How to Migrate from Salesforce to Zoho CRM: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide

• Cost savings: Businesses that move from Salesforce to Zoho CRM save at least 90% on CRM expenses, and a 10-person team can save over $36,000 annually, according to Zoho.
• Simpler admin: Modifications that took two weeks can be completed in twenty minutes, eliminating the need for an army of Salesforce administrators.
• All-in-one ecosystem: Zoho Books, Campaigns, Desk, and Analytics are all natively integrated with Zoho CRM.
• AI included: Salesforce Einstein requires premium plans, while Zia AI is included at no additional cost.

1. Navigate to Salesforce → Setup → Data → Data Export → Schedule Export
2. Select "Include All Data" to capture every object, or choose specific modules only
3. Download the ZIP file - large orgs may receive multiple ZIP files across modules
4. Open and verify each CSV file to confirm records and column headers are intact
5. Save exports in an organised folder labelled by module (Leads, Contacts, Deals, etc.)

Pro tip: Always double-check your exported data before importing into a new system to avoid errors and data loss.

1. Log in to Zoho CRM → Go to Settings → Modules and Fields
2. Create custom modules that match your Salesforce custom objects
3. Add custom fields inside each module to mirror your Salesforce field list
4. Navigate to Settings → Users and Control → Roles → Create roles matching your Salesforce permission structure
5. Create user profiles and assign permissions before adding any users

Warning: Ensure all data is properly backed up before making any major changes or migrations.

1. Go to Zoho CRM → Settings → Data Administration → Data Migration
2. Select Salesforce as your source CRM from the dropdown
3. Upload your CSV files one module at a time - start with Accounts, then Contacts, then Leads, then Deals
4. Review Zoho's auto-mapped field suggestions on the preview screen
5. Confirm the import only after reviewing every mapped field - you get one attempt per session

Warning: Import order matters. Always import Accounts before Contacts, and Contacts before Deals. Zoho uses these relationships to link records - importing in the wrong order breaks parent-child connections.

1. On the field mapping screen, review each Salesforce column matched against a Zoho field
2. For any unmapped field, either select an existing Zoho field from the dropdown or click "Create New Field" on the spot
3. For picklist (dropdown) fields, verify that every option value matches exactly - mismatched values import as blank
4. For lookup fields (relationships between records), confirm Zoho has the linked module already populated before mapping
5. Save your field mapping as a template if you plan to re-import or import additional modules later

Pro tip: Zoho allows a maximum of 5 lookup fields per module and 300 custom fields per module. If your Salesforce setup exceeds this, consolidate or retire low-use fields before mapping.

1. List every active Salesforce automation - Process Builder flows, Apex triggers, assignment rules, and validation rules
2. Navigate to Zoho CRM → Settings → Automation → Workflow Rules to recreate basic if-then automations
3. Use Zoho Blueprint for multi-step sequential processes that mirror Salesforce Process Builder flows
4. For complex Apex triggers, use Zoho's Deluge scripting language to write equivalent custom functions
5. Test every automation with dummy records before going live - confirm triggers fire correctly and actions execute as expected

Pro tip: Start by rebuilding your top 5 highest-impact automations first - lead assignment rules, deal stage triggers, and follow-up reminders. Leave complex edge-case flows for after go-live.

1. Run a record count report for all imported modules in Zoho and compare it to Salesforce records.
2. Manually verify 20–30 high-value records to ensure all fields, relationships, and activity history match.
3. Verify all records are linked correctly, such as contacts linked to accounts, deals linked to contacts, etc.
4. Run your top 3 most-used reports in Zoho and verify they match what Salesforce reported.
5. Once you have verified all data, set Salesforce to read-only mode for your team and direct all activity to Zoho. DO NOT CANCEL SALESFORCE JUST YET.

Warning: Run both Salesforce and Zoho in parallel for at least 2–4 weeks after go-live. Only cancel your Salesforce subscription after your team has fully adopted Zoho and no data discrepancies remain.