CRM migration planner.
Pick the CRM you’re leaving and the one you’re moving to, enter your record counts and a go-live date. Get a dated checklist, the import files you need, a field map and the risks, then download the plan.
- Scheduled back from your go-live date
- Limits from each vendor’s help pages
- Nothing is uploaded
The worked example, planned from Sun 18 Oct 2026. Change anything to plan from today. Working days are Monday to Friday; public holidays aren’t counted.
Pipedrive to LiftUp · go-live Tue 1 Dec 2026
On track. Start by Mon 9 Nov 2026.
19 tasks over 17 working days to go-live, 3 import files, about 85 hours of work. 15 working days to spare. The old CRM can go on Wed 30 Dec 2026.
LiftUp plan for this move
Growth
Because 3 users (Free has 2, Starter 5, Growth 20); custom fields are on Starter and up; deal value and close date fields are on Growth and up; 4,200 imported leads count toward the monthly lead allowance (100 on Free, 1,000 on Starter, 10,000 on Growth). LiftUp is priced per organisation, not per seat. See plans.
The timeline
9 Nov 2026 to 30 Dec 2026, 38 working days. The line is go-live.
| Task | Dates | Bar |
|---|---|---|
| PrepareName an owner and agree the scope | 9 Nov1 day | |
| PrepareList fields, automations and integrations | 10 Nov to 11 Nov2 days | |
| PrepareSet up LiftUp | 17 Nov1 day | |
| ExportExport everything from Pipedrive | 12 Nov to 13 Nov2 days | |
| CleanClean and dedupe the files | 16 Nov to 17 Nov2 days | |
| CleanPut each deal on its contact’s row | 19 Nov1 day | |
| CleanFold notes into one column | 19 Nov1 day | |
| Map fieldsMap the standard fields | 18 Nov1 day | |
| Map fieldsCreate and map 8 custom fields | 19 Nov1 day | |
| Test importImport a test batch | 20 Nov1 day | |
| Full importImport 3 files | 23 Nov1 day | |
| Full importMove 120 files by hand | 24 Nov to 25 Nov2 days | |
| RebuildRebuild 4 automations | 26 Nov to 30 Nov3 days | |
| RebuildReconnect 2 forms and integrations | 30 Nov1 day | |
| VerifyReconcile counts and spot-check | 26 Nov to 30 Nov3 days | |
| Train and cut overTrain the team | 27 Nov to 30 Nov2 days | |
| Train and cut overGo live | 1 Dec1 day | |
| After go-liveKeep Pipedrive read-only | 2 Dec to 29 Dec20 days | |
| After go-liveTake a final export and cancel Pipedrive | 30 Dec1 day |
The checklist
0 of 19 ticked. Ticks stay on this page only.
1. Prepare
Project owner · 9 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 4 h
One person decides and signs off. Agree what moves (contacts and leads, companies, deals, notes and activities, files and attachments) and what stays behind: closed deals nobody reports on, bounced or unsubscribed contacts, fields nobody fills in. Decide now whether Pipedrive is frozen during cutover or both run.
CRM admin · 10 Nov 2026 to 11 Nov 2026 · 2 working days · 5.5 h
Write down the 8 custom fields, 4 automations and 2 forms and integrations, with what each one does, so nothing turns up missing after go-live.
CRM admin · 17 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 3.75 h
Create the product the leads belong to, set the pipeline stages and invite 3 users. Each import run goes into one product.
2. Export
CRM admin · 12 Nov 2026 to 13 Nov 2026 · 2 working days · 5 h
Export contacts and leads, companies, deals, notes and activities, files and attachments. In Pipedrive, use Export data; activities, notes and files linked to deals and contacts are exported separately, and files kept in Google Drive aren’t exported. Keep an untouched copy of every file as your backup before you change anything.
3. Clean
CRM admin · 16 Nov 2026 to 17 Nov 2026 · 2 working days · 7.7 h
Remove duplicates, fix emails and phone numbers, write dates as YYYY-MM-DD and split files over the limit. The free CRM import checker does this in your browser. Open the CRM import checker.
CRM admin · 19 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 2.2 h
LiftUp keeps one deal on each lead, in the Deal value, Currency, Expected close date and Status columns of the contact file. Pick one open deal per contact: a second row with the same email is skipped as a duplicate.
CRM admin · 19 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 2.5 h
LiftUp’s import has one Message / notes column per lead, up to 5,000 characters. Join each contact’s notes into it, newest first, and keep the full history in the backup.
4. Map fields
CRM admin · 18 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 3 h
Match each column to a field in LiftUp with the field map below, and decide what happens to columns with no match.
CRM admin · 19 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 4 h
Create them in LiftUp first (custom fields are on Starter and up): the import only offers active custom fields, and keeps up to 1,000 characters a value.
5. Test import
CRM admin · 20 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 3 h
Import 25 rows of each object, open a few records and check every mapped field. Fix the mapping, delete the test records and repeat until it’s clean. The full import skips any email already in LiftUp, so delete the test leads before it.
6. Full import
CRM admin · 23 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 1.5 h
3 contact files of up to 2,000 rows and 5 MB. Companies are created from each lead’s email domain or Company column, and deals ride on the rows. From today nobody edits Pipedrive.
CRM admin · 24 Nov 2026 to 25 Nov 2026 · 2 working days · 6 h
LiftUp attaches one file at a time on a lead’s page: PDF or Word, up to 5 MB each. Keep other files in the backup and note where they are on the lead.
7. Rebuild
CRM admin · 26 Nov 2026 to 30 Nov 2026 · 3 working days · 12 h
Automations don’t move in a CSV. Rebuild each one in LiftUp from the inventory, then run it on a test record. Imported leads don’t trigger notifications, webhooks or sequences, so rebuilt automations act on new leads only.
Developer or ops · 30 Nov 2026 · 1 working day · 4 h
Point each web form at LiftUp, with an embedded LiftUp form or one API call per product, and send a test lead through each one.
8. Verify
Sales lead · 26 Nov 2026 to 30 Nov 2026 · 3 working days · 10 h
For each object, check that the count in LiftUp plus the rows the importer skipped equals the count in Pipedrive. Then open 20 records per object and compare them field by field.
9. Train and cut over
CRM admin · 27 Nov 2026 to 30 Nov 2026 · 2 working days · 5 h
Walk 3 users through a normal day in LiftUp: finding a record, updating a deal, adding a note, and where the old data is kept.
Project owner · 1 Dec 2026 · 1 working day · 4 h
Pipedrive has been read-only since the full import. Switch forms and integrations to LiftUp; from today everyone works there.
10. After go-live
Project owner · 2 Dec 2026 to 29 Dec 2026 · 20 working days
Keep it for lookups for 20 working days while the team settles in. Note anything missing and add it in LiftUp.
Project owner · 30 Dec 2026 · 1 working day · 2 h
Export everything once more for your records, then cancel or downgrade the Pipedrive subscription.
Import files for LiftUp
| Object | Records | How it imports | Files | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Contacts and leadsEach row needs an email or a phone. Imports count toward the monthly lead allowance. | 4,200 | Own file | 3 | Each row needs an email or a phone. Imports count toward the monthly lead allowance. |
| CompaniesNo company file: LiftUp makes the company from each lead’s email domain, or its Company column for free mailboxes. | 900 | Created from other data | – | No company file: LiftUp makes the company from each lead’s email domain, or its Company column for free mailboxes. |
| DealsDeal value, Currency, Expected close date and Status go on the contact’s row: one deal per lead. | 600 | On the contact rows | – | Deal value, Currency, Expected close date and Status go on the contact’s row: one deal per lead. |
| Notes and activitiesOne Message / notes column per lead, up to 5,000 characters. | 3,000 | On the contact rows | – | One Message / notes column per lead, up to 5,000 characters. |
| Files and attachmentsLiftUp attaches one file at a time on a lead’s page: PDF or Word, up to 5 MB each. | 120 | By hand | – | LiftUp attaches one file at a time on a lead’s page: PDF or Word, up to 5 MB each. |
LiftUp takes 2,000 rows and 5 MB a file. File size is estimated at 400 bytes a row. Check a real file with the CRM import checker.
