Inventory your sources
List spreadsheets, existing applications and paper records. Identify an owner for each source and the information it contains.
Clean and structure
Standardise names, dates and reference numbers. Review duplicates and missing fields without discarding original records.
Agree the migration scope
Confirm which records and history are needed. Decide what stays archived and how it can be retrieved.
Validate a representative sample
Check linked records, totals and report results after import. Ask the people who use the information to review the outcome.