Moving a spreadsheet into a CRM does not automatically make the information useful. Duplicate contacts, unexplained columns and old notes can move with it.
Preparation is easier when you decide what the new system needs to support before importing everything. Start with the current customer work, then organise the records needed to do it well.
List your existing sources
Identify the spreadsheets, address books and business systems that hold customer information. Note who maintains each one and which is treated as the most reliable source for names, contact details and current status.
Keep an untouched copy of the original export. Work on a separate preparation file and record the changes you make. This gives you a way to check decisions and correct a mapping mistake without guessing what the source contained.
Define the fields you actually need
Create a simple field map: the source column, the destination field and any rule for conversion. For example, a column called “Area” might mean a geographical region in one file and a sales territory in another. Resolve that before combining them.
- Names: distinguish a person from their company.
- Contact details: keep email, telephone and address fields separate.
- Relationships: explain how a person is linked to a company or another record.
- Status: agree what customer, prospect or inactive means.
- History: retain useful context without importing irrelevant commentary.
Review duplicates carefully
Matching email addresses can help identify possible duplicates, but a shared address may belong to several people. Similar company names are also not enough to prove two records are the same.
Use a review list for uncertain matches. Agree which values should survive a confirmed merge and how related notes or transactions are handled. Avoid deleting records simply because a spreadsheet formula labels them a duplicate.
Keep communication preferences meaningful
Do not convert every imported contact into a newsletter subscriber. Preserve the available record of communication preferences, where it came from and what it relates to. A blank field should not silently become permission to market.
If you are unsure how a historic list was collected or what it can be used for, resolve that before using it for a campaign. Keep the data migration and the decision to send marketing as separate tasks.
Test a small, varied sample
Include more than just perfect records in the trial: a company with several contacts, a shared email address, an inactive customer and a record with missing information. Check that searches, permissions and everyday workflows behave as expected.
Compare source and imported totals, inspect individual records and ask the people who will use the system to try their normal tasks. Keep a list of rejected rows and corrections before running a larger import.
A simple readiness checklist
You should be able to identify the source owner, explain each field, describe the duplicate rules, preserve relevant preferences and show the results of a trial import. If any of those are unclear, more preparation is likely to be useful.
See our CRM introduction for deciding what the system needs to do.
Plan your customer-data move
Capitan can discuss the structure of your customer records and the workflows they need to support. Bring a description of the sources and fields you use; we can scope migration and setup help around your needs.
Talk to Capitan about your CRM setup or explore the Capitan platform.