Two accounting firms merge. On paper, it's a perfect fit: complementary client groups, shared ambitions, geographical spread. But then the integration begins. One firm works with SharePoint, the other with its own server. Folders have different names, metadata either doesn't exist or differs between systems. Six months later, employees are still searching in two systems at the same time.
Richard Schouten, accountancy specialist at Docubird, shares in this blog what you need to arrange before the documents are transferred.
Why document migration so often goes wrong
During a merger, all attention is focused on the big questions. Document management is rarely at the top of the agenda. Everyone thinks that will come later.
But later is too late. By the time the merger is complete, people need to be working together. They need to be able to find each other's client files. They need to know where everything is. And if both offices have different systems, the search begins.
The problem with copying and pasting
The easiest solution seems to be to copy everything from office B to the system in office A. But then you're bringing the chaos with you. Folders labeled "miscellaneous" or "old." Documents without dates in their names. Structures that only make sense to those who have been working with them for years.
After the migration, office A will have two types of clutter: its own clutter and that of office B. And no one will know where anything came from anymore.
Standardize first, then migrate
A merger is the perfect time to review your document structure. Not to copy everything, but to determine how things should be done going forward. Which folder structure should we use? Which metadata? Which naming conventions?
You make these choices before transferring your documents. Both offices will then deliver according to the same standard. It takes more time upfront, but saves months of searching later on.
Metadata as a common language
One office calls it "income tax return," another "IT return" or "income tax." After the merger, half of the employees search for terms that yield no results.
Metadata solves this problem. If each document is assigned a type from a fixed list, the file name no longer matters. You can filter by document type and find everything, regardless of what it was originally called.
You do need to agree on the metadata in advance. And both offices need to add that metadata to their documents before they move. That's work, but it's a one-time job that will pay for itself for years to come.
What you need to arrange for day one
Before the merger takes effect, you need to be clear about three things. One: where will the documents be stored? Choose a system and make sure everyone has access to it. Two: what will the structure look like? Determine the folder structure and metadata before you start migrating. Three: who has access to what? Set the permissions before people start working.
On the first working day after the merger, everyone must know where the customer files are located. No searching in two systems, no asking colleagues from the other office. Just find them.
A merger as an opportunity
A merger is challenging for document management, but it also presents an opportunity. It is a chance to leave old clutter behind, establish a structure that works for the new, larger office, and invest in findability.
Docubird helps accounting firms set up that structure in SharePoint. With standard metadata, clear folders, and a working method that is the same for everyone. Would you like to know how to prepare for a merger in terms of documents? I would be happy to help you figure it out.