BI Tool Migration 101: How to Prepare for a Smooth Transition

For many organizations, the decision to migrate from a legacy BI platform—like SAP BusinessObjects or IBM Cognos—is no longer a question of if, but when.  

Vendor support? Fading. Performance? Degrading.  
User expectations are evolving fast, and outdated platforms are no longer compliant. 

But while the pressure to modernize is real, rushing into migration without proper preparation is a costly mistake. A failed or stalled migration doesn’t just delay value—it erodes trust across the business. 

Here’s how to plan your migration the right way—from pre-work to pilot, to full-scale rollout. 

1. Start with a Strategic Mindset

Migration isn’t just a technical lift-and-shift. It’s a chance to rethink how your organization delivers insights, governs data, and supports decision-making. 

Instead of simply “rebuilding what we had,” consider what you want your future BI environment to look like: 

• Do users need more self-service? 

• Are mobile dashboards a priority? 

• Should you embed analytics into other apps? 

• Do you need to support governed AI workflows? 

Your migration plan should reflect not only where you are, but also where you're trying to go. 

2. Run a Full Inventory and Audit

Before anything moves, take stock of what exists. 

Create an inventory of: 

• Reports and dashboards 

• Data sources and connections 

• ETL pipelines and scripts 

• Business logic (filters, calculations, joins) 

• User roles and access permissions 
   

Then categorize each item: 

• Must-Migrate: Critical for operations or compliance 

• Modernize: Valuable, but needs performance or UX improvements 

• Retire: Outdated, unused, or redundant assets 
   

This step helps reduce unnecessary effort and ensures your new environment is leaner, faster, and easier to maintain. 

“Not everything deserves a second life. Use this moment to rethink what’s worth replicating.”

Przemysław Życzkowski, Senior Consultant at Strategy

3. Design for Continuity—Not Chaos

A smooth migration is one where users barely feel the shift, because everything just works. That kind of continuity doesn’t happen by accident. 

Plan for: 

• Backups (not just data, scripts, logic, and configurations too) 

• Staging environments for testing and validation 

• Dual-run periods where legacy and new platforms operate in parallel 

• Rollback strategies in case of technical issues 
   

These safeguards reduce risk and build confidence. 

4. Clean Your Data Early

Data is the lifeblood of any BI system, and bad data is the fastest way to lose user trust. 
Audit your data for: 

• Inconsistencies and duplication 

• Missing metadata or lineage 

• Ambiguous field names or undocumented transformations 
   

Next, map your documents and set transformation rules. Align your business definitions across departments and build your semantic layer before you start building reports. 

Modern tools like Strategy One help by decoupling logic from the visual layer, so your data definitions can be reused across dashboards, apps, and AI workflows. 

5. Secure Buy-In and Assign Clear Roles

Migration requires collaboration across IT, data engineering, business stakeholders, and end users. 

Identify these key players before the migration: 

• Executive sponsor: Provides air cover and alignment 

• Technical lead: Owns the architecture and integrations 

• Migration team: Drives rebuilds, testing, and validation 

• Change manager: Oversees training, communication, and adoption 
   

Involve these groups early, not just go-live.  

“Without proper support from end users, the migration won’t work properly.”

Przemysław Życzkowski, Senior Consultant at Strategy

Download the Migration Guide

6. Train Early, Not After the Fact

Even the best technology in the world is ineffective if no one uses it. Make training part of your plan from day one. Provide your workforce with: 

• Hands-on walkthroughs 

• Role-specific templates 

• Contextual tooltips (within the platform) 

• Self-paced learning paths 
   

Consider offering “office hours” or onboarding cohorts to guide early adopters. Don’t forget the power users—they’re often your best internal champions.

7. Pilot First. Scale Next.

A phased approach reduces risk and accelerates learning. Start with a single department, region, or use case—something high-visibility but low-risk. 

Track: 

• Time to rebuild reports 

• Data discrepancies 

• User adoption and feedback 

• Support tickets or blockers 

Use what you learn to improve your process before scaling across the business. 

8. Estimate Cost and Long-Term Value

A successful migration isn’t just about minimizing upfront costs—it’s about unlocking future value. 

Create a budget for: 

• Consulting and implementation services 

• Platform licenses and cloud infrastructure 

• Staff time and internal coordination 

• Training and change management 

Done right, modern BI can eliminate hidden costs like: 

• Manual report building and duplication 

• IT bottlenecks for simple requests 

• Compliance and audit risks from unmanaged data 
   

With unified platforms like Strategy One, you won’t have to re-platform when it’s time to scale or evolve. 

Final Thoughts

By modernizing your BI environment, you don’t just upgrade your tech—you align your tools, teams, and goals around a smarter way of working. 

Start with clarity. Migrate with intention. And plan not just for go-live, but for lasting success.