7 Keys to Simplify Your Data Conversion

7 Keys to Simplify Your Data Conversion

July 9, 2014

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About WebLink• SaaS company (Software as a Service), leading software

provider to business associations and chambers of commerce• Established in 1996, 60 employees, based in Indianapolis, IN• 94% customer retention rate

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About WebLink• Association Management

Software• Website Design & Develop

ment• Non-Dues Revenue Progra

ms• Partner in Your Success

Instant Commerce • iPad app for mobile commerce• Integrated credit card reader• New member sales• Event registrations• Pay open invoices

WebLink Blog

Why Data Conversion?• Your current solution may:

• Be expensive• Be hard to use• Lack reporting• Lack features and upgrades• Not offer flexibility and configurability • Not integrate your website, membership data, events, email marketing,

and financials into a seamless, centralized database

Rather than rekey all of your data, data conversion provides a way to more easily move data from one format to another.

Your association database is the single most important asset your organization owns.

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About Me

Aaron BeymerData Conversion

SpecialistWebLink International

• Graduate of Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems

• Over 10 years of experience working with relational databases, specializing in Microsoft SQL Server

• 14 years of professional experience in the IT industry

• Employed by WebLink International as a Data Specialist since 2012

• Avid enthusiast of cars, technology, and bicycling

• Resided in downtown Carmel, Indiana since 2010

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Session Agenda: 7 Keys to Simplify Your Data Conversion

1. Get Familiar2. Establish Buy-In3. Understand Your Needs, Role and Time

Commitment4. Avoid Complexities and Pitfalls5. Prioritize6. Know When It’s Time to Move On7. Prepare for the Future

Get Familiar

How Do Computer Programmed Data Conversions Work?

They’re Fast

But the Conversion Can Only Be As Good as The Data

Create a Timeline• Include the following:

• Identification of staff involvement

• Searching for vendors• Watching demos• Board approval• Contract signed• Data provided to vendor• Process documentation• Testing• Live date• Training

Establish Buy-In

Executive-Level• Come prepared• Share cost/time saving

analysis• Give realistic resource

and timeline requirements• Share high level

processes and reporting available with the new system

Staff• Set expectations• Be transparent• Remind them of the

benefits• Change is never easy, but

it will make their job easier in the long run• It’s a team effort!

Understand Your Needs, Role and Time Commitment

Ask Yourself Key Questions• How do you use your current

database?• What are you looking to

accomplish with a new solution?• Do you understand how data

conversion works?• Do you have realistic expectations

for the time, resources and commitment required for making a change successful?

Once You’re Ready to Pick a New Vendor• Pick an internal task

force• A representative from

each department should be involved

• The task force will need to:• Create a list of

requirements• Sit in on demos• Evaluate and analyze

each system

During the Conversion

• Pick a project manager• One point person for gathering

data• Be available as questions arise

After the Conversion• Additional setup• Manual entry• TRAINING• Data integrity is an ongoing process and

requires buy-in from all staff

Avoid Complexities and Pitfalls

Limit to One Data Source

Provide Process Documentation

Avoid Inconsistencies

Prioritize

Know Where to Start

Leave Some Behind

Historical Records

Know When It’s Time to Move On

Run 2 Systems in Parallel• Ease into new processes• Give staff time to learn and train• Work around big events and

campaigns

Or, Rip Off the Band-Aid• Is there ever a “good

time” to make the official switch?• Pick a day, and stick to it• No confusion over

whether or not processes have changed• No period of time to

enter data into multiple systems.

Prepare for the Future

Your Data Will Probably Never Be Perfect (But You Should Try)• Address any adjustments that

need to be made immediately after the conversion• Your technology partner

should help you fix any major concerns• Maintenance and following of

processes ensures clean data• Don’t fall back on old, bad

habits• Utilize ONLY ONE data

platform

Teach New Staff• As you hire new people, they will have to

be trained• Create a process for getting new people

up to speed• Documentation of processes is key• Share what the data is used for so staff

understand the importance

Grow with Your System• Stay up-to-date on system

enhancements• As organizations grow, so do

processes and rules; but document your changes

Bonus: Questions to Ask AMS Providers

When evaluating, consider asking the following questions

• How many data conversions has the vendor successfully implemented?

• How many years’ industry experience do the vendor’s data developers possess?

• What business rule or logic discovery questions are asked prior to starting each new data conversion project?

• Assuming you are using a widely-available system, has the vendor completed data conversions from your specific source system and version before? If so, how many?

• What data validation steps are built into the data conversion process to eliminate errors or bugs in the new system? • What steps does the vendor

take to identify and mitigate duplication of data records?• If data inconsistencies or

exceptions are encountered, what is the vendor’s process for moving forward to address each issue?

Coming Up: 3 Questions

WebLink Recap: An Integrated Solution

• ONE web-based centralized database

• Prospects, members, non-members and all reps in same system

• Financials, events, email, committees, website, reporting

CMS Select• Simple to drag and drop

content

• Responsive website design

• Automatically adjusts for any screen

• Fully integrated database and website

3 Questions

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