The Checklist That Prevents CRM Failure
Use this checklist to ensure your SuiteCRM deployment is production-ready before your team touches it.
Server & Infrastructure
☐ Server provisioned (AWS, Azure, DigitalOcean, or managed hosting) ☐ PHP 8.1+ installed with required extensions ☐ MySQL/MariaDB configured and optimized ☐ SSL certificate installed (HTTPS enforced) ☐ SuiteCRM installed and running ☐ Cron job configured (runs every minute) ☐ Backup strategy implemented (daily DB + file backups) ☐ Firewall configured (ports 80, 443, SSH only) ☐ Docker setup (if containerized deployment)
Configuration
☐ Company logo uploaded (Admin → System Settings) ☐ Sales pipeline stages configured matching your process ☐ Custom fields added for your industry ☐ Layouts simplified (remove unused fields from Edit/Detail views) ☐ Unused modules hidden (Admin → Display Modules) ☐ Custom modules built (if industry-specific) ☐ Modern theme installed and activated ☐ Currency, date format, and timezone set ☐ Calculated fields configured (commissions, margins, scores)
Data
☐ Source data exported from old CRM/spreadsheets ☐ Data cleaned (deduplication, format standardization) ☐ Field mapping completed (old fields → SuiteCRM fields) ☐ Data imported in correct order (Accounts → Contacts → Opportunities → Activities) ☐ Record counts validated (source count = imported count) ☐ Relationships verified (Contacts linked to correct Accounts) ☐ Spot-check 50 random records for accuracy
Automation
☐ Lead assignment workflow active ☐ Follow-up reminder workflows active ☐ Deal stage notification workflows active ☐ Email templates created and tested ☐ Logic Hooks placed in custom/ directory (upgrade-safe) ☐ Scheduler jobs verified (all showing “Last Ran Successfully”)
Email & Communication
☐ SMTP configured with OAuth 2.0 (Gmail/Outlook) ☐ SPF, DKIM, DMARC DNS records set ☐ Inbound email account configured ☐ Test email sent and received successfully ☐ Campaign email tested (check deliverability, no spam folder) ☐ Google Workspace calendar sync verified (if applicable)
Integrations
☐ QuickBooks/Xero connected and syncing ☐ Twilio/WhatsApp configured (if applicable) ☐ Zapier/Make bridges active ☐ REST API connections tested ☐ All webhooks firing correctly
AI (If Applicable)
☐ AI lead scoring model trained and deployed ☐ Scoring Logic Hook active on Lead creation ☐ Deal prediction model active ☐ AI email assistant connected ☐ AI chatbot deployed on website ☐ Self-hosted AI verified on YOUR infrastructure (for HIPAA/GDPR)
Security
☐ Security Groups configured per team/department ☐ Roles defined (what each role can do per module) ☐ Admin accounts limited (only essential users) ☐ Password policy set (minimum length, complexity) ☐ Audit trail enabled on sensitive modules ☐ File permissions hardened (config.php not world-readable)
Reporting
☐ Dashboards built per role (rep, manager, executive) ☐ Key reports created (pipeline, conversion, activity, forecast) ☐ Scheduled reports configured (weekly email to stakeholders) ☐ PDF templates configured for quotes/invoices
Training & Go-Live
☐ Role-based training sessions scheduled ☐ Quick-reference guides created per role ☐ CRM champions designated per team ☐ Parallel run period planned (1–2 weeks) ☐ Go-live date communicated to all users ☐ Post-launch support plan in place
Download the Full Checklist
Our CRM Buyer’s Checklist PDF covers evaluation criteria for choosing a CRM platform. This page covers the implementation phase after you’ve chosen SuiteCRM.
Need Help With Implementation?
TechEsperto has checked every box on this list 150+ times across healthcare, manufacturing, insurance, construction, recruitment, automotive, legal, and more. As the Official SuiteCRM Professional Partner, we handle the entire checklist so you don’t have to.