This principle was instrumental in shaping our data-focused enterprise architecture transformation in 2023, making data a core pillar alongside loan origination and servicing. Given that the company’s future growth depends on it, the focus on data was essential.
Deactivated Users & Record Ownership: When a Salesforce user is deactivated, the records they own may not be automatically transferred to a new active owner. Pardot syncs prospect records based on the Salesforce owner. If the owner is inactive, it can prevent prospects from syncing correctly or being included in dynamic lists in Pardot.
On October 1st, 2024, Salesforce experienced a significant outage impacting over 80 instances, causing core services to slow to a crawl. The outage, which began around 6:30 UTC, remained unresolved over 8.5 hours later, with the root cause still unknown at that time. The outage has been particularly damaging, as Salesforce emphasizes trust as one of its core values, promoting transparency and reliability in its service delivery. While the Salesforce Trust website, which provides real-time system status updates, remained operational, some users reported difficulty accessing it when they needed outage details, adding to their frustration. This disruption has been a major blow to organizations that depend on Salesforce for essential business functions such as customer relationship management (CRM), sales pipelines, and workflow management. Key Facts About the Outage Am I Affected by the Salesforce Downtime? If you’re unsure whether your instance is affected, you can check the real-time list of impacted cases on the Salesforce Trust website. To do this, identify your organization’s instance (e.g., NA54, EU13) and compare it to the affected list. However, the Trust site itself has experienced intermittent outages during the incident. Customers have reported issues such as: If you’re encountering these problems, your Salesforce instance is likely impacted. How Salesforce is Responding Salesforce has initiated an emergency release in phases, with the first phase nearly complete. Afterward, validation checks will be performed to assess system stability. While some customers have reported that their instances have recovered, others continue to experience severe issues. Salesforce Support has provided general troubleshooting advice, such as using alternative browsers or clearing caches, but many users have found this ineffective, as the root cause lies within Salesforce’s infrastructure, not user-side configurations. What to Do Now Looking Ahead Although the root cause of the outage remains undetermined, Salesforce has committed to providing regular updates. Customers are encouraged to monitor the Salesforce Trust website and communicate with support teams. Once the cause is identified, Salesforce plans to release a detailed report on the incident and how they will prevent future occurrences. Conclusion Salesforce’s outage on October 1st has caused widespread disruption for businesses globally. While emergency updates are underway and some instances are recovering, full resolution may take time. In the meantime, staying updated and preparing for intermittent issues is critial for those who rely on Salesforce for their daily operations. Stay tuned for further updates as Salesforce continues working to restore full functionality across all affected instances. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Predictive Analytics in Salesforce: Enhancing Decision-Making with AI In an ever-changing business environment, companies seek tools to forecast trends and anticipate challenges, enabling them to remain competitive. Predictive analytics, powered by Salesforce’s AI capabilities, offers a cutting-edge solution for these needs. In this guide, we’ll explore how predictive analytics works and how Salesforce empowers businesses to make smarter, data-driven decisions. What is Predictive Analytics? Predictive analytics uses historical data, statistical modeling, and machine learning to forecast future outcomes. With the vast amount of data organizations generate—ranging from transaction logs to multimedia—unifying this information can be challenging due to data silos. These silos hinder the development of accurate predictive models and limit Salesforce’s ability to deliver actionable insights. The result? Missed opportunities, inefficiencies, and impersonal customer experiences. When organizations implement proper integrations and data management practices, predictive analytics can harness this data to uncover patterns and predict future events. Techniques such as logistic regression, linear regression, neural networks, and decision trees help businesses gain actionable insights that enhance planning and decision-making. Einstein Prediction Builder A key component of the Salesforce Einstein Suite, Einstein Prediction Builder enables users to create custom AI models with minimal coding or data science expertise. Using in-house data, businesses can anticipate trends, forecast customer behavior, and predict outcomes with tailored precision. Key Features of Einstein Prediction Builder Note: Einstein Prediction Builder requires an Enterprise or Unlimited Edition subscription to access. Predictive Model Types in Salesforce Salesforce employs various predictive models tailored to specific needs: Building Custom Predictions Salesforce supports custom predictions tailored to unique business needs, such as forecasting regional sales or calculating appointment attendance rates. Tips for Building Predictions Prescriptive Analytics: Turning Predictions into Actions Predictive insights are only as valuable as the actions they inspire. Einstein Next Best Action bridges this gap by providing context-specific recommendations based on predictions. How Einstein Next Best Action Works Data Quality: The Foundation of Accurate Predictions The effectiveness of predictive analytics depends on the quality of your data. Poor data—whether due to errors, duplicates, or inconsistencies—can skew results and undermine trust. Best Practices for Data Quality Modern tools like DataGroomr can automate data validation and cleaning, ensuring that predictions are based on trustworthy information. Empowering Smarter Decisions with Predictive Analytics Salesforce’s AI-driven predictive analytics transforms decision-making by providing actionable insights from historical data. Businesses can anticipate trends, improve operational efficiency, and deliver personalized customer experiences. As predictive analytics continues to evolve, companies leveraging these tools will gain a competitive edge in an increasingly dynamic marketplace. Embrace the power of predictive analytics in Salesforce to make faster, more strategic decisions and drive sustained success. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
When technical issues occur—such as login problems or a process breakdown—an external support team can be transformative. Instead of burdening your internal team with troubleshooting, outsourcing enables immediate, expert support, resulting in smoother, more efficient operations.
