Let’s say you want more out of your data map: More visibility, clarity, accuracy, control. Or maybe you want less: Less complexity, less cost, less work, less vulnerability. In the case of data mapping, both things could be true. But when you imagine transitioning to a different system, you imagine a Herculean task. It’s daunting.

It doesn’t have to be. And if you migrate to Osano, it’s easier than you think–especially if you follow five critical steps.

These crucial preparations will make any migration easier. But along the way, we’ll point out some specific examples from the Osano Data Mapping solution.

The Goal: Simplify Data Privacy

At Osano, the primary goal is to simplify data privacy, transforming complexity into actionable clarity. Our whole platform, including data mapping, provides teams with the visibility and insights needed to take control of their privacy program.

That starts with implementation.

The Best Part: You Don’t Have to Start Over

Transitioning to the Osano data mapping solution doesn’t mean starting over. You might be surprised to find that much of the groundwork for a successful migration is already in place. Our platform builds on your prior work, enhancing your data mapping experience with the help of:

• Efficient and automated discovery and classification of data stores
• Visual, interactive maps that enable deeper insights into data relationships and prioritization based on risk
• Streamlined workflows for non-automatable systems to ensure robust compliance, adding greater value and clarity to your data mapping efforts

Now let’s get ready to migrate. Here’s how to get from your current data map to Osano in five easy steps.

Step 1: Loop in the Right Stakeholders

Before you’ve even considered the technical requirements for implementation, think about who to loop into discussion to ensure the implementation process is a success. Bringing these folks into the conversation early ensures they can make their voices heard, address any concerns up front, and get everyone ready to stack hands when turning on the software.

Teams to consider bringing into the conversation include:

• IT/Security teams to manage permissions and access rights
• Compliance/Legal teams to address record keeping, retention, and audit trails, especially for jurisdictions with unique data processing regulations
• Operations/Data teams to minimize disruptions to your internal processes, data management, and reporting

Step 2: Identify the Sources for Your Data Map

Evaluate your current process and decide on data sources for your new data map. Options include:

• Single sign-on (SSO): For example, Okta or OneLogin
• Your customer data platform (CDP): Segment, RudderStack, or others
• Manual entry by assessment: These can include a Record of Processing Activity, Source Discovery Assessment, and more.
• Other data stores that you need to individually enter
• .csv files that you import
• A combination of the above

Not sure which sources are available within your organization or connectable from a security perspective? See Step 1.

Step 3: Pick Your Data Stores

Next, you need to decide how to populate your data map with the systems identified.

Which ones do you need?

Keep in mind that some systems (such as your customer marketing system) are more likely to contain personal information (PI) than others (like your graphic design tool). Establish a framework to triage which systems to include as data stores. This will help streamline the classification process, reduce validation time, and simplify migration.

How will the new data map interact with them?

With your framework in mind, next determine how you want the new platform to interact with those systems. You have three options:

• Automatically: Osano connects to your systems via API to perform predetermined, automated tasks. (For example, summarization of data or deletion)
• Manually: For your systems that are not automatable (e.g. disconnected, niche systems), you can use guided discovery workflows in Osano to incorporate these systems into your data map.
• A mix of both manual and automated discovery

Your approach will impact the resources you bring to bear in the next step.

Step 4: Bring Together Your Technical and Personnel Resources

With your data source strategy in hand and a list of stakeholders ready, it’s time to ensure you have the right technical resources on deck to get your data sources set up in your data mapping platform, that the right people have access, and that you have the right processes in place to meet the needs of your organization.

Here are two questions we often hear at Osano:

Example 1: Who should you include based on the sources of data that will be populating the data map?

• If you are using sources that have administrators, such as SSO or CDP, you’ll want to involve those administrators early. In Osano, they will need user accounts and admin credentials to connect the new data map in a read-only manner.
• For departmental data sources, departmental heads or individuals responsible for managing those tools and data can audit their departments for data locations and processing activities, ensuring accurate records.

Example 2: Who needs an account based on your approach to creating and interacting with your planned data stores

• For automated data stores in Osano, aggregate owners for each data store. They need user accounts and their admin credentials to connect the platform, providing read or write access as needed.
• For manual data stores, you want to engage individual data owners, who can then highlight where PI is kept within their systems and provide necessary feedback for setup.

These are just a few examples. Every organization is different, so your questions may vary.

Step 5: Stop! Back Up Your Data

We’re not kidding when we say, the migration is the easiest part if you’ve diligently completed steps 1 through 4. In Osano, you are just a few quick steps from completing your migration, whether your data map exists in a spreadsheet or another data mapping solution.

BUT. Before you make another move, back up your data. If you have a manually created data map, create backups of those files. If you are in another platform, export your data and back it up from there. Most tools have an export function that saves data in CSV (Osano’s required format), XML, or JSON.

We know you know this, but it’s always worth reminding.

NOW, you are ready to migrate.