Universal Migration Checklist for Developers

Universal Migration Checklist
 for Developers

Your ultimate DIY migration checklist

Use this step-by-step checklist to keep track of your migration progress and maximize the chances of a successful migration.

Pre-Migration steps

Decide on the platform you want to host your business

Pause your new store from search engine indexing

Find the stores’ access credentials

Audit your current store database

Consider the new store design

Migration itself

Connect your existing & new stores

Select the data entities to migrate

Customize the migration

Map the corresponding fields

Run a Demo migration

Check Demo migration results

Launch the Full migration

Post-Migration steps

Perform a post migration data audit

Check your SEO configurations

Prepare email notifications

Transfer customers’ passwords

Expand the new store

Test your new store

Store migration is quite a complex and challenging experience even
 for high-skilled developers, not to mention do-it-yourselfers. However, with proper planning and the right tools at hand - the time and money
 spendings can be decreased significantly. So, take your time to go through this step-by-step transfer checklist to ensure your eCommerce data migration will be seamless and trouble-free.

Pre-Migration recommendations

No matter what migration method/tool you use, consider the following steps and make the recommended configurations. It will help you minimise any potential risk during the migration.

Languages

Set up the language of your Source store data on the new Target store.

Plugins

If plugin installation is required before data transfer, you’ll be prompted about that on the Migration Wizard.

If you have plugins that affect the eCommerce data performance (especially if it is a change in the structure of the database or API), you should:

contact the Support Team

consider buying a Data Migration Service Package

If you’re not sure whether the Source store plugins are affecting the overall data performance, it is recommended to and check the result. run Demo migration

Hosting

Mi ration speed depends on the web hostin , so hoose the proper hostin plan. eep in mind that

a lot of data requires more external memory on the hosting platform complexity requires more CPU power and more RAM (e.g., Magento).

Make sure the Cart2Cart IPs are added to the white list.

How can I add Cart2Cart IPs to the white list?

Disable the server settin s that may blo k a ess to the brid e or the entire store

It can be, e.g. FireWall.

SAAS

If lar e amounts of data need to be mi rated, onsider buyin a more expensive plan, at least for the time of mi ration. The reason is the API’s a limit on the number of requests per unit of time - whi h means mi ration time depends on the available API limit and an in rease from a few hours to several days and weeks (dependin on the platform).

Migration itself

There’s a lot of information provided on the Cart2Cart Migration Wizard - just pay attention to the instructions (hints) displayed on the right side (hover the mouse over the required field and read the explanation). Also, don’t forget about the FAQs - there, you’ll also find your specific migration-related questions answered.

Account selection step (only for partners)

If you’re partnering with Cart2Cart and want to create a migration for a client, choose a sub-account linked to that partner to proceed with the data transfer.

Stores setup step

Each platform has its own specifics, so depending on your
 Source & Target stores, there are actions that you need to perform:

File-based integration (Volusion, Yahoostore, CSV, etc.)

Store URL - enter the domain UR of the store.

API-based integration (file-based, api-based, etc)

Store URL - enter the domain UR of the store

API access - set up the access using the store admin and enter the required keys in the corresponding fields of the Migration Wizard.

Plugin - install the Cart Cart plugin rom the o icial mar etplace o the plat orm

To start the installation process, just activate the Install Plugin button

The plugin gives you the necessary access details.

ri ge-base integration (WooCoomerce, Magento, PrestaShop, Opencart)

Store URL -  enter the domain U L o the store

Install ri ge - download the bridge iles and upload them to the FTP store

Auto bri ge install - enter the FTP access credentials in the corresponding ields o the FTP orm, and the bridge will be downloaded automatically

A min cre entials - provide the login and password to enter the admin o the store.

Preview

You can run free Demo migration to the Cart2Cart test store just to see how it works

Only demo migration can be per ormed to the test store, not Full

You’re only required to tic the chec box and select the plat orm you want to migrate to. Once the Demo is inished, you’ll be provided with the admin access credentials so that you can see the result o the Demo trans er.

Entities & extra options selection step

Cart2Cart has all the necessary functionality to migrate every possible eСommerce data type and its accompanying attributes across various shopping carts. So, specify the entities you want to transfer by ticking the matching checkboxes or click on the All Entities checkbox to get all the data automatically migrated to the new store.

