Options and the work each one addresses
| Alternative | When to consider it | Responsibility to resolve |
|---|---|---|
| Clean active records | Duplicates, missing owners, and stale opportunities undermine trust | Reconcile a representative pipeline sample |
| Redefine the sales process | Sellers use conflicting stage meanings | Have two sellers stage the same cases independently |
| Reconfigure existing capabilities | The workflow was never configured around current needs | Demonstrate the required scenario in a controlled setup |
| Repair the integration boundary | Data is lost or duplicated between otherwise usable tools | Test success, failure, and retry with stable record identifiers |
| Use a controlled manual bridge | A limited gap needs temporary handling during a decision | Assign an owner, reconciliation check, and retirement date |
Diagnose the gap before choosing
A manual bridge is not a permanent answer to an expanding queue. Measure its effort and failure pattern. If a necessary workflow remains unsupported or the operating burden is unacceptable, a migration brief becomes stronger because it is based on observed limitations.
Worked decision example
Illustrative example: delivery sees incomplete customer information because the existing handoff has no acceptance requirement. Adding an accepted handoff and required inputs may fix the failure even when both current systems remain in place.
Compare the full commitment
Keep a recoverable backup before material record changes. Compare the cost and risk of repair with a documented migration, including training and reconciliation rather than only subscription fees.
Make the next step testable
Choose one unresolved operating question and gather the evidence needed to answer it. Name the person who will maintain the result, define what a useful pilot must show, and agree on a review date. If the alternative cannot explain its work boundary or your remaining responsibilities, clarify those items before committing.
Related implementation resources
Discuss the operating problem
Elixir consulting starts at $5,000 per month, with final pricing based on scope. Bring a recent example, the current workflow, and the person who owns the result to define the appropriate implementation scope.