DrupalCommerce to Magento Migration - Step-by-Step Guide & Expert Services

Migrate DrupalCommerce to Magento: A Comprehensive Guide for a Seamless Transition

Transitioning your e-commerce store to a new platform is a significant undertaking, but it often unlocks new opportunities for growth, scalability, and enhanced features. If you're currently running on DrupalCommerce and considering a move to Magento, you're looking at a powerful upgrade that can transform your online business.

This detailed guide will walk you through the entire replatforming process, from initial prerequisites to essential post-migration steps, ensuring a smooth and successful data transfer. We'll cover everything from moving your product catalog, including SKUs and variants, to preserving crucial customer data, order history, and vital SEO rankings through 301 redirects. Our goal is to help you achieve a seamless migration with minimal downtime and maximum data integrity.

Prerequisites for Migration

Before embarking on your store migration journey, adequate preparation of both your source (DrupalCommerce) and target (Magento) platforms is crucial. This proactive approach minimizes potential issues and ensures a more efficient data transfer.

• Source Store (DrupalCommerce) Preparation:
  • Full Backup: Always perform a complete backup of your DrupalCommerce store's database and files. This is your safety net in case any unforeseen issues arise during the data transfer.
  • Access Credentials: Gather all necessary access details, including your DrupalCommerce admin login, password, and the store URL. For the connection method, you will also need FTP/SFTP access to upload a connection bridge file. Read our guide on The Short & Essential Guide to Access Credentials for Cart2Cart.
  • Plugin Requirement: Ensure you have the Cart2Cart Drupal Commerce Migration module ready for installation to facilitate the data extraction.
  • Data Hygiene: Conduct a thorough cleanup of your DrupalCommerce store. Remove any outdated products, inactive customer accounts, or unnecessary data that you don't wish to transfer to your new Magento store.
  • Further Reading: For more detailed preparation steps, refer to our guide on How to prepare your Source store for migration?
• Target Store (Magento) Preparation:
  • Fresh Magento Installation: It is highly recommended to start with a fresh, fully operational Magento installation. Ensure it's the version you intend to use and that all basic configurations are in place.
  • Access Credentials: Have your Magento admin login, password, and store URL readily available. Similar to the source, FTP/SFTP access is required for uploading the connection bridge.
  • Plugin Requirement: Be aware that a Magento module for password migration will be required to securely transfer customer passwords. Additionally, a reviews table check is recommended to ensure proper migration of product reviews.
  • Empty Target: If your Magento store is brand new, it will naturally be empty. If you've been testing or have existing data, consider using the 'Clear Target' option during migration to ensure a clean slate, especially for a first-time full transfer.
  • Further Reading: For more detailed preparation steps, refer to our guide on How to prepare your Target store for migration?
• General Considerations:
  • Stable Internet Connection: A reliable internet connection is essential for an uninterrupted data migration process.
  • Planned Downtime: While the migration tool works to minimize store interruption, plan for a brief period of downtime for final verification and DNS updates.
  • Data Security: Your data security is paramount. For concerns regarding credentials, see Is it safe to provide your company with my access details?

Performing the Migration: A Step-by-Step Guide

The migration process typically involves using an automated migration wizard to ensure accuracy and efficiency. Follow these steps to smoothly transfer your e-commerce data from DrupalCommerce to Magento:

To begin your migration journey, navigate to the migration wizard and prepare to configure your stores.

Step 1: Set Up Source Cart (DrupalCommerce)

First, you will need to specify your current e-commerce platform. Select DrupalCommerce from the list of supported carts. Then, enter your DrupalCommerce store's URL into the designated field. To establish a secure connection for data extraction, you will be prompted to download a 'connection bridge' file. This file must be uploaded to the root directory of your DrupalCommerce installation via FTP/SFTP. Ensure the Cart2Cart Drupal Commerce Migration module is also installed on your source store as required for the connection. For help locating your root folder, consult What is a root folder and where can I find it?

Step 2: Set Up Target Cart (Magento)

Next, configure your new store. Select Magento as your target e-commerce platform and provide its URL. Similar to the source store, a connection bridge file will need to be downloaded and uploaded to the root directory of your Magento installation. This bridge facilitates the secure data transfer to your new environment.

