Data migration into Wealthbox, particularly involving households and associated contact records, requires careful planning and execution to ensure accuracy and consistency. Below, is a comprehensive guide with best practices, the challenges you might face, and how to address them.

Why Accurate Household Mapping Matters

Ensuring the correct organization and mapping of households during data migration is crucial for maintaining data integrity. Proper mapping helps:

1. Link household records with contact records effectively.
2. Maintain accurate relationship hierarchies.
3. Avoid errors during future data queries and updates.

Challenges in Household and Contact Mapping

Lack of Pre-existing Links

The migration data might not include pre-linked household and contact records. This issue arises when the original data does not specify clear relationships between households and their members.

• Wealthbox can attempt to match households based on last names. However, this method cannot ensure 100% accuracy and may lead to mismatches.

Naming Conventions in Household Creation

When creating new households, naming conventions in Wealthbox follow a specific format: (Primary First Name) and (Spouse First Name) (Primary Last Name) Household. For example, "John and Jane Smith Household." However, repetitions in last names (e.g., "Smith Smith") can occur when the spouse's name already includes a last name.

Risks of Duplicate or Incorrect Mapping

Creating household IDs based solely on household names can lead to incorrect mappings, especially if names are not unique. Without unique identifiers, associating members with their respective households accurately becomes challenging.

Best Practices for Accurate Household Data Migration

1. Provide Unique Household IDs: Each household should have a unique identifier. This enables precise association between households and their members, eliminating ambiguities. Avoid relying solely on names for mapping.
2. Prepare a Comprehensive Data Set: Provide a detailed list of all households along with their associated members during migration. This ensures that each household is mapped correctly within Wealthbox.
3. Verify Data Consistency Before Migration: Make sure that your pre-migration data includes clear relationships between accounts and contact records. If such data is missing, you may need to manually review or provide additional reports, such as an Account Contact Relation Report.
4. Follow Naming Conventions: During the creation of household records, ensure that naming follows Wealthbox’s standard format for easily recognizable and searchable records. Implement reviews to catch potential inconsistencies like repeated last names.

Common Errors and How to Address Them

• Mismatch of Households and Members: This often occurs when unique IDs are not used. Always ensure every household has a unique ID prior to migration.
• Inconsistent Naming: To avoid repeated last names or unclear associations, manually review naming conventions and adhere to standardized formats.
• Lack of Relationship Data: If missing, provide supplemental reports or implement manual checks for establishing the appropriate relationships.