Preparing for Your Content Migration to Canto

Migrating to Canto is a great step towards improving how you store, organise, and find your digital assets. Like any migration, the smoother it goes, the more planning you do up front.

This article covers the two main parts of a Canto migration, plus a few practical tips to help you prepare.

1. The Two Key Parts of Migration

A. Data migration

This is the transfer of your actual files into Canto — things like images, videos, audio files, and documents.

Before you migrate, it helps to think about:

• Where your assets live today
  Are they stored on a shared drive, cloud storage, external drives, or another DAM system?

• How much content you’re moving
  Are you migrating everything, or only selected folders and collections?

• How you want things structured in Canto
  Do you want to replicate your current folder layout, or take the chance to improve it?

• File formats and compatibility
  Most common file types work well, but if you have anything unusual it’s worth checking early (and converting where needed).

B. Metadata migration

Metadata is the information attached to your files that makes them easier to search and manage. This is usually where the real value sits.

Metadata often includes:

• Keywords and tags

• Descriptions and captions

• Albums or categories

• Custom fields

A few tips before migrating metadata:

• Some systems can export metadata into a CSV file, which can then be imported into Canto.

• It’s worth taking time to check your metadata for consistency and accuracy before importing.

• If you’re using custom fields, make sure they’re mapped correctly into Canto so nothing is missed.

2. Pre-Migration Preparation

A migration is also a good chance to tidy things up. A bit of clean-up beforehand makes the new library much easier to manage.

Clean up your content

Before you move anything, consider:

• Removing outdated, irrelevant, or duplicate assets

• Replacing low-resolution or corrupted files where possible

• Standardising file naming so everything looks consistent

Plan your structure

Having a plan for how you want content organised in Canto will save time later:

• Define your folder, album, or category structure in advance

• Let key users know the migration is happening, and what to expect

Confirm technical requirements

If you have databasics’ BEST or Hands ON! onboarding package, our team can take care of the migration for you.

The upload will run inside your environment, and we’ll need access to a machine that:

• Can access the content being migrated

• Has stable internet, enough disk space, and the right permissions

Allow enough time

Migration timing depends on how many files you’re moving, how large they are, and your upload speed.

For large libraries, a staged or phased migration can help reduce disruption and keep things manageable.

3. Next Steps

With a bit of preparation around your assets, metadata, and structure, your Canto library will start off clean, consistent, and easy to navigate.

Once you’re ready, our team will work with you to carry out the migration efficiently and securely.

If you’d like help preparing your files or metadata, feel free to reach out to the databasics CX team, we’re happy to guide you through it.