Defence Technology Solutions from Salesforce: Enabling Secure, Mission-Critical Operations Salesforce provides defense organizations with powerful technology solutions to deliver on their missions quickly and securely. By increasing IT flexibility, enhancing productivity, and safeguarding sensitive data in a secure, compliant cloud environment, Salesforce empowers defence organizations to achieve mission success with confidence. Salesforce Solutions for Defense. Modernizing Personnel Operations Salesforce streamlines workforce management and accelerates employee operations, providing a unified view of personnel and fast, digital workflows. Public sector organizations can transform hiring, recruiting, HR actions, IT requests, and employee services within a trusted operational hub. How It Works: Salesforce enhances productivity and digitizes government employee tasks throughout their lifecycle, from hire to retirement. Maximizing IT Agility Salesforce enables defence organizations to unlock data from legacy systems, cloud applications, and third-party platforms with an API-led approach, securely bridging on-premises and cloud environments. Rapid application development, consolidation, and system access become seamless with Salesforce’s low-code/no-code tools. How It Works: Salesforce compresses development cycles and increases flexibility, enabling defense organizations to deliver on mission objectives faster. Salesforce Solutions for Defense Delivering Successful Case Outcomes Salesforce supports the full case management lifecycle by integrating critical data points from multiple systems into a single, unified view. Defense organizations can empower caseworkers with purpose-built tools, ensuring successful case outcomes while reducing information silos and providing clients with the necessary support. How It Works: Salesforce creates a single source of truth for case management, enabling defense organizations to streamline workflows and improve service outcomes. By leveraging Salesforce’s defense technology solutions, organizations can modernize operations, maximize agility, and ensure successful case management outcomes, all while maintaining the highest levels of security and compliance. Salesforce Solutions for Defense from Tectonic. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
In the realm of Salesforce usage, the seamless operation and swift responsiveness of your system stand as paramount necessities. The specter of sluggish page loads and subpar performance looms large, threatening user frustration, diminished productivity, and potential revenue loss for your enterprise. Salesforce System Monitoring. To summarize and provide some additional points: By implementing these best practices and leveraging appropriate tools, businesses can not only enhance the performance and speed of their Salesforce instance but also maximize the value derived from the platform while minimizing risks and costs associated with poor performance. If you are finding issues with your Salesforce customization, contact Tectonic today. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Mastering Data Management in Salesforce Effective data management is crucial for maximizing success with Salesforce. Ensuring you have high-quality, useful data empowers your team to achieve business goals and identify growth opportunities. Below are learning resources, expert articles, and video guides designed by Salesforce professionals to help you take control of your data. Build a Data Management Strategy A solid data management strategy ensures that your team is aligned on how data is collected, analyzed, and used to drive success. These resources will guide you through creating a strategy and avoiding common pitfalls: Improve Data Quality Clean data is essential for tracking, reporting, and ensuring the success of your Salesforce implementation. Explore the following resources to improve your data quality: Import Data Seamlessly bring existing data into Salesforce to ensure you have a full record for reporting and tracking. These resources will guide you through importing data: Maintain and Clean Up Data To keep your data clean and reliable over time, follow these best practices for long-term data management: Go Further with Data Management Take your data management expertise to the next level with these additional resources: These curated resources empower you to master data management within Salesforce, ensuring your organization makes the most of its CRM data to drive growth and success. Content updated September 2024. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Collaborate in Real Time with Salesforce Essentials Dropbox and Salesforce Essentials enable small businesses to effortlessly collaborate on files of any type and size. You can review, edit, and share content both internally and with customers directly within Salesforce, allowing you to focus on growing your business. Does Dropbox Integrate with Salesforce? Yes, the Dropbox for Salesforce integration allows teams to access and share their Dropbox files within Salesforce. To use this integration, you need to be on a Dropbox team account. Third-Party Integrations The following integration services work with both Dropbox and Salesforce. Note that these services are not vetted by us, so please exercise caution when deploying them: Getting Started with Dropbox for Salesforce The Dropbox for Salesforce integration allows teams to access and share their Dropbox files within Salesforce. Here’s how team members can get started after an admin has connected their Dropbox team account to Salesforce. Connecting Dropbox to Salesforce: Notes: Adding Files from Dropbox to Salesforce There are two ways to add files using Dropbox for Salesforce: Viewing or Downloading a File in Salesforce You can view, download, and share files directly from Dropbox for Salesforce: Understanding “All of Dropbox for Object” vs. “Dropbox for Object” “All of Dropbox for Object” and “Dropbox for Object” provide different levels of visibility into a user’s Dropbox account from Salesforce: Example Folder Structures: Can You Drag and Drop Files into Salesforce? Salesforce supports drag and dropping files stored on disk. Save the file to disk first, then drag the saved file to Notes & Attachments within Salesforce. