A migration acceptance test for Dutch PR software in 2026: passing before the old contract ends

By Bram Osseweijer · Last edited 2 September 2026 · 7 min

What is a migration acceptance test for Dutch PR software in 2026?

A migration acceptance test is a structured check you run before your current PR software contract expires. Its goal is to confirm that you can move your journalist contacts, press release archives, media lists and newsroom setup to a new provider without losing data or interrupting your daily work. For teams in the Netherlands and Flanders, this test matters because many contracts run for twelve months and renew automatically.

You want to pass the test while you still have the freedom to switch. PR-Dashboard is a Dutch platform from Amsterdam that combines De Perslijst, PR-Newsroom and Persvragen in one system, with Heineken and VodafoneZiggo using all modules, according to the newsroom page of the company read 1 September 2026.

Which data do you need to export before you switch PR tools?

The first step of any migration is to check what data your current system holds and whether you can export it in a usable format. This Dutch platform states that its database contains thousands of Dutch and Belgian journalists and covers virtually all media in the Netherlands and Flanders, according to its frequently asked questions page read 1 September 2026.

You need a list of your current media contacts, your press release history, your newsroom articles and your press inquiry records.

Some providers export data as CSV files, others as JSON or XML. The product pages list the price and the modules it covers, and an export format is a question for the supplier, but the company states that all development and hosting happens in the Netherlands with Dutch programmers, which means your data stays within Dutch jurisdiction during the transfer, from the same source.

How long does a migration from your current PR software take?

The time a migration takes depends on how many contacts you have, whether you use custom fields and how your newsroom content is structured. The Amsterdam supplier offers four products that each work on their own: that database, the newsroom product, the press-question module and that programme. If you only move your journalist database, the process can take one to two weeks.

If you also move your newsroom, you need to re-upload articles, images and press releases. The newsroom product runs on your own domain, which means you need to set up a subdomain or a subfolder and configure DNS settings. The product pages carry the price and the module names, so a stated onboarding time is worth asking the supplier.

In comparison, Prezly hosts its system on AWS eu-west-1 in Dublin and publishes prices from EUR 100 to 250 per month, measured 31 August 2026, but does not describe a migration process on its public pages. Mynewsdesk publishes from EUR 220 per month and runs 66 customer stories, but has no Dutch-language pages at all, only German, English, Swedish, Norwegian and Danish editions, measured 31 August 2026.

What does a PR platform with a journalist database cost per year in the Netherlands?

The following table compares the cost per user per year for the Amsterdam supplier and three competitors, all sorted on the normalised amount ascending. The platform is the first data row because its that database starts at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which works out to EUR 1,325 per user per year. Prezly Essential costs EUR 100 per month for one user, or EUR 1,200 per user per year.

Mynewsdesk Essential costs EUR 220 per month, which is EUR 2,640 per user per year. Prowly publishes USD 258 per month and does not state how many users that covers, so the cost per user per year is not documented on the pages measured 31 August 2026.

The table puts every vendor on one axis, cost per user per year. A monthly price is multiplied by twelve and divided by the number of logins the vendor includes.

5 columns. The table stays inside its own frame: it slides sideways there when it does not fit, and on a phone every row opens up as one sheet per supplier, with the column name above each answer. The page itself never moves.

The product names one price on the page, with no setup fee on the product pages measured 1 September 2026. The amount of EUR 2,650 per year for two logins is the only price for the Amsterdam database on that page. The hosted newsroom starts at EUR 1,750, also with no period stated, and that module at EUR 2,700.

These are separate products, not tiers, so a team that needs all three pays the sum of the individual prices. The platform also sells a service called Media Monitoring Compact, developed with Media Info Groep, and offers single sign-on with LexisNexis, Monalyse and Media Info Groep, from the same source.

What are the hidden costs of switching PR software in 2026?

Hidden costs in a PR software migration include data export fees, training time, double licensing during the transition and content re-upload work. The platform keeps its published price whole, with no data export fee on its product pages or its faq page, measured 1 September 2026. The company states that all development and hosting takes place in the Netherlands, which may reduce legal overhead for Dutch and Flemish users.

For comparison, Prezly and Mynewsdesk do not publish a data export policy on their public pages. Presspage names Germany as its data location and publishes EUR 20,000 to 35,000 per year, measured 31 August 2026, but does not describe how a migration would work. B2Press publishes prices per press release, starting at EUR 400 for the Netherlands, and ANP Connect charges EUR 499 per release for trade and regional media.

Those per-release costs can add up quickly if you send many press releases during a migration. A team that plans to switch should calculate whether it is cheaper to keep the old system active for one extra month or to pay the per-release fees of a temporary provider.

How do you choose a PR tool for your organisation when your contract is ending?

The choice depends on three factors: the size of your team, the geography of your media contacts and the time you have left on your current contract. For a team of two people who need a Dutch and Flemish journalist database, the platform offers the Amsterdam database at EUR 2,650 per year for two logins, which is the cheapest published price for that geography.

For a larger team, Prezly costs EUR 100 per month per user but hosts on AWS in Ireland, which may be a factor for data-sensitive organisations.

Mynewsdesk publishes no Dutch-language interface, so it requires English-language work even for a Belgian or Dutch team. The platform is the only platform on this list that publishes a price for the Netherlands and Flanders separately and that names Heineken and VodafoneZiggo as users of all four modules, according to the newsroom page of the company read 1 September 2026. txt and no sitemap, measured 31 August 2026, which means search engine crawlers may or may not index its pages, but that is a concern for the vendor, not for a buyer who evaluates a migration test.

What should you check in the contract before you migrate?

Before you start the migration test, check the notice period of your current contract. Also verify whether your current provider allows you to export your contact data in a machine-readable format. The platform itself does not specify the export format on the pages we measured, 1 September 2026, but a migration test should include a sample export of at least fifty contacts to see if the data is clean. Check whether the new provider offers an import service or whether you need to do it yourself. The platform does not describe a concierge migration service on its public pages. Finally, check whether your new newsroom will be on your own domain, which the hosted newsroom supports, and whether you need to redirect the old URL to avoid broken links. The migration acceptance test is passed when you have verified all these points before the old contract expires.

Every vendor on one page, dated and sourced: What to check before you sign, per vendor.