Switching to a better help desk platform? Exciting! But here’s the catch: signing up isn’t the finish line—it’s just the starting gate. To truly reap the benefits, you need to bring your data along for the ride. And, defining a data migration scope upfront sets the foundation for success.And that’s where things get tricky.
Data migration isn’t just a simple lift-and-shift. It’s a puzzle with many moving pieces—allocating resources, prepping data, mitigating risks, and keeping stakeholders in the loop. Miss a step, and you could blow past your budget or run into delays. Plus, migrations are often racing against the clock—whether it’s a tight downtime window, an expiring subscription, or some other looming deadline. No pressure, right?
The antidote? A crystal-clear plan. Define what success looks like, map out your migration scope upfront, and set yourself up to cross the finish line smoothly.
In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of scoping your data migration project, equipping you with the strategies and tools for effective transfer.
What Is Data Migration Scope?
The data migration scope determines what your migration project will involve. It lays out the objectives, resources, data types, key activities, and timelines—everything you need to keep the migration on track.
A well-defined scope serves as a roadmap for your migration journey. By detailing what needs to be done and how to do it, you help everyone involved understand their roles and responsibilities. A clear scope prevents misunderstandings and keeps the project on track.
Plus, with a solid data migration scope, you can spot and tackle potential challenges—unexpected spending or delays—early on. This leads to a smoother, more successful migration experience.
The main components of the data migration scope
There’s no universal template for a data migration scope document, but our experience assisting companies with data transfers shows that it should clearly outline objectives, data types, tools, and timelines. Let’s break down these elements in the context of help desk data migration.
#1 Objectives
This section outlines the purpose of your project, setting the stage for the entire project scope. For example, if your project involves help desk migration, your objectives might include:
- Migrating key customer support data to the new platform
- Completing the migration before the old system’s subscription renewal
- Consolidating help desk data during a merger or acquisition
- Moving from on-premise infrastructure to the cloud
- Exporting knowledge base data from Google Docs to a help desk platform
#2 Data to be migrated
Migration projects don’t necessarily require transferring all available data. Most focus on specific elements, which should be outlined in the scope document. For our help desk case, for example, your data migration checklist might include tickets with attachments from a certain period, along with all users, organizations, and knowledge base articles.
Beyond defining the datasets to be migrated, this section should also specify the required data format and schema for the target system.
#3 Data migration tools
Transferring large amounts of data manually takes too much time, so your scope document should mention software tools for data preparation, migration, and testing.
In our scenario, tools like Talend can prepare and transform data, while Help Desk Migration automates testing and data migration itself becomes less stressful.
#4 Timelines
This section should specify not just the overall timeline for completing the project but also detailed timelines for each phase of migration—data and the target system preparation, actual migration, and post-migration.
Just plugging info into a data migration scope template? Nope, that won’t cut it. To scope your project the right way, you need to dig in and do your homework.
Five Steps to Define a Data Migration Scope
Start by getting to know your future data destination—your Target. What data formats does it play nice with? What’s its data schema like? Any security requirements or quirks you need to factor in?
Answering these questions upfront gives you the clarity you need to define your data migration scope with confidence.
Assess the current data landscape
It’s important to have a clear understanding of all the data that applies to your project. Start by identifying your existing data sources, understanding different data formats, and mapping out how various datasets relate to one another. Use solutions like Microsoft Visio or Lucidchart to visualize your data landscape.
Beyond that, confirm that your data is complete, accurate, and consistent. If not, take action to prepare data. Tools like Informatica Data Quality can help you with this step.
Identify the data you need
Next, you must decide which data you’ll need to migrate. Prioritizing data is crucial, especially if you plan to migrate in stages. Consider the value, urgency, and impact of each dataset.
This stage will give you a clearer understanding of the data to be migrated and the datasets to move first.
Set clear objectives
You likely already know why you need to migrate your data; after all, that’s what prompted you to start this project. But are your objectives truly clear? Now is the time to revisit and refine them, drawing on the insights about your data and the target system.
Use the SMART framework to shape your goals. They should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. For example, the SMART version of “migrating key customer support data to the new platform” might sound like “migrating all key customer support data, including tickets and user information, to the new platform by March 15, 2025, ensuring 100% data accuracy and completeness.”
