Hi - great question. There are many variables when transferring water (hose width, hose bending, how much pressure you may want/need, how much water you want to move per minute etc.). However, as a rule of thumb, the Maximum Head capacity of the pump will tell you what the pump can do in terms of; suction height + uplift. For example, if you needed to draw up water 4 metres from the water source to the pump, then move the water from the pump up a gradient of 25 metres, then you would need a pump with a maximum head greater than 29 meters (4 + 25). You should also consider how much water you want to move per minute and how much discharge pressure you may need, this is where pump charts come in handy as delivery capacity falls away as max head capacity is approached.
The maximum head rating (in metres), and water flow rating (litres per minute) of the water pump is listed under the Specifications of each pump model.
As mentioned, there are many variables when considering water transfer requirements and this rule can be used as a good approximate guide. We advise you use this rule and select a pump with greater max head capacity than your requirements to account for other small things such as friction which will also slightly reduce the pump's head capacity.