Why Life Sciences Companies Should Start CRM Migration Prep—Even Before Choosing Between Veeva Vault CRM and Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud
As the life sciences industry braces for a significant shift in commercial CRM platforms, many companies are caught in a strategic limbo: should they move to Veeva Vault CRM or Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud? While both platforms represent the future of CRM in life sciences, the decision isn’t always clear-cut. However, what is clear is that waiting to begin migration planning could create unnecessary delays, operational disruptions, and missed opportunities.
The good news? There are several foundational steps companies can (and should) take right now, even if they haven’t chosen their destination CRM yet.
The Clock is Ticking on Veeva CRM Classic
Veeva Systems has announced that its Veeva CRM (Classic), built on the Salesforce platform, will sunset by 2030. For many companies, that deadline feels distant—but considering the scale and complexity of CRM migration in regulated industries like life sciences, it’s closer than it seems.
Couple that with Salesforce’s aggressive push into the vertical via Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud, and the market is at a critical inflection point. Choosing between Veeva’s reimagined Vault CRM—a next-gen CRM built natively on Vault—and Salesforce’s own offering isn’t just a matter of functionality, but also of long-term platform strategy, partner ecosystem, integration needs, and data governance.
The Case for Starting Migration Efforts Now
Even without a final platform decision, there are concrete, productive steps companies can take today to prepare for a successful migration:
Audit and Cleanse CRM Data
CRM data is notoriously messy—redundant records, outdated customer profiles, unstructured notes, and inconsistent field usage are common. Data migration will magnify these issues, so now is the time to:
Identify and remove duplicate HCP and HCO records.
Standardize address, specialty, and credential fields.
Archive or sunset unused custom objects and legacy integrations.
Assess Current CRM Customizations
Many life sciences companies have heavily customized their legacy Veeva CRM implementations over the years. Some of these may no longer be relevant—or may not be compatible with modern platforms.
Catalog all custom code, workflows, and integrations.
Evaluate which customizations are essential vs. obsolete.
Begin rationalizing business processes that can be simplified.
Establish Cross-Functional Governance
CRM migration isn’t just an IT project—it touches sales, marketing, medical affairs, compliance, and more. By setting up a governance framework early, companies can:
Align stakeholders around core business goals.
Prioritize features and functions that matter most.
Avoid future bottlenecks during vendor selection and implementation.
Evaluate Master Data and Consent Management
Modern CRMs expect a strong foundation of customer master data and consent management. If these are currently fragmented or handled inconsistently:
Consider investing in Master Data Management (MDM) tools.
Review global consent and communication preferences to ensure future compliance.
Plan for integration with existing data sources like MedPro, IQVIA, or internal MDM hubs.
Start Building the Business Case
Migration is a strategic investment. Use the platform evaluation window to build a comprehensive business case that includes:
Total cost of ownership (TCO)
Expected business outcomes (e.g., rep productivity, personalization, faster insights)
Change management and training needs
Choosing Between Vault CRM and Salesforce LS Cloud
While this article isn’t about picking a side, the reality is that Vault CRM and Salesforce LS Cloud offer different philosophies:
Veeva Vault CRM is tailored specifically for life sciences, with deep industry features like compliant call recording, CLM, sample management, and integrated content.
Salesforce LS Cloud leverages Salesforce’s broader cloud ecosystem and AI/automation capabilities, appealing to companies seeking more flexibility and cross-functional integration (e.g., with patient services, customer service, or analytics).
The decision will depend on your company’s current stack, digital maturity, and long-term vision—but waiting to begin prep work until after you’ve decided can set your project back by months, or even years.
Final Thoughts
CRM migration is a once-in-a-decade transformation for life sciences organizations. And while platform selection is crucial, the groundwork laid before that choice will often dictate success. By taking proactive steps now, companies can accelerate time-to-value, reduce migration risks, and ensure a smoother path—no matter which platform they ultimately choose.
In short: Don’t wait to start. Wait to decide.
Want help planning your CRM readiness roadmap? Let’s talk.
