Keep an untouched backup
Export the existing source files and store a dated, access-controlled copy before cleaning anything. Work on duplicates. Make sure the business can still retrieve the original records even if the import needs to be restarted.
Define the records you need
Separate customers, service addresses, contacts, open quotes, scheduled jobs and unpaid invoices. One customer may have multiple addresses. Confirm the destination’s structure before merging records that only happen to have similar names.
Clean a sample first
Choose a small representative sample including duplicate names, multiple addresses and unusual phone formats. Agree the mapping for each column and document required fields. Avoid uploading card details or other sensitive information into generic notes fields.
Reconcile the result
Compare the number of imported records, check important totals and inspect a handful of complex customers manually. Test permissions and search. Ask what happens when the same file is imported again: duplication is not a safe recovery strategy.
Pilot, then choose a cutover
Run a limited pilot with named staff, collect issues and resolve them. Set a time after which new operational records are entered in the new system. Keep a list of changes made during the transition so the final import is not missing recent jobs.
Test your exit route now
Download a sample export from the new product before the migration becomes irreversible. Check whether it contains the fields and relationships you would need to move again. Store an ongoing backup plan with named responsibility.
A successful import is a reconciled import. Counts, totals and real examples should agree before the new system becomes your working record.
This is a suggested evaluation method, not a claim of measured savings or hands-on results from any provider.