Define the record
Decide what a contact, organization and opportunity represent in your business. Agree how they relate and which fields are needed to make a decision. Collecting more data does not automatically create more useful context.
Name an owner
Establish who can create, edit and merge records, and who handles incoming inquiries. Define a source of truth when the same information exists in more than one system.
Describe the lifecycle
Use pipeline stages with observable entry and exit criteria. Separate a new inquiry from a qualified opportunity and a completed sale. Specify the next task or decision expected at each stage.
Prepare the transition
Inventory your source data and plan a trial import. Review field mappings, duplicates and required values. Decide how the team will verify records and how to return to the previous system if the cutover needs to be paused.
Make the handoff understandable.
Before choosing a tool, define what needs to happen, which record carries the context and who owns the next decision.
Explore a sample workflow