The short answer

Export the question panel, observation records, definitions and collection conditions before changing tools. Keep the old and new datasets identifiable, and use an overlap period where practical to understand methodological differences. A new dashboard score should not be joined directly to the old score unless their meaning and calculation are comparable.

Preserve the evidence behind the charts

Prioritize full responses, dates, cited URLs, question IDs, tool or model labels, market and language. Save competitor definitions and classification rules. An image of a trend chart cannot recover the underlying observations if a discrepancy appears later.

Confirm export availability, permissions, retention and cancellation terms with the current provider. Plan the handover before access ends, and avoid transferring private data that is not necessary for the new workflow.

Establish the new series transparently

Run the same question panel where feasible and compare how each system records mentions, citations and failures. Differences may come from collection conditions or classification rather than a change in the business’s visibility.

Label the transition in reports. If evidence is not comparable, start a new baseline and keep the historical series as context. Review the workflow for acting on findings at the same time, including content ownership and the destination of completed-work records.

What to check

  1. Export underlying observations and definitions, not only dashboard images.
  2. Confirm exit terms, retention and required data permissions.
  3. Label methodology changes and create a new baseline when needed.

A practical example

A team changes providers and discovers that the new tool counts a brand once per answer while the old report counted every occurrence. It retains both histories but starts a new comparison series.

Sources and further reading

These steps are Arrow AI's implementation guidance. The example is illustrative; it is not a measured customer result. Publication and source access do not guarantee an AI recommendation.

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