Data migration: definition and role in PIM

In PIM practice, data migration starts with profiling source data and mapping it to the new data model. It continues with cleansing duplicates and errors, loading in test rounds and reconciling results. Sources include ERP, spreadsheets, an old PIM, webshops and supplier files.

Illustrative example: a manufacturer migrates 20,000 products from spreadsheets and an old PIM. Three test loads reveal duplicate SKUs, inconsistent units and missing translations, which owners fix before the final load.

In a selection, buyers often underestimate migration. A data model defined before selection makes mapping faster, and data quality baselines show the cleansing effort. Buyers should ask vendors and partners for migration tooling, test load cycles and who owns cleansing decisions. Migration is also the moment to retire attributes nobody uses, which keeps the new data model lean from day one.