Define the job of each field
Ask what decision, workflow, report, or obligation a field supports. If no team can explain its purpose, collecting it may create maintenance burden without operational value.
Review sensitivity, source, accuracy, retention needs, and ownership. Some fields belong in another system; others may be outdated, duplicated, or inappropriate to migrate into a redesigned CRM.
Clean by rules, not guesswork
Create explicit rules for duplicate matching, normalization, required values, and treatment of uncertain records. Preserve a review route for ambiguous cases rather than silently merging people.
Map old fields to the new model and test a representative batch before moving everything. Reconcile record counts and sample relationships so missing context is found while correction remains manageable.
Assign stewardship after migration
Data quality declines when no one owns definitions or resolves recurring exceptions. Set a business owner for each key field and document who can change its meaning.
A clean migration is not a one-time export. It establishes a governed model that users can maintain and that reports can interpret without implying more certainty than the underlying records contain.
From perspective to practice.
See how this subject connects to the work we do.
Explore CRM & automation ↗