A Practical Checklist for Both Marketing and Technical Teams
Drupal 7 has officially reached end-of-life. If your organization is still using it or plans to change platforms, it's time to consider migration. This guide is designed to help both non-technical and technical teams assess readiness, clarify requirements, and align on next steps.
Drupal Upgrade vs. Migration: What's the Difference?
Not all Drupal updates are created equal. Here's the key distinction:
- An upgrade is a smaller step, like moving from Drupal 10.0 to 10.3. These updates typically involve only a few adjustments and are crucial for maintaining your site's security and up-to-date status.
- A migration is a significant step, comparable to upgrading from Drupal 7 or 8 to Drupal 10. It typically involves rebuilding key parts of your site's structure, theme, or features.
Why It Matters
If your organization is still on Drupal 7 or 8, you'll need a full migration, not just an upgrade. That affects your project's timeline, budget, and scope. If you're unsure where you stand, the following checklists will help clarify your path forward.
For Marketing and Content Teams
Here are five practical questions to help you prepare your site and internal stakeholders:
1. Do you know what's running on your current Drupal 7 site?
Your site likely includes more than just basic content pages. Think service forms, alerts, tools, or member areas. Understanding what your site currently supports helps you plan for what needs to be rebuilt, improved, or retired.
Next step: Check with your web editor or support provider for a current list of modules, content types, and integrations in use.
2. Have you considered what content to keep, update, or remove?
A migration is a great chance to do a content cleanup. Your audience and your internal editors will benefit from a leaner, more accessible site.
Next Step: Review your top 10 pages in Google Analytics. Are they up to date, helpful to users, and optimized for mobile?
3. Do you have leadership buy-in and budget approval?
Migration projects need time, resources, and leadership support. Early buy-in helps you avoid delays later on.
Next Step: Request a quote for a discovery or planning phase to help guide internal conversations around scope and investment.
4. Do you rely on integrations like CRMs, forms, or portals?
If your site connects to outside platforms, those integrations may need to be rebuilt or re-scoped.
Next Step: Make a list of third-party tools your team relies on and highlight those that are essential to your daily operations.
5. Have you selected a trusted partner, or do you need help choosing one?
The right agency partner will guide both strategic and technical planning while helping you avoid common missteps.
Next Step: Identify a Drupal Certified Migration Partner with direct experience in the utility sector or similar public service organizations.
For Developers and Technical Leads
Check out five strategic questions to help assess technical readiness and complexity:
1. Have you audited your Drupal 7 architecture and modules?
Migration from Drupal 7 is a rebuild. Knowing your module's footprint, custom code, and dependencies upfront is critical. Export a module list and flag unsupported features for replacement or removal.
2. What's your content model strategy moving forward?
Outdated or bloated content models can complicate the migration. This is your chance to optimize for editor experience and long-term scalability. Be sure to audit your content types and fields, and simplify where possible to support a more maintainable site.
3. Has your team agreed on sticking with Drupal or exploring alternatives?
Your platform decision should align with internal resources, content needs, and long-term digital goals. Evaluate whether Drupal 10 or WordPress is a better fit by considering factors like flexibility, governance, and usability.
4. Are integrations scoped, documented, and prioritized?
Don't let external systems derail your migration. Review every tool your site touches. Consider creating an integration matrix that outlines the purpose, data flow, and criticality of each system.
5. Do you have the team capacity to execute or oversee the project?
Even with an agency partner, internal bandwidth for reviews, training, and stakeholder feedback matters. Make sure to allocate time and resources for sprint check-ins, staging reviews, and internal QA support throughout the project.
What's Next for Us?
Whether you're a content owner, strategist, or developer, a clear plan and the right partner can turn migration into an opportunity for meaningful improvement.
We help utility teams migrate from Drupal 7 to 10 with less stress, better governance, and improved user experience.