Planning a move to a new CRM? Great. But here’s a crucial question: Is your data ready to go with you?
Think of it like moving house. Would you take everything from the loft, garage and attic with you – even the stuff that hasn’t been touched in 10+ years?
Here’s how to assess whether your charity’s data is fit for the journey.
1. Start with a data audit
Begin with a full review of your data. This means looking at supporter records, transaction histories, consent fields, notes and more. Run queries to identify duplicates, outdated contact info and missing fields.
Salesforce research suggests up to 70% of CRM data becomes inaccurate or outdated each year. That’s a huge risk if you’re migrating without review.
Look for:
- Multiple records for the same donor
- Missing or invalid email addresses
- Outdated postal addresses
- Inconsistent campaign codes or tags
2. Clean and de-dupe
Once you’ve found the issues, clean them. Merge duplicate records, archive legacy data and ensure field values are consistent.
This isn’t just about tidiness – it’s about performance. Clean data leads to better segmentation, clearer reporting and more meaningful supporter interactions.
3. Check for compliance
Data protection isn’t optional. As part of your audit, check that all supporter data complies with GDPR (and other relevant regulations).
Are consents clear and up-to-date? Are records you’re no longer entitled to store being removed or anonymised? Does your CRM audit trail demonstrate accountability?
Use the migration as an opportunity to strengthen your compliance.
4. Review your data strategy
Migration is the perfect time to ask: Are we capturing the right data to support our mission?
This is about aligning your data structure with your strategic objectives. What do you need to know about supporters to deliver impact and grow relationships? If your current CRM doesn’t help you measure what matters, it’s time to rethink.
Ask yourself:
- Are we tracking the right supporter behaviours?
- Do we understand key moments in the donor journey?
- What insights are we missing?
5. Map out your data fields
Think about where your current fields will live in the new system. Will the data translate smoothly? Will naming conventions still make sense? Are any fields redundant?
Create a data mapping sheet to track source-to-target field relationships. Identify custom fields or automations you’ll need.
Getting this right ensures you don’t spend months fixing errors post-migration.
Migration-ready data means clean, compliant and clearly aligned to your strategy.
If you’re unsure where to start, we can help you develop a CRM migration strategy – complete with data and compliance audits, and a roadmap for success.
We’re offering a free 30-minute consultation for charities facing CRM migration – contact us to book yours.
In the meantime, download our CRM migration survival guide for more tips or read our blog to understand the common mistakes charities make when replacing legacy CRMs (and how to avoid them).
