A boring HR migration is a successful one.
Choose one source, agree the perimeter, test the awkward records and reconcile before anybody is invited. The goal is not a dramatic data move. It is a people record the team can trust on Monday morning.
- Risk, not headcount, is the trigger
- One canonical source
- Reconcile before cutover
When should HR move beyond a spreadsheet?
Move when the sheet has become the only copy of sensitive records, several people need different access, working patterns drive leave, employees need self-service, or nobody can confidently say which version is current. The trigger is operational risk rather than a particular number of employees.
Treat migration as a controlled handover. Inventory what exists, remove data without a current purpose, choose the canonical source, map fields explicitly, test a varied group, reconcile counts and exceptions, then stop editing two masters. Plan documents, leave history and configuration separately instead of forcing every record through one people-file import.
This is practical general information, not legal advice. Use the current linked official guidance for the facts in front of you.
Reduce uncertainty before moving data.
List every current source: the main people sheet, manager copies, starter forms, document folders, leave trackers and payroll extracts. Decide which system owns each category during the move. Freeze or tightly control the people source while it is cleaned so the target is not chasing a changing file.
Data minimisation belongs at the start. A legacy column is not a reason to import it. Name the purpose, owner and retention route for each field; remove duplicates and stale records; separate active people, future starters and leavers; and standardise dates, managers, email addresses and working patterns.
- 01
Inventory files, owners, copies and data categories.
- 02
Choose one canonical people source and a clear freeze point.
- 03
Remove duplicate, stale and purpose-free columns.
- 04
Resolve missing work email, manager, date and pattern values.
- 05
Give leave, documents, history and configuration their own route.
Map meaning, not just column headings.
A source column called 'Start' might mean original employment date, current contract start or a text note. Write the intended target field, format and treatment for blanks before applying the file. Preserve a copy of the mapping and the rejected or skipped rows.
Pilot records should include the awkward shapes: part-time patterns, a future starter, a leaver, missing optional fields, duplicate work email and a manager relationship. Preview the mapped result and treat warnings as review work, not as decoration around an import button.
- Define required fields and accepted formats.
- State create/update matching rules before applying.
- Use a varied pilot rather than the tidiest five employees.
- Keep row-level issues and aggregate counts for review.
- Do not infer a successful document or leave migration from a people-row result.
- Manager links sampled
- Leave opening positions assigned
- Old master retirement owner named
Reconcile, invite, retire and test the exit.
Compare expected and actual created, updated, skipped and failed records. Sample key fields and manager relationships. Confirm working patterns, leave opening positions, permissions and starter/leaver visibility through their separate processes. Resolve exceptions or document the owner and deadline.
Only then invite users and retire the old people sheet as a master. Keep a controlled evidence copy for the period your retention decision requires, remove broad shared access and tell the team where corrections now happen. Finally, test the new system's export before the migration project closes.
HollyHR's people import is deliberately bounded.
A System Admin can import CSV or `.xlsx` files with 1–500 mapped rows per apply. The importer maps 12 people fields, previews the first five mapped rows and creates or updates within the organisation by work email using per-row transactions. It does not import leave balances, documents, employment history, working patterns, custom fields, workflows or audit history. Organisation export covers 14 CSV areas plus eligible files, with 25 MB per file and a 100 MB archive limit; it is not a database backup or lossless round trip.
HollyHR can help with
- Preview and map 12 people fields
- Create/update by organisation work email
- Export 14 CSV areas plus eligible files
Keep outside the claim
- Import balances, files or history
- Clone configuration and workflows
- Provide a lossless database round trip
Check the rule where it is maintained.
We reviewed these sources on 19 July 2026. Follow the official page for the current rule, conditions and exceptions rather than relying on an old quotation.
- ICO — data minimisationOnly move personal data that is adequate, relevant and limited to the purpose.
- ICO — storage limitationA migration is an opportunity to apply review and disposal decisions.
- ICO — data protection by designPlan access, minimisation and lifecycle controls into the change.
- HollyHR — exact spreadsheet migrationThe current field map, apply semantics, perimeter and reconciliation plan.
Questions behind the checklist.
Short answers for scanning; the practical detail and source links stay above.
How many employees justify moving off a spreadsheet?
There is no universal number. Move when access, version control, working-pattern calculations, employee self-service or evidence quality has become risky. A complex team of eight can need a system before a simple team of twenty.
Should every spreadsheet column be imported?
No. Keep only data with a current purpose and retention basis. Map meaning carefully, archive or delete obsolete material through a controlled decision, and do not create target fields merely to preserve clutter.
Can HollyHR import a complete history from another HR system?
No. The bounded people importer covers 12 current people fields and create/update matching by work email. Leave, documents, history, working patterns, custom data and workflows need separate reconciliation.
Keep the rule, owner and people record in one calm place.
HollyHR is in early access for small UK teams. See the relevant product workflow, or tell us what you are trying to improve.