Go-Live Checklist: What Every Salesforce Implementation Needs

A Salesforce go-live is a milestone. It represents not only the deployment of new technology but also a commitment to changing the way your business operates. At AppSavvy Group, we have supported organizations across industries in preparing for successful Salesforce implementations. What we’ve learned is clear: success depends on careful preparation.

This checklist outlines the critical steps every Salesforce implementation needs before launch, supported by lessons from the field.

1. Final Data Migration Verified

Clean, accurate data is the foundation of a successful rollout. If users log in on Day 1 and cannot trust what they see, adoption will be at risk.

Lesson Learned: We have seen clients skip the last validation cycle of data migration, only to find duplicates and missing opportunities in production. It took weeks to rebuild confidence that could have been safeguarded with one final check.

Action: Conduct multiple migration dry-runs. Validate against business-critical records, not just technical samples.

2. User Roles and Permissions Configured

Salesforce works best when the right people have the right access. Too much access creates security risks; too little access hinders productivity.

Lesson Learned: A company gave broad administrator rights to an entire sales team to avoid delays in configuration. Within days, a critical dashboard was deleted, slowing operations and trust.

Action: Map roles carefully to responsibilities and apply the principle of least privilege.

3. End-User Training Completed

No matter how well designed your Salesforce instance is, it will only succeed if users know how to use it effectively.

Lesson Learned: One organization tried a “learn as you go” model. Within a month, most of the sales team had reverted to spreadsheets. Salesforce became an expensive address book.

Action: Deliver structured, role-based training with interactive exercises. Provide ongoing access to reference materials.

4. Integrations Tested and Stable

Salesforce rarely operates in isolation. If integrations with ERP, marketing, or support systems are unstable, adoption will stall.

Lesson Learned: A retail company launched without fully testing its ERP integration. Overnight, order data stopped syncing, creating confusion for sales and service teams.

Action: Test integrations with real data under realistic conditions, including peak transaction loads.

5. Reports and Dashboards Customized

Leadership expects insight from day one. If dashboards are empty or generic, the system will feel incomplete.

Lesson Learned: A CFO logged in post-launch to find blank dashboards. The perception was immediate: “Salesforce isn’t ready.” This perception delayed adoption across the company.

Action: Configure reports and dashboards to align directly with KPIs and business goals before launch.

6. Sandbox Quality Assurance Sign-Off

Sandbox testing ensures configurations, workflows, and automations function as intended. Skipping this step is the equivalent of launching an aircraft without a test flight.

Lesson Learned: A client skipped sandbox sign-off to save time. On launch, workflows looped endlessly, sending duplicate notifications. The cleanup effort was greater than the time they thought they were saving.

Action: Conduct full user acceptance testing (UAT) in the sandbox. Test not only functionality but also edge cases and integrations.

7. Change Management Plan in Place

Implementations succeed or fail based on adoption. Change management ensures teams understand why Salesforce is being introduced and how it benefits them.

Lesson Learned: One client launched without change champions. Users viewed Salesforce as additional administrative work. Leadership had to mandate adoption, creating resentment that could have been avoided.

Action: Build a communication plan, involve champions early, and celebrate milestones post-launch.

8. Support and Escalation Process Defined

Even the best implementations encounter issues. A clear support model ensures users get answers quickly.

Lesson Learned: A client failed to define escalation paths. Support tickets went unanswered, and frustration grew. Users blamed Salesforce, when the real issue was lack of support.

Action: Establish tiered support with internal champions and escalation routes to IT or consulting partners.

Go-Live Is Only the Beginning

A Salesforce implementation does not end at go-live, it begins there. The difference between adoption and abandonment is preparation. With the right checklist, your organization can ensure a smooth transition, build user confidence, and realize the full value of Salesforce.

At AppSavvy Group, we specialize in helping organizations plan, implement, and optimize Salesforce solutions that drive adoption and business impact from day one.

Planning your Salesforce rollout? Let’s make sure your go-live is a success. Contact AppSavvy Group to learn more about how our Salesforce-native solutions support every stage of implementation.