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How do I import my old data into a new system?

Updated October 12, 2026

The short answer

Move your old data in four stages: clean the file first so it has one header row and one kind of data per column; make dates, numbers and phone numbers consistent; test the import on a small copy of the file; then import everything and compare the row count and totals with the original. Keep the original file untouched and never edit it.

People also ask this as
  • how to import old data into a new system
  • migrate data from Excel to software
  • clean an Excel file before import
  • move customer data from a spreadsheet

The import steps

  1. 1
    Make a copy and work on it

    Leave the original file alone; it is your reference if something goes wrong.

  2. 2
    One header row

    Remove decorative titles, merged cells and the totals rows at the bottom of the table.

  3. 3
    Make formats consistent

    All dates in one order, numbers with no text beside them, phone numbers in one format.

  4. 4
    Remove duplicates

    The same customer typed three ways becomes three customers in the system.

  5. 5
    Test on a sample

    Import twenty rows and review them in the screens before importing thousands.

  6. 6
    Import and compare

    Match the row count and the sum of the amounts against the original file.

The most common problems

  • A date read with the day and month swapped.
  • Numbers stored as text, so they do not add up.
  • Trailing spaces that make 'Ahmed' and 'Ahmed ' two people.
  • One column holding two facts, such as a name and a phone number together.
  • Empty cells in a field that should be required.

Do and don't

Don't
  • Import everything on the first attempt
  • Move very old data nobody needs
  • Edit the only original file
Do
  • A small sample first, then the rest
  • Move what is actually used and archive the remainder
  • A backup before every step

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