Guide

# How to Get Your Data Out of Old Software Before You Switch

Switching your CRM, point of sale, practice management or ecommerce platform? Here is how to export everything you need, avoid lock-in and move it cleanly into the new system.

By the Wisconsin Tech Shop team · Updated October 31, 2026

**Short answer:** Export more than you think you need, before you cancel anything. Get every table in a standard format, plus files and attachments and the links between records, then test an import into the new system before you switch.

## What to export

- Customers, contacts and companies, with their IDs.
- Orders, invoices, payments and history.
- Products, prices and inventory.
- Notes, emails and attachments.
- Users, settings, templates and automations (screenshots help).

## How to get it out

- Look for built-in exports (CSV or Excel) in the settings or reports area.
- Check for an API. It often reaches data the exports leave out.
- Ask the vendor for a full database export. Many will provide one, sometimes for a fee.
- Read your contract for data ownership and how long they keep data after you cancel.

## Moving it in

- Map old fields to new ones and decide what to clean up or drop.
- Import a small test batch first and check it with the people who use it.
- Keep the old system read-only for a while after the switch.

We handle [data migrations](https://wisconsintechshop.com/integrations/data-migration-services/) and [ecommerce platform migrations](https://wisconsintechshop.com/ecommerce/ecommerce-migration/) end to end, including redirects so you keep your Google rankings.

## Frequently asked questions

### What if the vendor won’t give us our data?

Start with the export tools and the API; most systems allow more than it first seems. Contracts usually give you rights to your data, and we can often get it out with the access you already have.

### Should we clean data before or after migrating?

Before. Moving duplicates and junk into a new system just recreates the old mess.

## Related services

- [Data Migration Services](https://wisconsintechshop.com/integrations/data-migration-services/): Move customers, orders, products and history from old systems to new ones, cleaned, deduplicated and verified so nothing important is lost. (From $750)
- [Ecommerce Platform Migration](https://wisconsintechshop.com/ecommerce/ecommerce-migration/): Move your store to a new platform with products, customers, orders and SEO intact, and without a day of lost sales. (From $1,750)
- [CRM Setup & Implementation](https://wisconsintechshop.com/crm-marketing/crm-setup/): Get a CRM your team will actually use: set up around your sales process, loaded with your contacts and connected to your website, email and phone. (From $750)
- [API Integration Services](https://wisconsintechshop.com/integrations/api-integration-services/): Connect your business systems through APIs and webhooks so orders, customers, payments and inventory flow automatically between them. (From $750)

## Related quick fixes

- [Your Business Apps Don’t Talk to Each Other](https://wisconsintechshop.com/fix/business-apps-dont-talk-to-each-other/)

[All tech fixes](https://wisconsintechshop.com/fix/)

## Tell us what you need

Get a free, no-pressure quote from a Wisconsin development team. Tell us a little about your business and we'll reply within one business day with next steps, rough pricing and honest advice.

- Big projects and small ones are all welcome
- Fixed-price quotes, no surprise invoices
- You own your code, data and accounts
- A client portal to track progress, invoices and payments
- Rooted in Wisconsin, serving businesses nationwide

---
Source: https://wisconsintechshop.com/guides/get-data-out-of-old-software/
Contact: hello@wisconsintechshop.com · https://wisconsintechshop.com/contact/