Step 3: Select Data Entities for Migration

This crucial step allows you to define the scope of your migration. You can choose exactly which types of data, or 'entities,' you wish to transfer from DrupalCommerce to Magento. Both platforms support a comprehensive range of entities, including:

• Products (including SKUs, variants, and product attributes)
• Product Categories
• Product Manufacturers
• Product Reviews
• Customers
• Orders
• Invoices
• Taxes
• Stores
• Coupons
• CMS Pages

You have the flexibility to migrate all entities with a single click or handpick specific ones based on your needs. For products, ensure options like 'Create Variants from Attributes' are selected if you rely on complex product variations.

Step 4: Configure Additional Migration Options

The wizard provides a suite of additional options to tailor your migration for optimal results. Carefully consider and select the following to ensure data integrity and preserve your store's performance:

• Preserve IDs: Options like 'Preserve Product IDs,' 'Preserve Orders IDs,' 'Preserve Customers IDs,' and 'Preserve Category IDs' are highly recommended to maintain existing data relationships and external integrations. Learn more about How Preserve IDs options can be used?
• SEO URLs & 301 Redirects: Selecting 'SEO URLs' and 'Create 301 SEO URLs' is critical for maintaining your search engine rankings and link equity. This ensures old DrupalCommerce URLs seamlessly redirect to their new Magento counterparts, preventing broken links and preserving your hard-earned SEO value.
• Password Migration: If you wish to transfer customer passwords, select the 'Password Migration' option. Remember, this requires the specific Magento module for password migration to be installed on your target store.
• Migrate Images in Description: Ensure product images embedded within descriptions are also transferred.
• Clear Target: The 'Clear Target' option allows you to remove any existing data in your Magento store before the migration begins, ensuring a fresh start. Understand what the option 'Clear current data on Target store before migration' means.

Step 5: Map Data Fields

In this step, you'll map incompatible data fields between DrupalCommerce and Magento. This primarily involves aligning customer groups (e.g., 'Wholesale' to 'Customer Group A') and order statuses (e.g., 'Pending Payment' to 'Processing'). Proper data mapping ensures consistency and avoids discrepancies in your new store.

Step 6: Run Demo Migration & Full Migration

Once all configurations are set, it's time to initiate the migration process:

• Run Demo Migration: Start with a free demo migration. This transfers a limited number of entities (e.g., 10-20 products, customers, and orders) to your Magento store. The demo is invaluable for testing your settings, verifying data accuracy, and confirming that everything maps correctly before committing to the full transfer.
• Initiate Full Migration: After a successful demo and any necessary adjustments, proceed with the full migration. This will transfer all selected data from your DrupalCommerce store to Magento.
• Migration Insurance: Consider opting for a Migration Insurance Service, which allows for multiple remigrations within a specified period. This offers peace of mind and flexibility if you need to rerun your data transfer. Learn more about How Migration Insurance works?

Post-Migration Steps

A successful data transfer is just the beginning. The post-migration phase is critical for ensuring your new Magento store is fully optimized and ready for business.

1. Thorough Data Verification: Rigorously check all migrated data. Verify products (SKUs, pricing, images, descriptions, variants), product categories, customer accounts, order histories, reviews, taxes, and CMS pages. Ensure all links work and data displays as expected.
2. Test Store Functionality: Conduct extensive testing of your new Magento store's core functionalities. This includes placing test orders, creating new customer accounts, using search and filter options, verifying payment gateway integrations, and checking shipping calculations.
3. Configure SEO & Redirects: While the migration tool can handle 301 redirects, always double-check. Identify any remaining broken links from your old DrupalCommerce store and manually implement 301 redirects to maintain your SEO rankings and preserve link equity. Update your sitemap and register your new Magento store with search engines.
4. Install Theme and Extensions: Customize your Magento store's appearance by installing your chosen theme. Integrate any necessary extensions or modules for specific functionalities that enhance user experience or streamline operations.
5. Update DNS Settings: Once you are completely satisfied with your new Magento store, update your domain's DNS settings to point to the new platform. This is when your new store officially goes live.
6. Magento Reindex: As per Magento's limitations and notices, a full reindex is highly recommended after migration to ensure all data is properly integrated and searchable within the platform.
7. Go Live & Monitor: Announce your new store! Closely monitor performance, user behavior, and any potential issues in the initial weeks.

For any new data accumulated on your old store during the verification period, consider utilizing a Recent Data Migration Service to seamlessly transfer it to your new Magento store.

Migrating from DrupalCommerce to Magento is a strategic move that can significantly benefit your e-commerce business. By following this comprehensive guide and leveraging automated migration tools, you can ensure a smooth transition, preserve critical data, and set your new store up for success.

Should you encounter any challenges or require expert assistance, don't hesitate to Contact Us. You can also explore our Frequently Asked Questions for quick answers to common queries.