Your First 90 Days in the Cloud: A Practical Plan
So you have decided it is time. The server in the cupboard is making strange noises, the shared folder is a jungle, and you are tired of hearing "the file is on my laptop, but my laptop is at home". You want to plan a cloud migration for your business here in Kenya. Sawa. But where do you actually start?
Many businesses stall right here. They try to move everything at once, get overwhelmed and quietly go back to the old ways. The trick is to break the journey into manageable steps. Here is a practical plan for your first 90 days.
Days 1 to 30: Understand what you have
The first month is about looking, not buying. Before you choose any tools, you need a clear picture of how your business actually runs today.
List your core processes: sales, invoicing, payments, stock, payroll, customer records
For each one, note what tool or method you use now, whether software, spreadsheet or notebook
Identify where data lives, including laptops, flash disks and that one desktop in accounts
Ask staff what frustrates them most, since they will tell you exactly where the pain is
List every existing subscription and who owns each account
By the end of this month, pick one or two processes to move first. Choose ones that are painful enough to be worth fixing but not so critical that a hiccup would shut the business down. Shared documents and email are often a good start. Payroll on the 24th of the month is not.
Days 31 to 60: Choose, clean and pilot
Now you can start shopping, armed with a clear list of what you need. Compare options carefully, and ask every vendor the hard questions: how do I export my data, what does it cost as we grow, where is the data stored, and what support do you offer?
Once you have chosen, clean your data before moving it. Remove duplicates, fix formats and archive records you no longer need. Then run a pilot with a small group.
Choose a few willing staff members, ideally including one sceptic
Run the new system alongside the old one for a few weeks
Write down every problem, question and workaround
Set up user accounts properly from the start, each person with their own login
Turn on two-factor authentication before anyone gets comfortable
Including a sceptic is deliberate. If Njoroge, who has complained about every new system since 2015, finds the pilot reasonable, everyone else will too.
Days 61 to 90: Roll out and settle in
With the pilot sorted, expand to the rest of the team. Train people in small groups rather than one long session that everyone forgets by lunch. Short written guides, or even quick screen recordings shared on the team WhatsApp group, go a long way.
Set a clear switch-over date, after which the old method is retired
Keep the old system read-only for reference for a few months
Appoint a go-to person for questions, so not everyone calls the boss
Check usage after two weeks and follow up with people who have not logged in
Review costs at the end of the month to make sure there are no surprises
Cloud migration mistakes to avoid
A few common mistakes are worth avoiding. Do not move everything at once. Do not let one staff member set up every account in their personal name. Do not skip training because the software "is easy". And do not assume the cloud means you no longer need backups or a plan for internet outages. A backup data bundle and a clear idea of what to do when the network drops are part of the plan.
After day 90
Once the first processes are running smoothly, go back to your list from month one and pick the next ones. Each move gets easier, because your team now knows what to expect and you have a process for doing it.
If you would like a hand planning or building any part of the journey, from choosing tools to developing a custom system, you are welcome to talk to Philsoft or browse our business software products. Either way, take it one process at a time. The cloud is not a race. It is more like a long matatu ride: get on, find a seat, and try not to change routes halfway.