CRM migration

Migrate from Simply CRM to Twenty CRM

Field-level mapping, validation, and rollback between Simply CRM and Twenty CRM. We move data and schema; workflows are rebuilt natively in Twenty CRM.

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

Source

Twenty CRM

Destination

Twenty CRM logo

Compatibility

100%

10 of 10

objects map 1:1 between Simply CRM and Twenty CRM.

Complexity

BStandard

Timeline

48-72 hours

Rollback included Accuracy guarantee Field-level validation

Overview

What this migration involves

Simply CRM is a SugarCRM Professional fork with a REST API using objectTypeId 'x' objectId notation for record references. Standard objects include Contacts, Companies, Deals, Activities, and Tasks with configurable custom fields. Twenty CRM runs on React, Node.js, and PostgreSQL with a GraphQL API layer; it models contacts as People, accounts as Companies, and deals as Opportunities. The migration carries Simply CRM's Contact properties, Company records, Deal pipelines with stages, and activity history into Twenty's relational schema, using email-based owner resolution and unique-field referencing for relationship reconstruction. Workflows, sequences, and automations have no equivalent in Twenty's current workflow builder — we export those definitions for your admin to rebuild. The migration runs via Simply CRM's REST query endpoints with result batching, mapping output to Twenty's CSV import format or direct GraphQL mutations depending on record volume. Data integrity checks run throughout the process, flagging any records with missing required fields or broken relationship references before final commit to your Twenty workspace.

Field-level fidelity

Every standard and custom field arrives verified.

Schema-aware mapping

AI proposes the map; you confirm before any record moves.

Relationships preserved

Parent–child, lookups, and ownership stay linked.

Full activity history

Calls, emails, meetings — with original timestamps.

Attachments & notes

Documents, uploads, and inline notes move with the record.

Why teams make this switch

Two sides of the same decision

Leaving

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

What's pushing teams away

  • At least one user reported significant discrepancies between on-screen record data and exported CSV data, creating billing disputes with vendors — a data integrity concern during routine export operations.
  • Users coming from more feature-rich CRMs have reported that the platform lacks the depth of customization options available in competitors, causing them to outgrow the tool.
  • Sync issues attributed to server traffic and response delays have been noted as a source of friction, particularly during high-activity periods.
  • Some users have flagged that document and presentation tracking is either unavailable or insufficient for their workflow needs, requiring workarounds.

Choosing

Twenty CRM logo

Twenty CRM

What's pulling them in

  • Top open-source CRM on GitHub with 40.6K stars, giving teams full source code access and infrastructure ownership without per-feature licensing surprises.
  • Free self-hosting under AGPL-3.0 means unlimited users and custom objects for the cost of cloud infrastructure alone, typically $20–100/month.
  • Pricing page explicitly mocks competitors for charging add-on fees for API access, webhooks, and workflows — transparency that resonates with RevOps teams burned by Salesforce.
  • Unlimited custom objects and fields with no price impact, letting teams shape the data model to their business rather than forcing business into rigid schemas.
  • Modern TypeScript/React/PostgreSQL stack means developer-led teams can extend, self-host, or integrate without fighting legacy architecture.

Object mapping

How Simply CRM objects map to Twenty CRM

Each row shows how a Simply CRM object lands in Twenty CRM, including any object-level transformations, lookup resolution, or schema-design dependencies.

Typical mapping — final map is confirmed during the sample migration step.

Simply CRM

Contact

maps to

Twenty CRM

People

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM Contact records map to Twenty People. Name fields split into firstName and lastName on the Twenty side. Email, phone, and jobtitle transfer directly. The company_id field becomes a companyId relation — the related Company must exist in Twenty first, which is why Companies migrate before People.

Simply CRM

Company

maps to

Twenty CRM

Company

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM Company maps to Twenty Companies with full field parity for name, domain/website, industry, numberofemployees, and annualrevenue. Parent-company hierarchy in Simply CRM (parentid field) maps to a self-referential relation in Twenty using the same parent-company ID logic. Address fields consolidate into a single address string or remain split if Twenty's workspace uses the multi-field format.

