Migrate from IBM DOORS Classic to DOORS Next with less risk and faster delivery

Enable broader participation in reviews and day-to-day requirements work without relying on thick clients. Make collaboration easier across engineering, quality, and suppliers while keeping requirements organised and accessible.

DOORS Next is designed to fit into the wider IBM Engineering Lifecycle Management (ELM) ecosystem. That makes it easier to connect requirements with related work items and test activities when your process needs end-to-end traceability.

A move to DOORS Next is an opportunity to standardise attributes, rethink linking concepts, and align roles and access rights for consistent governance across projects and product lines.

The IBM migiz-based approach does not migrate several DOORS Classic concepts and artefacts such as baselines and baseline set definitions, module history, discussions, access controls, incompatible views, and other elements. These gaps need an explicit strategy.

Baselines in DOORS Classic do not map 1:1 to how configuration is managed in DOORS Next. Many organisations decide whether to recreate baselines via Global Configuration Management, migrate selected baseline information via scripts, or keep legacy baselines for reference in an archived DOORS database.

DOORS Next does not use DXL in the same way as DOORS Classic. Special views using DXL layouts or complex mechanisms can become static representations or require redesign using DOORS Next capabilities and extensions.

OLE objects in attributes, embedded tables, and complex formatting often require careful conversion rules. Without a specialised approach, teams risk losing readability, structure, or critical context embedded in legacy modules.

Traceability can include external links, cross-project links, and link modules. Rebuilding link integrity in the target environment requires planning, especially if you restructure project areas or introduce Global Configuration Management.

Even if the data imports successfully, teams still need confidence that the right modules, versions, attributes, and links arrived as expected. Adoption also requires training, role alignment, and post-migration support to avoid rework and frustration.

Softacus applies an agile delivery style where it fits: prioritising epics and stories, delivering early feedback cycles, and running regular stakeholder check-ins. You get a clear single point of contact and a plan that addresses both tooling and ways of working.

Project-based migration is often less risky and can be more cost-effective, but it may run longer. Big bang migration requires a higher level of preparation and is sometimes necessary for strongly interconnected DOORS project areas. We help you choose the right approach based on your dependency structure, timelines, and governance needs.

For teams that want to reduce disruption, we can migrate smaller projects incrementally. This approach is also useful when you want to start new projects directly in DOORS Next while keeping selected legacy projects in DOORS for reference.

For medium and large migrations, especially with interconnected projects, automation becomes critical to reduce manual effort and avoid errors at scale. Softacus uses dedicated migration tooling and validation practices to support complex conversions and to help teams reach a stable, usable target state faster.

Some organisations need full delivery. Others only need expert guidance, scripts, or post-migration support. Pick a service option aligned to your internal capacity and timeline.

A focused, time-boxed engagement to review your current DOORS setup, clarify limitations, and define a practical migration plan. Ideal for teams building an internal business case, estimating effort, and deciding what to migrate.

A piece-by-piece migration for teams that want to start with a smaller scope, reduce disruption, and validate results in manageable steps. Works well for pilot-first strategies or organisations with clearly separated project areas.

End-to-end migration delivery including analysis, target setup guidance, scripts, trial migration(s), production cutover, and validation support. Best for teams that need a predictable outcome with minimal internal workload.

Keep migration moving by combining clean-up and post-migration scripts with tailored training for authors, reviewers, admins, and power users. Useful when the core migration is done, but usability and adoption need uplift.

Hypercare after go-live: small clean-ups based on real usage, usability improvements, process refinement, custom scripting, and support for integrations, upgrades, and performance tuning.

A reliable migration depends on more than a one-time import. Softacus combines automation and reusable assets to reduce manual work, control risk, and support adoption.

A specialised automation tool used to support medium and large migrations, particularly for interconnected projects. It helps teams execute conversions with repeatability and control, reducing the likelihood of manual errors and enabling faster iteration during trial migrations.

Reusable DOORS Classic clean-up scripts and DOORS Next scripts help prepare data, address known gaps, and improve usability after migration. Softacus maintains a library of migration-related scripts and extensions, including clean-up scripts used during preparation and post-migration improvements.

A practical set of migration playbooks, checklists, patterns, and lessons learned from prior migration projects. It supports decision-making on scope, limitations, validation, and adoption so your team does not have to reinvent the process.

DOORS Next widget extensions can help teams bridge usability gaps and speed up adoption for former DOORS Classic users. Widgets can be introduced selectively to improve day-to-day work, especially where teams relied on advanced behaviours in legacy environments.

Softacus works with IBM Jazz and ELM as a daily practice across upgrades, extensions, and migrations. You benefit from a team that is prepared for the real-world edge cases of DOORS migrations, can reuse proven scripts and learnings, and focuses on lowering risk through structured phases, tooling, and validation.