The Data Migration Planning Guide is a structured framework designed to help customers prepare for a smooth and successful transition of historical data into Bonterra’s CyberGrants platform. This one-time migration process ensures that legacy data is accurately preserved within the platform, allowing for future access, reference, and reporting continuity.
The following outlines critical preparation steps that customers should complete before the migration project begins. Learn about defining goals, assessing data relevance, and understanding where legacy information will integrate into the new system.
Core purpose and structure
Data migration serves the primary purpose of importing historical data from a legacy system into CyberGrants for long-term reference. This process preserves the integrity and accessibility of past records and supports strategic reporting and analysis in the new system.
The full migration process spans five distinct phases across approximately 71 days. Each phase includes clear milestones and deliverables to ensure progress and alignment:
Phase:
|
Outcome:
|
| Pre-Mapping Phase (16 days) | Initial kickoff, tailored template delivery, and receipt of the initial data set. |
| Formal Mapping Phase (16 days) | Data loading into staging tables and joint completion of the Formal Mapping Document. |
| Development Phase (10 days) | Code development and transformation of data from staging into CyberGrants records. |
| Validation Phase (25 days) | Internal QA, customer-led User Acceptance Testing (UAT), and final staging review. |
| Production Phase (9 days) | Final data load into the production environment and post-load verification. |
Key planning considerations
Customers should begin by assessing which legacy data is meaningful and how it maps to the CyberGrants structure. Consider the following when selecting data for migration:
- Timeframe relevance – Does your organization require one year of history or multiple years for ongoing reporting?
- Purpose of use – Will the data support trend analysis or decision-making? If not, consider limiting what’s migrated.
- System compatibility – Evaluate how legacy data aligns with your existing CyberGrants configuration.
- Field limitations – CyberGrants supports a limited number of custom fields: 10 for most data types, 20 for Impact Reports, and 50 for Requests.
- Future relevance – Avoid migrating data that won’t be tracked or used going forward.
The overarching goal is to bring over only what is useful and necessary.
Data format and submission requirements
To begin the process, customers must submit their data in an Excel (.xlsx) file using the CyberGrants Standard Template. This template includes separate tabs for each record type, such as Organization, Contact, Request, and Gift. Each row must have a unique identifier (ID), which is used to maintain proper relationships across tabs.
Examples of data structure requirements include:
- Organization tab – Includes fields like address and tax ID; each record must have a unique ID referenced in other tabs.
- Contact tab – Includes first name, last name, email, and the associated Organization ID to establish linkage.
Additional formatting requirements include:
- Only include columns that contain data—remove empty or placeholder columns.
- Attachments may be submitted via compressed folders using consistent IDs or stored externally (e.g., SharePoint) and referenced using custom fields.
Custom fields that do not align with existing CyberGrants fields may be stored as legacy fields. These are visible to Admin users only and can typically be used in reports.
Formal mapping and development
Once the initial data is received, it is loaded into Scratch tables for analysis. The result is a Formal Mapping Document created collaboratively between the customer and Bonterra. This document defines how each data field will be transformed and integrated into CyberGrants.
Following approval of the Formal Mapping Document, the Development Team builds the code that processes and transforms the data. The result is loaded into the Staging Sandbox for validation.
Data validation and finalization
During the Validation Phase, Bonterra’s QA team verifies that all data has been accurately processed according to the Formal Mapping Document. Once QA is complete, customers conduct User Acceptance Testing (UAT) by reviewing records and confirming data integrity.
Customers must provide sign-off before moving to production.
An optional Final Data Cut can be submitted after UAT. This version must be identical to the Initial Data Cut in structure—same column names, order, and formatting—with the only permitted change being an increase in row count.
Production load and completion
The final phase involves loading the approved data set into the CyberGrants production environment. A joint spot check between the customer and the CyberGrants team ensures the data was loaded successfully.
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