What do I generally have to consider in a data migration project?

A data migration project requires careful planning and execution to ensure that the data is transferred securely and efficiently with appropriate quality. Planning and analysis Objectives: defining the goals and scope of the data migration. Inventory: analyzing the current data landscape (data exploration) and identifying the data to be migrated. Risk analysis: identification of potential risks and development of strategies to minimize them. Data Cleansing Data Quality: checking and cleansing the data to ensure that only relevant and correct data is migrated. This is done in particular by means of address validation and identity resolution (deduplication). Data migration strategy Migration approach: selection of the appropriate migration approach (big bang, incremental, etc.). When migrating data to SAP S/4HANA, for example, you can choose between the migration scenarios greenfield (new implementation), brownfield (system conversion) and bluefield (selective data transition). Testing Test plan: creation of a detailed test plan to carry out the data migration in a test environment. Mapping: Conversion of the existing data to any new data model that may be required. In the case of SAP S/4HANA, for example, the data must be consolidated into the central business partner master. This is done by the Customer Vendor Integration (CVI). Validation: Checking the migrated data for completeness and accuracy. Realisation of the data migration Pilot migration: carrying out a data migration as a pilot project to test the process and identify any problems. Main migration: execution of the complete data migration based on the results of the pilot migration. Monitoring and support Monitoring: monitoring the data migration process in real time to identify and resolve problems immediately. Support: providing technical support during and after the data migration. Follow-up Final audit: performing a final audit to ensure that all data has been migrated correctly within the data migration. Delta handling: this is the process where only the changes since the last interim check are transferred. This includes newly added or updated data. Already migrated or unchanged data is skipped. Documentation: creation of comprehensive documentation of the entire data migration process. Training and handover Training: training end users and administrators in the use of the new system. Handover: official handover of the new system to the users and administrators.

What happens if a data migration is carried out without high-quality data?

It is perfectly possible to carry out a data migration without high-quality data. However, this is not recommended. In the case of a data migration to SAP S/4HANA, for example, this leads to unwanted business partner duplicates during customer vendor integration. Other serious problems are: Data loss and corruption Incorrect or incomplete data can be lost or corrupted during data migration. This can lead to incomplete data records in the target system, which impairs data integrity and makes it more difficult to use the data. Increased costs and time expenditure Fixing problems caused by poor data quality is time consuming and costly. The entire data migration project can fail. Compliance issues Migrated data that does not comply with legal and regulatory requirements can lead to violations and fines. User dissatisfaction If migrated data is incomplete or incorrect, this can lead to dissatisfaction among end users. As a rule, acceptance of the new system decreases. Productivity is impaired. The time that is supposedly saved in the run-up to a data migration usually has to be spent twice or three times as much afterwards. It is better to focus on the data and its quality right from the start. Data migration should be started from the point of view of the status of the data.

What are the three biggest challenges in a data migration project?

Repeated studies and our own experience with countless data migration projects prove that these are the top 3 challenges in a data migration project: Data quality and cleansing Ensuring that the data is correct, complete and consistent before it is migrated is one of the biggest challenges. Incorrect, duplicate or incomplete data can lead to significant problems in the target system after the data migration. Minimizing downtime System downtime can occur during data migration, which can impact business operations. This can be particularly critical if the data migration involves large volumes of data or business-critical systems. Data integrity and security Ensuring that data is not lost or corrupted during data migration and that it is protected from unauthorized access.

Data Migration Hub

Safe, fast & error-free to the new System

The Data Migration Hub was specially developed for large-scale migration projects involving customer and prospect data. It structures, validates, cleanses and consolidates data efficiently and reliably.

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Better from the start: data migration with a clear focus on quality

The failure of a new system is almost guaranteed if data that was already of inadequate quality in the previous systems is simply transferred to new systems. The disappointment and demotivation of users in particular should not be underestimated here. In addition, a cleanly designed process with poor data will only function inadequately. Garbage in, garbage out!

Therefore, take the time to focus on the quality of your data when introducing new systems. Plan data migration as an integral part of your project. This will ensure the success of your project with high-quality, consolidated data. We support you with the expertise of our customer data experts and sophisticated solutions such as the Data Migration Hub.

What does the Data Migration Hub do?

"Efficient, secure and smooth - the perfect solution for your data migration."

Data Customization and Consolidation:
flexibly adapt data models and standardize data from different sources.
Optimized Data Quality:
structure, validate, cleanse and enrich your data for an error-free and high-quality basis in new systems.
Effortless Harmonization:
the Data Migration Hub effortlessly harmonizes data structures from multiple legacy systems for hassle-free integration.

Uniserv expertise for your project:
our migration experts accompany you step by step: from planning to implementation, together with your team or system partner. We customize the Data Migration Hub flexibly to your requirements - automated, AI-supported and future-proof.

Cloud-ready and powerful:
even complex migration projects are noticeably accelerated and securely implemented with the Data Migration Hub. Rely on a solution that combines flexibility and efficiency.

