Introduction
You've cleaned up your fields. You've removed unused custom objects and legacy automation. Your org is leaner, faster, and easier to maintain.
Now comes the strategic question: What do you do with that clean foundation?
This is the bridge post in our series. The previous two posts focused on removal and cleanup. This post is about readiness. Before you modernize, you need to understand what you're modernizing toward, whether your org is ready, and how to plan changes that actually stick.
The biggest mistake organizations make after cleanup is diving into new technology without strategy. They adopt new features without changing underlying processes. They implement new capabilities without proper change management. The result? Technical debt accumulates again, faster than before.
This post helps you avoid that trap. We'll walk through assessment, planning, and change management for the modernization work ahead.
Why Technical Debt Prevents Modernization
Here's a counterintuitive truth: The more technical debt you carry, the harder it is to adopt new capabilities.
The Adoption Barrier
New features interact with existing systems. If your existing systems are a mess—scattered automation, unclear data models, undocumented processes—adding new features creates new problems:
- You don't understand how new features will interact with legacy systems
- Your team lacks capacity to learn new tools because they're maintaining old ones
- You can't confidently test new features without understanding current behavior
- Change management becomes harder because you're not even sure what you're changing from
This is why cleanup comes first. A clean, documented, intentional org is the only foundation that supports successful modernization.
Modernization Readiness
Before you adopt new capabilities, your org needs to be:
- Technically clean: This is what you've been doing in Parts 1 and 2
- Well documented: People understand what exists and why
- Governed: You have processes for adding, monitoring, and retiring features
- Resourced: Your team has capacity for learning and change
- Strategically aligned: Modernization choices support business goals, not just technical preferences
Organizations that skip cleanup and jump directly to modernization usually fail. They end up with shiny new features running alongside legacy systems, creating more complexity, not less.
Assessing Readiness: The Modernization Readiness Audit
Use this audit to determine whether your org is ready for modernization initiatives.
Technical Readiness
Documentation
- Data dictionary exists and is current (updated within last 6 months)
- All custom objects have documented business purposes
- All key processes are documented (not just in people's heads)
- Integration architecture is diagrammed and documented
- Automation (workflows, flows, process builder) is inventoried and documented
System Health
- Code review process exists and is followed
- Test coverage > 80% for Apex
- No obviously dead code exists (you've done Part 2 cleanup)
- Org is using current Salesforce versions (not on deprecated features)
- Security audit has been run recently (within last year)
Governance
- Change management process is documented
- Field/object creation requires business justification
- Regular technical reviews occur (quarterly or monthly)
- Code deployment process is controlled (not ad hoc)
Resource Readiness
Knowledge
- Your team understands the current org architecture
- Multiple people can maintain key systems (no single points of failure)
- Training budget exists for new technology
- Salesforce certifications are current or in progress
Capacity
- Maintenance work is estimated and tracked
- You have capacity for innovation work beyond firefighting
- Your team has dedicated time for training
- Project management processes are in place
Skills
- You have developers with modern Apex/Flow skills
- Admins understand Flow and Cloud Flow Designer
- Someone understands integrations and APIs
- You have or can hire specialized skills (Data Cloud, Einstein, etc.)
Organizational Readiness
Change Management
- User feedback mechanisms exist (surveys, forums, feedback)
- Training process is established and working
- Executive stakeholders are aligned on technology priorities
- Communication processes are clear
Alignment
- Technology investments support business strategy
- You've surveyed users about pain points
- Business case process exists for technology decisions
- ROI expectations are clear
Scoring Your Readiness
Count your checkmarks:
- 45-54 checks: Highly ready. You can confidently begin modernization initiatives
- 35-44 checks: Mostly ready. Address the biggest gaps before starting
- 25-34 checks: Some readiness gaps. Recommend completing cleanup before modernization
- Below 25 checks: Not ready. Complete cleanup and establish governance first
Most importantly: Look at your "No" answers. What's blocking readiness?
Identifying What to Modernize: Strategic Prioritization
Not all modernization is created equal. You can't do everything at once. Prioritize by impact and feasibility.
The Modernization Priority Matrix
Create a 2x2 matrix:
High Impact, Low Effort (Do First)
- Workflow → Flow migrations (most common process automation)
- Lightning Experience (if still on Classic)
- Field validation improvements
- Automation consolidation
High Impact, High Effort (Plan & Phase)
- Data Cloud implementation
- Einstein Analytics rollout
- Integration modernization
- Field service optimization
Low Impact, Low Effort (Do anytime)
- App redesign
- UI/UX improvements
- Dashboard refreshes
Low Impact, High Effort (Deprioritize)
- Niche features
- "Nice to have" capabilities
- Features without clear business case
Your modernization roadmap should prioritize the top-left quadrant first.
Mapping Dependencies
Some modernizations enable others. For example:
- Adopting Flows enables better reporting on automation behavior
- Data Cloud adoption requires clean data foundations
- Einstein Analytics needs good data quality
- Field Service features need robust mobile optimization
Map your candidate modernizations:
- What needs to be in place first?
- What modernizations enable future ones?
- What would break if you modernized this?
- What other systems would be affected?
Business Case Development
For each significant modernization, develop a business case:
Problem: What specific issue are we solving?
- "Workflow Rules are difficult to debug and maintain"
- "Reports take 30+ seconds to load"
- "Sales team can't access data on mobile"
Opportunity: What becomes possible?
- "Flows provide better visibility and debugging"
- "Dashboards update in real time with better insights"
- "Mobile-optimized experience improves field productivity"
Timeline: How long will it take?
