Before you start
Do a data inventory. List every type of record in your Wild Apricot account: members, contacts, levels, event history, financial transactions, email templates, forms, documents, forum posts. The migration is only as good as the inventory.
Step 1: Export everything
Wild Apricot provides CSV exports for contacts, financial transactions, event registrations, and documents. The admin menu has an Export section. Exports complete within minutes for most orgs.
Step 2: Freeze changes
On the day of migration, put Wild Apricot in read-only mode (or at least stop accepting new sign-ups). A 24-hour freeze window is enough for most cutovers.
Step 3: Map member levels
Review the CSV of your membership levels. Map each to its equivalent on the new platform. Changes in dues or benefits should be clear to members before cutover.
Step 4: Validate financial data
Reconcile last month's financial transactions from Wild Apricot against your bank statement and your accounting software. Any discrepancies should be fixed before migration, not after.
Step 5: Import into the new platform
Upload CSVs or let the new vendor run the import. Covey's migration is human-led; one of us walks you through it. Wild Apricot exports are well-formed; migrations rarely fail on data.
Step 6: Stage the site
A preview URL where the new platform is live with your data but not yet public. Walk the site with your team. Test member login, event registration, dues renewal, and email sending.
Step 7: Flip DNS
Change your A record or CNAME to the new platform. Propagation typically completes within an hour. Active sessions on the old platform drain; new sessions land on the new one.
Step 8: Communicate with members
Members should know the cutover is happening. A pre-cutover email (7 days out) explains what will change. A cutover-day email confirms the switch is complete and includes new login instructions.
Step 9: Post-cutover monitoring
Watch for failed logins, failed payments, and member-reported issues for the first week. Most migrations have a handful of edge cases to resolve; stay on call.
Covey does all of this for you
If you are migrating to Covey, we run every step above in partnership with your team. Migration is included in onboarding at no extra cost. Completes in 48 hours.