Introduction
When transitioning from SOS to Matters.Cloud, it's essential to understand which types of data can be migrated to ensure a smooth and successful transfer. This knowledge base article outlines the various data categories that can be moved from SOS to Matters.Cloud, helping you plan your migration effectively.
In this guide, we'll cover key data types that can be migrated, including matters, clients, documents, and financial records. We'll also provide insights into the migration process and best practices to ensure a seamless transition. Whether you're a legal professional or an IT specialist, this article will equip you with the information you need to migrate your data confidently.
Let's start by exploring the types of data that can be moved from SOS to Matters.Cloud, along with considerations to keep in mind during the migration process.
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Before attempting to migrate data into Matters.Cloud you should ensure that it is consistently formatted and backed up.
Types Of Data
The following types of data are typically exportable from SOS and importable into Matters.Cloud. These categories represent the core information that forms the backbone of your legal practice, allowing you to maintain continuity during your migration:
- Clients: Information about your clients, including names, contact details, and associated data.
- Contacts: Additional contacts linked to your matters or clients, such as witnesses, experts, or opposing counsel.
- Organizations: Data on firms, companies, or institutions involved in your matters.
- Matters: All existing cases or legal issues, along with related information.
- Matter Types: The classification or categorization of your matters, allowing for better organization.
- Relationship Types: The types of relationships among clients, contacts, and organizations within your legal practice.
- Time Entries: Records of billable hours and related data.
- Expenses: Documented costs incurred during legal work.
- Invoices: Billing records generated for your clients.
- Invoice Payments: Payment transactions associated with your invoices.
- Trust/Client Account Transactions: Records of funds held in trust for clients or other parties.
These data categories are central to your legal operations, and migrating them from SOS to Matters.Cloud ensures your practice remains efficient and organized during the transition.
Opening Balances vs Transaction History: When Approach To Choose?
An opening balances migration approach involves transferring only the final balances for key accounts or matters, without detailed transaction history. This method has pros and cons compared to migrating full transaction history.
Pros:
- Faster Migration: By focusing on opening balances, this approach reduces the amount of data to be transferred, leading to a quicker migration process.
- Less Complexity: It eliminates the need to resolve potential discrepancies in historical data, simplifying the migration.
- Cost-Effective: Fewer data transfer requirements often mean lower migration costs, both in terms of time and resources.
- Improved Focus: This approach allows you to concentrate on current and future operations without getting bogged down by past transactions.
Cons:
- Limited Historical Context: Without full transaction history, you lose the ability to review or audit past financial activities or case details.
- Reduced Traceability: It's harder to trace the origins of balances or understand the complete history of matters and accounts.
- Impact on Reporting: Some reports or analyses might require detailed historical data, limiting the scope of insights you can generate from the system.
- Challenges in Client Communication: Clients or auditors may request historical data for verification or compliance purposes, which would require maintaining separate records.
Choosing between these approaches depends on your specific needs, budget, and the importance of maintaining detailed historical records. While opening balances are simpler and more cost-effective, a full transaction history provides a comprehensive view of your legal practice's operations.