Simply CRM

Deal

maps to

Twenty CRM

Opportunity

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM Deal records transfer to Twenty Opportunities. Deal name, amount, closedate, and stage map to opportunityName, amount, closeDate, and stage respectively. The owner_id resolves by matching Simply CRM user emails to Twenty Workspace Member emails. Deal pipeline and probability values migrate as-is; stage-entered timestamps are preserved as custom datetime fields for reporting continuity.

Simply CRM

Activity (Call, Email, Meeting)

maps to

Twenty CRM

Task

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM call and email activities become Twenty Tasks with Type set to 'Call' or 'Email' and Subject carrying the original activity description. Meeting activities map to Twenty Tasks with type 'Meeting' and startDate/endDate from the Simply CRM activity timestamps. The parent_id field links back to the related Contact or Deal record using Twenty's relation model.

Simply CRM

Note

maps to

Twenty CRM

Note

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM Notes transfer as Twenty Notes. Body text, create date, and owner_id map directly. Notes attach to the same parent record (Contact, Company, or Deal) via Twenty's relation system. Rich-text formatting in Simply CRM notes is preserved as plain text in Twenty's Note body.

Simply CRM

User

maps to

Twenty CRM

WorkspaceMember

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM Users resolve to Twenty Workspace Members by email address. If a Simply CRM user email has no matching Twenty member, records are assigned to a fallback owner specified by the customer before migration. This prevents orphaned records where Opportunity or Task owner fields would otherwise be null.

Simply CRM

Pipeline

maps to

Twenty CRM

Opportunity Stage

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM deal pipelines map to Twenty Opportunity stage pick-list values. Each pipeline stage in Simply CRM becomes a named stage option in Twenty's stage field. Stage order is preserved based on Simply CRM's stage sequence. If Simply CRM has multiple pipelines, all stage names collect into a single Twenty pick-list — your admin decides which stages apply per opportunity type.

Simply CRM

Custom Field (any standard object)

maps to

Twenty CRM

Custom Field

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM custom fields on Contacts, Companies, Deals, or Activities require pre-creation in Twenty at Settings → Data Model before the import runs. Field type mapping: text strings to text fields, numbers to number fields, dates to date fields, and pick-lists to select or multi-select fields. Custom field values on records migrate after the field definition exists in Twenty.

Simply CRM

Custom Module

maps to

Twenty CRM

Custom Object

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM custom modules (if present) transfer to Twenty Custom Objects. The migration creates the equivalent object definition in Twenty's data model, then imports records with their relation fields pointing to People, Companies, or Opportunities. N:N relationships between custom modules use Twenty's relation fields, which support multi-value linking.

Simply CRM

Document / Attachment

maps to

Twenty CRM

File / Attachment

1:1
Fully supported

Simply CRM document and attachment records referencing files on the platform do not have a direct equivalent in Twenty's current import model. Files are re-uploaded as attachments to the target record in Twenty if they are accessible via the Simply CRM export. Files that are stored only in Simply CRM's internal document management are flagged for manual re-upload after migration.

Gotchas + challenges

What specifically takes care here

Platform-specific issues from each side, plus the pair-specific challenges that don't show up on either platform's page on its own.

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM gotchas

Medium

SugarCRM Professional edition gates certain modules

High

Export discrepancies between screen records and CSV output

Medium

Custom field schema varies per installation

Medium

Workflow automations do not survive migration

Twenty CRM logo

Twenty CRM gotchas

High

Import order is enforced and critical

High

Export limited to 20,000 records and visible columns only

Medium

Soft-deleted records count toward uniqueness and trigger restores

Medium

API rate limits cap at 200 req/min on Organization tier

Low

No native email sequences — follow-up cadences require external tools

Pair-specific challenges

  • Simply CRM's objectTypeId ID format requires parsing before relationship resolution

    Simply CRM records use a compound ID format of objectTypeId 'x' objectId returned by the REST API's query and retrieve operations. Twenty's import uses simple numeric IDs or email-based unique fields for relation linking. Before migrating Deals linked to Contacts or Companies, FlitStack parses the Simply CRM ID string, extracts the numeric objectId, and matches it to the migrated ID stored in Source_System_ID__c on the Twenty record. If the Simply CRM ID parsing fails or circular references exist between related records, those relationships are flagged for manual resolution before the final import commit.

