Migrate from SoulCRM to Mailchimp

CSV export coordination and data audit

We coordinate with the customer to export CSVs from each SoulCRM module: Contacts, Leads, Companies, Deals, Activities, and Marketing Campaigns. Since SoulCRM has no public API, the customer downloads these manually from each module's export function. We validate field headers, count records per module, identify custom fields, flag contacts with attachments, and audit for unsubscribed or bounced records. The output is a data inventory document that forms the baseline for all subsequent mapping decisions.

Mailchimp Audience design and merge field planning

We design the Mailchimp Audience structure based on the SoulCRM data inventory. If the customer has one business with one contact list, a single Audience is appropriate. If there are multiple regional lists or business units, we design multiple Audiences and define the segment rules. We map SoulCRM contact fields to Mailchimp standard fields and merge fields, count against the 40-merge-field limit, and deliver a field reduction plan if needed. We also plan tag and group taxonomy to represent SoulCRM Companies and Campaigns.

Suppression list and opt-in verification

We extract all unsubscribed and bounced contacts from SoulCRM CSV exports and format them as a Mailchimp suppression import. This prevents accidentally sending to contacts who opted out in SoulCRM. For leads that have not confirmed email opt-in, we flag them as non-subscribed in Mailchimp and recommend a re-confirmation email campaign or separate signup workflow post-migration. This step protects sender reputation and deliverability in the new Mailchimp account.

Staging import and reconciliation

We run a test import into a staging Mailchimp Audience using a sample of 100-200 records. We reconcile field values against the source SoulCRM CSV, check tag application, verify merge field rendering, and confirm duplicate detection is working correctly. The customer reviews the staging audience and signs off before production import. Any field mapping corrections happen at this stage, not in production.

Production import with deduplication and tagging

We run the production import in record batches using Mailchimp's REST API v3 or CSV import endpoint. Email address is the dedupe key. We apply Company tags (from SoulCRM Companies module) and Campaign tags (from SoulCRM Marketing Campaigns module) to each contact record during import. All unsubscribed and bounced contacts are imported as suppressed. Each batch emits a reconciliation count report before the next batch begins.

Cutover, deliverable handoff, and migration close

We freeze SoulCRM contact writes during cutover and run a final delta import of any records modified during the migration window. We deliver the written Deal inventory, Activity history reference document, and Campaign metadata reference document to the customer's team. We do not rebuild SoulCRM workflows or automations in Mailchimp; we deliver a written automation reference inventory with Mailchimp Customer Journey recommendations. We support a 48-hour post-migration window for data quality issues. Mailchimp plan upgrade (if needed based on contact count and send volume) is handled by the customer before or during migration.