Granola Migration Deep Dive
Overview
Comprehensive guide for migrating to Granola from competing meeting note tools. Covers source-specific export procedures, historical data preservation, parallel-run strategy, team transition, and cutover execution. Granola's key differentiator — no bot joins meetings — means the migration also changes the user experience fundamentally.
Prerequisites
- Access to source tool with export capability
- Granola workspace configured (see
granola-install-auth)
- Migration timeline agreed with stakeholders
- Budget approved for Granola licenses
Instructions
Step 1 — Assess Migration Scope
## Migration Assessment
Source tool: [Otter.ai / Fireflies / Fathom / tl;dv / Manual / Other]
Total meetings in source: [____]
Date range: [____] to [____]
Active users to migrate: [____]
Integrations to recreate: [Slack, Notion, CRM, etc.]
Historical data priority: [Archive all / Selective / Fresh start]
Target cutover date: [____]
Parallel run duration: [1 week / 2 weeks]
Step 2 — Source-Specific Export
From Otter.ai
- Export format: TXT, SRT (subtitles), PDF
- Bulk export: Otter Pro/Business: Settings > Export > Download All
- Limitations: Free plan only exports individual notes
- Key data: Transcripts with timestamps, speaker labels, action items
From Fireflies.ai
- Export format: TXT, JSON, PDF, SRT
- Bulk export: Admin > Data Management > Export
- Limitations: Custom fields may not export
- Key data: Transcripts, AI summaries, custom topics
From Fathom
- Export format: Markdown, CSV, video clips
- Bulk export: Settings > Data > Export All
- Limitations: Video clips don't transfer
- Key data: Meeting summaries, action items, highlights
From tl;dv
- Export format: TXT, video recordings
- Bulk export: Settings > Data Export
- Limitations: AI highlights may not transfer
- Key data: Transcripts, timestamps, meeting recordings
From Manual Notes (Google Docs, Notion, Confluence)
- Already in accessible format
- No export needed — archive in place
- Focus on establishing the Granola workflow going forward
Step 3 — Choose Migration Strategy
| Strategy |
When to Use |
Data Handling |
Effort |
| Fresh Start |
<100 historical meetings, or meetings have low reference value |
Archive source data externally, start fresh in Granola |
Low |
| Selective Migration |
100-1000 meetings, some have ongoing reference value |
Export key meetings (client calls, decisions, contracts) |
Medium |
| Full Archive |
Enterprise with compliance requirements, everything must be searchable |
Export all data, archive in Notion/Drive/cloud storage |
High |
Recommended for most teams: Fresh Start or Selective. Granola doesn't import historical data from other tools — there's no import feature. Historical data lives in your archive (Notion, Google Drive, local files).
Step 4 — Archive Historical Data
For important historical meetings, archive before cutting over:
#!/usr/bin/env python3
"""Organize exported meeting notes for archival."""
import os
from pathlib import Path
EXPORT_DIR = Path("~/Downloads/otter-export").expanduser() # Adjust for your source
ARCHIVE_DIR = Path("~/Documents/meeting-archive").expanduser()
# Create organized archive structure
categories = {
"client": ["client", "customer", "deal", "sales", "demo"],
"engineering": ["sprint", "standup", "architecture", "review", "retro"],
"product": ["product", "prd", "design", "feedback", "roadmap"],
"leadership": ["all-hands", "board", "strategy", "planning"],
"general": [], # catch-all
}
ARCHIVE_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
for cat in categories:
(ARCHIVE_DIR / cat).mkdir(exist_ok=True)
for file in EXPORT_DIR.glob("*.txt"):
filename_lower = file.name.lower()
placed = False
for cat, keywords in categories.items():
if any(kw in filename_lower for kw in keywords):
dest = ARCHIVE_DIR / cat / file.name
file.rename(dest)
placed = True
break
if not placed:
(ARCHIVE_DIR / "general" / file.name).rename(file)
print(f"Archived to {ARCHIVE_DIR}")
Alternatively, upload the archive to Notion or Google Drive for team-wide searchability.