- Workflow → Flow migration: 6-8 weeks
- Lightning Experience adoption: 2-4 weeks (with training)
- Data Cloud: 3-6 months (significant undertaking)
Resource Requirements: What do we need?
- How many hours of development work?
- How many hours of testing?
- How much training is required?
- What external help might we need?
Expected ROI: What are the benefits?
- Time savings (admin maintenance, user productivity)
- Quality improvements (fewer bugs, better data quality)
- Cost savings (reduced storage, better query performance)
- Risk reduction (fewer failures, better compliance)
Success Metrics: How will we measure success?
- Page load time: from X to Y seconds
- Admin time: from X hours/month to Y hours/month
- User satisfaction: from X% to Y%
- System uptime: from X% to Y%
A solid business case helps with:
- Getting executive buy-in
- Securing resources
- Setting realistic expectations
- Measuring results
Planning Change Management
Technical modernization fails more often because of change management than technical issues.
The Change Management Process
Phase 1: Discovery (1-2 weeks)
- hat are we changing?
- Who is affected?
- What training is needed?
- What communication is required?
Phase 2: Preparation (2-4 weeks)
- Develop training materials
- Create rollout plans
- Identify change champions
- Set up support resources
Phase 3: Rollout (1-4 weeks depending on scope)
- Pilot with small group (if possible)
- Gather feedback
- Iterate based on feedback
- Roll out to broader audience
Phase 4: Adoption (4-8 weeks)
- Monitor usage
- Provide support
- Celebrate wins
- Document lessons learned
Communication Plan
At a minimum:
Pre-launch (2-3 weeks before)
- Announce the change
- Explain the "why" (what problem are we solving?)
- Show what's changing
- Provide training schedule
Launch week
- Reminder of changes
- Training sessions (multiple times for accessibility)
- Support channels are open
- Quick reference guides available
Week 1-2 after launch
- Early feedback solicitation
- Additional training sessions
- Bug fixes if needed
- Celebrate early adopters
Week 3-4 after launch
- Check in on adoption metrics
- Address pain points
- Share success stories
Change Champion Strategy
Identify 5-10 people who:
- Use the feature/system regularly
- Have influence with their peers
- Are comfortable learning new things
- Can provide feedback and advocate for adoption
Train your change champions first. They become the first-line support and advocates.
Support During Transition
Plan for increased support needs:
- Knowledge base: Create self-service resources (articles, videos, FAQs)
- Office hours: Schedule dedicated time when people can ask questions
- Email support: Have clear channels for reporting issues
- Slack/teams: Create a dedicated channel for questions and discussion
Risk Mitigation
Every modernization carries risk. Plan for it:
Technical risks:
- What if the new system has unexpected performance issues?
- Mitigation: Test thoroughly in sandbox. Have a rollback plan
- What if we find integration issues?
- Mitigation: Identify integrations early. Test integrations thoroughly
- What if migration of data fails?
- Mitigation: Test migrations in full copy sandbox. Have backup restoration plan
Adoption risks:
- What if users resist the change?
- Mitigation: Strong change management. Include users in planning. Communicate benefits clearly
- What if training isn't sufficient?
- Mitigation: Multiple training methods. Office hours. Champion network
- What if key people leave?
- Mitigation: Document everything. Cross-train multiple people
Business risks:
- What if adoption is slower than expected?
- Mitigation: Have realistic timeline. Measure early. Adjust if needed
- What if the business case assumptions don't pan out?
- Mitigation: Build in contingencies. Monitor metrics. Adjust scope if needed
Building a Modernization Roadmap
Here's what a 12-month modernization roadmap looks like for a mid-sized org:
Q1: Automation Modernization (Workflow → Flow)
- Weeks 1-4: Inventory and prioritize workflows
- Weeks 5-8: Migrate high-value workflows to flows
- Weeks 9-12: Test, deploy, monitor
Q2: Reporting & Dashboards
- Weeks 1-4: Assess current dashboards and reports
- Weeks 5-8: Identify candidates for CRM Analytics
- Weeks 9-12: Pilot CRM Analytics dashboards
Q3: Data Quality & Integration
- Weeks 1-4: Audit data quality
- Weeks 5-8: Implement validation improvements
- Weeks 9-12: Modernize integration architecture
Q4: Emerging Technology (if resources allow)
- Data Cloud assessment
- Einstein Analytics expansion
- Industry-specific features
This is aggressive but achievable for a well-resourced org. Adjust based on your capacity.
Documenting Your Modernization Strategy
Create a living document that answers:
- Vision: What does a modern Salesforce org look like for us?
- Principles: What values guide our modernization (e.g., "user-centric," "measurable ROI," "phased approach")?
- Priorities: What modernizations matter most to our business?
- Timeline: When will we tackle each modernization?
- Success Metrics: How will we measure progress?
- Resource Plan: Who will do this work?
- Risk Mitigation: What could go wrong, and how will we address it?
- Governance: How will we prevent new technical debt?
Share this document with stakeholders. Update it quarterly as you learn.
Next Steps: Getting Ready for Part 4
In Part 4, we'll do a deep dive into the most common modernization initiative: migrating from Workflows and Process Builder to Flows.
Before you read Part 4, complete your readiness assessment. Where are you strongest? Where do you have gaps? Understanding your baseline helps you approach Part 4 with appropriate scope and expectations.
Key Takeaway
Clean doesn't equal modern. A clean org is the foundation for modernization, but modernization requires strategy, planning, and disciplined change management.
Don't just do new technology because it's new. Do it because it solves problems and supports your business goals. That's what separates successful modernization from the next cycle of technical debt.
How ready is your org for modernization? Take the readiness assessment above and see what gaps you have. Share your score (and what surprised you) in the comments.