How to move from Excel to transport management software

In brief

Moving from Excel to management software often fails for a simple reason: companies try to import years of disorder into the new system. Before migrating, decide which data are correct, who owns them and which process should become the standard.

For a small fleet, a gradual migration is almost always safer: master data, new orders, planning, drivers and then documents, instead of stopping everything on a Monday morning.

Before the software: clean up the process

Write the current flow on one page:

order received → recorded → assigned → communicated → carried out → closed → documented

Then mark where duplication and loss occur. The management system should solve those points, not digitise unnecessary steps.

Also define who is allowed to:

• create customers;
• edit orders;
• assign drivers;
• see prices;
• close activities;
• export data.

Which data to migrate

Not everything in the old file deserves to enter the new system. Divide the data into:

Active master data: customers, drivers, trucks.

Current operational data: open orders and future planning.

Useful history: past orders needed for analysis, disputes or administrative needs.

Useless/duplicate data: old records, contacts that are no longer valid, columns never used.

The GDPR principle of data minimisation suggests not retaining or migrating personal data “because it might be useful one day” without a justified purpose and retention period.

Migration in 7 stages

1. Back up the source

Keep a controlled copy of the original files before editing or importing them.

2. Clean up master data

Remove duplicates and standardise names, number plates, codes and addresses.

3. Map fields

Decide where each Excel column will go in the new system. Do not import free-form notes into structured fields without review.

4. Test import

Use a small sample and check characters, dates, duplicates and relationships.

5. Configure roles

Create accounts and assign the minimum necessary permissions.

6. Pilot week

Manage a limited group of orders in the new system, with trained people.

7. Cutover

Set a precise moment after which new orders are created in the management system and the old file becomes consultation-only, except for an emergency procedure.

Privacy and the relationship with the supplier

If the management system processes personal data on behalf of the business, the supplier’s role and, where relevant, the agreement under Article 28 GDPR must be assessed. Check at least:

• where data are processed;
• subcontractors/sub-processors;
• security measures;
• backups;
• incident management;
• retention periods;
• support for data-subject rights;
• deletion/return at the end of the contract.

Do not choose a SaaS product based only on its commercial screen.

Test with real orders

A demo shows the software in the ideal case. The trial should use real cases:

• an order with two stops;
• a driver change;
• a changed address;
• a cancelled order;
• a document to retrieve;
• a driver who needs to see the update;
• a customer with multiple sites.

If the system requires ten steps for an activity you do 50 times a day, the problem will emerge immediately.

A parallel run without double chaos

For a few days, it may be useful to compare the new system with the previous one. But the parallel run must have a defined end. If it lasts for months, the company ends up with two official sources and double work.

Set out:

• which system prevails during the test;
• who compares the data;
• which errors block go-live;
• the cutover date;
• the rollback procedure if a serious issue emerges.

Exit plan and portability

Before joining, ask how you leave. Does the supplier allow you to export customers, orders and documents? In what format? What happens when the account closes? How long are the data available?

Operational portability does not automatically mean the right to GDPR data portability under Article 20: they are different concepts. Here, the focus is mainly on avoiding lock-in that makes it impossible to recover company data.

Migration checklist

• Full backup completed?
• Duplicates removed?
• Fields mapped?
• Personal data minimised?
• Roles and permissions configured?
• Test import checked?
• Test with real orders completed?
• Drivers and office staff trained?
• Cutover date defined?
• Rollback plan defined?
• Data export from the new supplier verified?