  • Twenty's import requires custom fields to exist before records land — migration plan must sequence schema creation first

    Twenty's CSV import creates records only; it does not create fields. If Simply CRM has custom fields on Contacts, Companies, or Deals, those field definitions must be created in Twenty at Settings → Data Model before the import file is uploaded. FlitStack generates a custom-field creation checklist from the Simply CRM describe operation output, so Twenty's schema is ready before any record data moves. If a record references a custom field that does not yet exist in Twenty, that field's values are skipped and flagged for a second pass after the field is created.

  • Import order dependency — Companies must land before People, People before Opportunities

    Twenty enforces referential integrity on relation fields. A People record with a companyId value fails to import if the target Company record does not already exist in Twenty. Similarly, Opportunities with personId or companyId links require both related records to be present. FlitStack sequences the migration: Companies first (1:N base), then People with companyId links resolved, then Opportunities with personId and companyId links. This order is enforced regardless of record volume and is tested in the sample migration phase before the full run commits.

  • Simply CRM workflows and sequences have no equivalent in Twenty's current workflow builder

    Simply CRM automation rules (workflow triggers, assignment rules, and email sequences) are business logic stored in the source platform's rule engine. Twenty's current workflow builder handles basic conditional actions — task creation, field updates, and notification triggers — but does not replicate the full expression logic that Simply CRM workflows support. FlitStack exports Simply CRM workflow definitions as a structured JSON reference file so your Twenty admin can rebuild the equivalent logic in Twenty's workflow builder. This is documented upfront so teams do not expect automation parity to migrate automatically.

  • Simply CRM document attachments are not accessible via standard CSV export — manual re-upload required

    Simply CRM stores file attachments in its internal document management system. The REST API's query operation returns attachment metadata (filename, mime type, related_id) but does not stream the file content in bulk. Twenty's import does not support binary attachment ingestion. FlitStack extracts attachment metadata during migration and produces a re-upload checklist listing each file, its original record, and the target Twenty record ID. Your team re-uploads files manually or via Twenty's file attachment API after the data migration completes. This limitation is disclosed before migration begins so it does not surface as a surprise post-cutover.

Migration approach

Six steps for a successful Simply CRM to Twenty CRM data migration

  1. Audit Simply CRM schema and extract field metadata via describe operation

    FlitStack connects to Simply CRM's REST API using session-based authentication (getchallenge/response scheme). We call the describe operation on all active modules — Contacts, Companies, Deals, Activities, Notes, and any custom modules — to capture field names, data types, pick-list values, and required flags. This produces a field inventory that drives the Twenty schema preparation checklist and the transformation logic for each migration batch. We also run a record count per module so the migration timeline can be scoped accurately before any data moves.

  2. Prepare Twenty workspace: create custom fields, invite members, set up opportunity stages

    Before data moves, FlitStack generates a step-by-step setup plan for your Twenty workspace. This includes creating custom fields discovered in the Simply CRM audit that have no direct Twenty equivalent, setting up opportunity stage pick-list values to match Simply CRM deal pipelines, and ensuring all users who own records in Simply CRM are invited as Workspace Members in Twenty so owner email resolution works. We deliver the setup checklist with exact field names, types, and options so your admin completes it without guessing. No records are migrated until this schema is confirmed ready.

  3. Run sample migration with field-level diff on 100-500 records

    A representative slice of Simply CRM data — spanning Contacts across different companies, Deals in various stages, and a sample of Activities and Notes — migrates to Twenty first. FlitStack generates a field-level diff comparing source and destination values for every mapped field. You verify that custom field values transferred correctly, stage names rendered in Twenty's pick-list, owner emails resolved to Twenty Workspace Members, and relationship links (companyId, personId) point to the correct records. Any mapping errors surface here before the full run commits. Sample migration results are reviewed in a joint session before proceeding.

  4. Execute full migration in dependency order with delta-pickup window

    The full migration runs in the confirmed sequence: Companies, then People with companyId links resolved, then Opportunities with personId and companyId links, then Tasks and Notes with their parent links. FlitStack uses Simply CRM's query endpoint with offset/limit batching to paginate through all records without triggering rate-limit errors. A delta-pickup window of 24-48 hours runs concurrently — any records created or modified in Simply CRM during the cutover are captured and appended to the Twenty import before final reconciliation. The audit log records every operation so rollback is available if record counts or relationship integrity checks fail post-import.

