5 Ways to Cure Your Database Merge Anxieties

A data merge or migration from ConnectWise is no small feat. It requires time, attention, and data sensitivity.

Gearing up for one? Here’s what you can do beforehand to prepare your database and systems so the process goes as smoothly as possible.

1. Do a Pre-Merge Database Clean-Up

Databases naturally accumulate debris. Options go obsolete, for example. But during a database merge, every option from the source database needs to be accounted for. And if your source database is clean of all the extra data, then there will be less that has to be mapped to the destination database. And in this case, less is more. The merge process itself will be easier the smaller the amount of source data that is involved.

2. Consider Your Portal

Are one or both of the databases you’re merging using the portal? If they both are, think about how you want the portal to work once the database is merged. There are certain limitations to what CW allows, so having an idea ahead of time means that you will be prepared to implement those functionalities.

3. Figure Out How Company Structure Will Look Post-Merge

The Company Structure in CW is a central part of the system. These locations influence invoicing and user access rights, among other things. Do you know how you want that structure to look after the merge? Here are a few of the options you have:

• Add the new structure into the old tree
• Merge the structure nodes from the new tree into the nodes of the old tree
• Perform a mixture of the above

4. Check Server Requirements

You need to know how much data will be in the destination database once the merge is complete. That means the number of users, tickets, and companies. Have a DBA check the initial size of both databases. And make sure your hardware will be able to support the newly merged database. You may need to beef up your current server, or even transition from all-in-one to a split system.

5. Decide Who’s In Charge of What

The engineers and team members on both sides need to be well informed about the scope of the database merge process. It needs to be clear exactly who will be responsible for what. For example, who knows the business practices on the incoming side? They will need to be available to help with the mapping part of the project. Also, who owns the DNS of the incoming company? That person will need to be part of the process.

Feeling overwhelmed by an impending data merge? Here’s how NexNow can help complete your project safely and efficiently.

Want to do more?

Do you want to do more of your own ConnectWise reporting in Report Writer, Power BI, or another reporting tool? Contact us for one-on-one help or connect with us on the ConnectWise subreddit or the ConnectWise University Forums.