Lessons learned from a Salesforce to Dynamics CRM Online migration gone (nearly) wrong

When something unexpected and perhaps troubling arises on an enterprise software project, project managers and other stakeholders may be tempted to understimate or ignore the issue. Such problems often lead to teams grinding through the issue, even if it means adding resources and working late nights and long weekends. And once it is done, some people would prefer to never speak of it again.

But Travis Hargett, president of Microsoft Dynamics partner Eastridge Technology, took another approach on a recent project that turned painful - in this case, a migration from Salesforce.com to Dynamics CRM Online. Rather than brush it under the rug, he decided to share his experience and the lessons learned.

Perhaps the most important lesson from a solution provider's perspective is to identify the red flags that tend to go up early in an engagement. And don't let the drive to win the deal cloud your judgment about the quality of the opportunity.

Now that project has concluded (successfully), Hargett writes that he has had some time to reflect on just what happened to throw the migration into such a state of disarray. And he's sharing the lessons he learned to help you avoid a similar situation.

Here are the four themes he identifies (he expands on each one in the original post):

1. "I need help now, but I'll answer your question in two weeks." Hargett says that the original RFP for the project emphasized the need for the vendors to move quickly because the client had a hard launch date in six month. Alarmingly, the engagement was filled with ...