Changing Property Management Software: Move That Data!

Published on June 29th, 2011
By


Migrating your property management business data from one system to another can be a stressful experience for a business owner.

We work really hard to help our customers through this process – we’ve invested resources in both automatic migration from the old software to AppFolio, lots of training and a dedicated Implementation Manager, too.

Tips for Success

To help you ensure the best possible data migration experience please consider the following best practices.

Ensure Data is as Clean as Possible Before Starting
One of the biggest drivers of migration delays and frustration is the quality of the data. Since the end goal is to have clean data to serve as the foundation for all transactions going forward the migration will most likely involve several rounds of exporting, cleaning, reimporting and validating. It’s great to take the time in advance to ensure your data is as accurate as possible before the initial import.

Set Aside Time and Resources
Ensuring you have extra resources and dedicated time set aside will help reduce feelings of stress and pressure during the migration.

Attend Training
Most of the focus of a data migration is on getting the data input correctly, but don’t forget to attend training as well! Getting the data imported but not knowing how to use the new system leaves you in a lurch when it comes time to start using the new system and can cause a great deal of stress and frustration right when you need to be working smoothly.

Practice With The New System
Once you attend training, be sure to set aside a little additional time to practice using the new system – it will pay off.

Hope these tips help you as you move forward with your new AppFolio software!

Author

Related Content

Previous post

Acquiring New Business with an iPad

Next post

How Would You Use an iPad – Staff Favorites

Contributor

Aimee was Chief Marketing Officer for AppFolio from 2009-2022. Aimee led the marketing strategy and programs that drives awareness, demand, and customer engagement for AppFolio. Aimee joined the AppFolio team in 2009 as the Vice President of Marketing for AppFolio. Prior to AppFolio, she was the Sr. Director of Field Marketing at Citrix Online (merged with LogMeIn, Inc.), leading the planning and implementation of all corporate demand generation activities for the global sales organization. At Citrix Online, she also served as Director of Key Account Management, where she created the customized marketing and management program for strategic customers. Previously, Aimee also held marketing and product management roles at Digital Island (purchased by Cable and Wireless) throughout the company's high-growth years. Aimee received a B.S. in Psychology from the University of California, Berkeley. She is a California native and enjoys spending time outside in the beautiful Santa Barbara climate.

Posts by Aimee Miller

4 comments

  1. Action Properties

    —

    Using the new system has provided more efficiency and organization to our office.The Migration was painless and we are so excited every time they release a new feature!
    Way to Go Appfolio!

  2. Tony Sena

    —

    I think most property managers don’t move to a new property management software product even if it’s better than what they are using due to the fear of losing their data. Obviously all data can be backed up but there is no guarantee that all data can be moved from one software system to the next. It’s this unknown that prevents them from making their business run so much smoother by having the right property management software.

  3. Todd Smith

    —

    Hello Action Properties! Thank you for the feedback :-). Very glad to hear you are receiving efficiency benefits from AppFolio. We have put substantial and specific efforts towards making the migration process as easy as possible. We know how difficult it can be as you continue to run your business, while migrating data, while learning a new system so want to do all we can to help make it clear and easy. Glad it went well for you! Best, Todd

  4. Todd Smith

    —

    Hello Tony! I think you hit is exactly. Fear is one of the greatest challenges to taking on any change. Even knowing that change can bring improvements, it is still frightening to consider. Even without the fear of losing data there is the fear of the effort and additional work to get through the change process. AppFolio does everything possible to make the process clear and easy to follow and have outlined a process to guide the implementations that ensure everyone is informed of the process and knows what is going on with their data. They always have full review and of course final sign off as well. I believe the the benefits of facing their fears and making the change to a more effective system can make huge increases in efficiency, time savings, money savings, and hopefully a better quality of work life for everyone!

Comments are closed.