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Salesforce Automation Guide. I cannot lie. There was a time when I thought the greatest thing about Salesforce was that it prevented leads from falling through the cracks. I was a marketing opps person. There was a time I thought readily available information at your fingertips and integration with an email platform was the greatest thing. I was in sales management. Today, as a Solutions Architect, I think Salesforce Automation Guide is the best. Automation provides the tools necessary to automate repetitive processes and daily tasks for your business, such as creating follow-up tasks, sending reminder emails, or updating records. Automations help users save critical time and reduce errors by creating automated processes to complete repetitive tasks. Below, you’ll find resources to help you decide which automations to use depending on your needs. An Intro to Salesforce Automation Before determining which automation best suits your business’s needs, you must first understand what automation means. These resources will help paint a clear picture of what the automation of processes, approvals, and tasks can look like for your organization. They aren’t just time savers. They can be game changers. Why Should You Love Automation?Check out this article highlighting the positive global impact of automation across different industries and countries. Review the customer story on how automation helped digitize an approval process during a time of especially high-volume requests. After reading this, you will understand why automation is so beneficial! Intro to AutomationExplore this documentation to get a high-level overview of the different automation methods. Automation Tools Salesforce provides multiple automation tools depending on the level of complexity needed to achieve your goals. These resources will help you understand which automation tool will best help you reach your business objectives. Automation Tool: FeaturesScroll down within this article to check out the matrix for a breakdown of all the features and actions supported within each automation tool: Approvals, Flow Builder, Einstein Next Best Action, and Apex. Automation Tool: Which One to UseView this video from one of the leading cloud experts that walks you through each automation tool and when and why to use each one. Architect Decision GuideThe Architect Decision Guide will help you evaluate the pros and cons of the different automation tools. Get recommendations from Salesforce product teams on which tools best address different use cases. Automation Implementation A hands-on approach is the best way to learn how to implement automation tools. Dig right in by exploring guided Trailhead modules that will help you understand the steps to enable these tools. Flow BasicsGet to know Flow Builder, the primary tool for creating flows. Learn when to use flows to automate business processes. Automate ApprovalsLearn how you can automate simple approval processes using Flow Builder. Automation Deep Dive As you begin to think about your automation journey, it is useful to study use cases to help guide your automation strategy and energy. Check out these resources to learn how to take your automations even further than you imagined to streamline your business processes. Building a Simple FlowExplore this video to learn how to build a simple visual flow using Flow Builder for a donation request example via an input screen, fields, and choices to collect required customer information. Five Pro Tips for Salesforce FlowFollow these quick tips to get up and running with Salesforce Flow. Troubleshooting Resources Before rolling out your automations to users, make sure you validate and test them just like any other customization. Should you encounter a bug while validating, don’t worry! These resources will guide you through troubleshooting tips if you run into any blockers during the validation process. Troubleshooting Flow Errors Using the Debug ButtonCheck out this helpful Salesforce video on how to fix errors using the Debug button in Flow Builder. Flow TroubleshootingFurther your education with this Trailhead module to learn how to diagnose and fix common flow issues. Go Further with Automation Manage ProductivityDetermine how much time you’re saving your team with the Process Automation Tracker in Salesforce AppExchange. Flow OrchestrationStreamline complex workflows with Flow Orchestration. Our experts will guide you on rolling out multi-step processes that interact with multiple users. Join the Customer Success CommunityConnect with Salesforce experts and other Trailblazers like you. The community is a great place to ask questions, get answers, and