How to Migrate to Time To Pet Without Losing Your Mind

You’ve decided to switch to Time To Pet. Smart move.

But now you’re staring at your current software, looking at years of client data, schedules, and payment history, and wondering how on earth you’re going to move all of this without your business falling apart.

Deep breath. It’s not as scary as it looks.

I’ve helped pet sitters migrate to Time To Pet from just about every platform out there. Here’s the truth: yes, it takes some work upfront. But with the right plan, you can make the switch smoothly and come out the other side with a better system and zero lost clients.

Let’s walk through it step by step.

Before You Start: The Pre-Migration Checklist

Don’t touch anything until you’ve done these things:

Pick your migration date strategically. Choose a slower period if possible. Avoid holidays, peak summer weeks, or any time you’re already overwhelmed. A random Tuesday in a quieter month is perfect.

Give yourself runway. Plan for 2-4 weeks of overlap where both systems are running. This isn’t wasted time. It’s insurance.

Audit your current data. What do you actually need to bring over? Active clients, yes. That client from 2019 who booked once and ghosted? Maybe not. Clean house before you move.

Document your current workflows. How do you currently handle bookings, invoices, and reminders? Write it down. You’ll need to recreate these in Time To Pet, and it helps to know what you’re replicating.

Step 1: Set Up Your Time To Pet Account First

Before migrating any data, build out your new system completely.

Configure your services. Create all your service types with correct pricing, durations, and descriptions. Match what you currently offer so clients see familiar options.

Set up your team. Add all staff members, set their permissions, and configure their profiles. Have them download the staff app and log in to make sure everything works.

Configure notifications. Set up your automated emails and texts. This is a good time to improve on what you had before, maybe adding text reminders you didn’t have previously.

Create report card templates. Build your visit report templates before you start using the system. It’s easier to do this thoughtfully now than to rush it later.

Test everything. Add yourself as a fake client. Book a fake service. Complete a fake visit. Send a fake invoice. Make sure the whole flow works before real clients touch it.

Step 2: Export Your Client Data

Most pet sitting software lets you export client data as a CSV or Excel file. Find this option in your current system (usually under Settings, Reports, or Admin).

What to export:

• Client names and contact information
• Pet names and details
• Addresses
• Emergency contacts
• Special instructions and notes
• Payment information (if transferable)
• Service history (for reference, even if you don’t import it)

Pro tip: Export everything, even if you’re not sure you need it. You can always filter later. You can’t go back and get data from a system you’ve already cancelled.

Save your exports somewhere safe. Multiple places. Cloud storage, your computer, maybe even email yourself a copy. This data is your business.

Step 3: Import Into Time To Pet

Time To Pet has import tools that make this easier than doing everything manually.

Go to Settings → Import Data and follow the prompts. You’ll upload your CSV file and map your columns to Time To Pet’s fields (matching “Client First Name” in your file to the “First Name” field in TTP, for example).

Important: Do a test import with just a few clients first. Check that everything mapped correctly before importing your entire database. It’s much easier to fix issues with 5 test records than with 500.

What imports cleanly:

• Client contact information
• Pet basic details
• Addresses

What usually needs manual attention:

• Detailed pet notes and special instructions
• Recurring schedule setups
• Payment methods (clients typically need to re-enter cards)
• Complex service packages

What you might lose:

• Historical visit records (sometimes)
• Old invoices and payment history
• Conversation/message history

Accept that some history won’t transfer perfectly. Focus on getting the information you need to serve clients going forward.

Step 4: Communicate With Your Clients

This is where many pet sitters drop the ball. Don’t surprise your clients with a new system. Prepare them.

Send an announcement email 1-2 weeks before the switch:

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Subject: Exciting update: We’re upgrading our booking system!

Hi [Client Name],

We’re upgrading to a new scheduling and communication system to serve you even better! Starting [date], you’ll have access to a new Client Portal where you can:

• View your upcoming and past services
• Request new bookings anytime
• Update [Pet Name]’s information
• View invoices and make payments

You’ll receive an email with login instructions on [date]. Your upcoming services are already in the new system, so you don’t need to do anything.

If you have a card on file with us, you’ll need to re-enter it in the new system. We’ll send a reminder when it’s time.

Questions? Just reply to this email. We’re here to help!

[Your Name]

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Send login instructions when the portal is ready:

Keep this email simple. Include the portal link, their username (usually their email), and instructions for setting a password.

Follow up with anyone who hasn’t logged in after a week. Some clients need a gentle nudge. A quick text often works better than another email.

Step 5: Run Both Systems in Parallel

For at least 1-2 weeks, keep your old system active while you operate in Time To Pet. This is your safety net.

During the overlap period:

• Enter new bookings in Time To Pet only
• Complete visits and report cards in Time To Pet
• Keep the old system available for reference (client history, old notes, etc.)
• Double-check that nothing slipped through the cracks

Watch for:

• Clients who booked in the old system but aren’t in the new one
• Recurring services that didn’t transfer correctly
• Staff who are confused about which system to use (be very clear: new system only)

Once you’re confident everything is working, you can cancel your old software. But don’t rush this. An extra month of overlap subscription is cheap insurance compared to a missed booking.

Step 6: Train Your Team

Your team needs to be comfortable with Time To Pet before the switch, not after.

Schedule a training session where you walk through:

• How to view their schedule
• How to check client and pet details
• How to complete visits and report cards
• How to handle common scenarios (client no-shows, schedule changes, etc.)
• Where to find help if they’re stuck

Create a quick-reference guide they can access on their phones. Screenshots help. So do short video walkthroughs.

Expect questions. Be patient. A new system is a big change, and people learn at different speeds.

Common Migration Mistakes (And How to Avoid Them)

Mistake 1: Rushing the timeline.

Fix: Give yourself more time than you think you need. Unexpected issues always come up.

Mistake 2: Not testing before going live.

Fix: Run through complete scenarios (booking to payment) with test data before real clients use the system.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to communicate with clients.

Fix: Send clear, friendly announcements. Don’t assume clients will figure it out on their own.

Mistake 4: Trying to transfer everything.

Fix: Focus on active clients and essential data. Use this as a chance to clean up your database.

Mistake 5: Cancelling the old system too soon.

Fix: Keep it accessible for at least a month after migration, even if you’re not using it actively.

Mistake 6: Not backing up your data.

Fix: Export and save everything before you cancel your old software. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Your Migration Timeline

Here’s a realistic schedule for a smooth transition:

Week 1-2: Set up Time To Pet completely. Configure services, team, notifications, templates.

Week 2: Export data from old system. Test import with small batch.

Week 3: Full data import. Announce migration to clients. Begin staff training.

Week 4: Go live with Time To Pet. Send client login instructions. Run parallel systems.

Week 5-6: Monitor for issues. Follow up with clients who haven’t logged in. Continue staff support.

Week 7+: Confirm everything is stable. Cancel old software (after final data backup).

Need Help With Your Migration?

Migrations are one of those things that’s totally doable on your own, but also one of those things where having help makes a huge difference.

Our team handles Time To Pet migrations regularly. We export your data, configure your new system, import everything, train your team, and even draft your client communication.

If you’d rather hand this off than DIY it, book a Discovery Call and let’s talk about making your switch painless.