Data Migration from WinJur

Data Migration from WinJur – Seamlessly Migrated, Immediately Productive

timeSensor AG · Law Firm Blog · Law Firm Management Software

Switching from one law firm system to another requires profound knowledge of both databases and the underlying data models. timeSensor AG has familiarized itself with the WinJur data model over recent years and offers extensive migration of WinJur data, allowing you to continue working productively immediately after the switch.

Data Migration in Two Steps

Data migration from the WinJur law firm management software to timeSensor LEGAL takes place in two steps. First, we export the data from the WinJur database into .CSV files. This creates a large number of text files that can also be opened with Excel or Word. We then import the data into timeSensor LEGAL, where a data transformation ensures that the legacy data fits the new data model.

The exact export process depends on the WinJur version. Newer WinJur installations use Microsoft’s SQL database, while older installations are still in operation with the Access database. This WinJur data is analyzed by an algorithm we developed. The corresponding primary keys in the various tables are merged so that the relationships between the exported data can be restored during the subsequent import.

Import into timeSensor LEGAL

WinJur legal software has some peculiarities that need to be considered. For instance, WinJur does not have an actual archive structure in the area of document management. For this reason, many WinJur users have started structuring the matter tree so that it contains not only the actual matters and sub-matters but also serves as a kind of filing structure. This matter tree, which often appears somewhat adventurous, can generally be transferred to timeSensor LEGAL.

The migration makes the tree clearer because the top hierarchical levels of the tree are mapped by data rooms and matters in timeSensor LEGAL. As a result, only the relevant matters and sub-matters are displayed in a client matter.

Since timeSensor LEGAL has a real archive structure, it is no longer necessary to use sub-matters to structure document filing. Such superfluous WinJur matters can be eliminated by simply moving the corresponding documents to the desired folder after migration.

The LOG Table and Transactional Data

Another specialty of WinJur is the “LOG” table. This table contains most of WinJur’s transactional data, such as services, invoices, documents, or deadlines. After the successful import of master data – i.e., WinJur addresses and the WinJur matter tree – the migration program runs through the LOG table and imports the transactional data into the corresponding areas of timeSensor LEGAL.

The final step of the migration is the import of WinJur documents. For this, the metadata of these documents exists in the WinJur database, while the associated documents are located on the server in various folders and subfolders. The algorithm runs through the metadata and imports it appropriately into the document management system (DMS) of timeSensor LEGAL.

Error Management

Older WinJur databases may have issues with data consistency. These include “orphaned” records that cannot be correctly assigned anywhere, or duplicates. During import, timeSensor LEGAL creates a detailed log file with all identified problems so that these can be manually post-processed after migration.

What Should Be Migrated?

Migrating all data is not the best approach, as the new database would be filled from the start with a lot of legacy data that is no longer relevant in practice. This slows down the database and takes up unnecessary space during data backups.

An alternative approach is therefore to transfer only active matters or to determine a period from which matters should be imported. The existing WinJur program is best preserved via a VM (virtual machine) at a specific state, including the matching Windows version, and thus remains available as a long-term data archive.

Benefit from our many years of experience in migrating WinJur data and start with timeSensor LEGAL directly on the basis of the transferred WinJur data set.