How to use the Dependency function for data migration

Over time, your old CRM may have accumulated multiple fields that served similar purposes—either through team customization or past data imports. These fields are often inconsistently populated, as different team members used them at different times. When migrating to a new CRM, duplicating this messy structure is not ideal. Instead, it’s best to consolidate redundant fields into a single, standardized one.

A common example is the Type field—used to categorize contacts or companies. In your new CRM, you may want to implement a unified approach where only one value is accepted. That’s where the Dependency function becomes useful.

What Is the Dependency Function?

The Dependency function allows you to populate a single field in the target CRM using data from multiple source fields. It checks each field in order and uses the first non-empty value it finds—ensuring you fill in as many records as possible without duplicating information.

How to Use the Dependency Function

1. Map the primary source field
   Begin by mapping your first source CRM field to the desired target field.

2. Activate the Dependency function
   Click the "Functions" button and select Dependency from the dropdown.

3. Add additional source fields
   Choose another field from the source CRM to include and click Apply.

4. Include more fields (if needed)
   Use the plus (+) button on the left side to add more fields in the desired order of priority.

📌 Key Notes and Best Practices

• Dropdown Fields:
  If you're mapping to a dropdown field, make sure all possible source values exist in the target field options. You may need to add new values to your dropdown list in the target CRM to ensure proper matching.

• Field Types:
  When mapping into text, number, or date fields, only one value from the first non-empty source field will be imported.

• Field Order Matters:
  The order of your source fields determines the priority. The system checks each field from top to bottom and uses the first non-empty value.

• Rearranging Fields:
  You can change the order of your source fields using the up/down toggle to control which values are prioritized during the migration.

By using the Dependency function effectively, you can clean up inconsistent legacy data and create a more unified, manageable structure in your new CRM—without losing valuable information.