How to Cancel Your Salesforce Contract (Without the Runaround)

Trying to cancel your Salesforce contract? You’re not alone. Many businesses find themselves locked into multi-year SaaS contracts with unclear off-ramps. The cancellation process can be confusing, and costly, if you miss key clauses like notice windows, auto-renewals, or early termination penalties.

Here’s a step-by-step guide to canceling your Salesforce subscription cleanly, and what to look out for in your Master Services Agreement (MSA).

1. 🔍 Find Your Original Salesforce Contract

Start by locating your Salesforce Master Services Agreement (MSA) or Order Form. Salesforce often uses a multi-document setup:

• MSA: Contains boilerplate terms (termination, renewal, liability, etc.)

• Order Form: Lists your product SKUs, pricing, term length, and renewal details

Look for these terms:

• Start and end date of the current term

• Whether it’s auto-renewing

• Cancellation notice period required (usually 30–90 days)

🧠 Tip: These documents are typically PDF attachments in emails from your original onboarding team or AE.

2. 📅 Check Your Cancellation Deadline

Salesforce contracts almost always auto-renew unless you send written notice within a tight window, often 30–60 days before the renewal date.

For example:

“This Agreement shall automatically renew for additional 12-month periods unless either party gives written notice of non-renewal at least 30 days prior to the end of the current term.”

If today is 45 days from your renewal, you still have a shot. If you’re inside the window, they might auto-renew and refuse to cancel unless you escalate.

3. 📝 Send Your Non-Renewal Notice (By Email)

You need to send a formal cancellation notice. This should be in writing (email is usually acceptable) and sent to your Salesforce AE and/or the designated billing contact.

Here's a template:

Subject: Notice of Non-Renewal – [Your Company Name]

To whom it may concern,

This email serves as our official notice of non-renewal for our Salesforce contract. Please consider this our written intent not to renew at the end of our current term.

Please confirm receipt of this notice.

Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Title / Company]

CC your AE, admin, or legal team to create a paper trail.

4. 🚩 Watch for Pushback or “Renewal Triggers”

Salesforce reps may try to:

• Argue you missed the window

• Offer discounts to lock you back in

• Trigger a “renewal-by-usage” clause buried in the contract

Push back politely but firmly. If you met the notice deadline and have it in writing, they’re on shaky ground.

🧠 Use tools like Langley to flag renewal clauses and track these dates in the future.

5. ❌ Don’t Assume It’s Canceled Just Because You Stopped Using It

SaaS contracts, including Salesforce, typically do not auto-cancel if you stop logging in. Usage ≠ cancellation. Unless you submit the formal non-renewal notice, you may be liable for another full year.

⚠️ Common Red Flags in Salesforce Contracts

Clause What to Look For

Auto-Renewal Default is YES unless notice is sent in writing

Notice Period Often 30–60 days before end of term

Early Termination Fee May owe full remaining balance if you cancel mid-term

Usage-Based Renewal Triggers Sometimes just continuing usage = renewal

✅ Bonus: Want a Second Set of Eyes on Your Salesforce Contract?

Langley offers a free contract audit to help you spot:

• Auto-renew traps

• Cancellation deadlines

• Hidden fees and penalties

👉 Upload your Salesforce contract for review (via our secure Dropbox)