--- title: "Monday Buzz: Convert Your Data the Right Way" id: "35200" type: "post" slug: "monday-buzz-convert-your-data-the-right-way" published_at: "2016-10-03T20:32:27+00:00" modified_at: "2016-10-03T20:32:27+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/10/03/monday-buzz-convert-your-data-the-right-way/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2016/10/03/monday-buzz-convert-your-data-the-right-way.md" excerpt: "Moving your data from one AMS to another? Check out this guide for tips on how to make the process less painful. Also: how other firms \"borrowing\" your ideas can be a boon for innovation at your organization." taxonomy_category: - "Operations" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Association Management Systems" - "AssociationsNow" - "Data Conversion" - "Membership" - "Software" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Association CEO / Executive Director" - "Director" - "Manager" - "VP" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Monday Buzz: Convert Your Data the Right Way Switching from one membership software platform to another can be a total pain, particularly because large amounts of data need to be converted. Need some help understanding this process? The association management software firm Aptify has a useful guide discussing the ups and downs that associations can expect when going through it. “While it’s an extremely detailed and carefully monitored job, there’s really no secrecy to it,” the company’s Jennifer Barrell explains. “Quite plainly, the goal is to move enough data into your new system so that when you go live on Day One you see the information you need to see to get your job done; to be able to produce the reports that you need; to be able to follow up with customers as you need.” [Barrell’s guide (opens in a new tab)](http://blog.aptify.com/demystifying-membership-software-data-conversion) offers a series of tips for how to best convert your data, including what should be ready to go before you move forward and what shouldn’t get converted at all. ### Imitators Allowed > Why innovation and imitation aren’t mutually exclusive (from [@FastCompany (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/FastCompany?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) > ) [https://t.co/tCoRwM06Ym (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/tCoRwM06Ym) > > — Bill Sheridan, CAE, CPT (@BillSheridan) [October 3, 2016 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/BillSheridan/status/782960631616012288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **So, it’s inevitable:** Your association has an idea, but some other organization borrows that idea. Liberally. That scenario is particularly common in the tech world. Hootsuite founder and CEO Ryan Holmes gives the example of [Instagram’s recent copying of Snapchat’s popular Stories feature (opens in a new tab)](https://techcrunch.com/2016/08/02/instagram-stories/) , and he points out that it shouldn’t be seen as a bad thing for innovative firms. In fact, it’s an opportunity to kick things up a notch. Holmes knows a thing or two about this: Hootsuite’s post-scheduling feature was copied by many of its competitors. “Goaded on by the copycats, a good business has the potential to become a great one, to innovate further and faster than ever anticipated,” [Holmes writes at Fast Company (opens in a new tab)](https://www.fastcompany.com/3064219/why-innovation-and-imitation-arent-mutually-exclusive) . ### Other Links of Note **Should the CEO keep a time sheet?** [David M. Patt of Association Executive Management thinks so (opens in a new tab)](http://aem-patt.com/aem-blog/index.php?itemid=2152) . **Just in time for the annual debate** on #GivingTuesday to begin in earnest, nonprofit fundraising pro [Marc A. Pittman has a thoughtful post on the phenomenon (opens in a new tab)](http://fundraisingcoach.com/2016/09/28/givingtuesday-2/) . **Facebook at Work** is [about to launch widely (opens in a new tab)](http://www.computerworld.com/article/3126455/collaboration/facebook-at-work-launching-oct-10.html) . Is it worth your association’s time? *CIO* highlights how one company, the PR firm Weber Shandwick, [came to love the platform (opens in a new tab)](http://www.cio.com/article/3120647/collaboration/why-a-leading-pr-firm-chose-facebook-at-work.html) . (iStock/Thinkstock) [Ernie Smith](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Ernie Smith is a former senior editor for Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/ernie-smith/) Tags: [#Association Management Systems](https://associationsnow.com/tag/association-management-systems/) [#Data Conversion](https://associationsnow.com/tag/data-conversion/) [#Membership](https://associationsnow.com/tag/membership/) [#Software](https://associationsnow.com/tag/software/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoEmpower Your Association with ASAE Business SolutionsJuly 22, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/07/22/empower-your-association-with-asae-business-solutions/) - [VideoAssociations@Work with Benjamin Hopper: Money Makers Top Strategies for Increasing Non-Due RevenueSeptember 9, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/09/09/associationswork-with-benjamin-hopper-money-makers-top-strategies-for-increasing-non-due-revenue/) - [VideoAssociations@Work with Michael Tatonetti: Starbucks Pricing Hacks for AssociationsSeptember 9, 2024](https://associationsnow.com/2024/09/09/associationswork-with-michael-tatonetti-starbucks-pricing-hacks-for-associations/) - [PodcastAssociations Now Presents: Beyond the Tech Stack: How AI Is Changing the Association PlaybookOctober 29, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/10/29/associations-now-presents-beyond-the-tech-stack-how-ai-is-changing-the-association-playbook/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2016%2F10%2F03%2Fmonday-buzz-convert-your-data-the-right-way%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !