Admin Archives

Let it Flow: Salesforce Visual Flows

A simple, streamlined process can improve data quality and reduce user frustration. Visual Flows are a powerful tool for streamlining and simplifying data entry. After you build and implement a flow, you only have to enter the data once– and the flow powers the rest of your business process. But, what if the data already exists somewhere in your Salesforce database? How can a Flow leverage the data that you already have to create or update other records? With a little bit of Visualforce, you can extend your flow into an even better tool for managing and maintaining your data.

The Evils of Multi-Select Picklists in Salesforce

None of us likes to limit our choices if we don’t have to, so on its surface Salesforce’s multi-select picklist (MSP) seems like a great field type. Users can select multiple options while you can still enjoy the standardization that picklists bring, right? In my rookie Salesforce administrator days, I thought MSPs were awesome. Then my nightmares began.

Salesforce Administrators and Puppies

Too often, in my experience, I’ve had clients treat a Salesforce implementation as a discrete moment in time: “We wanted Salesforce, we got Salesforce, we have Salesforce – and now… we’re done!” One of the trickier discussions I have is what I call the “Puppy Talk.” It essentially asks these two questions: If you adopt a puppy, do you expect that it will housebreak, train, feed and care for itself as it grows up? So therefore, how are you going to care for and grow your Salesforce instance?