Step 5 — Parallel Run (2 Weeks)
Run both tools simultaneously to build confidence:
Week 1: Dual recording
- Keep source tool active (bot still joins or captures)
- Enable Granola on all meetings (system audio capture)
- Compare output quality daily:
| Metric |
Source Tool |
Granola |
Winner |
| Transcription accuracy |
___% |
___% |
|
| Action item detection |
___/total |
___/total |
|
| Summary quality |
___/5 |
___/5 |
|
| Processing time |
___ min |
___ min |
|
| User experience (no bot) |
N/A |
Yes |
Granola |
Week 2: Granola primary
- Keep source tool as backup only (disable auto-record if possible)
- All sharing and distribution via Granola integrations
- Team members report any quality issues
Step 6 — Cutover Execution
Cutover day checklist:
Subject: Meeting Notes Migration Complete — Granola is Now Primary
Team,
As of today, we've completed our migration to Granola for meeting notes.
What's changed:
- No more [Otter/Fireflies/etc.] bot joining meetings
- Granola captures audio directly from your device (no bot visible to participants)
- Notes are auto-enhanced with AI summaries and action items
What you need to do:
1. Ensure Granola is running on your device
2. Verify your calendar is connected (Settings > Calendar)
3. Check that microphone + Screen & System Audio permissions are granted
Historical notes: Archived at [Notion link / Drive folder]
Support: Post in #granola-support
Thank you for the smooth transition!
Step 7 — Post-Migration Optimization
After 1 week on Granola exclusively:
Key Differences from Bot-Based Tools
| Feature |
Bot-Based (Otter, Fireflies, tl;dv) |
Granola |
| Meeting join |
Bot joins as participant |
No bot — system audio capture |
| Participant awareness |
"Bot is recording" banner |
No banner (still announce recording for consent) |
| Platform support |
Platform-specific integrations |
Any platform (captures system audio) |
| Typed notes |
Separate app |
Built-in notepad merges with transcript |
| Enhancement |
Auto-generated |
User-controlled (click Enhance) |
| Templates |
Limited |
29 built-in + custom |
| Chat |
Limited or none |
Full Granola Chat with Recipes |
| Built-in CRM |
No |
People & Companies |
Output
- Source data exported and archived
- Parallel run completed with quality validation
- Team migrated and recording in Granola
- Source tool deactivated and subscription cancelled
- Historical data accessible in archive
Error Handling
| Error |
Cause |
Fix |
| Source export incomplete |
Free plan limits bulk export |
Upgrade source plan temporarily for export, then cancel |
| Team resistance to change |
Comfort with existing tool |
Share quality comparison data from parallel run |
| Missing historical context |
No import feature in Granola |
Point team to archived data (Notion/Drive) |
| Audio quality different than bot |
System audio vs. platform API |
Optimize audio setup (see granola-performance-tuning) |
| Low adoption post-migration |
Setup issues |
Run drop-in support sessions, share quick-start guide |
Resources
Next Steps
After migration, explore granola-performance-tuning to optimize output quality.
Source: jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills → skills/.curated/granola-migration-deep-dive/SKILL.md
Also appears in: jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills/plugins/saas-packs/granola-pack/skills/granola-migration-deep-dive/SKILL.md
1---2name: granola-migration-deep-dive3description: 'Migrate to Granola from Otter.ai, Fireflies, Fathom, tl;dv, or manual note-taking. Covers data export from source tools, parallel-run strategy, team transition, and historical data preservation. Trigger: "migrate to granola", "switch to granola", "granola from otter", "granola from fireflies", "replace meeting tool with granola". '4---56# Granola Migration Deep Dive78## Overview910Comprehensive guide for migrating to Granola from competing meeting note tools. Covers source-specific export procedures, historical data preservation, parallel-run strategy, team transition, and cutover execution. Granola's key differentiator — no bot joins meetings — means the migration also changes the user experience fundamentally.1112## Prerequisites1314- Access to source tool with export capability15- Granola workspace configured (see `granola-install-auth`)16- Migration timeline agreed with stakeholders17- Budget approved for Granola licenses1819## Instructions2021### Step 1 — Assess Migration