Inventory first, testing second
A cutover checklist tests whether the new site works. An inventory records what the old setup depends on, so you know what to rebuild and what to leave alone. Most migration surprises on course sites are inventory misses: a cron job on the old server that sent renewal reminders, a webhook URL that pointed at an old path, mail that was quietly handled by the old host, or a license key that nobody can find.
Fill the inventory in a spreadsheet with four columns for every row: what it is, where it lives today, who has the login, and what has to change on moving day. Mark anything without a known owner as a blocker.
DNS and domain
Record where the domain is registered and where DNS is hosted; they are often different. Copy every record, not only A and CNAME: MX, TXT for SPF, DKIM and DMARC, verification records for Google, Microsoft or email services, and any subdomains used for video, members or checkout. Note each record's TTL so you can lower the ones that will change.
Check you can get the domain's transfer authorization code if you ever need it. ICANN's registrant FAQ says a change to the registrant name, organization or email triggers a 60-day lock on transferring to another registrar unless the registrar offers an opt-out, and that a registrar may refuse a transfer within 60 days of the initial registration or of a previous registrar transfer.
The fill-in inventory
| Item | Where to find it | Record before moving | Changes on moving day? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Domain registration | Registrar account | Registrar, expiry date, account owner, auth-code access | No, unless moving registrar |
| DNS zone | DNS provider (may be the old host) | Every record and TTL; screenshot or export | Yes: A or CNAME for the site |
| Mailboxes | Old host, Google Workspace or Microsoft 365 | Which addresses exist and where they are hosted | Only if mailboxes live on the old host |
| Sending service | SMTP plugin settings | Provider, sending domain, API key location (not the key itself in the sheet) | Re-enter on the new host |
| Scheduled tasks | wp cron event list; host cron panel | Hook names, schedule, and any server cron that calls wp-cron | Recreate server cron on the new host |
| Payment webhooks | Stripe or PayPal dashboard | Endpoint URLs and the events each receives | Only if the URL path changes |
| LMS and CRM integrations | Plugin settings, Zapier or similar | Every outbound and inbound connection and its URL | Re-test after move |
| Premium licenses | Vendor accounts | License keys, activation count, renewal date | Possibly re-activate |
| SSL certificate | Host panel | Issuer, expiry, auto-renew method | New host issues its own |
| Backups | Host panel and any plugin or off-site store | Where they are, retention, last tested restore | Set up again on the new host |
| CDN and video hosting | CDN and video provider dashboards | Origin URLs, allowed domains, tokens | Update origin if it was the server IP |
| Accounts and credentials | Password manager | Who can log in to each service above | Remove departed contractors |
Scheduled tasks and webhooks: the items most often missed
WordPress schedules work through WP-Cron. Run wp cron event list on the old site to see each hook, its next run and its recurrence; membership expiry, drip releases and renewal emails usually appear here. If the old host ran a server cron job to trigger WP-Cron, that job lives in the host panel, not in WordPress, and will not move with a file and database copy.
List every webhook that points at the site. Stripe lets you register up to 16 event destinations and requires registered webhook endpoints to be publicly accessible HTTPS URLs, so record each URL and the events it receives. If the new host changes the domain, path or TLS setup, the endpoint must change with it. Note any IP allowlists at third parties that name the old server's address.
- Export wp cron event list output to a file and keep it with the inventory.
- Screenshot the host cron panel on the old account.
- List webhook endpoints from Stripe, PayPal, your email platform and any form or LMS add-on.
- Search integrations for the old server IP address, not only the domain.
Licenses, certificates and renewal dates
Add a renewal date to every row that has one: domain, hosting, each premium plugin, SSL if paid, the email service and the video host. A migration is often the first time anyone sees all of these together, and it is the right moment to move them onto a card and an account the business owns.
Let's Encrypt's default certificates are valid for 90 days (opt-in short-lived certificates last six days), and it recommends renewing 90-day certificates every 60 days. If the old host handled renewal, the new host must take it over; record who is responsible.
Access review before you move
- Confirm you can log in to the registrar, DNS provider, old host, new host, payment processor, email service and every premium plugin vendor.
- Make sure each of those accounts is owned by the business, not a contractor.
- Remove access for people who no longer work on the site.
- Store credentials in a password manager, not in the inventory spreadsheet.
- Write down two-factor recovery codes and who holds them.
Questions before you decide
What is the difference between a migration inventory and a cutover checklist?
The inventory lists what the old setup depends on and who controls it: DNS, mail, scheduled tasks, webhooks, licenses and logins. The cutover checklist tests that the new site works. Do the inventory first so the test plan covers everything.
How do I find scheduled tasks on a WordPress site?
Run wp cron event list with WP-CLI to see each hook, its next run time and its recurrence. Also check the old host control panel for server cron jobs, which do not move with the files and database.
Should I record passwords in the inventory?
No. Record which account exists and who can log in, and keep the credentials themselves in a password manager. The inventory will be shared with contractors and support staff.
Sources & verification
Product details and prices can change. Check the linked provider before buying.
- WP-CLI: wp cron event list Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Stripe: receive events in your webhook endpoint Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- ICANN: domain name registrant FAQs Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Let's Encrypt: FAQ Accessed 30 Oct 2026
- Cloudflare DNS: time to live (TTL) Accessed 30 Oct 2026
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