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The Salesforce ecosystem is one of the fastest-growing ecosystems in the technology world. Professionals from other technologies and legacy systems are moving to Salesforce to venture into new career possibilities. In today’s situation, the best way to enter the ecosystem is to become a Salesforce Administrator. The Salesforce Admins play a vital role in managing an organization’s customer relationships and CRM platform. So, the demand for Salesforce admins is gradually moving up. In the United States alone, 48k new admin jobs were posted in the year 2018, and the number is still counting. With that, it has become more essential than ever before to clear the basics of the Salesforce platform if you are a beginner and want to explore a career opportunity in the Salesforce ecosystem.
If you are a beginner, learn which Salesforce certification is best for you and start your journey. Explore the list of Salesforce certifications and other necessary details here.
This guide will help you become familiar with the essential resources to follow to learn the basics of Salesforce admin.
Before exploring the resources, let’s briefly look at the history and introduction of the Salesforce platform.
What is Salesforce?
Salesforce is a Software as a Service (SaaS) CRM platform that provides cloud-based applications to organizations to help them manage their customer relationships and data.
Marc Benioff founded Salesforce in 1999. Salesforce is well-known for its unique and promising features; you can easily integrate it with any other platform, providing quick and efficient data import and export, etc.
Salesforce was established as a Software as a Service (SaaS) in the initial years but later transformed into the Platform as a Service (PaaS). It is regarded as the most significant customer success platform because it offers Lead Management, Opportunity Management, Account and Contact Management, Sales Forecasts, Enterprise Territory Management, etc.
As an aspiring Admin, it is also crucial to learn the service nature of the Platform. It includes Case Management, Omni-Channel Case Routing, Entitlements, Escalations, etc.
1. Salesforce as Software as a Service Platform:
Users don’t need to download, install, or set up anything on their computer. They just have to log in and use the software applications across the cloud.
2. Salesforce as Platform as a Service Platform:
You can deploy apps using the code created by other developers instead of needing a separate platform to deploy apps. You can customize the code according to your needs.
3. Salesforce as Infrastructure as a Service Platform:
You don’t need to host any app specifically for storing the data. The apps are stored in the cloud.
Why Use Salesforce?
The Salesforce platform provides better tools and services as a cloud-based platform than any other out there in the market. The organization using Salesforce doesn’t have to deal with lengthy installation and complex maintenance procedures. So, you are relieved of uninstalling and installing newer versions of software as you did in the past. With Salesforce, companies have effortless access to the internet and their data all time as Salesforce provides an uptime of almost 99%.
Unlike other CRM platforms, Salesforce CRM is faster and more affordable. It fulfills the needs of all sizes of companies and organizations. It can be deployed within days, weeks, or months, depending on the intensity and complexity of the business process, and the focus is not only on the infrastructure but also on its affordability.
Also Read – Getting Started with Salesforce in 2023
Understanding the Role of a Salesforce Administrator
As a Salesforce Administrator, you hold a central role in your organization, navigating between the business and technical teams. You’re like a superhero, juggling various responsibilities while wearing multiple hats.
Key Responsibilities
The role of a Salesforce Administrator is multifaceted, involving diverse tasks that help keep the Salesforce platform optimized for business needs.
- User Management: Salesforce admins are responsible for creating and managing user profiles. This involves granting appropriate access and permissions based on roles and responsibilities within the organization. User management also includes providing necessary training and support to users to enable efficient utilization of Salesforce functionalities.
- Customization and Configuration: As a Salesforce Admin, you’re responsible for customizing the Salesforce platform to match the specific requirements of your organization. This involves creating custom fields and objects, setting up page layouts, designing user-friendly dashboards, and defining workflow rules.
- Data Management: Salesforce Admins manage data imports and exports, ensure data quality, and carry out necessary data cleanups. This involves maintaining data security and compliance, setting up appropriate sharing rules, and enforcing data validation processes.
- Security and Access Management: Salesforce admins enforce security within Salesforce. They set up role hierarchies, sharing rules, and profiles that determine the level of access and permissions that users have within the platform.
- Maintenance and Troubleshooting: Salesforce Admins ensure that the Salesforce platform runs smoothly. They troubleshoot any issues that arise, manage software updates, and coordinate with the Salesforce support team when necessary.
Also Read – What Is a Salesforce Administrator?
Required Skills
A Salesforce Administrator’s skill set combines both technical and non-technical skills.
Technical Skills:
- Salesforce platform knowledge: A thorough understanding of the Salesforce platform and its capabilities is essential. This includes knowledge of configuration options, data models, security models, and the various Salesforce applications.
- Data Management: The ability to manage and interpret data within Salesforce, including experience with reports and dashboards.
- Problem-Solving: Administrators should be able to troubleshoot and solve issues that arise within the Salesforce platform.
Non-Technical Skills:
- Communication: As a Salesforce Admin, you will often be the bridge between different teams. Excellent communication skills are crucial to gather requirements effectively, providing user training, and presenting data insights.
- Project Management: Salesforce Admins often manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously. Project management skills can help prioritize tasks, manage timelines, and ensure efficient execution of projects.
- Analytical Thinking: Being able to interpret business needs and translate them into Salesforce solutions requires strong analytical skills.
Becoming a Salesforce Administrator requires a blend of these technical and non-technical skills, making it a role that is both challenging and rewarding. By developing these skills and mastering Salesforce functionalities, you can unlock an exciting career in the Salesforce ecosystem.
