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To migrate data into a new Salesforce org, inventory what must move, prepare the destination, choose an importer that fits your edition and workload, clean and map the source files, rebuild relationships with target-org IDs, pilot the process, run the production load, and reconcile the results. Salesforce does not prescribe one sequence for every org: object dependencies, volume, access, and automation shape the details.
How do I migrate data from one Salesforce org to another?
Use an eight-step workflow, with a sandbox and a controlled pilot before production. For a legacy CRM, the same planning applies, but there may be no Salesforce source-org IDs to translate. In either case, importing records is only part of the job: the destination schema, relationships, ownership, access, and automation must also work as intended.
1. Define what is in scope
Inventory the objects, fields, business units, and records to move. Decide whether to migrate complete objects or only selected divisions and their related records. Salesforce recommends making this inventory before building import templates; an import tool cannot determine which records the business needs.
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Record the source of each dataset and identify which fields will be needed for matching, relationships, and reconciliation. The exact field map and record selection depend on the source and target schemas and project requirements.
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2. Prepare the destination org
Before loading data, verify that the destination has the required objects, fields, and metadata. Configure record types, layouts, validation rules, automation, sharing, ownership, and user access to support the intended records and workflow. Consider custom legacy-ID fields to help match records across loads and reconcile the migration.
Test the migration process in a sandbox before production. Salesforce Help’s guidance on moving data from one organization to another specifically advises testing in a sandbox environment first.
3. Choose the import method
Select a tool based on more than row count. Confirm the target org’s edition, object requirements, permissions, whether export is needed, and whether the job needs insert, update, upsert, or delete operations. Salesforce’s published method comparison gives these ranges:
| Tool | Published volume guidance | Objects and operations | Key considerations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data Import Wizard | Up to 50,000 records at a time, according to Salesforce Help’s tool documentation. | In-browser import for standard and custom objects in supported editions. | Review field mappings; unmapped fields are not imported. Salesforce recommends testing a small CSV first. |
| Data Loader | 5,000 to 5 million records in Salesforce Help’s method comparison; this is a published range, not a guarantee for every org or load. | Import and export in specified editions; supports insert, update, upsert, and delete. | Check edition and access. Success and error CSV files can support reconciliation. |
The figures are Salesforce’s published guidance, not universal throughput guarantees. Check current edition and object-specific requirements for the destination. Salesforce’s Data Import Wizard documentation and Data Loader documentation describe their respective workflows.
Which Salesforce data migration tool should I use?
Use the Import Wizard when its supported objects and edition fit the job and the file is within its stated ceiling. Consider Data Loader when you need its import/export operations, supported edition, or a workload suited to its published volume range. Volume alone does not settle the choice: confirm object coverage, operation type, access, and how you will manage relationships and errors.
Salesforce says Data Loader requires Read, Create, Edit, and Delete permissions on objects, plus API Enabled. Data Import Wizard permissions vary by object and record type. Ask the Salesforce administrator to confirm the least access needed for the planned operation before granting permissions.
How do I clean and map Salesforce migration data?
4. Prepare source files and map every field
Prepare CSV files, normalize values, identify required fields, and map each source field to its destination field. Check formats and values against destination requirements, including fields affected by validation rules and record types. Keep a clear record of the source-to-target mapping so the pilot and reconciliation use the same assumptions.
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5. Preserve relationships and dependencies
Load parent records before dependent child records so that each relationship can point to an existing destination record. For a Salesforce-to-Salesforce migration, relationship fields that contain source-org IDs cannot link to newly created records in the destination. Translate those source IDs to the corresponding target-org IDs.
Salesforce explains that its relationships use record IDs and that legacy IDs must be replaced with newly generated target-org IDs. A custom external ID or legacy-ID field can help match records across loads; for Data Loader upserts, matching can use a Salesforce ID or an External ID field. See Salesforce Help’s org-to-org migration guidance and Data Loader instructions.
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6. Run a pilot
Start with a small, representative load and inspect the resulting records. Exercise field mappings, ownership, permissions, automation, and relationship references. A pilot can expose issues such as rejected values or incorrect references before they affect the full production dataset. Salesforce also advises sandbox testing before production, so use the pilot to verify the actual process and destination behavior rather than treating a successful file upload as proof that the migration is ready.
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Run the approved files in dependency order and retain the exact input files used for each operation. If using Data Loader, save its success and error CSV logs with the corresponding batch so you can trace what happened. An upsert updates records that match the chosen Salesforce ID or external ID and inserts records without a match; confirm the matching field and intended outcome before running it.
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How do I validate a Salesforce data migration?
8. Reconcile records and resolve exceptions
Compare source and destination record counts using reports, then spot-check individual records and relationships. Review success and error logs, exception reports, and any duplicate-rule rejections. Correct failed records and investigate discrepancies before marking the migration complete.
Duplicate rules can reject an insert when Salesforce identifies a matching record. Compare the incoming file with existing destination records and review the active rules before retrying rejected rows. Salesforce’s duplicate-rule import troubleshooting article addresses the “Use one of these records?” failure.
When should I get migration help?
Salesforce states that project planning, scoping, implementation, execution, and required data manipulation are outside the scope of Salesforce Support and Admin Assist. For additional help, Salesforce points customers to discuss Professional Services with an Account Executive or engage a Consulting Partner. Availability and fit depend on the project and region; select support based on the specific scope, schema, security, and reconciliation needs.
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