Insight

Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud vs. Veeva CRM: Preparing for the 2030 Shift

Andrew Gross

Focus Area/Service

By 2030, life sciences companies will face a pivotal decision as Veeva CRM on Salesforce phases out. Organizations must choose between two emerging platforms: Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud (LSC) or Veeva Vault CRM. While Salesforce has launched its clinical operations and plans to release commercial features in the fall of 2025, both platforms represent new territory for the industry.

This transition extends beyond a simple software migration and will fundamentally reshape how companies operate, innovate, and engage with customers and patients.

The Need for Immediate Action

With up to 15 years of potential customizations, integrations, and processes tied to the current Veeva CRM on Salesforce, the migration requires immediate planning. Starting in 2025, organizations must prioritize multi-year roadmaps to evaluate risks, identify automation opportunities, and prepare for a smooth transition.

Moreover, the industry-wide shift will occur simultaneously, creating unique challenges as companies compete for talent, resources, and implementation expertise. Those who delay risk falling behind their peers – in operational efficiency and customer and patient engagement.

A Tale of Two Platforms: Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud and Veeva Vault CRM

Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud

Salesforce has positioned Life Sciences Cloud as the next-generation CRM built on Salesforce’s powerful platform and ecosystem. It integrates seamlessly with Salesforce Data Cloud, AI technology and agents, and workflow automation, enabling pharmaceutical companies to unify operations across clinical and commercial functions.

Key Advantages:

Innovation and Ecosystem Support: LSC represents the next generation of CRM. The platform’s deep integration with Salesforce’s broader ecosystem ensures continuous innovation, eliminating silos common in older technologies.
AI-Driven Insights: The platform’s embedded AI capabilities provide predictive analytics, helping organizations personalize customer and patient interactions while optimizing internal operations.
Cross-Industry Expertise: Salesforce’s adaptable design allows companies to incorporate best practices from sectors like retail and finance, industries that have embraced digital transformation at scale.

Veeva Vault CRM

The new Veeva Vault CRM builds on Veeva’s established Vault ecosystem, creating a life sciences-specific platform designed for seamless integration with its clinical, regulatory, and quality systems. For companies deeply invested in Veeva’s Vault applications, this solution may offer a streamlined, unified experience. However, Vault CRM may not provide the same level of flexibility or broad ecosystem support as Salesforce Life Sciences Cloud.

Key Advantages:

Industry-Specific Focus: Vault CRM prioritizes compliance with global regulations, making it a trusted choice for pharmaceutical and biotech companies.
Seamless Vault Integration: Organizations already using Veeva’s clinical and quality applications benefit from the unified data model, reducing complexity and increasing efficiency.

Navigating Key Challenges

Data Migration and Integration

Migrating years of data — from HTML5 content to intricate workflows — requires robust planning. IT teams must evaluate the evolving data models of both platforms to ensure alignment with existing operations. Salesforce and Veeva will offer solutions, but teams will need to implement manual and automated migration processes and investigate how to maximize automation as content migration tools evolve.

Balancing Innovation with Disruption

Organizations must embrace innovation while minimizing disruptions. Change management practices, including frequent check-ins and agile methodologies, can help balance risks and rewards during the transition.

Regulatory Alignment

Both platforms promise compliance support, but organizations must evaluate how well each addresses global regulations, including GDPR, HIPAA, and FDA guidelines.

Asking the Right Questions

Salesforce and Veeva

How will the platform evolve to meet customer, patient, and healthcare personnel (HCP) engagement and scalability needs?
How will the platform support long-term organizational needs and ensure consistency with evolving regulations?
How will the platform support and accelerate digital transformation goals?

Internal

What digital capabilities will be necessary to achieve future engagement goals with customers, patients, and healthcare providers?
Do platform capabilities match the go-to-market strategy for specialized therapies?

Technical and Operational

What risks will teams face when migrating to Salesforce LSC or Veeva Vault CRM?
What steps can the organization take to innovate while minimizing disruption during the transition?

Best Practices for Success

Align Business and IT Goals: Establish a shared vision between business and IT teams to rationalize technology investments and prepare for future scalability.
Leverage AI and Automation: Identify areas where AI can reduce manual processes, improve engagement, and scale operations before transitioning to a new platform.
Adopt an Agile Approach: Break the transition into manageable phases, assessing progress every 3-6 months to adapt as needed.
Secure Expertise Early: Engage implementation partners and consultants early to avoid resource bottlenecks as demand surges closer to the transition deadline.

Preparing for 2030: A Time for Leadership

The 2030 shift isn’t just about choosing a new CRM platform; it’s about reimagining the role technology plays in life sciences. Organizations that act decisively now will be better positioned to lead in a future defined by digital transformation, personalized medicine, and AI-driven insights.

Acquis stands ready to guide pharmaceutical companies through this complex transition. By combining its life sciences and Salesforce expertise, Acquis provides a unique solution to help organizations navigate this complex transition, mitigate risks, and seize opportunities to innovate. The road to 2030 starts today — and the decisions made now will define the industry’s trajectory for decades to come.

Learn more about Acquis’ partnership with Salesforce →