Migrating to a new ERP system is one of the most delicate, far-reaching projects a business can undertake. It affects finance, supply chain, operations, customer service, reporting, and every workflow in between. A single misstep — such as migrating inaccurate data or skipping a testing cycle — can lead to reporting errors, compliance issues, stalled operations, or expensive downtime.
That’s why a structured and practical ERP migration checklist is critical. Rather than a theoretical overview, this guide delivers concrete actions you can immediately apply. Every step is designed to help you reduce risks, clarify your roadmap, increase data accuracy, and help your team adopt the new ERP with confidence.
Whether you’re moving away from a legacy on-prem ERP, upgrading an outdated system, or transitioning to a modern cloud solution like Dynamics 365 Business Central, this checklist is your blueprint for a successful migration.
ERP migration is the structured process of moving your organization’s data, workflows, configurations, security rules, and users from your current ERP to a new one. This can involve:
An ERP migration involves data transformation, process redesign, change management, testing, and technical cutover. This is why a detailed ERP migration checklist minimizes risk and ensures no critical step is overlooked.
Below is your structured ERP migration checklist, organized into seven phases that follow the natural progression of a real ERP project.
Before any configuration or data work begins, alignment is everything. This phase ensures the migration supports your business strategy rather than simply replacing software.
Clarify whether the purpose is to improve reporting, standardize processes, eliminate manual work, reduce reliance on spreadsheets, or support growth.
The clearer the goal, the better your configuration and data strategy will be.
Leadership must not only approve budgets — they must support the change, communicate its importance, and help unblock decisions when departments disagree.
Instead of copying outdated workflows, design how the business should work.
This future-state blueprint defines:
For example:
This informs your configuration and integration requirements.
Document expected improvements like:
It sets expectations and helps justify the investment.
Clarify early who is accountable for:
Clear ownership avoids last-minute confusion.
An ERP migration checklist must be protected against “just one more thing.”
Every added feature risks delaying the project and adding cost.
This is the longest and most underestimated phase — but it defines the quality of your entire ERP.
Identify everywhere data currently lives:
Legacy ERP, spreadsheets, POS, CRM, WMS, custom software, HR tools, etc.
Different categories require different cleansing rules.
Ex: master data, transactional data, historical records, configuration data.
Examples:
Cleaning here prevents future reporting issues.
Ask:
Do we really need 10 years of history in the new ERP?
Often the answer is no — migrate the minimum necessary.
Each department must own its dataset:
Include source fields, target fields, transformations, and validation rules.
This becomes your technical anchor.
Examples:
Define who approves data modifications and final uploads.
Start with a representative sample — not the full database.
Check totals, record counts, and field formats.
Data quality improves with every cycle — and reduces risk at final cutover.
ERP configuration decisions affect workflows, responsibilities, and reporting.
Define:
Every unnecessary customization adds complexity, risk, and cost long-term.
List systems that must exchange data with the ERP.
Document triggers, frequency, and synchronization logic.
Detail exactly which system is the source of truth for each data type.
Plan based on need-to-know access, compliance requirements, and segregation of duties.
For example:
Posting an invoice, receiving inventory, or creating a journal entry.
Include audit trails, approval flows, and role permissions.
Testing is the backbone of a reliable ERP migration checklist — and often the most technically intense stage.
Test scripts must mirror real tasks, not ideal scenarios.
Include edge cases like partial shipments, returns, or expired inventory.
Validate each system function individually.
Example: posting a journal without errors.
Combine steps across departments.
Ex: Order → Picking → Shipping → Invoicing → Payment.
Ensure:
Each mock migration should improve speed and accuracy.
Classify them as configuration issues, data problems, training issues, or missing requirements.
Only proceed when users confirm processes work as expected.
Include:
Even a perfect migration fails without adoption.
Finance sees financial modules.
Warehouse sees item tracking and inventory.
Sales sees pricing and customer records.
Screenshots, SOPs, videos, checklists.
Super-users become department-level experts and reduce support bottlenecks.
Explain:
Ticketing, chat, shared inbox, weekly support calls.
Go-live is the moment where the ERP migration checklist truly matters.
No new transactions should be entered once cutover begins.
This should follow the exact steps practiced during mock migrations.
Check:
The first week of usage reveals remaining inconsistencies quickly.
A good ERP migration checklist includes activities beyond go-live.
Respond quickly to prevent backlogs.
Compare “before vs after” to evaluate success.
Small improvements often reveal major efficiency gains.
After stabilization, move to automations, advanced modules, analytics, and additional integrations.
Companies today move ERPs primarily because they need:
Legacy systems cannot support modern scalability, multi-entity structures, new regulatory demands, or real-time visibility — making ERP migration both inevitable and strategic.
Gestisoft supports ERP migrations with:
A partner doesn’t just execute — they help prevent the costly errors that occur when businesses attempt migrations alone.