How to Handle Legacy Data When Starting a New System

Deciding how to handle legacy data is one of the first questions in any implementation, and one of the most commonly overthought. Bringing everything is rarely necessary and often harmful.

Why importing everything backfires

Historical data carries the structure and the quality of the system it came from.

Inconsistent records polluting a clean structure
Fields that do not map onto the new model
Duplicates imported and then reconciled manually
Months spent on cleanup before anything runs

What to bring, and what to leave

Data	Decision
Active records	Bring — the process depends on them
Core entities	Bring — clients, suppliers, products
Closed historical records	Usually leave, or archive separately
Fields nobody uses	Leave — the new structure is the chance to drop them

How to do it in Jestor

Upload your existing spreadsheet to Jestor — apps and processes are generated on top of it.
Bring core entities first: clients, suppliers, products, cost centres.
Import active records, and leave closed historical ones in an archive.
Set field types deliberately during the import — currency, date, connected.
Set the label field on each related table before connecting records to it.

Why choose Jestor for implementation?

Uploading a spreadsheet into Jestor generates the structure automatically, which removes the slowest part of an implementation: rebuilding a data model you already had.

Because data is exportable at any time, the decision about what to import is not permanent — historical records can stay accessible in their original form rather than being forced into a new structure.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I import all history?

Usually not — active records and core entities are enough. See jestor.com.

Can I start from my spreadsheet?

Yes, uploading it generates apps and processes on top of it.

What should I fix during import?

Field types and connected labels, before volume grows.

Video Tutorial: Step by Step

Check out other practical tutorials on the Jestor YouTube channel.

Get to know Jestor

With Jestor, you can automate workflows, connect teams, and build internal systems your way — all without code and powered by AI. Discover Jestor at jestor.com and see how to take your company's operations to a new level of efficiency and control.

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