14 Nov

How to Migrate from Salesforce/Zoho to SuiteCRM: Step-by-Step Guide

A complete, risk-free migration playbook for SMBs, enterprises, and scaling teams.

Migrating from Salesforce or Zoho CRM to SuiteCRM is one of the most strategic decisions businesses make to gain full data ownership, save costs, and unlock limitless customization without vendor lock-in.

However, CRM migrations are complex. When handled incorrectly, they can lead to broken relationships, lost data, duplicate records, and frustrated users.

This guide breaks down the process into clear, detailed, and non-technical steps, based on real-world best practices used by certified SuiteCRM consultants.

Why Companies Move from Salesforce or Zoho to SuiteCRM

High Subscription Costs

Salesforce & Zoho charge per user, per module, and per feature. As your team grows, costs scale aggressively.
SuiteCRM is 100% open-source → Zero per-user fees.

Full Ownership of Your CRM

Proprietary CRMs store your data on their cloud, limiting customization and API access.
SuiteCRM gives you the freedom to host on-premise or private cloud, giving you total control.

Unlimited Customization

Modify modules, workflows, UI, and business logic without restrictions or upgrade limitations.

Freedom from Vendor Lock-in

SuiteCRM lets you build long-term automation and integrations without worrying about forced updates.

Before You Begin: Salesforce/Zoho to SuiteCRM Migration Checklist

To ensure a smooth and successful migration, analyze:

Total CRM data size
Number of custom fields & modules
Automations & workflow rules
API-based integrations
Reports and dashboards
User roles & permission levels
Data cleanliness (duplicates, invalid emails, empty fields)

Once this audit is complete, you’re ready for the migration.

Step-by-Step Migration Process (Expanded & Well Explained)

To ensure a smooth and successful migration, analyze:

Total CRM data size
Number of custom fields & modules
Automations & workflow rules
API-based integrations
Reports and dashboards
User roles & permission levels
Data cleanliness (duplicates, invalid emails, empty fields)

Once this audit is complete, you’re ready for the migration.

Also Read: SuiteCRM Customization: Everything You Need Before Starting Your Project

Step 1: Run a Migration Readiness Assessment

This phase is the foundation of a successful CRM transition.

✔ What it includes:

Reviewing your current Salesforce/Zoho setup
Identifying custom fields and modules
Exporting a sample dataset for analysis
Deciding what data is essential vs. outdated
Documenting workflows and automation rules

✔ Why it’s important:

Skipping this step often results in incomplete migrations, missing fields, or broken relationships when the data is imported into SuiteCRM.

Step 2: Clean Your Data Before Migration

Imagine moving to a new house—you wouldn’t take old, broken, or duplicate items with you.
Same with your CRM data.

✔ Clean up:

Duplicate contacts & accounts
Invalid, blank, or outdated emails
Old deals/opportunities with no activity
Inactive leads
Incorrect picklist values

✔ Why it matters:

Clean data → Faster migration, fewer errors, and higher CRM adoption.

Step 3: Export Data from Salesforce/Zoho

From Salesforce

You can export using:

Data Loader (best for bulk exports)
Data Export Wizard
Reports (for filtered exports)

From Zoho CRM

Export using:

Data Export Module
Individual module exports
Zoho API for automation

Export the following modules:

Leads
Contacts
Accounts
Deals/Opportunities
Activities (Calls, Meetings, Tasks)
Emails
Notes
Attachments
Custom objects/modules

💡 Always export with record IDs—these maintain relationships (Account → Contact → Deals).

Step 4: Field Mapping (The Most Crucial Step)

Field mapping ensures every field in Salesforce/Zoho correctly aligns with the fields in SuiteCRM.

✔ Mapping Includes:

Standard → Standard fields
Custom → Custom fields
Picklists → Dropdown fields
Owners → SuiteCRM users
Relationships → Parent-child mapping

✔ Example:

Salesforce “Account Name” → SuiteCRM “Organization“
Zoho “Potential Stage” → SuiteCRM “Opportunity Stage“

If mapping is done incorrectly, data will appear in the wrong place—or not at all.