How to successfully migrate to SAP S/4HANA^®

SAP users must have migrated to SAP S/4HANA by the end of 2030. That's when the last grace period for supporting legacy systems ends. High time to get started. Especially with data quality.

The Uniserv business whitepaper “Migration to SAP S/4HANA®” shows you in concrete terms what you can do now with simple means and manageable effort to create the necessary conditions for a smooth migration on the data side.

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Mastering challenges

The importance of data for your migration project

Smooth data migration is important when introducing new systems or updating existing ones. This ensures that the data can be used efficiently without affecting business processes, customer experience or strategic decisions. Especially when consolidating large amounts of data from different sources, companies often face major challenges when migrating to new systems or consolidating existing IT landscapes.

Complex Eco Systems

Heterogeneous systems with different data models, differently assigned fields, historically grown structures and inconsistent data flows in the input are not uncommon. They place high demands on the analysis in advance and the implementation of the transformation.

Data Quality and Consistency

Incomplete, incorrect or duplicate data jeopardizes the success of your entire project. Without thorough checking and cleansing, incorrect data will end up in the new system - causing inefficient processes, increased costs and a lack of usability. The frustration and demotivation of the users of the new application should not be underestimated!

Data Silos and Fragmentation

Different data sources with different data models or varying structures increase the complexity of the migration project and require standardization and consolidation.

Large Amounts of Data

Migrating large, heterogeneous volumes of data from different sources requires specialized tools and proven methods to ensure a fast, precise cleansing process with minimal manual effort. For those cases that cannot be cleansed automatically, the Data Migration Hub has an integrated data steward function.

Time Pressure

Migration projects often have to be carried out under great time pressure in order to maintain business continuity. Business interruptions during the migration should be avoided as far as possible, as these usually have a significant impact on internal processes and therefore customer satisfaction.

The Data Migration Hub offers you many advantages

The Data Migration Hub is a system developed specifically for migration projects. Its ability to process data from different sources makes it the perfect tool for efficient, precise and low-risk data migration. Typical tasks include adapting and restructuring data models, as well as validating, cleansing, enriching and consolidating data. The Data Migration Hub combines state-of-the-art technologies with the practical expertise of our consultants.

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Advantages for migration projects

Data as a success factor
With our many years of expertise in data cleansing and data migration, we lay the foundation for your future system landscape and optimize the benefits of your new applications.
Holistic data consolidation
The Data Migration Hub simplifies the standardization and consolidation of data and ensures efficient transfer to a unified target system. It also enables the merging, cleansing and validation of data from different sources. This results in a consistent “golden record” that ensures the basis for the new target system.
Automation and precision
The use of state-of-the-art technologies and workflows makes the cleansing process steps largely error-tolerant, so that manual processing by the data steward is usually minimized.
Flexibility and experience
Our experts support your migration project from the planning stage to the go-live. No matter how complex your starting point is, we develop the right solution. We flexibly adapt the Data Migration Hub to the requirements of your company.
Maximum business continuity
Thanks to our proven process model and many years of experience, we guarantee you minimal downtime and a seamless transition.

Advantages of the new system

Consolidated and validated data
Instead of duplicates, only high-quality and consolidated data (golden records) remain in the new system. Incorrect data is largely corrected automatically.
Data Stewardship
Cases that could not be corrected automatically were cleaned up by a data steward in the data migration hub.
Standardized and meaningful data structure
Even previously unstructured or semi-structured information is available in the right field in the right format.
Ideal database for further processes
Such as personalization and customer journey, AI projects, BI customer analysis.
Motivated users
Greater acceptance thanks to good data and functioning processes.

Implementation - professionally planned and efficiently implemented

Our migration experts are with you from the very beginning: together with you and your system partner, we plan all the project steps in detail. In most cases, we recommend a data assessment or a proof of concept for the migration in advance to identify possible challenges at an early stage. Our consultants then adapt the Data Migration Hub exactly to your requirements. The hub is typically used in the cloud so that your IT operations are only minimally burdened by the migration project – for smooth and efficient implementation.

Why Uniserv?

Data Migration from the Customer Data Expert

With our data migration solution, we ensure that your new application does not fail due to poor quality data and is future-proofed - with consolidated, high-quality data that drives your business forward. Rely on the Data Migration Hub and the expertise of our consultants when it comes to migrating customer and prospect data with maximum efficiency and minimum risk.

Optimized data quality from the outset.
Higher acceptance in the departments – a solution that your team will be happy to use.
Unique customer ID as the basis for a comprehensive 360° customer view and an optimized customer journey.
Strategic decision-making based on a reliable database.
Faster time-to-value: projects are completed on time and on budget.

“The use of Uniserv’s Data Migration Hub provided full transparency into the quality of master data and enabled the efficient elimination of master data errors and duplicates.”

Stefan Richthammer, Manager Sales Processes & Projects, Sales Operations & Order Management, MULTIVAC

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“The use of Uniserv’s Data Migration Hub provided full transparency into the quality of master data and enabled the efficient elimination of master data errors and duplicates.”

Stefan Richthammer, Manager Sales Processes & Projects, Sales Operations & Order Management, MULTIVAC

Read success story