Notes and project management

How to plan a switch to a new app without losing data

SwitchTo HQ · Updated 18 October 2026 · Notes and project management · How we write

Most software switches go wrong for dull reasons: an export that leaves out attachments, a subscription cancelled a week too early, or a shared link that quietly stops working. None of these are hard to avoid if you plan the move before you start clicking "import". This checklist works for almost any switch, whether you are moving your own notes or a whole team's project tracker. Our individual guides then cover the specific steps for each pair of apps.

1. Write down what you actually need to move

Before you look at importers, list what lives in the old tool. A typical list includes:

The core records: notes, emails, tasks, issues, contacts, posts or files.
The structure around them: folders, notebooks, labels, tags, projects, boards and custom fields.
History: comments, edit history, completed or archived items, old messages.
Attachments and images, which are often stored separately from the text.
People and permissions: who can see or edit what.
Integrations: anything that sends data into or out of the tool, such as webhooks, automations, calendar links or email forwarding.
Links into the tool from elsewhere: shared links, links in documents, bookmarks and public pages.

Then mark each item as must move, nice to have or can stay behind as an archive. Many teams decide that years of closed issues or old newsletters don't need to be in the new tool at all, as long as a read-only export is kept somewhere safe. Linear's own import guide makes the same point: some organisations treat a switch as a clean break and import only what they need day to day.

2. Read both sides of the documentation

Every migration has two halves: the export from the old app and the import into the new one. Read the official documentation for both before you begin, because the limits are usually spelled out there. For example:

Evernote only allows exports from its desktop app, not from Evernote Web, according to Evernote's export help page.
Atlassian's Trello importer documentation lists exactly which Trello items (such as archived cards, checklists and custom fields) do or don't come across, depending on the type of Jira space.
Ghost's WordPress migration guide says its built-in importer handles XML files up to 100 MB and up to 2,500 posts, and does not support custom post types.

Make a note of anything on your must-move list that the importer doesn't support. That tells you what you will need to recreate by hand, or move with a different method.

3. Check who has permission to export and import

Exports and imports often need an administrator role. Slack's export help page explains that what workspace owners and admins can export depends on the Slack plan: public channels are available on every plan, while private channels and direct messages need a higher plan or an approved request. Linear's importers can only be started by workspace admins, and GitLab's GitHub importer needs the Maintainer or Owner role on the destination group. Sort out access before the day you plan to move.

4. Take a full backup first

Whatever the importer does, take a complete export from the old tool in its native or most open format and store it somewhere you control. This is your safety net if the import goes wrong, and it is a record of your data if the old account is closed. Good formats are the ones that other tools can read: CSV for lists and tables, HTML or Markdown for documents, standard XML exports for websites and mbox or IMAP access for email.

Treat exports that contain passwords or personal data carefully. A password manager export, for instance, is usually an unencrypted file containing every password you own. Delete it securely once the import is confirmed.

5. Run a small test import

Import a sample first: one notebook, one board, one project or a single test mailing list. Then check it properly:

Are the counts right? Compare the number of items in the old and new tool.
Did formatting, images and attachments survive?
Are dates (created, due, sent) correct, or have they all become today's date?
Did tags, labels and assignees map to the right things?
Do links between items still work?

Fix the mapping or the source data and test again before you import everything.

6. Decide how long to run both tools

For personal tools, a clean cut-over is often fine. For teams, it is usually safer to run the old and new tools side by side for a short period, with a clear rule about which one is the "source of truth". Some products support this directly: Linear's Jira integration can keep Jira and Linear in sync while a team trials or transitions to Linear. Agree a date when the old tool becomes read-only.

7. Update everything that points at the old tool

After the main import, work through the integrations and links on your list:

Re-create automations and webhooks in the new tool.
Update links in documentation, wikis, email signatures and websites.
For websites, set up redirects from old URLs to new ones so search engines and readers don't hit dead pages. Ghost's migration guide notes that you may need redirects after moving from WordPress.
Tell people what has changed and where to find things.

8. Only then cancel the old subscription

Keep the old account until you have confirmed that the import is complete, the team is working in the new tool, and you have a full backup stored safely. Check whether cancelling deletes your data immediately or after a grace period. Note the renewal date so you don't pay for another year by accident.

A quick checklist

List what you need to move and what can stay behind as an archive.
Read the export and import documentation for both apps.
Confirm you have the admin rights you need on both sides.
Take a full backup in an open format and store it safely.
Test with a small sample and check counts, dates, formatting and attachments.
Import everything, then re-create integrations and redirects.
Keep the old tool read-only for an agreed period.
Cancel the old subscription only when everything is confirmed.