Products, variants, customers, addresses, orders, content, files, pricing, inventory, companies, and other records can often move when the source is accessible. Every entity needs a system of record, field and relationship map, transformation rule, exception path, validation method, privacy decision, and archive requirement.
Define the destination by how the business uses each field
Start with an entity map covering products, variants, customers, orders, inventory, content, and any specialised records. For every important field, record where it originates, what it means, who uses it, and what it must do in Shopify. Storing a value is not the same as preserving the behaviour that depends on it.
Separate active operational data from historical reference material. A field needed for fulfilment must be available to the relevant workflow; an old audit note may belong in a controlled archive. Test transformations with records containing exceptions, and keep a clear way to trace each destination record back to its source when a discrepancy is found.
What to check before deciding
- Map entities, relationships, source IDs, and business meaning.
- Choose operational, storefront, integration, or archive destinations.
- Document transformations and deliberately excluded fields.
- Reconcile totals and complex samples before approving cutover.
