it is currently using, it’s vital to ensure that the data is being used correctly. For example, data is not the only thing that should be migrated into the ERP system. There are other things, such as account codes, that should be migrated.
However, this doesn’t mean that data must be migrated into every ERP system. The relevant data is the data that is relevant to the data’s purpose. For example, you don’t need to migrate data into a bank’s ERP system if the information only relates to physical assets or inventory.
Data Responsibility
This is another crucial factor to consider when talking about ERP data migration. Who is responsible for the data migration? The general trend is that the data professionals are responsible for this process since they will be working with the data during the migration. However, the business team is responsible for using the data at the end of the migration, so it makes sense to play some kind of role here.
This will involve communicating with the technical team about the data needs and defining the quality of the data. The business team must be familiar with the data at both ends but ensure the data quality will remain with the data professionals.
Conclusion
ERP data migration is a complex process, and that’s why it is essential to have a solid plan before you get started. You will always come across problems, but the solution is to tackle them head-on with a sound strategy.
Nuage Consulting Group provides top-quality services for enterprise resource planning. We understand the needs of organizations, so our solutions are customized to meet your needs. Contact us today to learn more!
