Data migrations for dealmaker firms

Moving from Affinity, DealCloud, Salesforce, HubSpot or spreadsheets into Attio, with your history intact, your data cleaned and the workspace designed properly around it.

Will Sawney

Send an enquiry

Send an enquiry

Migrate to Attio from:

Affinity

DealCloud

Salesforce

HubSpot

Airtable

Spreadsheets

Other

Recent moves: 350,000+ records from HubSpot and Airtable. 10+ years of Affinity history in 14 days. 75,000+ records from a legacy platform and spreadsheets.

What matters most

Will we lose our history?

No. We take a full backup first, and every record keeps its original ID. Anything you do not need day to day is archived, not deleted.

Will our custom structure survive?

Custom objects, fields and stages are reviewed, not copied blindly. We keep what reflects how your firm works and simplify what has built up over the years.

Will the team actually use it?

People use a system that is clean, current and easy to follow. A tidy workspace, connected inboxes and a proper handover make the difference.

How it works

The migration process

The same five steps apply whatever the platform. What changes is how much care each one needs, and how much of the old structure is worth keeping.

01

Audit and back up

A full backup and a proper look at what exists. Every record keeps its legacy ID, so it can always be traced.

01

Assessment

A full backup and a proper look at what exists. Every record keeps its legacy ID, so it can always be traced.

02

Design

The Attio workspace is designed first. We keep what reflects how your firm works and simplify the rest.

03

Test

A sample is imported and checked against the source, and the team confirms it looks and works as expected.

04

Import

The full import runs in a short, planned window with minimal downtime. Notes are attached to the right records afterwards.

05

Hand over

Your team starts with the new workspace explained. The old data keys are kept, so anything missed can still be added.

What comes across

Companies, people and your current pipeline

Notes and history on active relationships

The lists and fields you actually use

Everything else, archived and still accessible

What you unlock

Clean, trusted data with no duplicates or gaps

A pipeline that fits how you work now

Connected inboxes that keep relationships current

A workspace your team actually wants to use

"Moving your CRM can feel daunting, especially when years of relationships sit inside it. I have guided firms through this many times, and it is rarely as difficult as people expect. We go step by step, test before anything moves and keep a full backup, so you do not need to be technical to feel in control."

Will Sawney - Sideways CRM

By platform

Migrating from your legacy CRM to Attio

Moving from Affinity

Most Affinity data can be exported through a normal user login, so API access and rate limits rarely come into it. We transform it in local files, keep each Affinity ID, and enrich missing domains and emails so records link correctly. Lists and custom fields take the most design. Notes are attached last.

Moving from Affinity

Most Affinity data can be exported through a normal user login, so API access and rate limits rarely come into it. We transform it in local files, keep each Affinity ID, and enrich missing domains and emails so records link correctly. Lists and custom fields take the most design. Notes are attached last.

Moving from DealCloud

DealCloud is often heavily configured, so the work is as much about the data model as the data. We decide what belongs in Attio and what to simplify. Where another system, such as finance, should stay separate, we connect it rather than move it.

Moving from DealCloud

DealCloud is often heavily configured, so the work is as much about the data model as the data. We decide what belongs in Attio and what to simplify. Where another system, such as finance, should stay separate, we connect it rather than move it.

Moving from Salesforce

Setups range from a few standard objects to years of customisation. We audit what is actually in use, normalise picklist values so they match cleanly, and keep the Salesforce ID on every record. This includes Salesforce-based products for professional services and private capital.

Moving from Salesforce

Setups range from a few standard objects to years of customisation. We audit what is actually in use, normalise picklist values so they match cleanly, and keep the Salesforce ID on every record. This includes Salesforce-based products for professional services and private capital.

Moving from HubSpot

Contacts, companies and deals move across well. The design work is translating lifecycle stages into a pipeline that suits how you sell now. Marketing tools usually stay where they are. A careful clean-up before import saves a lot of correction afterwards.

Moving from HubSpot

Contacts, companies and deals move across well. The design work is translating lifecycle stages into a pipeline that suits how you sell now. Marketing tools usually stay where they are. A careful clean-up before import saves a lot of correction afterwards.

Airtable, spreadsheets and others

No fixed structure means more duplicates and inconsistent formats. It is often the most clean-up and the biggest gain. We standardise the data and rebuild it as proper objects and relationships. Folk, 4Degrees, Dynamo, Pipedrive and others follow the same steps: if it can be exported, it can almost always be migrated.

Airtable, spreadsheets and others

No fixed structure means more duplicates and inconsistent formats. It is often the most clean-up and the biggest gain. We standardise the data and rebuild it as proper objects and relationships. Folk, 4Degrees, Dynamo, Pipedrive and others follow the same steps: if it can be exported, it can almost always be migrated.

