Salesforce Classic is deprecated Lightning is the future. But Salesforce Classic to Lightning migration isn’t just a UI refresh. Lightning is faster, more intuitive, and unlocks modern features: flows, actions, components, and AI integration. For teams planning this transition, a structured approach through Salesforce migration services helps reduce risk and downtime.
This guide walks you through the readiness checks, configuration gaps, and phased rollout so you can migrate without disruption.
Summary
- Lightning is faster, more mobile-friendly, and supports modern automation
- Readiness checks identify unsupported Classic customizations early
- Customization gaps must be rebuilt or eliminated before migration
- Phased rollout by department reduces adoption friction
- Post-migration optimization drives sustained value
Why Migrate from Salesforce Classic to Lightning?
Speed and Performance
Lightning pages load 2–3x faster than Classic. Mobile users see responsive design, not desktop layouts squeezed to small screens.
Modern Automation
Flows (visual workflows) replace Process Builder and Workflow Rules. These automation capabilities become even more effective when supported by clean and structured Salesforce data management.
Flows are more powerful and intuitive. Lightning Actions let teams take action from anywhere.
AI and Advanced Features
Einstein (predictive scoring, recommendation engines) and Agentforce (AI agents) only work in Lightning. Learn more about how Salesforce Einstein AI supports predictive insights and automation across your workflows. You can’t access these capabilities in Classic.
User Experience
Lightning’s design is clean, modern, mobile-first. Users expect this experience. Classic feels dated. Better UX drives adoption and productivity.
Future-Proofing
Salesforce stopped supporting Classic in 2024. You’re on borrowed time. Migrating now prevents forced migration later.
Common Salesforce Classic to Lightning Migration Challenges
Unsupported Customizations
Some Classic customizations don’t work in Lightning: certain Visualforce pages, custom styles, old browser-specific hacks. Readiness checks identify these upfront. You must rebuild or eliminate them.
Page Layout Complexity
Classic page layouts don’t translate directly to Lightning. Fields organized in columns in Classic need spatial reorganization. Lightning Layouts are simpler, which is good, but require rethinking.
Integration Breakage
Visualforce pages, custom buttons, and APIs that worked in Classic sometimes break in Lightning. Similar integration challenges are often seen in Zendesk to Salesforce migration, especially when syncing support data with CRM workflows.
User Resistance
Some users prefer Classic’s familiar interface. Education and hands-on training reduce resistance, but plan for adoption friction.
Step-by-Step: Salesforce Classic to Lightning Migration
Step 1: Run Lightning Readiness Check
Salesforce provides a Lightning Readiness Report. Run it in your org. It identifies:
- Unsupported customizations
- Visualforce pages that won’t render in Lightning
- Custom buttons and links that need rebuilding
- Missing field-level security configuration
- Themes and custom CSS that won’t work
This report is your roadmap. Prioritize fixing critical issues.
Step 2: Identify Gaps and Build Migration Plan
Categorize findings:
- Critical: Blocks functionality (e.g., unsupported Visualforce pages)
- High: Impacts workflows (e.g., custom buttons)
- Medium: Nice-to-have (e.g., custom themes)
- Low: Cosmetic (e.g., unused CSS)
Fix critical and high-impact gaps before rollout. Medium and low can follow.
Step 3: Customize and Optimize for Lightning
Rebuild Visualforce pages as Lightning components. Recreate custom buttons as Lightning actions. This process is similar to the transformations required in Dynamics to Salesforce migration, where legacy logic must be restructured for compatibility.
Redesign page layouts for Lightning. This phase takes 2–4 weeks, depending on complexity.
Step 4: Test Migration in Sandbox
Migrate a sandbox org to Lightning. Involve business users in testing.
Have them perform key workflows: opportunity creation, approval routing, and reporting. These validation steps are also critical in projects like HubSpot to Salesforce migration and Zoho to Salesforce migration, where data and workflows must align post-migration.
Step 5: Train Users and Admins
Create documentation: keyboard shortcuts, feature locations, workflow changes. Hold training sessions. Create help videos. Identify power users—they become champions who help peers.
Step 6: Roll Out in Phases
Don’t flip all users to Lightning at once. Instead:
- Week 1: Enable for admins and power users. Gather feedback.
- Week 2: Enable for early adopters (maybe 20% of users). Monitor closely.
- Week 3: Expand to a broader user base (another 30%).
- Week 4: Full rollout to remaining users.
This phased approach reduces support burden and lets you fix issues before they affect everyone. A structured Salesforce implementation service can further streamline rollout and user adoption.
