Records Management – what to consider when migrating from a legacy system to Microsoft 365

With the Covid-19 pandemic kickstarting hybrid and remote working practices, it has become increasingly important for businesses to adapt to this new era and establish effective and efficient ways for their employees to conduct their duties remotely. With cloud computing the new standard, and most organisations embarking upon their own digital transformation journeys, records management remains a key area that could be improved for many companies. 

What is Records Management? 

In order to enable legal obligation management and ensure full compliance with relevant government regulations, organisations need to have bulletproof processes in place when it comes to managing sensitive data. Properly labelling, retaining and deleting information is crucial to the successful operation of any business, so it’s imperative that those tasks are completed correctly. Having an “in-place” records management approach is now possible, with many organisations recognising the recent improvements from Microsoft’s SharePoint online. 

Moving on from a legacy RM system to Microsoft 365 can make all the difference for your business and turn an outdated and complicated process into a more seamless, hassle-free experience. When migrating to M365, it’s important to take into account each organisation’s already existing processes and adjust expectations accordingly. After all, no two businesses are the same, so no two migrations will be exactly the same either. Keeping that in mind, however, there are still a few common things to consider when moving forwards with migrating to M365. 

Involve key specialists right from the get-go  

Migrating records management processes from a legacy content management solution is a complex task that requires involvement from multiple stakeholders, in order to ensure all data is transferred correctly and securely. Relocating legacy content and setting up the proper governance frameworks can quickly become a challenging and time-consuming assignment without having the right people engaged in the process right from the start. Familiarising information managers with the Microsoft 365 offering early on will enable them to precisely evaluate all the features included and build a roadmap on implementing each of them to ensure smooth sailing after migration has been completed.  

Ensure there is collaboration between the different teams within your business 

Purchasing and installing technology is only a small part of a migration – preparing a concise plan of action and following it through plays a much more significant role when stiving to achieve successful implementation. Working collaboratively with different departments can help ensure a consistent and elaborate approach that takes into account each team’s specific needs and requirements. Furthermore, by working on a migration project as a collective, you can easily identify areas that would need extra attention when you reach the adoption stage of your digital transformation journey. 

Audit and dispose of unnecessary information 

As your business grows and evolves throughout the years, so does the amount of data you’re storing. When looking to migrate to M365, it’s a good idea to use that time as an additional incentive to clear out all the unnecessary information retained within your organisation. Performing an audit and disposing of all the records you no longer need can help you optimise efficiencies and avoid spending added time sorting out irrelevant and outdated files.  

Records management migration from a legacy solution to Microsoft 365 can initially seem like a complex and daunting undertaking, but luckily you don’t have to go down that route alone – get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your records management needs and how we can support you in achieving your desired digital transformation. 

Get in touch with our friendly team now:

The CompanyNet Team

The CompanyNet team has more than 20 years’ experience of creating Microsoft digital workplaces that really work.

We’re a tight-knit team that delivers results for customers including Scottish Water, Mencap, the Student Loans Company, Walt Disney, Tesco Bank, the Scottish Housing Regulator and many more.

We’re always keen to discuss whether we can help you get more out of Office 365.

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