Export only what you can review
Start with object records or one collection rather than every table in the old system. Smaller imports make mapping decisions easier to understand and reverse if something looks wrong.
Keep a copy of the original export outside Museum Vault. That untouched file is your reference if a field needs to be checked later.
Prepare the header row
Use a CSV file with clear column headers. Include accession number, title or object name, description, collection, current location, date, creator, rights, and any custom fields the museum relies on.
Remove columns that are truly empty or obsolete. Keep columns with local meaning even if they do not map cleanly yet.
Map fields with future searching in mind
Map the fields people will search every week into first-class fields: identifier, title, collection, description, status, and location.
Map creator, date, format, subject, coverage, language, and rights into descriptive metadata when the export is reliable. Keep unusual local fields as custom metadata for later review.
Validate before committing
Run validation and read the warnings. Pay special attention to duplicate object IDs, missing titles, empty rows, unknown collections, malformed JSON, and records that would be hard to recognize after import.
If validation produces many warnings, fix the source file or reduce the import size instead of pushing through.
Review the imported batch
After import, spot-check records from the beginning, middle, and end of the file. Confirm titles, identifiers, locations, and custom fields are where the team expects them.
Invite more volunteers only after the migration lead signs off on the first batch.