share your experiences. Become a TrailblazerConsider blazing your own trail by completing this Trailhead superbadge on process automation. Automation Use Case StridePride makes comfortable sneakers, designed and customized for its customers. The company’s online retail business has grown rapidly in the past year domestically; as a result, they have decided to use Salesforce to help launch their sneakers in international markets. Linda Rosenson, StridePride’s admin, needed to quickly set up Salesforce to create sales processes for all of the additional international markets. As Linda was creating these processes, the Sales Leaders asked her to include a discount on the sneakers if certain criteria were met to help promote sales for the new markets. The tricky part was, each market had its unique set of criteria and rules before the discount could be applied. After mapping out each region’s unique criteria for the discounts, Linda determined that tracking this all manually or on a document for sales reps would be a logistical nightmare. Linda began thinking of automation. She was determined to find a more efficient way to automatically apply the discounts if criteria were met, lessening the chance for human error or missteps. Her goal was to make the process as seamless and efficient as possible. Because Linda had already reviewed the resources on choosing the right automation tool, she knew that Salesforce Flow made the most sense for her use case. This flow would help automate the discount by evaluating criteria based on customer inputs and then automatically applying the discount if applicable. She could even create or update records, create quotes, and send emails through flow elements. She teamed up with StridePride’s business analyst to create a Salesforce Flow. Together, they had it up and running
Enhanced letterheads in Salesforce can be used to create more consistent and informative email templates, documents, and reports. They can help to standardize information, include branding elements, and make correspondence more professional and recognizable. Create Enhanced Letterhead in Salesforce. Create Enhanced Letterhead in Salesforce Enhanced Letterheads in Lightning Experience A letterhead standardizes the information in the header and footer of an email template. Often, a letterhead shows a company’s logo and contact information. Enhanced letterheads can include rich text, merge fields, images, links, and other styling. To be associated with an enhanced letterhead, the Lightning email template must use the Handlebars Merge Language. Use Enhanced Letterheads to Increase the Effectiveness of Lightning Email Templates Standardize the information in the header and footer of an email template with enhanced letterheads. Include your company’s logo and contact information, or add legal disclaimers and subscription links. Create your enhanced letterhead in a rich text editor, or paste in your own custom HTML for full control of styling. Add merge fields, images, and links. Where: This change applies to Lightning Experience in Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions. Who: To create and edit enhanced letterheads, you need the Modify All Data permission or administrator rights. Anyone can use enhanced templates. How: To add content, style, and images to your letterhead, open the App Launcher, and select Enhanced Letterheads. Enhanced letterheads can include: To create an enhanced letterhead, you can: You can also make changes to your letterhead in one place, and all your email templates will be automatically updated. For example, to add a logo to the footer, you can: Enhanced letterheads are available in the following editions of Salesforce: Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer. Create Classic Letterheads for Email Templates Create Classic letterheads as the basis for a consistent look for your HTML email templates. Make letterheads available organization-wide so other users can use them in their email templates. A letterhead consists of properties and details. The properties are only visible inside your organization; they help users identify a letterhead. The details are applied to an email when using that letterhead. Use the letterhead wizard to create both the properties and details of your letterhead. Set Letterhead Properties Set Letterhead Details To create an HTML email template that contains the settings in your letterhead, see Create HTML Classic Letterhead Email Templates in Salesforce Classic. NOTE HTML Classic Letterhead email templates can’t be created in Lightning Experience. However, existing Classic Letterhead email templates can be used in Lightning Experience. Create Custom HTML Email Templates in Salesforce Classic You can create custom HTML email templates without using Classic Letterhead. If you don’t know HTML, you can paste HTML code into your template. HTML email templates can be used, but not created, in Lightning Experience. TIP View a sample of the template populated with data from records you choose and send a test email by clicking Send Test and Verify Merge Fields. NOTE You can’t modify the content of a custom HTML template when you use it in an email. Create Visualforce Email Templates in Salesforce Classic Use the Visualforce programming language to create targeted and personalized email content. NOTE You can’t send a mass email using a Visualforce email template. Create Enhanced Letterhead in Salesforce Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Salesforce Marketing Cloud Administrators play a key role in ensuring the success of an organization’s marketing efforts. Their responsibilities span system configuration, data management, campaign development, and execution. These professionals need a blend of technical expertise, strategic thinking, and keen attention to detail to effectively manage and optimize the Marketing Cloud environment. System Configuration and AdministrationMarketing Cloud Admins are responsible for setting up and configuring user accounts, defining roles and permissions, and customizing the system to meet specific organizational needs. They stay current on Salesforce updates, conducting system audits to maintain security and performance. Admins also oversee platform customization, aligning it with business goals. Data Management and SegmentationEffective data management is crucial for personalized marketing. Admins manage data imports, exports, and integration with other systems, ensuring data cleanliness and compliance with privacy regulations. They create audience segments based on specific criteria to enable targeted campaigns. Campaign Development and ExecutionAdmins work closely with marketing teams to develop and execute email, SMS, and social media campaigns. They set up customer journeys, implement automation, and ensure campaigns are delivered as planned. Monitoring performance and analyzing metrics allows admins to optimize campaigns and provide insights for future strategies. Integration and AutomationAdmins integrate Marketing Cloud with CRM systems, e-commerce platforms, and third-party apps. They streamline workflows by automating processes through tools like Journey Builder and Automation Studio, ensuring data consistency and efficiency. Troubleshooting and SupportAdmins provide technical support and troubleshoot issues related to system errors, data synchronization, and campaign delivery. They collaborate with Salesforce support to resolve complex problems, ensuring smooth operations and minimal downtime. Training and DocumentationTraining users on Marketing Cloud tools and developing comprehensive documentation are also key responsibilities. Admins ensure users are well-versed in the platform’s features and best practices, helping maintain consistent performance across teams. Monitoring and ReportingAdmins track key performance indicators (KPIs) and generate reports to analyze campaign success. By using tools like Analytics Builder, they offer data-driven insights that help improve marketing strategies and align them with business objectives. Skills Required for Salesforce Marketing Cloud AdminsAdmins must have strong technical aptitude, familiarity with Salesforce tools like Email Studio and Journey Builder, and proficiency in SQL, HTML, and APIs for system integration. Problem-solving skills are critical for diagnosing and resolving issues, and data management expertise is essential for organizing and analyzing marketing data. FAQs: If you are in need of Marketing Cloud assistance, contact Tectonic today. Content updated September 2024. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Custom Fiscal Years in Salesforce: A Complete Guide Many companies customize their fiscal years, quarters, and weeks to align with their financial planning needs. Salesforce supports this customization by allowing the definition of Custom Fiscal Years. When to Use Custom Fiscal Years in Salesforce If your company follows the Gregorian calendar year but simply wants to change the fiscal year start month, the standard fiscal year option in Salesforce will suffice. However, if your company uses a non-standard fiscal year structure, enabling Custom Fiscal Years in Salesforce is necessary to accurately define your unique fiscal timeline. Enabling a Custom Fiscal Year in Salesforce impacts your forecasts, quotas, and reports. It’s important to note that configuring a Custom Fiscal Year will delete all existing forecast history and records from the first period of the fiscal year onward. Using Custom Fiscal Forecasts in Revenue Insights If your forecast types are configured with custom fiscal quarters or periods, you can leverage them in Revenue Insights. For instance, you can analyze the total amount of closed-won opportunities for a custom fiscal period defined for your team. Where: This feature is available in Sales Cloud within Lightning Experience in Enterprise and Unlimited editions, but it comes with an additional cost. How: To use this feature, you must enable custom fiscal year usage in Data Prep. Navigate to Data Prep Settings in Analytics Object Manager, then click “Enable Date Settings.” The Importance of Sales Forecasting Sales forecasting is essential for businesses as it helps anticipate future sales and enables informed decision-making. Accurate sales forecasts lead to better resource allocation, inventory management, and financial planning. Salesforce, a leading CRM platform, is widely used by sales teams to enhance their sales operations. Its robust sales forecasting capabilities allow businesses to create precise revenue forecasts, driving growth. However, for companies with revenue from usage-based products, bookings, or subscriptions, there are challenges in fully leveraging Salesforce’s revenue forecasting potential. Why Salesforce is a Powerful Tool for Sales Teams Salesforce’s extensive CRM capabilities and the AppExchange marketplace, offering numerous solutions to extend its functionality, contribute to its effectiveness in forecasting. The platform