A knowledge base migration checklist that protects your answers

Define what moves and what stays

If you are leaving a support suite, decide whether only the public knowledge base is moving. Ticket history, live chat, customer records, private articles, and integrations are separate systems. Do not assume an article export contains them.

Name a migration owner and a content reviewer. Agree on the source of truth during the move, a cutover window, and a short freeze or final incremental update to capture last-minute edits.

Create an inventory before importing

Record each article’s source ID, URL, title, category, language, visibility, owner, and last update. Include images, attachments, embedded media, links, and the policy for private content.

Export a complete backup and verify you can open it. Count articles per category and locale, then compare the same counts after import. Counts reveal omissions; they do not prove the content is correct.

Map old URLs to specific destinations

Use the kit’s redirect-map CSV to pair each old public URL with the most relevant new page. Preserve existing slugs when possible. Redirect removed articles to a genuinely relevant replacement; sending everything to the homepage loses context.

Implement permanent redirects at the old hostname or hosting layer. A spreadsheet is a plan, not an active redirect. Confirm that you retain control of the old domain and can serve redirects after cancelling the original service.

Test a representative sample deeply

Include a long article, a table, an embedded video, a download, a non-English article, an internal link, and a page with restricted access. Review formatting, image loading, heading order, locale, and visibility.

Check links that still point at the old provider’s file host. Move assets where necessary and update their references before the old service is closed.

Cut over in a reversible sequence

1. Build and test the destination on a preview hostname.
2. Apply the final content update and compare inventories.
3. Confirm the custom domain and TLS are ready.
4. Switch routing or DNS following your hosting provider’s process.
5. Test the real public domain and your old URL list.
6. Update navigation, widgets, email links, sitemaps, and integrations.
7. Keep the source export and old service until acceptance checks pass.

For search engines, use server-side permanent redirects and update internal links to the final destination. Google’s site-move documentation gives the detailed crawler guidance.

Measure after the move

Watch for 404s, broken downloads, empty search results, and increased support contacts about finding help. Compare consistent metrics: a new analytics tool may count visits or reads differently.

When moving to HelpCenter.io, use its migration page to confirm current source support and arrange the scope. Compass is a standalone HTML template; it does not directly import a Zendesk Guide theme or convert every vendor’s export.

Common questions