Migrating from Drip to Keap

Complete Guide: Migrating from Drip to Keap (Same AccessAlly Site)

Why Migrate from Drip to Keap?

This is a significant upgrade from Drip (a simple email marketing and e-commerce tool) to Keap (a comprehensive business CRM). Common reasons for this migration:

• Business Growth: Your business has outgrown Drip’s simple feature set
• Need Full CRM Features: You need deals, pipelines, appointment scheduling, and task management
• Advanced Automation: Keap’s campaign builder offers more sophisticated logic than Drip workflows
• Better Contact Management: Need to track detailed contact history, interactions, and lifecycle stages
• Sales Pipeline: Want to manage sales opportunities and move leads through stages
• All-in-One Solution: Consolidate email, CRM, payments, and automation in one platform

What You’ll Need Before Starting

✅ Required Access & Accounts

• WordPress admin access to your AccessAlly site
• Drip admin access (for data export)
• Keap account (must be set up and configured first)
• AccessAlly license that supports CRM switching
• Access to your payment gateway (Stripe or PayPal)
• Staging site for testing (MANDATORY for CRM switches)

📋 Complete the Pre-Migration Checklist

Before proceeding, work through the complete Pre-Migration Checklist. Key items include:

• Full backup of WordPress site and database
• Export of all Drip contact data
• Audit of current tags, custom fields, and workflows
• CRITICAL: Plan your tag category structure for Keap
• Data mapping spreadsheet (contacts, tags, custom fields)
• Request 2-site exception from AccessAlly support
• Budget 6-8 hours for the migration process

Phase 1: Pre-Migration Setup (3-4 hours)

Step 1: Set Up Your Keap Account

If you haven’t already set up Keap:

1. Sign up for Keap (choose appropriate plan for your contact count)
2. Complete basic account setup (company info, timezone, sender email)
3. Configure email deliverability (SPF, DKIM, sender domain authentication)
4. Send test emails to verify deliverability
5. Familiarize yourself with Keap’s interface (it’s VERY different from Drip)

Step 2: Export Your Data from Drip

1. Log into your Drip account
2. Go to Settings → Account
3. Click “Export All Subscribers”
4. Drip will email you a CSV file (may take 15-30 minutes for large lists)
5. Download and open the CSV file

What’s included in the Drip export:

• Email addresses
• First and last names
• Custom fields (all stored as text in Drip)
• Tags (flat list, no categories)
• Subscription status (active/unsubscribed)
• Opt-in timestamps

What’s NOT included (must be rebuilt):

• Drip workflows → Must rebuild as Keap campaigns
• Email templates
• Form designs
• Automation rules
• E-commerce data (beyond what’s in custom fields)

Step 3: Plan Your Tag Category Structure (CRITICAL STEP)

This is the biggest structural change in your migration: Drip uses flat tags, but Keap organizes tags into categories.

Example transformation:

Recommended Keap tag categories:

• Membership: For membership level tags
• Products: For purchased products/courses
• Lead Status: For lead tracking and segmentation
• Customer Type: For customer segmentation
• Engagement: For engagement tracking
• Lifecycle Stage: For customer journey stages

Step 4: Create a Data Mapping Document

Create a comprehensive data mapping spreadsheet. Use the Data Mapping Reference Guide for complete instructions.

Drip → Keap Field Mapping

Custom Field Type Assignment

Important: Drip stores all custom fields as text (no validation). Keap has proper field types. Assign correct types during Keap setup:

Step 5: Create Tag Categories and Tags in Keap

1. Log into Keap
2. Go to CRM → Tags
3. Create your tag categories first (Membership, Products, etc.)
4. Within each category, create the individual tags
5. Use your data mapping spreadsheet to ensure every Drip tag has a Keap home

Step 6: Create Custom Fields in Keap

1. Go to CRM → Settings → Custom Fields
2. For each Drip custom field, create a corresponding Keap field
3. Assign proper field types (not just “text”)
4. Note that Keap fields are prefixed with underscore (e.g., _MemberLevel)
5. Document field names for CSV mapping

Keap custom field naming conventions:

• All custom fields start with underscore: _FieldName
• No spaces in field names (use underscores: _Member_Level)
• Case-sensitive
• Must match exactly in your import CSV

Step 7: Connect Keap to AccessAlly (Staging Site First)

1. On your STAGING site, go to AccessAlly → Settings → General
2. Under “CRM Integration,” change from Drip to Keap
3. Enter your Keap API credentials:
   • Keap App ID
   • API Key (found in Keap → Admin → Settings → Application)
4. Click Save and Test Connection
5. Verify connection is successful

Step 8: Prepare Your CSV for Import

Transform your Drip export CSV to match Keap’s format:

Required columns:

• email – Email address (required)
• _FirstName – First name (note underscore)
• _LastName – Last name
• tags – Comma-separated list of Keap tags (with categories if needed)
• _CustomField – Custom field columns (use Keap field names with underscores)

CSV transformation steps:

1. Open your Drip export in Excel or Google Sheets
2. Rename columns to match Keap format:
   • Drip “Email” → email
   • Drip “First Name” → _FirstName
   • Drip “Last Name” → _LastName
   • Custom fields → Add underscores (e.g., “Member Level” → _MemberLevel)
3. For tags, update tag names to include categories if needed (or handle in Keap after import)
4. Ensure tags are comma-separated in one column
5. Convert data types where needed (dates, numbers)
6. Remove unsubscribed contacts OR import with special tag
7. Save as: “drip-to-keap-import.csv”

Phase 2: Migration Execution (2-3 hours)

Step 9: Download and Activate Migration Wizard Plugin

1. On your STAGING site, go to AccessAlly → Utilities
2. Find “Migration Wizard Plugin”
3. Click Download to get the plugin ZIP file
4. Go to WordPress → Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin
5. Upload the Migration Wizard ZIP file
6. Click Activate Plugin

Full instructions: Using the AccessAlly Migration Wizard Plugin

Step 10: Import Contacts via Migration Wizard

1. On STAGING site, go to AccessAlly → Migration Wizard
2. Click “Import from CSV”
3. Upload your prepared CSV file
4. Map CSV columns to Keap fields
5. Choose import options:
   • Update existing users: Check if members may already exist
   • Create users in CRM: Check (creates contacts in Keap)
   • Apply tags: Check (applies tags from CSV)
   • Send welcome email: UNCHECK (email members separately)
6. Click “Start Import”
7. Monitor progress (processes ~100-200 contacts per minute)

What happens during import:

• WordPress user accounts created (if they don’t exist)
• Contacts created in Keap with proper field types
• Tags applied (organized into categories you created)
• CRITICAL: Contact ID from Keap stored in WordPress user meta
• This Contact ID linking is essential for access control

Step 11: Update ALL AccessAlly Tag References

AccessAlly stores tag names from your old CRM. After switching to Keap, you need to update these references:

1. Go through every AccessAlly module with tag-based access
2. Check “Who Can Access” settings
3. Update tag names to match Keap tags (exact spelling, case-sensitive)
4. Update protected page access rules
5. Update order form tag assignments
6. Update email wizard tag triggers
7. Update automation trigger rules
8. Update membership level tag associations

Critical areas to check:

• Module access rules
• Page protection settings
• Course/lesson access
• Order form actions (tag on purchase)
• Email sequences (tag-based triggers)
• Automation workflows
• Membership tiers

Step 12: Link Payment Gateway Subscriptions

If you have paid members with active subscriptions, link their Stripe/PayPal subscriptions to their WordPress accounts:

1. Export active subscriptions from Stripe or PayPal
2. Match subscription IDs to member email addresses
3. Verify subscription IDs stored correctly in AccessAlly user profiles
4. Test that subscription data flows properly
5. CRITICAL: Test failed payment handling

Detailed guide: Preserving Subscriptions During Migration

Step 13: Rebuild Drip Workflows as Keap Campaigns

Drip workflows cannot be automatically migrated. You must rebuild them in Keap’s campaign builder.

