Consulting and recruiting
Migrating off a PSA: what to do with historical timesheets and projects
By SourceX Editorial · Updated
Short answer
When migrating off a PSA, move only open projects, current rate cards and the history current reporting needs, and archive everything else as a complete, validated export with a data dictionary. Keep time entry narratives and the links between projects, tasks and entries intact, because they explain how work was delivered and cannot be rebuilt later.
Key takeaways
- Migrate what must be edited, billed or reported in the new PSA; archive the rest in full detail.
- Time entry narratives are the field most often truncated or dropped, and the hardest to recover later.
- Export IDs, not just names, so projects, tasks, entries and invoices can be reconnected in the archive.
- Validate the archive against invoices and historical hour totals before the old license ends.
- A well-structured PSA archive keeps options open for estimating, internal AI tools and licensing reviews.
Migrate or archive: the core decision#
The migrate-or-archive decision turns on one question: will anyone need to edit, bill or report on this record inside the new PSA? Open work passes that test. Most closed history does not, but it still needs a complete home outside the new system.
Firms that try to migrate everything usually hit field mismatches, slow imports and messy reporting in the new tool. Firms that migrate only summaries without a full archive lose the detail auditors, partners and future projects rely on. The table sets out a default for each record type.
| Record type | Migrate to the new PSA | Archive in full | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open projects and budgets | Yes | Yes | Needed for billing, burn tracking and WIP |
| Closed projects | Summary only, if reporting needs it | Yes | Rarely edited; detail matters for audits and reference |
| Time entries on open projects | Yes, or as opening balances | Yes | Budget consumption must stay accurate |
| Time entries on closed projects | Usually not | Yes, with narratives | High volume with little use inside a new tool |
| Rate cards and billing rules | Current versions only | Yes, every version | Old rates explain old invoices |
| Resource assignments and skills | Current staff only | Yes | History shows how teams were staffed |
| Expenses and receipts | Open items only | Yes, with attachments | Reimbursement and audit trail |
| Users, roles and permissions | Rebuilt, not migrated | Yes, as a list | Access models differ between systems |
What usually gets lost in a PSA migration#
The detail that usually gets lost in a PSA migration sits in fields standard exports treat as secondary: time entry narratives, task hierarchies, approval history, change orders, custom fields and attachments. A summary report can tie out perfectly on hours while missing all of them.
Narratives are the biggest loss. In a consulting firm they record what each person actually did, in their own words, against a task and a client. Some export tools cap text length or strip line breaks, and nobody notices until a partner searches for how a past engagement handled a similar problem.
Approval history matters for the same reason. A record of who approved a timesheet, a budget change or a write-off shows how the firm controlled delivery, and auditors and acquirers sometimes ask for it.
Deactivated users are a quieter problem. If a leaver's account was deleted rather than disabled, their entries may export with a blank or generic name, breaking the link between work, role and cost rate.
Field mapping checklist for projects, tasks, time entries and narratives#
A field mapping checklist keeps every record connected after export. Map by stable identifiers rather than display names, since names change and duplicates are common across years of projects.
Plan the export mechanics as well as the fields, because large histories rarely leave in one click. Deltek's Vantagepoint help, for example, describes list-view exports to CSV or Excel, and in the cloud product exports of more than 500 records from apps such as Projects and Employees run as scheduled jobs on the process server, with a notification when the file is ready. Expect batches, and leave time for them before the license ends.
- Projects: project ID, name, client ID, engagement partner, start and end dates, status, contract type, budget and the opportunity or proposal ID that created it.
- Clients: client ID, legal name, industry, parent company and any contract flag that restricts use of the client's information.
- Phases and tasks: task ID, parent ID, planned hours, assigned roles and dates.
- Time entries: entry ID, person ID, project and task IDs, date, hours, billable flag, rate applied, approval status and approver.
- Narratives: the full text of every time entry note, plus any internal-only comment field, checked for truncation.
- Change orders and budget revisions: original and revised values, dates and approvers.
- Invoices: invoice ID and the time and expense entries each invoice billed, including write-downs and write-offs.
- People: person ID, role, practice, cost rate history and an end date for leavers instead of deletion.
- Custom fields: every field name, its allowed values and a note on what the firm used it for.
