The Role of Data Mapping in Successful Data Migration

Whether you’re a leader, a manager, or an employee, there might come a time when you have to move data from an old computer or a CRM system to a new one. When this happens, you’re dealing with something called data migration.

With the advent of technology, data migration might sound simple, but it’s a complex process with its fair share of challenges. The big question is: How do you make data migration work smoothly?

One valuable practice that can make a big difference is data mapping. Surprisingly, many people aren’t familiar with the significance of data mapping in the context of data migration.

Through this article, we’ll shed light on the crucial role that data mapping plays and the benefits it brings when you’re moving data. Before diving into the details, let’s ensure we’re on the same page with some basic knowledge about this topic.

Data Mapping in a Nutshell

Data mapping is the process of linking data from one source to a target source, defining how information flows between different systems or formats. In a nutshell, it’s like making a plan for moving information from one place to another.

For instance, imagine an animated book review company wanting to transfer customer data from an old computer system to a new one. The old system stores names, email addresses, and phone numbers, while the new system arranges them differently.

Data mapping helps by saying things like “old names go to new names” and “old email addresses go to new emails.” This way, when they move the data, it all goes to the right places in the new system.

It’s like having a map for your data’s journey, ensuring it gets to its new home correctly and stays useful. In other words, it’s the bridge that connects disparate data worlds, making it accessible, meaningful, and valuable to your organization.

Why You Need Data Mapping in Data Migration

Here are some reasons why data mapping becomes crucial when migrating data, along with some benefits for your organization.

#1. Gaining Insights into Data Origins and Targets

Specifying your data by understanding where it’s from and transferred is crucial. Without this information, your team or employee can get lost in vast data, making data migration inefficient.

Data mapping helps you understand where your data comes from (origins) and where it’s going (targets), allowing you to see the source of your data and where it needs to end up. You can see if different data sources have varying formats, structures, and quality.

Knowing the origins and targets of the data allows you to plan how to handle these differences during migration. You can ensure your company’s data reaches its destination accurately and securely.

#2. Mapping Data at the Granular Level

When considering a data migration project, especially one involving customer data, orders, video content, or product information, it’s essential to understand what data needs to be transferred and to what extent.

This initial step is crucial in ensuring a smooth and successful process by mapping data fields or elements at a highly granular level. In practical terms, this means specifying how individual data in the source system relate to or correspond with specific data in the target system.

The significance of mapping data at such a detailed level cannot be overstated. It’s the backbone of precision and accuracy during migration, ensuring that no critical data is left behind, misinterpreted, or misaligned during the transfer.

#3. Cleansing and Transforming Data

Oftentimes, data mapping goes beyond the simple act of transferring data. Instead, it encompasses the crucial task of cleaning and transforming data as it’s migrated.

In many cases, data within the source system can be disorderly, deficient, or structured differently than what the target system demands. In response, data mapping allows you to establish specific rules and transformations.

These rules enable you to cleanse, reshape, or convert data to align perfectly with the target system’s prerequisites. Consequently, the data is refined and enhanced to ensure its usability and value in the new environment.

#4. Verifying Data Accuracy and Completeness

When you’re mapping data, you’re not just duplicating data. Instead, you also validate data to ensure accuracy and completeness during the migration process. This step is crucial since data missing can lead to errors within the target system.

Data mapping, therefore, plays a pivotal role in establishing protocols for data validation during migration. It ensures data security, quality, and integrity. It also guarantees your data remains trustworthy and serves its intended purpose in its new location.

#5. Creating Records and Establishing Traceability

Another vital aspect of data mapping is the creation of records and traceability. This role means documenting and tracking how you will transfer and transform your data. Data mapping provides a way to trace data within the target system back to its source.

This documentation is invaluable for auditing, troubleshooting, and ensuring compliance with data regulations. This way, you can maintain data transparency and enhance your ability to manage and safeguard your data throughout its lifecycle.

#6. Managing Errors and Logging Information

In any data migration process, errors are bound to occur. Data mapping defines how to handle these errors and log relevant information. You can notice any inaccuracy and take immediate action to overcome the problem.

Moreover, error management includes specifying whether to abort the migration when a critical error occurs. Recording errors for later analysis or implementing error-handling procedures can minimize disruptions during the migration process.

Takeaway

Data mapping plays a crucial role in making data migration a success. It acts as a guide, ensuring that data moves from one place to another accurately and without problems. Mapping data in detail, cleaning it up, and checking for errors ensures your data is in good shape when it arrives at the new home.

Think of data mapping as a helpful tool that keeps data safe and reliable during its journey. The above points are crucial reasons why data mapping isn’t just a choice but a must. It ensures your data remains valuable and helps your organization work more efficiently in the age of technology.

About the Guest Author

Andre Oentoro is the founder of Breadnbeyond, an award-winning explainer video company. He helps businesses increase conversion rates, close more sales, and get positive ROI from explainer videos (in that order).