Step 7: Monitor, Optimize, and Improve
Monitor adoption metrics: Are users logging in? Using key features? Ongoing support from a Salesforce managed service provider ensures continuous optimization after go-live.
Gather feedback. Address pain points. Optimize page layouts based on usage. Celebrate wins—share early success stories to build momentum.
Why Migrate from Salesforce Classic to Lightning?
Classic was good in 2010. Lightning is good today. As Salesforce evolves—adding Agentforce, Einstein, industry cloud solutions—all development focuses on Lightning. Classic is legacy. Migrate to stay current.
What Makes Salesforce Lightning Migration Success?
|
Factor |
Impact |
Strategy |
|
Readiness checks |
High |
Run Salesforce’s readiness report early |
|
Customization audit |
High |
Identify and rebuild gaps before rollout |
|
User training |
High |
Hands-on sessions, documentation, videos |
|
Phased rollout |
High |
Roll out by department, not org-wide |
|
Support resources |
Medium |
Dedicate team for 2–4 weeks post-launch |
|
Executive sponsorship |
Medium |
Leadership visible commitment |
Timeline and Costs for Salesforce Classic to Lightning Migration
|
Phase |
Duration |
Effort |
|
Readiness assessment |
1 week |
1–2 admins |
|
Gap identification & planning |
1 week |
2–3 people |
|
Customization rebuild |
2–4 weeks |
3–5 people |
|
Sandbox testing & UAT |
2 weeks |
2–4 people |
|
Training & rollout |
2–4 weeks |
3–4 people |
|
Total |
8–15 weeks |
Varies |
Cost: $50K–$200K internally (large team investment) or $100K–$300K with a partner.
Ready to Migrate to Salesforce Lightning?
Folio3 has guided 70+ organizations through Salesforce Classic to Lightning migrations. We’ve audited thousands of customizations, rebuilt Visualforce pages as Lightning components, and trained teams. Our playbook minimizes disruption and accelerates adoption.
Schedule a Lightning migration assessment with our team today.
Conclusion
Salesforce Classic to Lightning migration is inevitable but an opportunity, not a burden. Lightning is faster, more mobile-friendly, and unlocks modern features like flows, actions, and AI integration. The 8–15 week timeline requires discipline around customization rebuilds, but organizations that complete the transition gain higher user satisfaction and access to future innovation.
Lightning is the foundation for Einstein, Agentforce, and everything modern in Salesforce, including advanced capabilities like CPQ. Explore the benefits of Salesforce CPQ to further optimize pricing and quoting workflows.
Key Takeaways
- Salesforce Classic to Lightning migration is inevitable—Classic support is ending
- Readiness checks and gap identification drive success
- Phased rollout by department minimizes adoption friction
- Customization rebuild is the critical path item
- Training and post-launch support ensure sustained adoption
FAQs
Is Lightning Migration Still a Problem for Companies?
Yes, but manageable. The main challenge is unsupported customizations. Readiness checks identify issues early. Phased rollout reduces adoption friction.
How Long Does It Take to Migrate to Salesforce Lightning?
8–15 weeks typical for mid-market orgs. Small, simple: 4–6 weeks. Large, complex: 20+ weeks.
Can Salesforce Classic and Lightning Be Used at the Same Time?
Yes. You can disable Lightning for specific users. This lets users test Lightning while keeping Classic as a safety net.
Will I Lose Any Data During the Lightning Migration?
No. Lightning is a UI layer—your data doesn’t change. All data, records, configurations remain intact.
What Are the Main Challenges of Migrating to Lightning?
Unsupported customizations (Visualforce pages, custom buttons), page layout redesign, user resistance, integration testing. Readiness checks catch these early.
What Does a Salesforce Lightning Migration Cost?
Small: $50K–$150K. Mid-market: $100K–$300K. Large: $250K–$500K+. Most is consulting and customization rebuild.
Should I Handle the Migration In-House or Hire Experts?
Depends on customization complexity. Simple orgs can migrate internally (2–3 admins, 8 weeks). Complex orgs benefit from partners who compress timelines 25–30%.
Hasan Mustafa
Engineering Manager Salesforce at Folio3
Hasan Mustafa delivers tailored Salesforce solutions to meet clients' specific requirements, overseeing the implementation of scenarios aligned with their needs. He leads a team of Salesforce Administrators and Developers, manages pre-sales activities, and spearheads an internal academy focused on educating and mentoring newcomers in understanding the Salesforce ecosystem and guiding them on their professional journey.