Drip → Keap Feature Mapping

NEW Features You Gain with Keap

Common Drip workflows to rebuild:

• Welcome sequences: Rebuild as Keap campaigns with email sequences
• Tag-based automations: Use Keap campaign triggers
• Purchase follow-ups: Set up in order form campaigns
• Re-engagement campaigns: Use Keap’s campaign builder
• Lead nurture sequences: Build as multi-step campaigns

Step 14: Migrate Forms

Replace Drip forms with Keap forms or AccessAlly forms that submit to Keap:

Option 1: Use Keap Forms

1. Create forms in Keap → Marketing → Web Forms
2. Embed Keap form code on your WordPress pages
3. Style to match your site
4. Set up tag assignments and campaign triggers

Option 2: Use AccessAlly Forms (Recommended)

1. Create forms in AccessAlly → Opt-in Forms or Order Forms
2. Configure to submit to Keap
3. Better WordPress integration
4. More styling control
5. Unified admin experience

Phase 3: Go-Live and Verification (2-3 hours)

Step 15: Extensive Staging Testing

Because of the complexity of moving from Drip to Keap, testing is CRITICAL:

• ✅ Test login for members with different membership levels
• ✅ Verify EACH membership level accesses correct content
• ✅ Check EVERY module access rule works
• ✅ Test EVERY protected page
• ✅ Verify forms submit and apply correct tags in correct categories
• ✅ Test purchase flow end-to-end
• ✅ Verify automation triggers fire correctly
• ✅ Test subscription linking and failed payment handling
• ✅ Verify Contact IDs linking properly (MOST CRITICAL)
• ✅ Test email deliverability from Keap

Step 16: Switch Live Site to Keap

Only after staging tests pass completely:

1. Schedule 3-4 hour downtime window (CRM switches require downtime)
2. Communicate downtime to members in advance
3. Put site in maintenance mode
4. Create fresh WordPress backup
5. Export final Drip data (capture any new contacts since staging)
6. Switch AccessAlly to Keap on live site (same steps as staging)
7. Import any new contacts via Migration Wizard
8. Verify access rules and tags on live site
9. Test login for 3-5 different membership levels
10. Take site out of maintenance mode
11. Monitor intensely for first 2 hours

Step 17: Complete Post-Migration Verification

Work through the Post-Migration Verification Checklist.

Pay special attention to:

✅ Contact Data Integrity

• Verify total contact count matches Drip export
• Check 10 random contacts in Keap for complete data
• Verify Contact IDs stored in WordPress
• Check for duplicate contacts
• Verify custom fields populated with correct data types

✅ Tags & Categories

• Verify tags organized into correct Keap categories
• Check tag names match AccessAlly access rules exactly
• Test tag-based access rules for each membership level
• Verify tag assignment via forms works

✅ Access & Permissions

• Test login as multiple member types
• Verify access to protected content
• Check membership tier access
• Test course/lesson unlocking
• Verify drip content releases work

✅ Forms & Automations

• Test each opt-in form submission
• Verify form data reaches Keap
• Test order form purchases
• Confirm post-purchase campaigns fire in Keap
• Test auto-login after purchase
• Verify email sequences trigger correctly

✅ Subscriptions & Payments

• Verify active subscriptions linked correctly
• Test new purchase flow end-to-end
• Test subscription cancellation
• 🚨 CRITICAL: Test failed payment handling
• Verify member access aligns with payment status

Step 18: Monitor for 7 Days

Don’t cancel Drip immediately. Monitor for issues during the first week:

• Days 1-2: Watch for immediate access issues, login problems, Contact ID issues
• Days 3-5: Monitor form submissions, automation triggers, email deliverability
• Days 6-7: Check subscription/payment handling, campaign performance

What to monitor:

• Member support tickets (migration-related confusion?)
• Login errors or access issues
• Payment failures or subscription problems
• Form submission success rates
• Email deliverability from Keap
• Campaign trigger verification

Step 19: Clean Up After Migration

Once migration is stable (7+ days):

1. Deactivate and delete Migration Wizard plugin
2. Export final Drip data for records
3. Downgrade or cancel Drip (keep 30 days as backup)
4. Remove staging site’s 2-site exception (contact AccessAlly support)
5. Update member documentation with Keap-related changes
6. Train team on Keap features and interface

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Issue 1: Members Have Tags But Can’t Access Content (MOST COMMON)

