Zoho CRM implementation checklist
Use this checklist to plan a Zoho CRM project from first workshop to go-live. Tick items off as you go, or email yourself a copy.
1. Plan and scope
- Name one project owner and one approver
- List who will use the CRM and what each role needs to see
- Write down your sales stages from first contact to closed
- Decide what success looks like in 90 days (for example, no missed follow-ups)
- Agree budget, timeline and what is out of scope
2. Design the CRM
- Choose modules to use: Leads, Contacts, Accounts, Deals, Quotes, Products
- List the fields you actually need and remove the rest
- Define pick-list values such as lead source, industry and loss reason
- Set up roles, profiles and sharing rules
- Design the pipeline stages and the exit rule for each stage
3. Prepare your data
- Export data from spreadsheets or the old CRM
- Remove duplicates and fix phone, email and country formats
- Decide what to archive instead of migrating
- Map each source column to a Zoho field
- Run a small test import and review it with the team
4. Automate and connect
- Lead assignment rules
- Auto follow-up tasks and reminders
- Email templates and signature
- Web forms and website lead capture
- Integrations: email, calendar, WhatsApp, Books, Desk, Campaigns
5. Reports and dashboards
- Pipeline by stage and by owner
- Leads by source and conversion rate
- Activities completed per rep
- Forecast for the month and quarter
6. Train and launch
- Short role-based training sessions
- One-page quick guide for daily use
- Go-live date and a freeze on the old system
- Named person for questions in the first two weeks
7. After go-live
- Review adoption after 2 weeks
- Fix data and field problems found in real use
- Plan phase two: advanced automation, integrations, reporting
- Schedule a quarterly review
Get a free Zoho audit
30 minutes with a senior Zoho consultant. No obligation.
- Fixed price in writing
- Paid by milestone
- 30 days of free fixes after go-live
- Registered Zoho partner
Related
Want help with this? Talk to Flowpeak or email hari@flowpeakconsulting.com.