Moving from Excel to an ERP: prepare your data before importing

Migration starts by choosing which file is authoritative. If two spreadsheets assign different prices to the same product, importing both only moves the disagreement.

Choose master records

Select a source for products, customers and suppliers. Assign stable identifiers. Check duplicates, variants, units and required fields. Similar names do not always identify the same product.

Separate records from movements

A catalog describes products; a balance states how many exist at a cutoff; history explains the balance. Understand the destination format before mixing them.

Import a representative sample

Include a simple product, variants, an incomplete record and a product purchased by case but sold by unit. Check search, sales and reporting. A few diverse rows can expose more problems than many identical ones.

Set a cutoff

Agree when spreadsheet updates stop and new-system recording starts. If both remain active, appoint someone to reconcile movements. Preserve a dated source copy with restricted access.

Reconcile before launch

• Compare record counts and duplicates.
• Check stock per location.
• Confirm prices and units.
• Verify outstanding balances in scope.
• Record rejected rows and corrections.

Prepare recovery

Define the conditions for stopping the pilot and how to recover movements created after cutoff. A spreadsheet backup alone does not capture new work.

Use the modular ERP evaluation guide to decide what belongs in the first phase.