Scope2223```markdown24## Migration Assessment2526Source tool: [Otter.ai / Fireflies / Fathom / tl;dv / Manual / Other]27Total meetings in source: [____]28Date range: [____] to [____]29Active users to migrate: [____]30Integrations to recreate: [Slack, Notion, CRM, etc.]31Historical data priority: [Archive all / Selective / Fresh start]32Target cutover date: [____]33Parallel run duration: [1 week / 2 weeks]34```3536### Step 2 — Source-Specific Export3738#### From Otter.ai3940- **Export format:** TXT, SRT (subtitles), PDF41- **Bulk export:** Otter Pro/Business: Settings > Export > Download All42- **Limitations:** Free plan only exports individual notes43- **Key data:** Transcripts with timestamps, speaker labels, action items4445#### From Fireflies.ai4647- **Export format:** TXT, JSON, PDF, SRT48- **Bulk export:** Admin > Data Management > Export49- **Limitations:** Custom fields may not export50- **Key data:** Transcripts, AI summaries, custom topics5152#### From Fathom5354- **Export format:** Markdown, CSV, video clips55- **Bulk export:** Settings > Data > Export All56- **Limitations:** Video clips don't transfer57- **Key data:** Meeting summaries, action items, highlights5859#### From tl;dv6061- **Export format:** TXT, video recordings62- **Bulk export:** Settings > Data Export63- **Limitations:** AI highlights may not transfer64- **Key data:** Transcripts, timestamps, meeting recordings6566#### From Manual Notes (Google Docs, Notion, Confluence)6768- Already in accessible format69- No export needed — archive in place70- Focus on establishing the Granola workflow going forward7172### Step 3 — Choose Migration Strategy7374| Strategy | When to Use | Data Handling | Effort |75|----------|------------|--------------|--------|76| **Fresh Start** | <100 historical meetings, or meetings have low reference value | Archive source data externally, start fresh in Granola | Low |77| **Selective Migration** | 100-1000 meetings, some have ongoing reference value | Export key meetings (client calls, decisions, contracts) | Medium |78| **Full Archive** | Enterprise with compliance requirements, everything must be searchable | Export all data, archive in Notion/Drive/cloud storage | High |7980**Recommended for most teams:** Fresh Start or Selective. Granola doesn't import historical data from other tools — there's no import feature. Historical data lives in your archive (Notion, Google Drive, local files).8182### Step 4 — Archive Historical Data8384For important historical meetings, archive before cutting over:8586```python87#!/usr/bin/env python388"""Organize exported meeting notes for archival."""89import os90from pathlib import Path9192EXPORT_DIR = Path("~/Downloads/otter-export").expanduser() # Adjust for your source93ARCHIVE_DIR = Path("~/Documents/meeting-archive").expanduser()9495# Create organized archive structure96categories = {97 "client": ["client", "customer", "deal", "sales", "demo"],98 "engineering": ["sprint", "standup", "architecture", "review", "retro"],99 "product": ["product", "prd", "design", "feedback", "roadmap"],100 "leadership": ["all-hands", "board", "strategy", "planning"],101 "general": [], # catch-all102}103104ARCHIVE_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)105for cat in categories:106 (ARCHIVE_DIR / cat).mkdir(exist_ok=True)107108for file in EXPORT_DIR.glob("*.txt"):109 filename_lower = file.name.lower()110 placed = False111 for cat, keywords in categories.items():112 if any(kw in filename_lower for kw in keywords):113 dest = ARCHIVE_DIR / cat / file.name114 file.rename(dest)115 placed = True116 break117 if not placed:118 (ARCHIVE_DIR / "general" / file.name).rename(file)119120print(f"Archived to {ARCHIVE_DIR}")121```122123Alternatively, upload the archive to Notion or Google Drive for team-wide searchability.124125### Step 5 — Parallel Run (2 Weeks)126127Run both tools simultaneously to build confidence:128129**Week 1: Dual recording**130131- Keep source tool active (bot still joins or captures)132- Enable Granola on all meetings (system audio capture)133- Compare output quality daily:134135| Metric | Source Tool | Granola | Winner |136|--------|-----------|---------|--------|137| Transcription accuracy | ___% | ___% | |138| Action item detection | ___/total | ___/total | |139| Summary quality | ___/5 | ___/5 | |140| Processing time | ___ min | ___ min | |141| User experience (no bot) | N/A | Yes | Granola |142143**Week 2: Granola primary**144145- Keep source tool as backup only (disable auto-record if possible)146- All sharing and distribution via Granola integrations147- Team members report any quality issues148149### Step 6 — Cutover Execution150151**Cutover day checklist:**152153- [ ] Final export from source tool (last day of data)154- [ ] Verify archive is complete and accessible155- [ ] Disable source tool recording/bot156- [ ] Remove source tool bot from calendar (if applicable)157- [ ] Cancel source tool subscription (save on unused billing)158- [ ] Announce to team via email/Slack:159160```markdown161Subject: Meeting Notes Migration Complete — Granola is Now Primary162163Team,164165As of today, we've completed our migration to Granola for meeting notes.166167What's changed:168- No more [Otter/Fireflies/etc.] bot joining meetings169- Granola captures audio directly from your device (no bot visible to participants)170- Notes are auto-enhanced with AI summaries and action items171172What you need to do:1731. Ensure Granola is running on your device1742. Verify your calendar is connected (Settings > Calendar)1753. Check that microphone + Screen & System Audio permissions are granted176177Historical notes: Archived at [Notion link / Drive folder]178Support: Post in #granola-support179180Thank you for the smooth transition!181```182183- [ ] Monitor for 3 days:184 - Capture rate (% of meetings recorded)185 - Support ticket volume186 - User feedback187 - Integration sync health188189### Step 7 — Post-Migration Optimization190191After 1 week on Granola exclusively:192193- [ ] Configure templates for each meeting type (see `granola-core-workflow-a`)194- [ ] Set up Zapier automation for recurring workflows195- [ ] Create custom recipes for team-specific post-meeting tasks196- [ ] Establish folder structure matching team workflow197- [ ] Delete source tool accounts and data (if no longer needed)198199## Key Differences from Bot-Based Tools200201| Feature | Bot-Based (Otter, Fireflies, tl;dv) | Granola |202|---------|--------------------------------------|---------|203| Meeting join | Bot joins as participant | No bot — system audio capture |204| Participant awareness | "Bot is recording" banner | No banner (still announce recording for consent) |205| Platform support | Platform-specific integrations | Any platform (captures system audio) |206| Typed notes | Separate app | Built-in notepad merges with transcript |207| Enhancement | Auto-generated | User-controlled (click Enhance) |208| Templates | Limited | 29 built-in + custom |209| Chat | Limited or none | Full Granola Chat with Recipes |210| Built-in CRM | No | People & Companies |211212## Output213214- Source data exported and archived215- Parallel run completed with quality validation216- Team migrated and recording in Granola217- Source tool deactivated and subscription cancelled218- Historical data accessible in archive219220## Error Handling221222| Error | Cause | Fix |223|-------|-------|-----|224| Source export incomplete | Free plan limits bulk export | Upgrade source plan temporarily for export, then cancel |225| Team resistance to change | Comfort with existing tool | Share quality comparison data from parallel run |226| Missing historical context | No import feature in Granola | Point team to archived data (Notion/Drive) |227| Audio quality different than bot | System audio vs. platform API | Optimize audio setup (see `granola-performance-tuning`) |228| Low adoption post-migration | Setup issues | Run drop-in support sessions, share quick-start guide |229230## Resources231232- [Granola Setup Guide](https://docs.granola.ai/help-center/getting-started/setting-up-granola-for-the-first-time)233- Granola vs Otter Comparison234- [Granola Free Trial](https://www.granola.ai/blog/granola-free-trial-get-started)235- [Granola for Sales Teams](https://www.granola.ai/blog/sales-ai-notetaker-integration-guide-salesforce-hubspot)236237## Next Steps238239After migration, explore `granola-performance-tuning` to optimize output quality.240241---242243**Source:** [`jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills`](https://github.com/jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills) → `skills/.curated/granola-migration-deep-dive/SKILL.md`244245**Also appears in:** `jeremylongshore/claude-code-plugins-plus-skills/plugins/saas-packs/granola-pack/skills/granola-migration-deep-dive/SKILL.md`