CRM migration in pharmaceutical sales starts with the organisation

Prepare the platform decision

Companies currently using Veeva CRM face a platform decision: Vault CRM or Agentforce Life Sciences, the Salesforce solution developed with IQVIA using licensed OCE technology. By March 2026, more than 125 customers worldwide were live on Vault CRM. Most migrations still lie ahead between 2026 and 2029.

Platform migration timeline

1. Dec 2022Veeva announces that it will not renew its contract with Salesforce
2. Sep 2025The contract between Veeva and Salesforce expires
3. March 2026More than 125 customers worldwide are live on Vault CRM
4. 31 Dec 2029End of support for Salesforce-based Veeva CRM, originally announced for September 2030

2026 to 2029: most migrations still lie ahead

Treat the rebuild as an opportunity

Data transfer alone is rarely the decisive bottleneck. Several analyses describe the migration as a rebuild. This creates an opportunity to improve the organisation around the CRM before existing detours are carried over to the new platform.

Before go-live, companies should clarify who commissions, approves and maintains Approved Email templates in the system. Responsibility for field force dashboards, which generally need rebuilding when platforms change, is equally important. Defined handovers between brand teams, Digital Excellence, IT and agencies should therefore be part of the migration plan from an early stage.

Questions to resolve before go-live

Approved Email templatesWho commissions, approves and maintains them in the system?

Field force dashboardsWho is responsible for rebuilding them on the new platform?

New CRM platformVault CRM or Agentforce Life Sciences

HandoversBrand teams, Digital Excellence, IT and agencies

Field forceTraining, master data quality and everyday workflows

Enable the field force early

In everyday field force work, training, reliable master data and effective workflows matter most. Alongside the technical migration plan, companies need a plan for processes, responsibilities and enablement. These questions should be addressed before choosing the platform.

Sources

1. AskMe.it, Pharma CRM in 2026: the duopoly has broken (May 2026): https://askme.it/en/insights/pharma-crm-in-2026-the-duopoly-has-broken/
2. Rx Almanac, Veeva Vault CRM vs Salesforce LSC (2026): https://rxalmanac.com/articles/veeva-vault-vs-salesforce-lsc/
3. Customertimes, The Veeva–Salesforce Split: A Field Guide for Life Sciences Leaders: https://www.customertimes.com/blogs/the-veeva-salesforce-split-a-field-guide-for-life-sciences-leaders
4. Indegene, Migrating from Veeva to Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud: https://www.indegene.com/what-we-think/reports/veeva-vault-to-salesforce-crm-migration