allows businesses to manage both existing clients and potential leads, track customer behavior, and create targeted sales strategies. Salesforce’s forecasting tools enable sales teams to predict both short-term and long-term performance, which is crucial for making informed business decisions. By leveraging these tools, businesses can set team quotas, continuously monitor sales progress, and work toward achieving their company goals. However, companies with revenue spread over time, such as through bookings or subscriptions, may face challenges in extracting accurate financial insights from Salesforce for planning and analysis. Automating revenue forecasting can help reduce manual errors and lead to smarter decisions. Sales Forecasting in Salesforce Salesforce Sales Team Sales Cloud Salesforce Implementation SolutionSalesforce offers customizable forecasting, allowing users to create custom fields, adjust forecast settings, and modify forecast categories as needed. The native Salesforce Sales Cloud forecasts page displays forecast amounts based on the totals and subtotals of opportunity stages. Salesforce’s forecast categories classify sales opportunities based on the sales team‘s confidence level in closing the deal. Typical forecast categories include: Customizable forecasting and forecast categories in Salesforce enable sales teams to create more accurate revenue forecasts and plan more effectively for the future. Revenue Forecasting in Salesforce While Salesforce’s forecasting tool is effective for estimating future sales revenue, it has limitations in revenue forecasting. Often, revenue forecasting in Salesforce is done manually through spreadsheets, which can be error-prone and time-consuming. This can lead to visibility issues for financial planning and analysis, as well as for sales operations teams. Manual creation of revenue forecasts and reports increases the risk of inaccuracies due to human error. Cloud-based integrations like revVana’s Salesforce Revenue Forecasting can help. By converting forecasts from pipeline and closed opportunities into revenue streams, revVana automates and streamlines revenue forecasting, providing real-time insights on CRM data and reducing manual errors. Conclusion Custom Fiscal Years in Salesforce allow for precise data analysis over extended periods, aiding in the effective analysis of revenue, earnings, and other expenses. By understanding and leveraging Salesforce’s advanced capabilities, businesses can enhance their forecasting processes and make more informed financial decisions. Content updated June 2024. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Utilizing a managed services program for Salesforce can offer numerous benefits to your company: By hiring experts on a fixed hourly basis instead of full-time, you can pay for actual work hours, eliminating delays and downtime. This flexible agreement model is a preferred choice for businesses and contributes to reducing operational costs. Depending upon your needs you can purchase cost-effective hours for a reasonable turn around on work or premium hours for high priority projects. Managed Services provide ongoing support and maintenance to ensure the effective functioning of the Salesforce CRM in sync with the evolving needs of the organization. What is a Salesforce MSP? The MSP Track is designed by Salesforce for partners that engage with their customers in new ways by offering managed services. Unlike consulting partners involved during sales and implementation, MSP Partners provide services post-implementation or on an ongoing basis. Based in the United States, Tectonic offers managed services for your Salesforce ecosystem. Contact us today for more information. Salesforce MSP FAQs What program fees will I need to pay to join the MSP Partner Program?There are no annual program fees to join the MSP Partner Program. Can I join both Consulting and Managed Services Provider (MSP) Partner Programs?Yes. For FY24, the Managed Services Provider (MSP) Partner Program is exclusive to existing Consulting Partners. It’s an opportunity for us to grow the program and bring more value to customers together. How should I enroll in the MSP Partner Program?Please submit a case via Partner Community and mention “MSP Enrollment” in the title of the case. Once the case has been received, we will reach out and help you through the enrollment process. Who is qualified to join the MSP Partner Program?For FY24, the MSP Partner Program is exclusive to existing Consulting Partners. Partners who offer managed services, agency services, or Business Process as a Service (BPaaS) are qualified to enroll in the MSP Partner Program. These engagements include but are not limited to 6 categories: Administration Services, Support Services, Release & Change Services, Developer & Integration Services, Analytical Services, and AppExchange App Management. What happens if I don’t accept the Salesforce Partner Program Agreement (SPPA)?No one from your company will be able to log into the Partner Community until the SPPA is accepted by an authorized agent of your company. Review the SPPA help article for more information about the Salesforce Partner Program Agreement. How long do I keep my tier?If you are promoted to a higher tier during the Salesforce Fiscal Year (SFDC FY), you will maintain the highest tier you achieve for the rest of that SFDC FY and the entire next SFDC FY, after which you will be re-evaluated. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