Step 5: Prepare & Configure SuiteCRM Before Import

SuiteCRM must be configured to match your source CRM structure.

✔ Setup Includes:

Creating custom fields
Modifying module layouts
Configuring dropdown values
Defining user roles
Setting up email servers
Installing required plugins

This ensures SuiteCRM is “migration-ready”.

Step 6: Import Data into SuiteCRM (In Correct Order)

Importing data in the wrong order breaks relationships.
The correct import sequence is essential:

Recommended Import Order:

Users
Accounts
Contacts
Leads
Opportunities
Notes
Activities
Emails
Documents/Attachments
Custom Modules

✔ Methods to Import:

SuiteCRM Import Tool
API-based import (for large data)
SuiteCRM partner’s custom migration scripts

After each module import, validate a few records to ensure accuracy.

Step 7: Rebuild Workflows, Automations & Reports

Salesforce and Zoho automations do not migrate automatically.

You must recreate:

Workflow rules
Email alerts
Assignment rules
Pipeline automation
Lead scoring
Dashboards
Reports

SuiteCRM’s Advanced Workflow Module can replicate Salesforce Enterprise-level automation.

Step 8: Validate Data Integrity

You need to ensure every field, module, and relationship migrated correctly.

✔ Perform:

Record count match
Random sample testing
Relationship checks
Picklist value validation
Attachment verification
Email correspondence checks
User assignment validation

This avoids surprises after go-live.

Step 9: Go-Live, Train Users & Offer Support

Once validated, it’s time to go live.

✔ Go-Live Checklist:

Update DNS/email settings
Reconnect integrations
Disable old CRM access (set to read-only)
Provide training to all departments
Offer support for 30–90 days

User training is the key to CRM adoption.

Comparison Table: Salesforce vs Zoho vs SuiteCRM

Feature / Platform	Salesforce	Zoho CRM	SuiteCRM
Pricing	Very high subscription fees	Affordable but charges per user	Free & open-source
Customization	Limited without add-ons	Moderate	Unlimited (open-source)
Hosting	Cloud only	Cloud	Cloud or On-Premise
Data Ownership	Vendor-controlled	Shared control	Full ownership
API Access	Chargeable for higher limits	Limited in lower plans	Unlimited
Scalability	High	Moderate	High
User Limit	Paid per user	Paid per user	Unlimited users
Integrations	Strong	Good	Highly flexible
Workflow Automation	Excellent	Good	Powerful with Advanced Workflow
Best For	Enterprises with high budgets	SMBs	SMBs & Enterprises wanting 100% control

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Is it difficult to migrate from Salesforce or Zoho to SuiteCRM?

It’s not difficult, but it is technical and detail-sensitive. If done correctly—with proper field mapping and validation—the migration is smooth and accurate.

2. How long does a CRM migration take?

Migration timelines vary based on:

Data size
Number of custom modules
Complexity of workflows
Number of integrations

Most migrations take 2–8 weeks.

3. Will I lose any data during migration?

No—if the migration is done professionally with:

Data backup
Multiple validation cycles
Reconciliation steps
Field mapping documentation

A certified SuiteCRM partner ensures 100% data accuracy.

4. Can I migrate attachments, notes, and emails?

Yes. SuiteCRM supports migration of:

Email logs
Notes
Documents
File attachments
Activity history

These are mapped using record IDs to preserve relationships.

5. Can all Salesforce/Zoho automations be recreated in SuiteCRM?

Yes. SuiteCRM supports migration of:

Email logs
Notes
Documents
File attachments
Activity history

Using the Advanced Workflow module, complex Salesforce-level workflows can be replicated.

6. Can SuiteCRM be customized after migration?

Absolutely. SuiteCRM is known for unlimited customization with no vendor restrictions.
You can modify modules, fields, dashboards, UI, workflows, and more.