Also Read – Salesforce Admin Career Path 2023
A Step-by-Step Guide to Salesforce Admin
1. Explore the Official Website of Salesforce Admin
Visiting and scrolling through the website will give you a plethora of resources from where you can learn about Salesforce, particularly the Salesforce admin role. Furthermore, you will get information about useful videos, webinars, podcasts, and events. You can subscribe to the webinars from the website itself. Check out our in-depth guide on Salesforce Admin exam.
2. Salesforce Admin Podcast
The Salesforce admin podcast will give you advice and information about new tools of the Salesforce ecosystem. It is conducted by real Salesforce Admins who contribute their time and energy to making the Salesforce ecosystem a better place. They are transforming their communities, organizations, and careers. So, there is no better way to start as a Salesforce admin beginner than to listen to the experiences and stories of the admins themselves.
3. Trailhead and the Trailhead Community
Complete the Salesforce Admin Beginner trail on Trailhead to master Salesforce’s basic concepts and features. You earn points and badges while doing that, which is a feel-good factor, and soon can become a Trailhead Ranger once you complete 100 badges. Salesforce Trailblazer Community will give you insights into others’ work and experiences. You can clear your doubts and learn from their experiences to perform better in your job role. Answer others’ questions on the day-to-day challenges people face. Again, there are two benefits of doing that. One, you learn about the challenges and how to tackle them, and two, you earn points for answering the questions. If you do this consistently, you could find yourself featured in the answers leaderboard. So, the Trailhead and Trailblazer communities keep you motivated to keep yourself updated and help the community.
Also Read – Salesforce Admin Resources
4. Get Hands-On Experience
You can work on real-life projects or find a job in the Salesforce ecosystem to get experience. Getting some background will help you better understand the working and features of the Platform. Another way to get hands-on experience is to volunteer your skills to a non-profit organization who uses Salesforce. That way, the organization can get their Salesforce system in place, and you get experience and acquire skills along the way. Helping a non-profit is a noble thing to do in today’s world, and it will give you a sense of satisfaction to give back to the community. Once you have got some experience, document it and showcase it on your resume. You can include the kind of project that you worked on, the level of complexity, etc.
5. Stay Connected to the Salesforce World
Stay engaged and involved in the Salesforce ecosystem by attending webinars, events, and conferences frequently. Find the events near you and follow them to know what it feels like to be a part of the system and learn something new. Attending the events will teach you more about the functioning of the Platform, and it is the best place to build connections. Who knows, you might find a mentor there.
6. Join an Online Course and Learn Through Innovative Methods
If you are a beginner, it would be best to subscribe to an online course. Doing so will guide you and streamline your preparation for the Salesforce Administrator certification. You will also get mock exams and practice tests necessary to strengthen your preparation for the certification exam. Get 2X certified by enrolling in our Salesforce Admin Training program.
Also Read – How to Become a Salesforce Administrator?
To Sum Up
To get started with Salesforce, use Trailhead. Trailhead is the best resource for beginners just starting their journey in Salesforce. Learning Salesforce can initially seem daunting, but with the right strategy and guidance, you can obtain the Salesforce Admin certification in as little as two weeks. So, enroll in the saasguru’s Salesforce Admin course and begin your journey.
Want to know the opportunities after Salesforce Admin certification? – Check out our blog on what’s next after Salesforce Admin certification.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the best way to learn Salesforce administration?
The best way to learn Salesforce Administration is through a combination of formal training, hands-on experience, and self-study. Enrolling in Salesforce Administrator certification courses, participating in workshops, and completing online tutorials can provide a solid foundation. Additionally, gaining practical experience by working on real-world projects and exploring Trailhead, Salesforce’s free learning platform, can help reinforce the knowledge and skills required for successful Salesforce administration.
2. What are the different types of Salesforce admin tasks?
Salesforce Admins are responsible for various tasks, including user management, data maintenance, creating and customizing objects, designing workflows, managing security settings, generating reports and dashboards, integrating third-party applications, and providing ongoing support and training to users.
3. What are the different tools and resources available to Salesforce admins?
Salesforce Admins have access to several tools and resources to support their work. Some key ones include Salesforce Trailhead, which offers guided learning paths and interactive modules, Salesforce Help & Training, which provides documentation and support resources, the Salesforce Success Community for networking and collaboration, and AppExchange for finding and implementing third-party solutions.
4. What are the different challenges faced by Salesforce Admins?
Salesforce Admins may encounter challenges such as dealing with data quality issues, managing complex security and access settings, addressing user adoption and training concerns, integrating with other systems, keeping up with platform updates and changes, and handling large-scale data migrations or system implementations.
5. How can Salesforce Admins stay up-to-date on the latest Salesforce features and functionality?
Salesforce Admins can stay up-to-date on the latest features and functionality by regularly checking Salesforce release notes and updates, participating in Salesforce webinars and events, joining user groups and community forums, attending Dreamforce (Salesforce’s annual conference), and continuing their learning journey on platforms like Trailhead and Salesforce training courses.
6. What are the different career paths available to Salesforce Admins?
Salesforce Admins have various career paths to explore based on their interests and expertise. They can specialize further in areas like Sales Cloud, Service Cloud, or Marketing Cloud Administration, advance to become Salesforce Consultants or Solution Architects, transition to roles as Salesforce developers or analysts, or explore management positions within Salesforce teams or consulting firms. Continuous learning and staying updated on industry trends can open up new opportunities for career growth in the Salesforce ecosystem.