Symptoms: Members have correct tags in Keap but getting “insufficient permissions” errors

Causes:

• AccessAlly access rules reference old Drip tag names
• Tag names don’t match exactly (case-sensitive)
• Contact ID linking issue
• Tag category not specified in access rule

Solution:

1. Check the member’s tags in Keap (note exact spelling and category)
2. Go to the module or page they can’t access
3. Check “Who Can Access” settings
4. Update tag name to EXACTLY match Keap (including case)
5. If Contact ID issue, verify WordPress user meta has “keap_contact_id”
6. Test access again

Issue 2: Tags Imported But Not Organized into Categories

Symptoms: All tags imported into Keap but sitting as uncategorized tags

Causes:

• Tags created before categories existed
• CSV didn’t specify category structure
• Manual reorganization needed

Solution:

1. Go to Keap → CRM → Tags
2. Create your category structure if not already created
3. Manually drag/drop tags into appropriate categories
4. This is tedious but only done once
5. Update AccessAlly tag references if category impacts tag name

Issue 3: Custom Fields Missing or Wrong Data Type

Symptoms: Custom field data didn’t migrate or showing as text when should be number/date

Causes:

• Custom fields not created in Keap before import
• Field names don’t match (missing underscore prefix)
• Wrong field type assigned (text instead of number/date)
• Data format incompatible (Drip text dates → Keap date field)

Solution:

1. Verify custom fields exist in Keap with correct types
2. Check field names have underscore prefix (_FieldName)
3. For data type issues, export from Keap, fix in spreadsheet, re-import
4. Use “Update existing contacts” option to overwrite field data
5. Test a few contacts to verify data populated correctly

Issue 4: Keap Email Deliverability Issues

Symptoms: Emails from Keap going to spam or not delivering

Causes:

• SPF/DKIM not configured for Keap
• Sender domain not authenticated
• Keap IP warming needed (new account)
• From address doesn’t match authenticated domain

Solution:

1. Verify SPF and DKIM records in your DNS
2. Go to Keap → Settings → Email Settings → Sender Authentication
3. Complete domain authentication process
4. Start with small email batches to warm up IP reputation
5. Test deliverability with Mail Tester (mail-tester.com)
6. Ensure From address matches authenticated domain

Issue 5: Campaigns Not Triggering

Symptoms: Keap campaigns built but not triggering when contacts meet criteria

Causes:

• Campaign not published (still in draft)
• Trigger conditions don’t match (tag names wrong)
• Contact already passed trigger point
• Campaign goal sequence preventing re-entry

Solution:

1. Check campaign is Published (not Draft)
2. Verify trigger tag names match exactly
3. For testing, create NEW test contact to trigger campaign
4. Check campaign performance report for errors
5. Review Keap documentation on campaign goals and sequences

Issue 6: Overwhelming Complexity of Keap Interface

Symptoms: Team struggling to use Keap, can’t find features, making mistakes

This is normal: Keap has a notoriously steep learning curve compared to Drip’s simplicity.

Solutions:

• Schedule Keap training sessions (Keap offers free training)
• Use Keap University (free courses)
• Start with basic features, add complexity gradually
• Create internal documentation for common tasks
• Consider hiring Keap consultant for initial setup help
• Be patient – it takes 2-3 months to become proficient

Migration Timeline & Downtime

Total Time Estimate: 6-8 hours (plus 2-3 hours testing)

Recommended Downtime Window: 3-4 hours on a weekend or low-traffic period for live site switch

Need Help?

Migration Support:

• Review the Migration Support Policy
• For CRM switch assistance: Contact AccessAlly support
• Consider professional migration help for complex sites

Consider Professional Help If:

• You have 1,000+ active members
• You have complex tag-based access rules across many modules
• You can’t afford 3-4 hours of downtime
• Your team is unfamiliar with Keap
• You need training on leveraging Keap’s advanced features

Related Guides:

• Pre-Migration Checklist
• Post-Migration Verification
• Data Mapping Reference
• How to Switch CRMs and Keep Same Site
• Preserving Subscriptions During Migration
• Drip → AccessAlly Managed Migration (alternative to Keap)