Setup checklist: preserve the evidence before changing it
Keep the original export or spreadsheet unchanged, record when it was obtained and identify the person responsible for it. Create a separate working copy for transformations. This simple separation makes it possible to explain whether a missing value came from the source, the preparation step or the import. It is not a complete backup strategy or a guarantee of restoration, but it prevents a common avoidable failure: overwriting the only evidence of the starting state.
Record transformations in plain language
List the changes made to the working copy: standardized dates, split names, excluded rows or corrected obvious formatting. Do not bury important decisions in a long sequence of undocumented spreadsheet edits. When a value is ambiguous, mark it for review rather than inventing a plausible answer. Preserve stable identifiers where available. They are often more useful for reconciliation than the row number, which may change when a file is sorted or filtered.
Keep access proportionate
A source export may contain private relationship information. Store it only in an approved location with appropriate access, and do not distribute it casually for troubleshooting. Use fictional or redacted examples when seeking general assistance. This guide does not prescribe a legal retention period or certify a storage service. Follow the organization’s applicable policies and seek qualified advice where necessary. The operational principle is to preserve useful evidence without creating an uncontrolled second database.
Use the snapshot during reconciliation
After the pilot import, compare a small set of known records with the unchanged source and the transformation notes. If something differs, establish which step caused it before running another batch. Keep the result and the exception decision with the migration record. Do not delete the source merely because the import returned success. Retire it only under an approved retention decision after the team understands what the new system holds and how recovery would work.
Sources used for this page
These records support the facts and comparisons above. Merchant-controlled records are labelled so you can separate product claims from independent evidence.
- Capsule importing contacts — Merchant documentation · capsulecrm.com · Merchant-controlled · checked 2026-09-20
- Capsule exporting and deleting contacts — Merchant documentation · capsulecrm.com · Merchant-controlled · checked 2026-09-20