Field map: Pipedrive to LiftUp
| Field | In Pipedrive | In LiftUp | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| ContactsFull name | Name | NameBlank names become the part of the email before the @. | Blank names become the part of the email before the @. |
| ContactsEmail | EmailEach row needs an email or a phone. An email already in LiftUp, or earlier in the file, skips the row. | Each row needs an email or a phone. An email already in LiftUp, or earlier in the file, skips the row. | |
| ContactsPhone | Phone | PhoneUp to 50 characters. | Up to 50 characters. |
| ContactsOwner | Owner | No import columnNot importedLeads arrive unassigned: assign them after the import. | Leads arrive unassigned: assign them after the import. |
| ContactsLead status | Label | Statusnew, contacted, qualified, won, lost or spam. Any other value skips the row. | new, contacted, qualified, won, lost or spam. Any other value skips the row. |
| CompaniesCompany name | Name (organization) | Company (on the lead row)LiftUp creates the company record from it, or from the email domain. | LiftUp creates the company record from it, or from the email domain. |
| CompaniesWebsite or domain | Website | Made from the email domainCreated for youBusiness email domains become the company’s domain. | Business email domains become the company’s domain. |
| CompaniesIndustry | Industry | Not importedNot importedCompanies are made from the lead’s company name or domain only. | Companies are made from the lead’s company name or domain only. |
| CompaniesAddress | Address | Not importedNot importedCompanies are made from the lead’s company name or domain only. | Companies are made from the lead’s company name or domain only. |
| DealsDeal name | Title | TopicNo deal name field: Topic is the closest free-text column. | No deal name field: Topic is the closest free-text column. |
| DealsValue | Value | Deal valueDigits only, such as 1200.50. Deal fields show on Growth and up. | Digits only, such as 1200.50. Deal fields show on Growth and up. |
| DealsCurrency | Currency | CurrencyA 3-letter code. Blank uses the workspace’s currency. | A 3-letter code. Blank uses the workspace’s currency. |
| DealsStage | Stage (also picks the pipeline) | StatusMap each stage to new, contacted, qualified, won or lost. | Map each stage to new, contacted, qualified, won or lost. |
| DealsClose date | Expected close date | Expected close dateWrite it as YYYY-MM-DD. | Write it as YYYY-MM-DD. |
| DealsOwner | Owner | No import columnNot importedAssign after the import. | Assign after the import. |
| DealsProbability | Probability | No import columnNot importedWin probability comes from the pipeline stage. | Win probability comes from the pipeline stage. |
| Other dataNotes | Exported separately (Notes) | Message / notes column, one text a lead (5,000 characters) | |
| Other dataCalls, meetings and tasks | Exported separately (Activities) | Not imported: keep them in the backupNot imported | |
| Other dataFiles and attachments | Exported separately; files kept in Google Drive aren’t | By hand on the lead: PDF or Word, 5 MB, one at a timeNot imported | |
| Other dataEmail history | Not covered by the export help page | Not imported: keep them in the backupNot imported | |
| Other dataAutomations and workflows | Rebuilt by hand | Rebuilt in LiftUpNot importedList them in the inventory and rebuild each one. | List them in the inventory and rebuild each one. |
| Other dataReports and dashboards | Rebuilt by hand | Rebuilt in LiftUpNot importedList them in the inventory and rebuild each one. | List them in the inventory and rebuild each one. |
Field names from Pipedrive: Import fields, Pipedrive: Importing data with spreadsheets, Pipedrive: Exporting data and LiftUp CRM import, read on 18 Oct 2026. Renamed and custom fields keep your names.
Risks
HighFiles don’t move in a CSV
LiftUp attaches PDF or Word files one at a time, up to 5 MB each. 120 files at 3 minutes each is about 6 hours. Move the ones still in use and keep the rest in the backup.
MediumOne deal per lead in LiftUp
LiftUp keeps the deal value, currency and close date on the lead, and skips a second row with the same email. A contact with several deals keeps one: bring over the open one and keep closed deals in the backup.
MediumNotes arrive as one block of text
LiftUp’s import has one Message / notes column per lead (5,000 characters), not a timeline. Old calls, meetings and emails stay in the backup.
MediumDuplicates are skipped, not merged
LiftUp skips a row whose email is already in the workspace or earlier in the file, and doesn’t update the existing lead. Rows with only a phone number aren’t checked for duplicates. Dedupe before you import.
MediumAutomations are rebuilt by hand
Automations don’t travel in an import file, so each of the 4 automations is rebuilt by hand. At 3 hours each that’s 12 hours, and each needs a test before go-live.
LowNo owner column
The import has no owner field, so leads arrive unassigned. Assign them after the import (bulk assign is on Growth and up).
LowForms still point at the old CRM
Until each of the 2 forms and integrations is switched, new leads land in Pipedrive. Send a test lead through each one on go-live day.
Planning rules: our estimates, edit any of them
These are our planning estimates, not measured averages. Set them to how fast your team works and the plan updates.
Task, phase, owner, start, end and working days. Free, no signup.
Full report
Get the migration plan in Excel.
A Plan sheet whose dates are formulas off your go-live date (WORKDAY, so it works in Excel and Google Sheets), the field map, the import files, a count reconciliation sheet, the risks and the planning rules.
The short answer
How do you plan a CRM migration?
Work back from the go-live date. Name one owner and agree what moves and what stays behind. Export everything and keep a backup, then clean and dedupe the files and map every field. Import a small test batch before the full import. Rebuild automations and forms, reconcile record counts for each object, train the team and cut over. Keep the old CRM read-only for a few weeks before you cancel it.
How it works
What each CRM’s export and import can carry.
