Migration from Salesforce Classic to GoHighLevel Without Losing Data

Step 1: Plan Your Migration Strategy

Before touching any data, plan carefully:

• Audit Your Current Salesforce Data: Identify what needs to move  leads, accounts, contacts, opportunities, campaigns, tasks, notes, etc.

• Clean Up Your Data: Remove duplicates, outdated records, and errors.

• Define Your Goals: What processes and automations do you want to recreate or improve in GoHighLevel?

Pro Tip: A clean migration starts with clean data. Don’t move what you don’t need!

Step 2: Backup Your Salesforce Classic Data

Before proceeding, always create a full backup.

You can export data from Salesforce by:

• Navigating to Setup → Data Management → Data Export.

• Choose all objects you need (Contacts, Accounts, Leads, Opportunities, etc.).

• Schedule or immediately run the export.

You’ll receive a .zip file containing all your CRM data in .csv format.

Safety First: Always store backups securely, preferably in multiple locations.

Step 3: Prepare GoHighLevel for Import

In GoHighLevel:

• Set up your pipeline stages under Opportunities.

• Create custom fields to match essential Salesforce fields.

• Configure user roles and permissions if you have a team.

Aligning structures ensures that data lands correctly without confusion.

Step 4: Map Your Salesforce Data to GoHighLevel Fields

Mapping is crucial to ensure data accuracy:

• Leads → Contacts in GoHighLevel.

• Opportunities → Deals or Pipelines.

• Accounts → Custom Fields or Companies if needed.

Manually create any custom fields in GoHighLevel before importing, such as “Lead Source”, “Account Type”, etc.

Tip: Use a spreadsheet to document how each Salesforce field maps to GoHighLevel fields. This acts as your blueprint.

Step 5: Import Your Data into GoHighLevel

Once the mapping is ready:

• Go to GoHighLevel CRM → Contacts → Import Contacts.

• Upload your cleaned and mapped .csv files.

• Match fields during import (GoHighLevel will prompt you).

• For Opportunities (Deals), GoHighLevel allows custom pipeline uploads — make sure they match your pipeline settings.

Importing smaller data sets first (like Contacts) makes troubleshooting easier before moving on to more complex records.

Step 6: Rebuild Automations and Workflows

Salesforce Classic uses workflows, validation rules, and triggers. In GoHighLevel:

• Use Workflows to automate your sales and marketing.

• Set up Email Drip Campaigns, SMS Follow-ups, and Task Assignments.

• Recreate key automations based on your business goals.

Take this opportunity to optimize and simplify old workflows!

Step 7: Test Everything Thoroughly

Migration is only complete when everything works perfectly:

• Test lead form submissions.

• Test email and SMS automations.

• Check that deals move through pipeline stages correctly.

• Verify that all contacts, notes, tags, and activities were imported accurately.

Assign a team to test scenarios before going fully live.

Step 8: Train Your Team on GoHighLevel

Even the best migration fails if users don’t adopt the new system. Provide:

• Training Sessions or Video Tutorials.

• A Quick-Start Guide tailored to your business.

• Clear documentation for daily tasks.

Consider appointing a GoHighLevel Champion inside your company to help answer user questions quickly.

Step 9: Officially Switch Over

Once testing is complete and users are trained:

• Announce the official switch date.

• Lock old Salesforce Classic access if needed to prevent accidental updates.

• Monitor GoHighLevel closely for the first few weeks.

Your business is now on a powerful, cost-effective, modern CRM platform.