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XP to XM Cloud Phase 1: Assessment and Planning

Before starting migration, conduct a comprehensive audit of your current XP implementation. This phase typically takes 2-4 weeks.

Content Audit

Section titled “Content Audit”

Document:

  • Total content items (use Content Editor report: /sitecore/content — right-click — Statistics)
  • Media items count and total size (Check /sitecore/media library statistics)
  • Number of templates (/sitecore/templates/Project)
  • Number of custom renderings (/sitecore/layout/Renderings/Project)

Site Size Classification:

  • Small: < 10,000 content items
  • Medium: 10,000-100,000 content items
  • Large: > 100,000 content items

Code Audit

Section titled “Code Audit”

Document:

  • MVC views count — Every .cshtml file = Next.js component to build
  • Custom pipeline processors — List all custom processors (none will migrate)
  • Custom APIs and integrations — Document all external system integrations (may need refactoring)
  • Third-party modules — Check XM Cloud compatibility (many XP modules not compatible)

Example Code Audit Output:

MVC Views: 47 (.cshtml files in /Views/)
Custom Pipelines: 12 processors
   - CustomAuthentication (httpRequestBegin)
   - CustomItemResolver (httpRequestBegin)
   - CustomAnalytics (item:saved)
   - ... (list all)
Third-Party Modules:
   - Glass Mapper (Compatible — rewrite for headless)
   - Sitecore PowerShell Extensions (Not compatible)
   - TDS (Replace with SCS)

Personalization Audit

Section titled “Personalization Audit”

Document:

  • xDB usage — How much analytics data exists? (Will be lost — export to data warehouse if needed)
  • Rules-based personalization count — Count all personalization rules (/sitecore/system/Marketing Control Panel/Personalization)
  • Goals and engagement plans — Document for Sitecore Personalize + CDP rebuild

Output: Migration Assessment Document

Section titled “Output: Migration Assessment Document”

Create a comprehensive assessment with:

  • Scope — What’s included vs. excluded
  • Effort estimate — Phases, timeline, team size
  • Risk register — Customizations, dependencies, unknowns
  • Cost estimate — Licensing (XM Cloud, Personalize, CDP, Search), development, agency support
  • Go/no-go recommendation — Honest assessment of ROI