01
LiftUp: leads, with one deal on each
The CSV import takes 2,000 rows and 5 MB a file, and every row needs an email or a phone. Companies are made from each lead’s email domain or Company column. Deal value, currency and close date sit on the lead. A repeated email is skipped, not merged. Notes go in one column, and files are attached by hand.
Source: LiftUp CRM import, checked 18 Oct 2026
02
Pipedrive: export notes and files on their own
Pipedrive exports deals, people, organizations and more as CSV or XLSX. Activities, notes and files linked to deals and contacts are exported separately, and files kept in Google Drive aren’t exported.
Source: Pipedrive: Exporting data, checked 18 Oct 2026
03
HubSpot: record exports skip activities
A record export downloads current property values and associations. Calls and notes come from an individual contact’s data export, activity reports or the engagements API.
Source: HubSpot: Export your records, checked 18 Oct 2026
04
Zoho CRM: 25 MB a file, no attachments
Rows per file run from 1,000 on Free to 200,000 on Ultimate, with up to 500 columns. Notes import for each module, but file attachments can’t be in the import file. Zoho points to its data migration tool for those.
Source: Zoho CRM: Import data into a module, checked 18 Oct 2026
05
Salesforce: download the export within 48 hours
The Data Export service runs weekly or monthly, depending on edition. Attachments, images and documents come only if you tick their options. The zip files are deleted 48 hours after Salesforce emails you.
Source: Trailhead: Export your data, checked 18 Oct 2026
06
Freshsales: 5 MB, contacts, accounts and deals
The CSV or XLSX import takes contacts, accounts, deals, products, custom modules and sales goals, in files of 5 MB or less. The last name must be mapped, and the Sales owner column takes the owner’s email, not their name.
Source: Freshsales: Import records from a CSV or XLSX file, checked 18 Oct 2026
Worked example
Pipedrive to LiftUp, live on 1 December.
- Start by
- Mon 9 Nov 2026
- Working days to go-live
- 17
- Working days to spare
- 15
- Import files
- 3
- Hours of work, our estimate
- 85
- LiftUp plan needed
- Growth
Planned on Sun 18 Oct 2026 at 4 hours a day. The 4,200 contacts go in three files of up to 2,000 rows. Companies are made from the leads, and each contact keeps one deal on its row. The 120 files are attached by hand. Growth is needed for the deal fields and the 4,200 leads in one month.
Good to know
What the planner doesn’t do.
- Durations come from our planning estimates, such as 3 hours an automation and half an hour an import file. Set them to how your team works.
- Working days are Monday to Friday. It doesn’t know your public holidays or time off, so add slack for them.
- Field names are each vendor’s standard fields. Your account’s renamed and custom fields keep your names. Salesforce names are API names, because its help pages couldn’t be read.
- It doesn’t move any data. The inputs are counts, and nothing leaves your browser. To check a real file against a CRM’s limits, use the CRM import checker.
More free tools
Tools that go with this one.
CRM import CSV checker
Find duplicates, bad emails and phone numbers, and files over each CRM’s import limit.
CRM requirements checklist
Pick and weight the features you need, then see which CRMs meet your must-haves.
CRM cost calculator
Per-seat vs flat pricing: three years of HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho and more at your team size.
All free CRM tools
CRM data and migration and every other free tool, with no signup.
How long does a CRM migration take?
It depends more on custom fields, automations and files than on the contact count. The worked example has 4,200 contacts, 8 custom fields, 4 automations and 3 users. At 4 hours a day it needs 17 working days before go-live, by our planning estimates. Change the estimates to your team’s pace and the plan updates.
Can I import deals, notes and files into LiftUp?
Deals come in on the lead’s row: deal value, currency, expected close date and status, one deal per lead. Notes go into one Message / notes column of up to 5,000 characters. Files aren’t imported. You attach them on each lead, one at a time, as PDF or Word files up to 5 MB.
Should I freeze the old CRM or run both?
Freezing is simpler. Nobody edits the old CRM from the full import to go-live, so nothing needs a second import. Running both keeps the team working, but you must import what changed at cutover and pick one system of record each day. The planner adds a delta import when you choose to run both.
What doesn’t move in a CSV export?
Automations, workflows and reports aren’t rows in a file, so they’re rebuilt by hand. Email history, calls and attachments often need separate exports, and some CRMs can’t import them at all. The field map shows what your two CRMs’ help pages say about each.
Is my data uploaded anywhere?
No. You enter counts, not records, and the plan is built in your browser. Only the report form, if you fill it in, sends your name and email plus a one-line summary of the plan.
Plan the move. Then make it.
Bringing deals over needs LiftUp Growth: deal value and close date fields, 20 users and 10,000 leads a month. Try it for 14 days, then pick a plan.
No credit card · full Growth trial · cancel from the dashboard