Documentum to Cloud: Migration Without Losing the Audit Trail

Moving from legacy Documentum to a modern cloud platform promises flexibility,

but a rushed migration can obliterate history, break links, and alarm inspectors.

This playbook migrates content with confidence. You will inventory what matters,

map data intelligently, preserve audit trails, and validate outcomes so the new

system is ready for regulatory scrutiny on day one.

Why a disciplined migration matters

Regulatory confidence: Inspectors expect full document history and audit

trails.

User adoption: Clean metadata and permissions encourage teams to retire old

workarounds.

Operational stability: Accurate migration prevents broken references and

rework.

Future agility: A structured approach makes subsequent migrations easier.

Step 1: Conduct a detailed content inventory

Catalogue documents, metadata, renditions, versions, workflows, and

relationships.

Classify content into migrate, archive, or retire categories based on

regulatory requirements and business value.

Engage business owners to confirm retention needs and avoid migrating obsolete

artifacts.

Step 2: Design mappings and transformation rules

Map Documentum object types, metadata fields, security groups, and folder

structures to the cloud platform.

Document transformation rules (e.g., concatenating fields, value translations)

under change control.

Validate mappings with test batches; adjust for edge cases before full migration.

Step 3: Preserve audit trails and history

Export audit logs, version histories, and workflow events from Documentum.
Import history into the new system, aligning event types and timestamps.
Where direct import is impossible, store audit logs in a validated repository

linked to new records.

Verify audit entries post-migration and retain original logs for reference.

Step 4: Plan cutover and validation

Define freeze periods to prevent new changes during migration; communicate

clearly to end users.

Develop validation protocols comparing document counts, metadata values, and

permissions between source and target.

Conduct sample-based verification and document results.
Run user acceptance testing to confirm workflows, search, and reporting behave

as expected.

Step 5: Train users and monitor post-cutover

Provide training on new navigation, metadata expectations, and self-service

tools.

Monitor adoption and collect feedback to fine-tune configurations.
Establish support channels for data issues discovered after go-live.

Metrics that prove success

Migration accuracy (documents migrated versus expected).
Number of broken links or access issues post-cutover.
Time to resolve migration-related tickets.
User satisfaction and adoption rates.

45-day roadmap

Days 1-10: Inventory high-value libraries, classify retention needs, and

gather stakeholder approvals.

Days 11-20: Prototype metadata/security mapping for one content set and

validate with SMEs.

Days 21-30: Define audit trail extraction, run a pilot batch, and adjust

transformation rules.

Days 31-45: Execute migration rehearsal, document validation results, and

prepare training materials for go-live.

Frequently asked questions

Should we migrate everything? No. Migrate only content with ongoing

regulatory or business value to keep the new system lean.

How do we handle permissions? Align security groups and access roles before

migration; test them thoroughly.

What about legacy audit logs? Retain them in a controlled archive if direct

import is not possible, with clear linkage to new records.

How do we ensure compliance? Document every step—inventory, mappings,

validation—and maintain change control records.

Sustain the win

Monitor the new platform for missing history or user pain, refresh mappings as

business rules evolve, and document lessons learned for future migrations.

Celebrate a smooth cutover with auditors and users alike—proof that you can move

to the cloud without losing the audit trail.