Get specific—really specific. The more detail you add, the clearer your path forward. When defining your objectives, make sure they align with your business goals, the resources you have, and what stakeholders expect. A well-scoped migration isn’t just about moving data—it’s about moving it with purpose.
Draw up your data migration strategy
The next step is to design your data migration strategy to describe how you’ll move data from its current location to the new one. There are several types of data migration strategies to consider:
- Big Bang migration. All data is moved at once during a planned downtime.
- Phased migration. Data is migrated in several batches.
- Parallel migration. Both the old and new systems operate during the transition.
- Hybrid migration. It’s a combination of the above strategies.
Your migration strategy should align with your project goals and constraints. It will also shape your decisions on the tools you’ll use.
Select the right data migration tools
Data migration can feel daunting without the right software solutions. That’s why it’s essential to integrate them into the process and include them in your scope document.
Here are some popular tools for effective data migration:
- Airbyte. An open-source data integration tool that supports over 500 data sources and destinations. One of its standout features is incremental data synchronization, which allows you to migrate only the data that has been updated since the last transfer.
- AWS Database Migration. This tool lets you quickly transfer your database to the AWS cloud, making it easier to take advantage of cloud capabilities.
- Talend. An open-source ETL tool with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface to clean, transform, and migrate your data efficiently.
- Informatica. A powerful enterprise-grade data integration tool designed for managing complex data integration scenarios. It offers solutions for ETL, real-time data integration, and data quality management.
When choosing a data migration tool, consider factors like what data you need to transfer, volume and quality, the type of migration (application, database, or data), security requirements, integration capabilities, pricing, and ease of use. Keep your specific use case in mind. For example, if you’re migrating help desk data, even if your Target has a built-in import tool—it would be limited by the structures and specifications of their platforms. So it might not meet your needs as you expect.
If you need something more versatile, consider Help Desk Migration, a zero-code data migration tool designed for help desk data migration. It supports over 70 help desk platforms, as well as CSV files and databases, handles various data types, offers pre-built custom options, prioritizes data security, and features scalable pricing based on data volume.
Source: Help Desk Migration Wizard – Data mapping step
The right tools can streamline the process and set you up for a successful transition. However, they won’t protect you from common migration scoping mistakes.
Four Common Mistakes in Defining a Data Migration Scope
Steer clear of the following mistakes when defining your data migration scope:
#1 Underestimating data complexity
Many companies assume that a smaller data load means an easier migration, but they often underestimate the complexities involved. For instance, a healthcare provider with low patient data volumes might still encounter significant data migration challenges due to uncoordinated records across clinics.
Consolidating all this data before the transfer takes time, so it’s crucial to factor this into your project timelines. Data silos and other issues can create bottlenecks during the process, so being aware of these potential hurdles will help you plan more effectively and ensure a smoother transition.
#2 The lack of buy-in from the management
You may have the best tools and strategies for data migration, but without management buy-in, this knowledge won’t get you far. Data migration experts often cite poor scoping as a leading cause of migration failures, alongside comments like, “I warned the client, but they didn’t listen,” or “They wouldn’t invest time and money into risk mitigation.”
That’s why involving the business side early in the scoping process is essential. When discussing key measures, frame them in business terms rather than technical details. Explain how specific actions can impact business success and the potential risks of skipping them. This approach will help ensure everyone understands the stakes and is on board with the migration plan.
#3 Ignoring the business context
Involving the business side early in the migration process is key to keeping the broader context in focus. Consider these questions:
- Is there a firm deadline for the migration, and what are the consequences of missing it?
- What would happen if the company had to revert to the old system? How would that impact operations?
- Will the migration disrupt normal business activities?
- Can the business function for weeks without a system, or would that lead to missed deliveries and lost orders?
By answering these and other questions, you’ll be better equipped to create a realistic data migration scope and allocate resources effectively.
#4 Inadequate resource allocation
A lack of resources is a common reason software projects fail, and data migration is no exception. Balancing quality and cost can be particularly challenging for larger organizations.
Evaluating the current data landscape and following the recommendations mentioned earlier will help keep your project on track. Equally important is having the right expertise on board; without it, costly oversights are almost inevitable. If your in-house team lacks the necessary skills, consider training them, hiring skilled professionals, or partnering with third-party experts.
