Merging multiple Salesforce environments is a complex procedure. The process can prove particularly complicated when combining legacy Salesforce systems with histories spanning several years. Some Salesforce CRMs could hold 10+ years’ worth of records, installed packages, integrated marketing automation solutions, as well as various attachments and tools; it’s essential to develop a merge strategy that both maintains data integrity and provides the functionality needed to eliminate performance gaps. 

A well-planned Salesforce migration solution will consider several critical components and best practices, including:

Designated Salesforce Environment

Companies that are combining their CRMs must first determine which Salesforce environment they should use moving forward. It’s important to note that the acquiring company may opt to keep the acquired organization’s system. Taking a deeper dive into each Salesforce platform to determine which version is more robust can pinpoint which environment to keep and which one to merge.

Licensing

Licensing concerns must also be addressed before launching the data migration. Many companies don’t realize that they must hold enough licenses to support old and new live users. Before the merge, stakeholders should carefully consider what makes sense for the total number of users to designate the appropriate number of licenses needed. 

Data Prioritization

It’s vital to ensure all relevant data migrates over to the newly designated environment. However, there may be extensive data that isn’t worth transferring into the new CRM system. Internal resources should glean through existing stored data to develop an outline of what should be part of the merge and what can be eliminated from the database. Experienced Salesforce consultants can utilize tools to assess the percentage of fields that are populated to help accelerate the process. 

Additionally, slowly phasing data into the new system can help ensure a more seamless merge. Users should consider the information that should be available from day one, and what data can be migrated over during different project phases. 

Unique Identifiers

A successful Salesforce merge strategy will determine unique identifiers between both accounts. This process should include assessing multiple IDs, such as leads, contacts, products, opportunities, assets, and cases. It should also evaluate organization-wide email addresses, reports, and dashboards before moving forward with the merge. 

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