Data Migration Services

A new system implementation requires high-quality data to function effectively. That is why we at mhance consider Data Migration as a key component of any successful project.

Data Migration involves understanding the client’s current and future solutions, as well as their data quality and transfer needs. We aim to minimise the client’s workload by providing guidance and support on data cleansing and migration strategies.

Data Migration is not a standalone activity, but rather a coordinated effort that aligns with the configuration of the client’s new system. We follow a standardised methodology that leverages cross-project expertise and regular reviews to ensure timely and accurate data delivery.

Data Migration is a repetitive process that handles large amounts of complex data in each cycle. We use state-of-the-art Azure-based technologies to offer a fast, flexible and customisable service that can meet specific client requirements.

We can offer a range of options in terms of accessing source data, including:

• Direct Access of the existing data model
• Provision of a range of import templates, which can be populated by the customer’s Data Team – this approach can be particularly useful when importing to D365 Business Central using its in-built Configuration Packages

Whilst we can support direct integration from source to destination, we often recommend the use of a Staging Database to provide a more loosely coupled approach. This has some key advantages:

• The extraction of data from the Source can be undertaken without any knowledge of the specifics of the Destination Schema or API – this separation can greatly simplify project resourcing
• Pre-validation can be implemented upon the Staging Database, greatly reducing the likelihood of failures when loading data to the Destination Application. This is especially important when migrating to a Cloud application (such as D365), as typically it is the load of data via the Destination Application’s API that accounts for the bulk of the processing time. It also means that corrected data can quickly be reloaded to the Staging Database, without first having to unload data from the Destination Application.

We have developed an Integration Framework to greatly enhance this process – the Framework incorporates key entities such as Contact, Account, Opportunity, Campaign etc. This framework has been further enhanced for the non-profit sector, by catering for entities/relationships of specific interest to charities, thereby supporting large-scale migrations of data to Microsoft’s Cloud for Non-Profit (MC4N) in addition to our own NfP 365 Enterprise product:

• The Integration Framework’s product-agnostic schema is designed to simplify the population of data from disparate sources, relying on basic types, nullable fields and devoid of referential integrity constraints
• As data is pre-validated within our Integration Framework (including referential integrity checks to incoming, pre-requisite source values, destination reference values and permitted destination data combinations), failures when loading to Dynamics 365 are all but eliminated
• As our Integration Framework is developed within SQL Server, its validation and processing routines are highly performant
• Our Integration Framework comes pre-equipped with a suite of sophisticated transformation processes that map validated data to the applicable destination schemas within Dynamics 365 CRM
• Similarly, the pre-built suite of KingswaySoft (KWS) routines ensures a seamless integration of data from staging to destination

Whilst our Integration Framework presents a pre-built offering, it is easily extended and adapted as part of a Data Migration project to incorporate entities beyond its current scope, in addition to taking account of specific customisations and configurations applicable to the customer’s Dynamics 365 implementation.