What happens to your PeopleSoft HCM data that’s been stored in PeopleSoft all these years if you transition to the Cloud? The answer is multi-part, and it begins with the steps you’ll take to convert your data. See the steps below:

Steps to Convert Your PeopleSoft HCM Data

1. Data mapping — Mapping of PeopleSoft entity to Oracle HCM Cloud
2. Data extraction — Technology used for data extraction from PeopleSoft HCM application
3. Data loading — Loads data into Oracle HCM Cloud
4. Data validation —Checks to ensure accurate and appropriate data load
5. Data reconciliation — Ensures data accuracy by comparing Cloud data with the PeopleSoft HCM application

Data mapping will be different in the Cloud than in your PeopleSoft environment. You’ll want to optimize your data through data mapping to optimize the solution, enterprise configuration, and applications, and to map it in the way that is most beneficial to you as a user. You’ll also address relevance in the context of your industry and position your solution for scalability. Data mapping is critical to the data migration process.

There are several techniques and tools for extraction that have been tried and tested through Oracle Consulting.

In terms of data loading, the common gateway for all data to enter the Cloud is the HCM Data Loader. Whether extracted through the toolset or another customer data extraction process, all of the data must get transformed into the HDL compatible template. This is the gateway where validation and pre-checks begin in order to push data into the Cloud.

Your PeopleSoft data may include data that is antique. It’s either no longer relevant to your business processes or serves an outdated function that is not available in the Cloud. Perhaps your data is antique because it’s not highly integrated. Every single row of data that gets into the Cloud needs to be validated. It must be accurate and consistent to function efficiently in the Cloud.

Once you’ve completed the above steps, the loading happens. Then you’ll start to reconcile your data. For reconciliation, you’ll run comparisons between your PeopleSoft data and Oracle Cloud to ensure the migrated data is accurate.

Any data migration from one system to another should include the steps listed above. This process is imperative for PeopleSoft customers moving to Oracle HCM Cloud, as the consequences are far-reaching across the entire business landscape. Building the hierarchies, mapping data, and loading it into the Cloud accurately affects everything.

Questions to Ask About Your Data

Before moving your PeopleSoft HCM data, you’ll want to answer several questions about that data. These are outlined and detailed here: Before Moving to the Cloud: Important Questions to Address About Your Data. This blog will walk you through your data quality, historical data, reporting, and business process optimization. Of the utmost importance is transitioning clean data—data that is applicable to your modern business processes, meets regulatory requirements, and is both accurate and standardized.

How to Manage Common Peoplesoft Data Migration Challenges

The most common challenges faced by PeopleSoft customers migrating data to the Cloud include high volume data, multiple data sources, data antiquity, and customizations. Below are helpful solutions for these common roadblocks.

High Volume Challenge — If you’ve been using PeopleSoft for a number of years, then your historical data could be vast. In addition, a large workforce for your business equates to a high volume of data. Before migration, carefully consider which historical data should be prioritized. You don’t have to move all your data—Oracle recommends against it. By being selective about your data and leveraging the robust migration and validation tools available from Oracle, you’ll avoid data volume issues.

Multiple data sources — Most businesses that face this challenge have undergone mergers and acquisitions. If this is you, focus on consolidating and standardizing your data sources prior to data migration.

Data antiquity — There is specific functionality on PeopleSoft that is not available in Oracle Cloud HCM. The example given in the document, Data management – what happens to your PeopleSoft HCM data when you transition to the Cloud?, pertains to terminating and rehiring employees. In PeopleSoft, you could perform both tasks on the same day, but Oracle Cloud HCM does not allow it. Therefore, there are Oracle tools available to help resolve these issues before migrating your data.

Customizations — It’s no surprise that customizations can cause issues for data migration. By utilizing Flexfields in Oracle Cloud HCM, however, you can manage the mapping of your custom data fields in PeopleSoft to make your migration easier.

Data Migration Tools

Another important determination for your data is how to move it to the Cloud.

Will you migrate everything at once using the “big bang” approach, perform a phased data migration in which your PeopleSoft remains the primary source for non-migrated data (Phased migrations should take 6–12 months but no longer or you risk unnecessarily complicating your data), or sync your data with a back-feed integration to maintain access to both systems?

Regardless of which approach you choose, you’re not on your own. Oracle has released toolkits for each of the three options, and they apply quarterly enhancements to ensure the toolkits are updated for Cloud application functionality, data models, and advancing technologies.

These toolkits are updated and built-upon to handle every situation met by a business while migrating. Because such a high number of customers have migrated to the Cloud, Oracle has encountered and overcome both common and unique challenges for businesses. From each of these experiences, they’ve applied the lessons learned to enhance the toolkits for an even smoother migration experience for you.

One of specific tools and toolkits available from Oracle for data conversion includes Oracle Soar. You can learn more about migrating to the Cloud with Oracle Soar here. The Soar toolkit can handle any of the three migration approaches. Additional tools include the HDL Error Analysis and Resolution Tool, Data Migration Handbook, Data Validation Reports, and Data Migration Engine.

Best Practices for Data Migration

The fact that you’re reading this post means your priorities are in the right place. Your data is extremely important, and you’re aiming to take great care of it. To follow Oracle’s best practices for data migration from PeopleSoft to Oracle HCM Cloud, plan to spend a significant amount of time deciding which data will best serve you in the Cloud.

This means limiting the scope of your historical data (If you decide to move all historical data, run a cost-benefit analysis at an early stage of implementation.), identifying and finalizing data mapping as early as possible, executing a validation and data quality strategy, and conducting pre-validation reports to verify one fixed source for your data.

Learn More

To learn more about PeopleSoft HCM data migration from Oracle, check out the following webinar recording: Data management – what happens to your PeopleSoft HCM data when you transition to the Cloud?.

For more on moving from PeopleSoft to Oracle Cloud HCM, check out the Quest Content Library.

To connect with other customers who may be considering a move to the Cloud, consider joining the Move to Cloud for PeopleSoft Special Interest Group.