Beyond Go-Live: Salesforce Support & Maintenance Checklist for Year 1

Launching Salesforce is a huge milestone for any business. But the truth is—the real work begins after go-live. Without proper support and structured maintenance, even the most successful Salesforce implementations can lose momentum, leading to adoption issues, data quality concerns, and missed ROI.

To ensure long-term success, organizations need a clear Year 1 Salesforce Support & Maintenance Checklist.

In this article, we’ll outline the critical steps you should take in the first 12 months to keep Salesforce healthy, scalable, and delivering value.

 

1. User Training & Adoption Reinforcement

Initial go-live training is rarely enough. Teams need ongoing enablement:

  • Refresher training sessions every quarter

  • User feedback loops to identify adoption challenges

  • On-demand knowledge resources (videos, guides)

  • Gamified adoption programs to drive engagement

👉 A well-supported user base is the foundation of Salesforce success.

 

2. Data Quality Management

Poor data = poor decisions. Within the first year, establish a data governance framework:

  • Regular duplicate checks and data cleansing

  • Validation rules to maintain consistency

  • Defined ownership for key fields (who updates what)

  • Integrations monitored to ensure data accuracy

👉 Clean data ensures executives trust reports and dashboards.

 

3. Security & Compliance Audits

With sensitive customer and sales data inside Salesforce, security can’t be ignored. Your Year 1 checklist should include:

  • User access reviews every quarter

  • Profile & permission audits to avoid overexposure

  • Compliance checks (GDPR, HIPAA for healthcare, etc.)

  • Multi-factor authentication enforcement

 

4. System Performance Monitoring

A slow CRM hurts productivity. Ensure peak performance by:

  • Reviewing system logs and error rates

  • Monitoring API call limits for integrations

  • Archiving old records to reduce system load

  • Proactively working with Salesforce releases (three per year)

 

5. Release & Upgrade Management

Salesforce delivers three major updates annually. Year 1 is the perfect time to build a release readiness routine:

  • Review upcoming release notes

  • Test new features in a sandbox before production rollout

  • Align new features with business goals (don’t adopt everything blindly)

  • Train users on new functionalities

 

6. Support & Issue Resolution Process

Create a support structure for continuous issue handling:

  • Define internal admin responsibilities

  • Use a ticketing system to track issues

  • Partner with a Salesforce Managed Services provider (like Perigeon) for faster resolution and proactive guidance

 

7. Continuous Improvement via Analytics

Finally, Salesforce should evolve as your business grows. In Year 1, schedule quarterly business reviews:

  • Review adoption analytics

  • Identify underused features

  • Capture feedback from leadership and users

  • Prioritize enhancements for upcoming quarters

 

✅ The Year 1 Salesforce Success Formula

Going live is just the beginning. With a structured support & maintenance checklist, businesses ensure Salesforce remains:

  • Reliable

  • Scalable

  • Aligned with strategy

  • Widely adopted

 

Companies that invest in Year 1 support see 40–50% higher ROI compared to those that don’t.

If you’re looking to maximize your Salesforce investment beyond go-live, Perigeon Software provides specialized Salesforce Support & Maintenance Services to guide you every step of the way.

 

Conclusion

“Go-live is just the start. The first year is critical to Salesforce success. Our Year 1 Support & Maintenance Checklist ensures your system stays reliable, secure, and ROI-driven. Partner with Perigeon to keep your Salesforce investment on track.”