When is the best time to use a master data migration solution?

The ideal time for a master data migration depends on various factors, including system conversions, mergers or regulatory requirements. Companies should carry out the migration in a phase with as little operational impact as possible. Thorough planning is also essential in order to minimize disruption to ongoing business operations. A test migration before the actual implementation helps to identify and rectify errors at an early stage. It is also important to consider the master data itself as essential.

What challenges are there when migrating master data?

The biggest challenges include incomplete or inconsistent data, inadequate planning and a lack of technical compatibility between the legacy system and the target system. Unexpected problems can also arise, such as incorrect data formats, inconsistencies in the data model or integration difficulties with existing processes. An early analysis of data quality and close cooperation between IT, specialist departments and external partners help to overcome these hurdles. The lack of a data migration strategy or a poorly chosen one can also cause challenges.

How can you make a data migration project as efficient as possible?

Efficient master data migration requires a structured approach. This includes a thorough inventory of the data, the removal of incorrect or duplicate entries and a test migration for validation. The use of automation tools to counteract a lack of automation can speed up the migration process and reduce errors. Close coordination with the specialist departments ensures that all relevant requirements are taken into account when transferring data and that the data migration runs smoothly.

What are the risks of incorrect master data migration?

Incorrect master data migration can have serious consequences, including data loss, incorrect customer information or system inconsistencies. This can lead to operational problems, increased manual correction effort and customer dissatisfaction. In addition, regulatory requirements can be violated, leading to compliance risks and possible sanctions. Careful planning, quality assurance and extensive testing are required to minimize these risks.

What role does the IT department play in master data migration?

The IT department plays a central role in master data migration, as it is responsible for the technical implementation, selecting suitable migration tools and ensuring data integrity. It works closely with the specialist departments to take specific requirements into account and ensure that all processes run smoothly. In addition, IT is responsible for carrying out tests and resolving technical problems during and after the migration.

Do you take care of data quality before or after data migration?

Ideally, data quality should be improved before the migration. Early cleansing reduces the risk of transferring incorrect, duplicate or outdated data to the new system. This includes measures such as data validation , duplicate checking and enrichment of missing information. After the migration, further quality checks are required to ensure that the data has been transferred correctly and that no inconsistencies have occured. Continuous data quality management in master data management helps to ensure high standards in the long term.

Successfully migrate master data

The focus on customer master data is an important key to the success of a migration project.

The migration of master data is an essential process when companies introduce new systems or merge. Careful planning is required when migrating customer master data to avoid data loss, inconsistencies or a lack of data integrity.

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What is involved in successfully migrating master data?

In companies, master data forms the basis for business processes and decision-making, for example. Master data includes product master data and customer and prospect master data in particular. Customer master data is the core for all customer-related processes from marketing and market approach to sales and service, finance and delivery. The migration of this particularly important data refers to the transfer from an old system to a new one, be it CRM or ERP software such as SAP S/4HANA. To ensure that everything functions optimally in the new system, the declared goal must be to transfer the data completely, consistently and in high quality.

Overview

What is important when migrating master data?

The successful migration of master data depends on several factors that are critical to success:

Data Quality

Before the migration, the master data must be cleansed initially. Such initial data cleansing includes, in particular, address validation, identifying duplicates and resolving and clarifying outdated entries and incorrect data. If the master data is distributed and not stored centrally, the relevant data silos must be dissolved.

Planning and Strategy

A clear migration strategy helps to minimize risks and make the process efficient. In the case of data migration from SAP R/3 to SAP S/4HANA, for example, a distinction is made between the migration scenarios greenfield (new implementation), brownfield (system conversion) and bluefield (selective data and system conversion).

Technological Implementation

Choosing the right migration tools and methods is crucial for success. For example, the Uniserv Data Migration Hub is the ideal tool for data migration. With the Master Data Hub, data silos can be dissolved. The Data Quality Hub ensures data quality in the systems.

Testing and Validation

Extensive tests ensure the quality and integrity of the migrated customer data. This includes, for example, planning and carrying out one or more test migrations, but also delta handling and any necessary reworking, such as unclear cases (data stewardship).

What role does data quality play in successful data migration?

High-quality data is the key to an error-free migration. Incorrect or incomplete data leads to problems in the new system, such as incorrect customer allocations or incorrect billing. Many problems can be avoided by cleansing, standardizing and validating data before migration. Regular quality checks during and after the data migration ensure that the data meets the desired standards.

Consolidated and high-quality data literally forms the foundation for many other business processes. Many operational and analytical departments can access this data and thus contribute the piece of the puzzle to the 360-degree customer view. For example, marketing can play out targeted personalized campaigns. Or finance can send invoices to the correct address based on data or carry out portfolio analysis without duplicate debtors. Or business intelligence can analyze the central database according to all the rules of the art in the most diverse directions and derive recommendations for action from the analysis results and back up decisions. To name just two examples.

„The migration project ran smoothly. The open and honest communication on the part of Uniserv was the right mindset for us to be able to manage such a time-critical project together.“

Sabeel Rana Asghar, Team Lead People and Organization Strategy, LucaNet AG

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„The migration project ran smoothly. The open and honest communication on the part of Uniserv was the right mindset for us to be able to manage such a time-critical project together.“

Sabeel Rana Asghar, Team Lead People and Organization Strategy, LucaNet AG

Read success story

What is the best data migration strategy to use when migrating master data?

A systematic approach as best practice with a corresponding data migration strategy ensures a successful migration with the best result. The Uniserv Customer Data Experts will be happy to support you:

Analysis of existing data: which data needs to be migrated? Which are redundant or incorrect?

Data cleansing and enrichment: cleansing of duplicates, correction of faulty information and addition of missing information.

Planning the migration: definition of migration phases, responsibilities and deadlines.

Test migration: carrying out a trial migration to identify potential sources of error.

Migration implementation: technical implementation of the data transfer using suitable tools such as the Data Migration Hub.

Validation and acceptance: checking the data for completeness and accuracy.

Follow-up check and optimization: ongoing quality assurance after the migration.

What are the advantages of cleanly migrated master data in specialist departments, for example?

Companies benefit from successful data migration through:

Improved data quality
Greater accuracy and consistency in customer master data.

More efficient business processes
Fewer manual corrections and faster workflows.

Better customer communication
Accurate data enables targeted marketing and personalized service.

Smoothly functioning IT systems
Avoid integration problems or data loss.

Compliance and data protection
Compliance with regulatory requirements through clean and traceable data.

Why is it best to migrate master data with software and consulting from Uniserv?

Quite simply because we at Uniserv are the customer data experts. We have already enabled many of our customers to successfully migrate their master data. In doing so, we support companies in placing their business on a solid data foundation.

Data is our business. More than that—we love data. It's been in our DNA since our company was founded over 50 years ago. And we know from many projects exactly what it means when master data from customers and prospects does not have the required quality. That's why we bring the necessary expertise from consulting and software to ensure the correct handling of master data. What you can expect from us: