Data Migration involves importing data into your aXcelerate account from external sources such as a previous SMS. This is a service that we provide typically during the Onboarding stage of your use of the system to ensure that the necessary training data from your previous system is brought over to aXcelerate.
Data migration services are $185 + GST per hour. Data Migration service hours are typically purchased during initial sign-up with aXcelerate. The number of hours needed will depend on the complexity of the data being imported and the format which the data is provided.
Note: Please ensure that all data needed to be imported is contained with the files provided so that no data is missed during the import.
Data Migration Process
The standard methods for importing data into aXcelerate is to use our spreadsheet template or AVETMISS NAT files.
- Meet with the Data Migration team and scope the data that needs to be imported
- Provide the data in a valid format
- The Data Migration team imports your data into your staging aXcelerate account
- Verify the data in your staging account
- The data is imported into your live aXcelerate account
NAT files containing historical AVETMISS data can be imported directly into aXcelerate. To access your NAT files you will need to speak with your previous SMS provider about exporting this information.
The NAT files should be validated by the AVS (AVETMISS Validation Software) tool on NCVER's website. Only NAT files in AVETMISS 7.0 & 8.0 format are able to be validated and imported.
The TAMS format consists of a student and an enrolment file. While this data is similar to the AVETMISS format, the TAMS report does not explicitly include Program/Qualification details nor does it include Award numbers.
In order to import your data correctly our Data Migration team may request a list of contracts and their associated program details as well as a list of awards details. We will then convert your data into Spreadsheet format and import into aXcelerate.
A TAMS format import typically requires approximately 10 Data Migration Service hours.
This process involves providing our Data Migration team with a spreadsheet (XLS file) containing the information that you need to be imported into aXcelerate. The spreadsheet needs to be provided during the initial migration process and must be in the correct format to be able to be imported. You will need to use our Spreadsheet Template to correctly format your data.
This method can be used for clients that do not have an existing SMS with historical NAT files. Spreadsheets can also be used to capture information not contained within NAT files such as: Contacts, Notes, Organisations, Unit Enrolments (Classes), Workshops (Non-Accredited), Award Dates and Numbers.
Tip: If you have additional data migration needs outside the scope of standard migration methods, our Data Migration team can work with you to investigate the feasibility of custom data migration. This usually involves importing data into custom fields in aXcelerate via a script. Data which requires custom API or SQL scripts are more complex and will increase the complexity and duration of the migration project.
Note: Once the data has been imported into your staging account, you must verify the data and notify the migration specialist once you have confirmed that the data is correct before it can be imported into your live account. This must be done before the end of the month as the Staging database will be 'Refreshed' at the beginning of each month. Please refer to our Staging Environment help article for further information regarding how to access the data in your Staging account.
Data Migration FAQs
What is included in AVETMISS data?
Delivery Locations, Subject/Units, Courses/Qualifications, Contacts/Student Details, Enrolment Data, Certificate Dates, Award Numbers are included.
Trainers, Assessments, Enrolment Status, Organisation Details are not included. This data requires use of the spreadsheet to import into aXcelerate, we can also run custom migration scripts at an additional cost if the data doesn't exist in the Spreadsheet Template.
Where do I find the staging data to verify it?
Your Staging account can be accessed from https://stg.axcelerate.com.au/management/ using your aXcelerate login credentials. Please refer to our Staging Environment help article for further information on access and use of your Staging account.
Can financial data be imported?
If necessary we are able to import finance data using custom scripts but this is a complex process and will require a substantial amount of service hours to achieve. Examples of such an import can be to store the finance data against Contact Notes or Custom Fields.
Due to the complex nature of financial data, we recommend managing historical financial data using external financial management software.
Why has some of my data not been imported?
The migration will import any data that has been provided in a valid format. If there is missing information after the import, the data may have not been included in the data that was originally provided.
Please check the spreadsheet or NAT files you have provided to verify whether the information is present in the original data given to our Migration team.
Enrolment Data can sometimes be omitted within AVETMISS exports from other SMS systems. If there is missing information still present in your previous SMS, please contact the SMS provider for assistance in retrieving the information.
Why are student class enrolments showing as ‘In Progress’ when they have been completed or withdrawn?
The AVETMISS and Spreadsheet formats do not contain details of a students overall enrolment and as such, they are imported as ‘In Progress’ by default.
We can update these in bulk for you after the import process to either ‘Complete’ or ‘Withdrawn’ based on unit outcomes.
Why are Funding Codes, Contract Information or Delivery Locations missing from an enrolment?
These fields are stored and reported at a unit enrolment level. If a class enrolment uses these fields, they will be overridden by the unit enrolment’s values. We can run a script post-import that will move these values to the class enrollment level where they are identical if you would like.
If you believe data is missing from a unit enrolment, don’t hesitate to contact our Data Migration team.
How long will my Data Migration Take?
The time taken to finish importing the Data into your live account needs to account for the quality of data, the refresh cycle and also our Migration team's schedule. Additionally, larger datasets will take longer to import, so we recommend only importing 3 years worth of historical data and keeping anything older simply backed up.
However, we find the biggest delay in completing data migrations is a result of data not being verified correctly, so we would like to highlight it is very important for this to be completed promptly but thoroughly.