Switching · Discover, map, test, cut over

Plan the move before the old system becomes the new mess.

A responsible CRM move starts with the source, data quality, workflows, connected tools and people who rely on them. It proves a controlled sample before wider import or cutover.

Subscribe to 121 CRM Seller, billing and cancellationUse the migration checklist

Customer Thread

A migration with explicit gates

Illustrative example

Discover
Systems and records inventoried
Map
Fields and stages decided
Sample
Controlled import reconciled
Accept
Customer approves result
Human decision
Cut over
Owners and fallback ready

Method outline only. No universal migration scope, timing or included service is promised.

Migration control room

Move through discovery, sample, acceptance and handover.

The sequence makes decision gates visible before wider import and operational cutover.

121 CRM · Onboarding control room

Discover

Goals and dependencies

Prepare

Data and workflow inputs

Configure

Account and journeys

Customer tests the result

Handover

Owners and next review

Open decision

Migration history depth

Customer owner

Operations lead

Acceptance gate

Representative journeys pass

Illustrative exampleSequence only. Deliverables, timings, support and cost require an agreed scope.

What the destination needs

Move the relationships, not just the rows.

A useful migration preserves the meaning of contacts, active work, ownership and next actions. It also records what cannot move cleanly and who decides the treatment.

Capability 01

Import and export

Moves supported records through structured files, with mapping and validation needed before relying on the result.

How it works: Stores or organises supported business data under configured fields, permissions and record rules.
Why use it: Supports controlled migration and operational extracts when the data is prepared and reconciled.
Plan for: The platform does not make imported, duplicated or incomplete data accurate without review. Bulk migration requires mapping and reconciliation; do not treat a completed import as proof of accuracy or reversibility.
Your team owns: A data owner must define the record model and resolve quality, ownership and access exceptions.

Capability 02

Custom fields

Adds structured fields to supported record types so a business can capture information it actually needs.

How it works: Stores or organises supported business data under configured fields, permissions and record rules.
Why use it: Replaces important notes and spreadsheet columns with searchable, reusable data.
Plan for: The platform does not make imported, duplicated or incomplete data accurate without review.
Your team owns: A data owner must define the record model and resolve quality, ownership and access exceptions.

Capability 03

Companies

Groups people and related information around an organisation rather than treating every person in isolation.

How it works: Stores or organises supported business data under configured fields, permissions and record rules.
Why use it: Helps business-to-business teams see contacts in the context of the company they work for.
Plan for: The platform does not make imported, duplicated or incomplete data accurate without review.
Your team owns: A data owner must define the record model and resolve quality, ownership and access exceptions.

Capability 04

Pipelines

Defines an ordered sales process through which opportunities can be reviewed and moved.

How it works: Tracks a potential deal, stage, owner or task using configured pipeline and record rules.
Why use it: Makes the sales process visible so follow-up is based on stage rather than memory.
Plan for: Pipeline position is only reliable when users and workflows update it consistently.
Your team owns: A responsible owner must qualify the deal, choose next actions and resolve stale or disputed status.

Capability 05

Testing and execution logs

Supports test runs and operational evidence used to diagnose why a record did or did not follow a path.

How it works: Runs an ordered sequence only after its configured trigger and conditions are met.
Why use it: Gives a human a way to verify automation and investigate exceptions.
Plan for: Automation follows its configuration; it cannot repair poor data, unclear rules or an unavailable external service.
Your team owns: A process owner must approve, test, monitor and pause or correct faulty automation.

Discover

Know what is moving, what is staying and what should be retired.

The reference reduces switching to guides, import and support. 121 adds the source-specific decisions required for a defensible move.

Systems and owners

Inventory CRM, spreadsheets, inboxes, forms, calendars and connected suppliers with account owners.

Objects and history

List contacts, organisations, opportunities, activities, notes, attachments, consent and audit needs separately.

Quality and sensitivity

Profile duplicates, missing identifiers, stale records and information that should not be migrated.

Map and sample

Test a representative slice before committing the whole history.

Mapping is a business decision as much as a technical one.

Field and stage map

Define destination, format, transformations, defaults and records that require human resolution.

Controlled sample

Include ordinary, duplicate, incomplete, sensitive and edge-case records in a reversible test.

Reconciliation

Compare counts, key values, relationships, exclusions and errors against the agreed source evidence.

Mapping evidence

Prove fields and exceptions on a controlled sample.

Source, destination and unresolved transformations stay visible for reconciliation and approval.

121 CRM · Migration mapping

Source fieldCRM fieldStatus

Company nameOrganisationMapped

Primary emailContact emailSampled

Free-text notesHistory notesReview

Legacy stageOpportunity stageDecision

12 mapped4 sampled3 decisions open

Illustrative exampleSample records and field names are fictional. A real migration needs source-specific reconciliation.

Cutover and handover

Agree the freeze, fallback and first operating review.

The move is not complete when an import reports success.

Cutover plan

Name final export, source freeze, import order, connection changes, communications and go/no-go owner.

Fallback decision

Decide what can be reversed, which source remains available and how failed or partial migration is handled.

Human approval

Customer acceptance

The nominated owner tests representative journeys, accepts known limitations and confirms operating responsibility.

Questions about this page

Useful answers, without the sales fog.

1. Will 121 migrate everything from our current system?

No general commitment is approved. Supported objects, history, attachments, volume, clean-up, exclusions, reconciliation and cost must be scoped for the actual source.

2. Can we keep using the old system during migration?

That depends on source behaviour and the cutover plan. Dual entry can create divergence, so the write rules, freeze point and authoritative source must be explicit.

3. How long does migration take?

No standard duration is promised. Timing depends on access, volume, complexity, quality, decisions, connection work, testing and customer acceptance.

Read all CRM questions

Continue the journey

Switch from HubSpot Switch from Pipedrive Switch from Zoho CRM

Delegate the work. Keep the human.

Ready to organise the customer journey?

Subscribe through the approved secure checkout, or review pricing and responsibilities before you decide.

Subscribe to 121 CRM Seller, billing and cancellationCompare pricing