Data migration readiness checklist

Use this before moving business or customer data between platforms. The right controls depend on sensitivity, volume, downtime tolerance, and contractual duties. Keep a named business owner involved in deciding whether migrated records are correct.

Scope and authority

• Name the source-data owner, destination owner, technical lead, and approver.
• Inventory datasets, formats, dependencies, integrations, and record counts.
• Confirm authority to export, transform, retain, and import each dataset.
• Classify sensitive data and document access, retention, and deletion needs.
• Agree on what is in scope, what is excluded, and the acceptable downtime window.

Prepare and map

• Back up the source and verify that a restore can be performed.
• Map source fields to destination fields, including units, identifiers, and defaults.
• Identify duplicates, invalid values, missing records, and unsupported formats.
• Decide how relationships, attachments, history, permissions, and timestamps transfer.
• Use a test environment and minimize or mask sensitive data in test copies.
• Record transformation rules and keep a reversible audit of changes.

Test and cut over

• Run a representative test migration and reconcile counts and samples.
• Have business users verify key records and workflows in the destination.
• Test downstream reports, notifications, integrations, and user permissions.
• Define a freeze or incremental sync plan for changes made during migration.
• Set go/no-go criteria, rollback steps, and a decision owner before cutover.
• Monitor errors and reconcile final source and destination totals.

Close and maintain

• Confirm the destination is the documented source of truth.
• Restrict or remove temporary access, exports, and migration credentials.
• Retain or delete old data according to the agreed policy and obligations.
• Document exceptions, unresolved records, owners, and support contacts.
• Review the migration outcome and close the old system only after approval.

References

• NIST Privacy Framework
• NIST Secure Software Development Framework
• OWASP Cheat Sheet Series