Preparing Your Spreadsheets and Records for the Move

Find the files people actually use

• Current working recordsThe sheets staff use for open jobs, customer details, stock and upcoming work.
• Useful supporting informationPrice lists, reference tables and older documents needed to explain or continue those records.

Ask each team which files they update and which they only read. A file called Final may not be the current version, so confirm it with the person responsible for the work.

Record who looks after each file and whether it links to another workbook. Include attachments or folders that hold documents connected to the rows.

Explain what one row represents

A row might represent a customer, a job or one item on a job. Decide how the replacement will recognize that record and connect it to related information.

Add clear column names and explain any shorthand. Identify units, dates, customer references and the difference between blank, zero and not applicable.

If a cell contains several things, such as an address and delivery instructions, ask how those details should be separated. Avoid changing the structure until the person arranging the import confirms what is needed.

Review duplicates without losing useful history

Several rows with the same customer name are not necessarily duplicates. They might describe different sites, contacts or jobs. Compare the reference numbers and related work before combining anything.

Agree which record to use when details conflict. Keep a note of changes made during preparation so staff can understand how the new record relates to the old one.

Mark information that needs a decision rather than guessing. An unknown delivery date or missing customer reference should remain visible for someone to resolve.

Check formulas, formatting and reference numbers

A file export may preserve the displayed value without preserving the formula, colour or comment that explains it. Ask which of those details need to become records or rules in the new system.

Check dates, decimal values and reference numbers in a sample export. A reference that starts with a zero needs to remain the same reference after import.

Use the article on spreadsheet formulas and staff knowledge to document calculations separately from the records being moved.

Try a small import before preparing everything

Select ordinary records and a few awkward examples: a customer with two sites, an unfinished job or a record with an attached drawing. Ask staff to find and use them in the replacement.

Compare the details and relationships, as well as the number of records. Check that the right customer owns each job and that amounts and quantities still mean the same thing.

Use what you learn to agree on the remaining preparation. Keep exports in an agreed secure place and share them only with people who need them for the move.

Keep track of changes while you prepare

The live workbook may keep changing while someone prepares an import copy. Decide how later bookings, corrections and completed jobs will be brought across.

Choose a time for the final transfer and tell staff where to record work during it. Keep the original files available for reference until the move has been checked.

The guide to keeping records when changing software covers backups, historical access and checking the final transfer in more detail.

Your next step

Choose the current working file, identify the person who understands it and prepare a small sample with an explanation of its columns. Confirm that the sample works in the replacement before cleaning or rearranging the full collection.