How to validate the archive before the old system shuts off#
Validating the archive means tying it back to numbers the firm already trusts, before the old PSA license ends. Run each check in the table, record the result, and get sign-off from finance and operations.
| Check | How to run it | Pass condition |
|---|---|---|
| Hours | Compare total hours by year and by project with reports from the old PSA | Totals match |
| Billing | Tie billed time and expenses to invoices in the accounting system | Each invoice reconciles to its entries |
| Narratives | Compare a sample of long entries with the original screens | No truncation or broken characters |
| Hierarchy | Rebuild a few projects from IDs alone | Tasks and entries reattach correctly |
| People | Look up leavers' entries | Names, roles and rates are present |
| Attachments | Open a sample of receipts and documents | Files open and link to the right record |
Where to keep the archive, and who can see it#
The archive should live somewhere the firm controls, in open formats, with a data dictionary next to it. Common choices are CSV or similar files in the firm's cloud storage, a small database or warehouse with a reporting view, or a read-only license on the old PSA. Vendor terms for read-only access vary, so ask before the renewal date.
Access should be narrower than it was in the live system. The archive holds employee names, cost rates and client confidential detail in narratives, so limit it to finance, operations and named partners. Set retention to match tax, contract and employment record obligations. Federal wage-hour rules, for example, require US employers to keep payroll records for at least three years from the last entry (29 CFR 516.5), and state and tax rules can require longer, so confirm periods with your accountant and counsel.
Write the data dictionary while the people who configured the old PSA are still available. A short description of each table, field and status code takes little effort now and saves guesswork when someone opens the archive years later.
Illustrative: a consulting firm archives its delivery history#
Illustrative: a fictional management consulting firm moved from an older standalone PSA to a PSA module inside its new ERP. The first plan was to migrate every project since the firm adopted the old system. Test imports showed mismatched task structures and failed narrative fields.
The COO switched to the default in this guide: open projects, current rates and active staff moved; everything else was archived through the old vendor's API, because the standard report export cut narratives short. Finance tied hours by year and invoices to the accounting system before the license ended.
Soon after, partners were using the archive to compare estimates with actual hours when scoping new work. The COO also listed it in the firm's data inventory as a candidate for a licensing review, with client names flagged for removal.
Why a PSA archive can be worth more than storage#
A PSA archive records how consulting work is scoped, staffed and delivered: estimates against actuals, change orders, task narratives and approvals. AI developers building tools for professional services workflows look for records like these, because they show real decisions and outcomes rather than polished deliverables.
Licensing is one option among several and depends on rights. Client names and confidential details must be removed, client contracts checked, and employee data minimized. SourceX starts with a metadata-only fit check, runs any license through the SourceX five-step transaction of Supply, Rights, Preparation, Approval and Delivery, and leaves large archives in the firm's own storage rather than hosting them.
Frequently asked questions
How long should we keep read-only access to the old PSA?
Long enough to finish validation, close open billing and audit questions, and confirm people can find what they need in the archive. Vendor terms for read-only or archive licenses vary widely, so ask about options and costs before the renewal date rather than after the contract lapses.
Should time entry narratives be cleaned before archiving?
No. Archive narratives exactly as they were written so the record stays faithful. If a later use needs cleaned text, such as analytics or a licensing review that removes client names, do that work on a copy and keep the original archive untouched. Record known quirks, such as a period when consultants followed a different narrative convention, in the data dictionary.
Who should own a PSA migration: finance or operations?
Both, with one named owner. Finance owns rate, billing and invoice tie-outs; operations owns project and task structure; IT handles export mechanics and storage. A single accountable owner, often the COO, signs off that the archive is complete before the old system is switched off.
Can we migrate history in summary form instead of detail?
Yes. Many firms load opening balances or monthly totals per open project into the new PSA so budgets and reports work from day one, while the full detail lives in the archive. Summary migration only works if that archive is complete and validated.
Do archived timesheets contain personal data?
Yes. They hold employee names, hours, cost rates and sometimes notes about leave or personal matters, alongside client contact names in narratives. Restrict access, apply a retention period that matches your obligations, and remove personal details before any reuse outside finance and operations.
Sources
- Deltek's Vantagepoint help says the Export List View dialog exports grid data from a list view to a .csv file or an Excel file. Source
- Deltek's help says a cloud Vantagepoint list-view export is scheduled with a notification when the .csv is ready, and exports of more than 500 records from apps such as Projects and Employees run on the process server. Source
- 29 CFR 516.5 requires employers to preserve payroll records containing the employee information required by Part 516 for at least three years from the last date of entry. Source
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