In short
For a mid-sized company, switching CRMs with migration included takes 5 to 10 weeks if the scope is locked at the start. What stretches projects into months is dirty data, ERP integrations, slow decisions, scope creep and a parallel run with no end date.
The typical schedule
| Phase | Duration | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery | 1 week | Org review and interviews. Scope and price locked. |
| Build | 2 to 5 weeks | Screens, permissions, automations. Demo every Friday. |
| Data and integrations | 1 to 2 weeks | Extraction, cleanup, loading and connection to your other systems. |
| Parallel run | 1 to 2 weeks | Both systems side by side with real data. |
| Go-live | 1 week | Training by team and switchover on a Monday. |
In the five case studies we publish, projects took between 5 and 8 weeks.
What drags a project out
- Dirty data: duplicates, owners who are long gone, picklists with 40 values. Cleaning up at the last minute delays the load.
- The ERP: it is the integration with the most dependencies. If you have to wait on the ERP vendor, the schedule is theirs.
- Slow decisions: every week without an answer on a screen is one more week.
- Scope creep: while we are at it, let's add this. Better saved for a second phase.
- A parallel run with no end: if nobody sets the switchover Monday, both systems run side by side for months.
How to keep it to 6 weeks
- Scope locked in writing in the first week.
- One decision-maker, with one hour a week blocked out.
- A demo every Friday with real data.
- Data cleanup in parallel with the build, not at the end.
- Switchover date set from the start.
And day-to-day work
Done right, the team keeps working in Salesforce until the Friday before the switch. On Monday they log into the new CRM with all their data. No downtime.
FAQ
How long does a Salesforce migration take?
For a mid-sized company, 5 to 10 weeks including the build of the new CRM. The data part usually takes one or two.
Do we have to pause sales activity?
No. The team works in Salesforce until the switch and starts in the new one on a Monday with all their data.
What if we do not make it before the renewal?
You can negotiate a short renewal to cover the transition. Ask for it before the notice deadline.
Timelines from 2Q Technologies projects with mid-sized companies in Spain.