How much time should setup and migration actually take?

Simple setup (1–2 weeks)

For a new CRM with no existing data:

• Day 1: Create your account and basic fields
• Days 2–3: Set up your sales stages or service workflows
• Days 4–5: Connect email or calendar if needed
• Days 6–7: Train your team on basic use
• Week 2: Go live and adjust as questions arise

Data migration (1–4 weeks)

If you're importing existing contacts:

• Weeks 1–2: Export from old system, clean duplicates and errors
• Week 2–3: Map old field names to new CRM fields
• Week 3: Test import with a sample, adjust, then run full import
• Week 4: Verify data accuracy and fix outliers

What slows things down

• Trying to clean 5 years of messy data before importing (don't)
• Designing perfect workflows before your team uses the tool (unnecessary)
• Building too many custom fields upfront
• Waiting for everyone to agree on terminology

The realistic approach

Go live with the basics in 1–2 weeks. Data cleanup and workflow refinement happen *after* people start using it.