Changing systems? The questions everyone asks about their data

Transform Your Data Migration with AYLA Solutions

Picture the week before go-live. The new system is set up, the team has been trained, and someone opens the customer list. Half the phone numbers are in the wrong format, the same supplier appears three times, and there are product codes nobody recognizes.

It happens more often than anyone likes to admit. Data is usually the last thing people think about when they change systems, and the first thing that goes wrong.

We built the Data Migration Accelerator so that week goes differently. Here are the questions we get asked most, answered as simply as we can.

What Does the Data Migration Accelerator Actually Do?

You provide the data from your current systems along with the import spreadsheets your new system expects. The Accelerator determines which of your columns correspond to the new system's fields. It tidies things up along the way and returns those spreadsheets filled in and ready to load.

Matching your columns to the fields your new system expects. You pick a column on the right, drop it on a field on the left, and confirm it.

This part usually takes weeks of copying, pasting, and checking by hand. We aim to take about two-thirds of that work off your plate.

Our Data is a Mess. Is That a Problem?

Honestly, everyone's data is messy. Spreadsheets that have grown for ten years, a customer list someone exported once and kept editing, and a second system holding the other half of the details can complicate matters.

Before anything moves, the Accelerator reads through all of it and tells you what it finds. It identifies which fields are half empty, where the same customer appears twice, and where a postcode does not match the suburb next to it. You also find out where personal details like phone numbers and emails are located. You discover these issues now, not the week before go-live.

The project overview. What is in your way, what to fix first, and how close each part is to being ready.

Fixing it does not require a programmer. You simply write what you want in a sentence, like "remove the dollar sign from the price" or "split the full name into first and last name." You can see the result before you keep it.

Our Codes Are Changing in the New System. How Does That Work?

This question comes up in almost every project. Customer C001 in the old system needs to become CUST-10001 in the new one. A mistake here can quietly break every invoice linked to that customer.

You provide us with a simple list of old codes and their new equivalents. The Accelerator swaps them every time it runs and informs you about any code that was not on the list. This way, nothing arrives in your new system still wearing its old number.

A list of old codes and what each one becomes. The number on the right shows how many records use that code.

Who Gets the Final Say?

You do. Your team receives its own login, allowing them to follow progress, review the data, and see how each field was filled. When you are satisfied, your lead signs it off. If something looks wrong, you can raise it right there, and it comes straight back to us.

What your team sees when they log in: where the project is up to and what is happening right now.

It is your data, so the sign-off is yours.

What If Something Goes Wrong?

If something goes wrong, you can undo it. Every run is recorded and can be reversed. You can also practice the entire move as many times as you like before the real one. Each practice run is kept so you can always look back at the last one.

Once the data is in, we check what arrived in your new system against what we sent. For money and quantities, we go a step further and add up the totals before and after. This way, you can show your accountant that the numbers still match.

Our Database is in the Cloud or in Our Own Office. Can You Access It?

Yes, we can access it either way. If it lives in Azure or AWS, your IT team adds our app to the list of addresses the database allows. We connect straight to it.

If it sits on your own network or on a computer in the office, our app cannot see it from the outside, and you wouldn’t want it to. For that, we provide a small program that runs on one of your computers. It reaches out to us, sends back only what is requested, and you never have to open anything up.

And if that all sounds like too much, you can simply send us the files. Spreadsheets and exports work just as well.

Is Our Data Safe?

Your data is kept in Microsoft Azure, and your team only ever sees your own projects. Every change anyone makes is documented, so you can always see who did what and when.

Where we use AI, it helps with the busy work, like suggesting which column goes where or turning your sentence into a clean-up step. Once that step is written, it stays fixed, so the same data yields the same result every time. You can also choose which AI is used, including one that runs on your own servers.

How Do We Get Started?

To get started, bring three things: a list of what you are moving (customers, suppliers, products, staff), access to where that data lives today, and the import spreadsheets from your new system. We will set up the project and invite your team in.

Changing systems is hard enough. Your data should be the part you stop worrying about. If you have a question we have not answered here, get in touch with the team at AYLA Solutions, and we will talk it through.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Data Migration Accelerator is designed to streamline your data migration process. It simplifies complex tasks, ensures data integrity, and provides you with the control you need. By leveraging our technology, you can focus on what truly matters—growing your business and achieving operational efficiency.

Let AYLA Solutions be your partner in this journey. Together, we can transform your operations and help you become a leader in data-driven business solutions.