You’ll see notices about necessary plugins. Their installation is optional but desirable if you need the appropriate entities to be transferred.

Entities that can be migrated via Cart2Cart:

PRODUCT

Cost

Name, SKU, Full Description, Status, Custom Fields(Name, Value), Images in Description, Manufacturer

Price, Special Price

URL, Meta Title, Meta Description

Product Image, Additional Images

Quantity, Manage Stock, Stock Status

Weight

Product Tags, UPC

Product Attributes (Name, Values)

Product Variants (SKU, Weight, Quantity, Images, Additional image).

PRODUCT CATEGORIE

Name, Description, Status

URL, Meta Title, Meta Description

Category Images.

COUPONS

First Name, Last Name, Email, Customer Group, Newsletter

Customer illing Address (First Name, Last Name, Company, Address 1, Address 2, Country, State, City, Zip Code, Telephone)

Customer Shipping Address (First Name, Last Name, Company, Address 1, Address 2, Country, State, City, Zip Code, Telephone).

Order Date, Order Status, Order Products (Final Price, Tax Value, Name, SKU, Option), Custom Order Status, Product Price, Quantity, SubTotal Price, Discount Price, Tax Price, Shipping Price, Total Price, Order Comments, Order Status

History

Customer Name, Email, illing Address (First Name, Last Name, Company, Address 1, Address 2, Country, State, City, Zip Code, Telephone)

Shipping Address (First Name, Last Name, Company, Address 1, Address 2, Country, State, City, Zip Code, Telephone).

Name, Coupon Code, Coupon From Date, Coupon To Date, Uses Per Coupon, Uses Per Customer, Type Discount, Discount Amount, Minimum Spent.

Created Date, Rate, User Name, Comment, Product, Title.

Blo

Title, SEO URL

Meta De cription, Meta Keyword , Meta Title.

Blo PO T

Title, Full De cription, Short De cription, Tag , SEO URL, Author, Blog ID , Comment , Po t Redirect

Meta De cription, Meta Keyword , Meta Title Image .

MULTIPLE LANGUAGE

Ye .

CM PAGE

Title, URL, Meta De cription, Statu , Content Heading.

Cart2Cart offer a li t of additional option that allow you to expand the migration po ibilitie . They make the proce of data tran fer flawle and the re ult accurate.

Before ordering the additional option , you hould note that

Additional options are not obligatory and can be per ormed only upon your request

Additional options are not included in the migration cost and are also charged.

The most popular migration add-ons among store owners include:

1 Preserve Product/Customer/Order IDs on the Target store

This function provides the ability to migrate product/customer/order IDs to a Target store without making changes. For instance, product/customer/order #13 in your Source store will be moved to the Target store as product/customer/order #13.

The option requires ordering another additional option - Clear current data on Target Store before Migration. It helps to ensure accuracy and avoid duplication in case your Target store is not clean and already has some items on it.

2

Delete current data from the Target store before migration

Upon activation, the option deletes the data on your Target store in compliance with the entities selected for automated migration. For example: if you’re migrating “Products” and “Taxes” entities from Source to Target cart, this option will wipe out such entities on your Target store beforehand starting the transfer.

The option is irreversible. It is recommended to back up your store manually, before enabling this action for your store. Simply export data to CSV files and save them on your PC.

3 Create product variants based on the combinations of attribute values

The function allows transforming simple products from the Source store into configurable product variants on the 
 Target store. In other words, the service will migrate attribute combinations as child (item) products based on size, color, material, quality, memory, etc.

301 redirects

4 Create on your Target store after migration

This additional option automatically creates 301 redirects from your Source Store’s URLs to the corresponding ones in your new store during the migration. As a result, you can maintain your SEO ranking and customer experience after the migration is over.

5

Migrate categories and products SEO URLs

If activated, the function preserves the store products and categories URLs while migrating from your current store to the new platform. Moreover, it facilitates the post-migration store management process and saves product search engine rankings.

301 redirects

6 Migrate customers’ passwords

The option helps to transfer customer passwords to the Target store automatically. By choosing the option, you will save your clients' time and deprive them of the password-recovery hassle.