  5. Post-migration validation and workflow rebuild handoff

    After the full import, FlitStack runs a reconciliation check comparing Simply CRM record counts per object against Twenty record counts, verifying that relationship links (companyId on People, personId/companyId on Opportunities, taskableId on Tasks) resolved correctly. We surface any orphaned records, duplicate emails, or unmapped pick-list values for your team to resolve. The Simply CRM workflow export (JSON reference file) is delivered alongside the migration report so your Twenty admin has a rebuild starting point. FlitStack support remains available for 30 days post-cutover to address any data discrepancies that surface during daily use.

Platform deep dives

Context on both ends of the pair

Simply CRM logo

Simply CRM

Source

Strengths

  • Built on SugarCRM Professional with decades of stability behind the data model
  • Per-user monthly pricing from $12 with a 14-day free trial and no credit card required
  • Responsive customer support cited frequently across user reviews
  • Intuitive interface designed to reduce CRM complexity and improve adoption rates
  • Contact management, sales pipeline, and reporting available without additional modules

Weaknesses

  • Limited documented API surface beyond basic REST endpoints — bulk export requires careful planning
  • Data export discrepancies reported by at least one user, raising data integrity questions
  • Fewer native integrations compared to HubSpot, Salesforce, or Zoho
  • Limited advanced customization — teams with complex data models may outgrow the platform
  • Sync reliability concerns under heavy server load have been documented in reviews
Twenty CRM logo

Twenty CRM

Destination

Strengths

  • AGPL-3.0 open-source license with full source code on GitHub — no vendor lock-in, no sunset risk.
  • Unlimited users and unlimited custom objects on self-hosted, with no feature gating based on headcount.
  • REST and GraphQL APIs available on all paid tiers, not locked behind an enterprise add-on fee.
  • MCP server and webhooks shipped as standard features, not premium upgrades.
  • Modern PostgreSQL-backed data model that developer teams can query, extend, and self-host.

Weaknesses

  • Recent v1.0 release means limited production hardening compared to CRMs with multi-year operational track records.
  • No native email sequencing or sales engagement tools — follow-up cadences require a separate platform.
  • No native two-way email sync or inbox integration, requiring third-party connectors for full activity logging.
  • Self-hosting 'free' pricing hides real infrastructure and DevOps costs that stack up over time.
  • Workflow automation is functional but lacks the complexity needed for sophisticated multi-step sales motions.

Complexity grading

How hard is this migration?

Standard CRM migration. 2 of 8 objects need a mapping; the rest are 1:1.

B

Overall complexity

Standard migration

Derived from compatibility, mapping clarity, API constraints, and data volume across Simply CRM and Twenty CRM.

  • Object compatibility

    B

    2 of 8 objects need a mapping; the rest are 1:1.

  • Field mapping clarity

    C

    Field mapping is derived from defaults — final spec confirmed during the sample migration.

  • Timeline complexity

    B

    8-object category — typical timelines run 2–7 days end-to-end.

  • API constraints

    B

    Simply CRM: Not publicly documented.

  • Data volume sensitivity

    B

    Simply CRM doesn't expose a bulk API — REST + parallelization used for high-volume runs.

Estimator

Estimate your Simply CRM to Twenty CRM migration cost

Rule-based pricing — no per-record fees, no manual quotes. Migrations over 2M records are scoped individually.

Step 1

What are you migrating?

Pick a category, then your source and destination platforms.

Category

FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Simply CRM to Twenty CRM data migrations

Answers to the questions buyers ask most during Simply CRM to Twenty CRM migration scoping. Not seeing yours? Book a call.

Can't find your answer?

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Book a free 30 minute consultation

Most Simply CRM to Twenty CRM migrations complete within 48-72 hours for under 25,000 total records. Record volume, the number of Simply CRM custom fields, and the complexity of deal pipeline stages drive the timeline. Larger datasets between 25,000 and 150,000 records typically require 5-10 days. The pre-migration audit and Twenty workspace preparation add 2-4 days of planning work before any data moves. The delta-pickup window runs concurrently with your cutover so there is no waiting period after the initial load.

Adjacent paths

Related migrations to explore

Ready when you are

Move from Simply CRM.
Land in Twenty CRM, intact.

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