Finally, don’t overlook the power of automation: it can save significant time and resources during the migration process.
Real-World Examples of Data Migration Success
Choosing the right migration solution can significantly simplify your data migration process and boost your chances of success. As a provider of help desk migration software, we’ve seen firsthand how the right solution can make all the difference.
Case Study 1: Help Desk Data Migration
Assignr, a US-based company that provides a SaaS solution for referee associations and sports leagues, needed to migrate from Zendesk to Intercom. This project was a great example of effective scoping for two key reasons.
First, the client thoroughly assessed their data landscape, cleaning up unnecessary data accumulated over the decade before migration. This proactive step laid the groundwork for a swift migration without transferring excess data.
Second, they chose a suitable solution, Help Desk Migration, for the migration process. The client particularly benefited from the Demo Migration feature, running it twice: before and after the data cleanup. Thanks to the automated tool, they could perform the transfer over the weekend when their support department was less busy with customer requests. One issue did arise during the process, but the Help Desk Migration team quickly identified and resolved it.
As a result, the migration went smoothly, enabling Assignr to transition from Zendesk to Intercom hassle-free.
Case Study 2: ITSM Data Migration
Wealthsimple, a leading Canadian online investment service, successfully migrated its Zendesk data to Jira Service Management. Like in the Assignr case, the key to their success was incorporating Help Desk Migration as a tech tool and partner in their data migration scope.
The client had a vast knowledge base of completed tickets. Preserving this information was crucial for their operations, and Help Desk Migration made this possible. The client particularly appreciated the flexible mapping feature, which ensured a high-fidelity migration by seamlessly transferring critical metadata.
Wealthsimple also had a strict migration timeline, and Help Desk Migration helped them stay on track by executing the transfer quickly and efficiently. This collaboration made the transition from Zendesk to Jira Service Management smooth and stress-free.
Why Do You Need Data Migration Scope?
A clear data migration scope is key to a smooth transition to new software solutions. As we’ve seen in successful examples like Assignr and Wealthsimple, a well-planned approach not only preserves important data but also boosts overall efficiency. By outlining your objectives and aligning them with your business goals, identifying the necessary data and requirements for its quality, and selecting the right tools—all while engaging stakeholders early, you set yourself up for success.
By following the strategies discussed in this article, you’ll be well-equipped to navigate your data migration project with confidence and unlock the full potential of your new systems. And if your project involves help desk data, Help Desk Migration is at your service.
FAQs on Data Migration Scope
- Storage Migration – Moving data from one storage system to another (like upgrading from HDD to SSD).
- Database Migration – Transferring data between databases, often involving format changes or schema updates.
- Application Migration – Switching from one software application to another, requiring data to be moved and adapted.
- Cloud Migration – Shifting data from on-premise systems to the cloud, or from one cloud environment to another.
Each type comes with its own quirks, but the goal is the same: move your data safely and seamlessly.
- Scope – What data are you moving, and why?
- Inventory – Take stock of your current systems, formats, and dependencies.
- Mapping – Match source fields to target fields.
- Schedule – Set timelines and milestones.
- Testing – Plan a trial run (or three).
- Validation – Define how you’ll check for accuracy.
- Fallback – Have a plan B, just in case.
- Roles – Know who’s doing what.
Keep it clear and actionable—your future self (and your team) will thank you.
- Data migration is a one-time move from one system to another.
- ETL is a continuous process of pulling data from multiple sources, transforming it, and loading it into a destination—usually for analytics or reporting.
So, if you’re switching platforms, that’s data migration. If you’re feeding a data warehouse every night, that’s ETL.
- Preserves data integrity
- Minimizes downtime
- Supports business continuity
- Sets up your team for success on the new platform
At the end of the day, it’s about making the transition as smooth and disruption-free as possible.
- Define your objectives – Why are you migrating, and what’s the expected outcome?
- Audit your data – Clean it up, deduplicate, and categorize.
- Choose your tools – Go manual, use scripts, or partner with a migration service like Help Desk Migration.
- Map your data – Line up your source and target systems.
- Test the migration – Start with a demo run to catch issues early.
- Execute and monitor – Launch the migration, track progress, and troubleshoot as needed.
- Validate and finalize – Check the results, run comparisons, and get sign-off.
Pro tip: Always test before going live.