7 Migrate Source store categories into Shopify Automated Collections

This guarantees that your product categories will be transferred to automated collections, the products will receive tags, and will be arranged to the corresponding collections with all the relations between subcategories of the Source store preserved.

8 Migrate Source store customer groups into customer tags

The function makes it possible to migrate the customer groups from your current store into customer tags of the new Shopify store.

9 Migrate short & full descriptions

This transfers both short and full descriptions into the same description field.

10 Migrate images from product descriptions, category descriptions, and blog post descriptions

It allows migrating images contained in product descriptions and category descriptions from your Source cart to a Target cart alongside other data.

11 Migrate product SKUs

This helps you transfer your products’ SKUs to the Target store.

12 Migrate invoices, credit memos, and shipments to the Target store

This option allows transferring invoices, credit memos, and shipments along with carriers to Target Store.

Fields mapping step

Connect the data fields from your current store to the respective data fields in the new store. Doing this minimises the potential for errors and standardises your data, making it easier to understand it by correlating it with identities - for instance. Mostly, the following opions are available for mapping:

Order statuses

If the Orders entity is selected.

Customer groups

If the Customers entity is selected.

Stores

If there is a Multistore entity in your Source or Target stores.

Demo migration step

While it is possible to skip the Demo, we strongly recommend against it.

A Demo is simply a demonstration of the service in action aimed at showing users the basic functionality of the migration tool. You can set up the service, see how it works with a limited number of items, and make sure it is suitable for your needs. It is essentially a “minimised” trial version of the Full data migration.

Demo migration can be utilised an unlimited number of times until you’re satisfied with the outcome (it’s free).

The process takes 10 to 30 minutes and allows you to transfer up to 10 products, customers, orders, and other data related to them. Once you migrate the specified data, you will get an email notification with a link to your new cart.

If you want to preserve the store configurations integrated while in Demo mode, you can transfer them during the Full migration phase.

Don’t close your browser window when the Demo migration is in progress. You can minimise your browser window if you need to work on something else while the Demo migration completes.

If the Demo has been completed, you’ll see the following information displayed on your Migration Wizard:

Details about the transferred entities, with links to your current and new stores.

Entity counts and additional options list.

Total migration price.

At this point, you can also choose the Migration Insurance plan. There are with different prices and different conditions for remigration. The "No insurance" option is also offered. three types of Insurance,

Cart2Cart

Support

Team,

If you are happy with the outcome, you can proceed with the Full migration. If the Demo helped you detect some issues, contact the and we will help you fix them before starting the Full migration.

How to check demo migration results

nce y ur free Dem migrati n is finalised, y u will receive an email alert. T check the results n y ur new st re, g back t the Migrati n Wizard and f ll w the listed URLs t see what they l k like n the new st re

On the front age of the sho (if the migrate entity is to be is laye there)

In the categories that were move , an In the search results by title.

When d ne, l g in t the admin panel f the new st re and check ut h w y ur entities are displayed fr m the backend.

nce y u’re satisfied with the utc me, y u can pr ceed with the Full migrati n. If the Dem flagged s me issues, c ntact the t get everything res lved bef re embarking n the Full migrati n.

Cart2Cart Support Team

Support team

Full migration step

Once you initiate the data migration transfer, you’ll first need to fund your account balance and then finish the data migration to your new store. Keep in mind that you only pay for the data you transfer — you won’t be charged any additional fees.

The Migration details section shows a variety of migration information. You can also choose the ,  , or services at this step by clicking the matching buttons. Note that the Smart Update option is available for partners only.

Post-Migration suggestions

Even if you’ve gone through the migration procedure seamlessly and everything appears to be error-free, take the time to check whether all the data has been accurately imported to the new platform. Check each transferred entity, taking into account the data of the entity itself (e.g., in products: name, descriptions, prices, discounts, etc.) and links to categories, brands, reviews, etc.

We recommend comparing the fields of each particular entity on the admin side of the current and new stores.

Bottom line

The Universal Migration Checklist covers all the critical points to keep in mind when migrating to across various shopping carts. If any additional questions arise during the migration process, do not hesitate to We’ll be more than happy to help. contact us.