Getting a quote

How it's scoped

Straightforward

Under 10,000 records, one source and standard objects. A clean structure that maps neatly to Attio.

Moderate

10,000 to 25,000 records, or a smaller set with custom objects, several sources or some integrations.

Large or complex

25,000 to 100,000+ records, or heavily customised systems with multiple sources and integrations. A fuller audit and staged imports.

Record count is only part of it. The structure of the old system and what needs to connect matter as much. A short paid audit settles scope and cost before any migration begins. Ask me about the paid audit to confirm scope

Questions

How long does a migration take?

Typically 2 to 4 weeks from the point we have access to your data. Most of that time goes into design and testing, not the import itself, which runs in a short, planned window. Larger or more complex systems take longer, and the scoping step confirms this up front. Working to a contract end date? Tell us when, and we plan around it.

How long does a migration take?

Typically 2 to 4 weeks from the point we have access to your data. Most of that time goes into design and testing, not the import itself, which runs in a short, planned window. Larger or more complex systems take longer, and the scoping step confirms this up front. Working to a contract end date? Tell us when, and we plan around it.

Can we do this ourselves?

For simple, like-for-like imports of one object at a time, such as companies, people or basic deals, Attio's import tools and services like Import2 work well. That is rarely the whole job. The harder parts are cleaning the data, keeping relationships between records, attaching notes and setting up the workspace first. The risk is finding the gaps after the old system has been switched off.

Can we do this ourselves?

For simple, like-for-like imports of one object at a time, such as companies, people or basic deals, Attio's import tools and services like Import2 work well. That is rarely the whole job. The harder parts are cleaning the data, keeping relationships between records, attaching notes and setting up the workspace first. The risk is finding the gaps after the old system has been switched off.

Do you need API access or a developer?

Not always. A normal user login with export permission is often enough, and the data comes out as files. API access helps, especially for notes, attachments and larger datasets, but where it is not available we can usually work from exports. Anything beyond that is agreed with you first, and access can be removed when we finish.

Do you need API access or a developer?

Not always. A normal user login with export permission is often enough, and the data comes out as files. API access helps, especially for notes, attachments and larger datasets, but where it is not available we can usually work from exports. Anything beyond that is agreed with you first, and access can be removed when we finish.

Can we export our data from Attio later?

Yes. Attio makes it simple to export all your data, or any individual dataset, whenever you need it. As with most platforms, deeper data such as tasks and comments needs the API. Attio's API is comprehensive and well designed, and it also offers an MCP server, which may make moving data even simpler in the years ahead. Your data stays yours.

Can we export our data from Attio later?

Yes. Attio makes it simple to export all your data, or any individual dataset, whenever you need it. As with most platforms, deeper data such as tasks and comments needs the API. Attio's API is comprehensive and well designed, and it also offers an MCP server, which may make moving data even simpler in the years ahead. Your data stays yours.

What happens to our email history?

Attio tracks the inboxes of current users, so history builds up natively once connected. Each user can connect two email accounts, which means a departed colleague's mailbox may be linkable alongside a current one if it is still accessible. Otherwise their history can usually be exported and stored as notes or archive entries.

What happens to our email history?

Attio tracks the inboxes of current users, so history builds up natively once connected. Each user can connect two email accounts, which means a departed colleague's mailbox may be linkable alongside a current one if it is still accessible. Otherwise their history can usually be exported and stored as notes or archive entries.

How is our data handled?

Your data is treated as sensitive throughout and only ever transferred and stored through secure channels. Handling is fully detailed in our terms and NDA, and complies with UK and EU GDPR. An NDA can be put in place before any data is shared.

How is our data handled?

Your data is treated as sensitive throughout and only ever transferred and stored through secure channels. Handling is fully detailed in our terms and NDA, and complies with UK and EU GDPR. An NDA can be put in place before any data is shared.

Can we keep the old system running alongside?

Sometimes. If some data lives best elsewhere, such as financial records, we can integrate rather than migrate. Otherwise the old system stays read-only until the results are validated.

Can we keep the old system running alongside?

Sometimes. If some data lives best elsewhere, such as financial records, we can integrate rather than migrate. Otherwise the old system stays read-only until the results are validated.

Planning a move?
Get in touch

Attio expert partner for investment and advisory firms

© Sideways CRM | Sideways Marketing Limited, UK registration 13945570

View terms and privacy notice

Attio expert partner for investment and advisory firms

© Sideways CRM | Sideways Marketing Limited, UK registration 13945570

View terms and privacy notice

Attio expert partner for investment and advisory firms

© Sideways CRM | Sideways Marketing Limited, UK registration 13945570

View terms and privacy notice