Salesforce Optimizer

Get Started with Salesforce Optimizer

• One of the fundamental laws of our universe is that things tend to lose structure over time - same is true of Salesforce orgs.
  • Admins struggle with decluttering in general. Where do you start?
  • Disorder can creep in just about everywhere in the setup tree, from Apex to Workflow Rules.
• Salesforce Optimizer was created to help with decluttering - it is a powerful, free, simple tool that scans an org and looks for potential problems.
  • Salesforce Optimizer gives you detailed data right inside your org on more than 50 metrics covering everything from storage, fields, custom code, custom layouts for objects, reports and dashboards, etc.
  • For each metric, Salesforce Optimizer tells you:
    1. What the tool has found
    2. What you should do about it
    3. Resources to learn more
  • This blueprint empowers an admin team to build a plan to address problem areas, prepare for lightning, or improve user satisfaction.
• Salesforce Optimizer helps with the following in particular:
  • Not knowing where to start - Salesforce Optimizer generates a list sorted by type, level of effort, and status to help identify where to begin
  • User complaints about slow performance, busy page layouts - field creep is real and common. Salesforce Optimizer combs through custom fields and pages layouts to identify potential candidates for cleanup.
  • Salesforce governor limits - get details on common governor limits so you can avoid them before things start breaking
  • New Salesforce releases - Salesforce Optimizer recommends new features that provide value from Salesforce’s three releases per year
  • Migrating from Classic to Lightning Experience - Run a report to see which fields, layouts, automation, Apex code, and other configurations you’re not using so you can remove them. Then, only transition the stuff you need.
    
    
• Salesforce Optimizer’s output: detailed list of many common usage and performance metrics for your org
• Two ways Salesforce Optimizer can help improve the org:
  • Uncovers potential performance bottlenecks, identifies best practices for configurations that drive feature adoption and productivity

Run a Scan and Review the Findings

• Salesforce Optimizer is a Lightning app available in Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions - both production and sandbox environments.
  • Run Salesforce Optimizer via: Setup > Quick Find > “Optimizer”
    
    
• Salesforce Optimizer generates a list of findings, sorted by status.
  • Most urgent items have status “Review Required” and are at the top of the list.
  • Clicking into any row will show specific results from the scan as well as recommended actions and links to resources.
    
    
• Most common and critical issues:
  • Fields of fields: common to see objects with hundreds of fields. Up to 800 fields per object are allowed, depending on edition.
    • Salesforce optimizer flags any object with more than 350 fields
    • Look in results list for “Field Usage” row
    • Too many fields can be annoying and painful for users to churn and scroll through, which can make adoption and usage suffer
    • Data List section in Field usage shows whether those fields are populated with data - empty fields provide no value to users
  • Automation overload: if there is too much automation on a single object, end users can experience slow performance.
    • If Salesforce Optimizer flags these items, take steps to simplify
  • Multiple triggers per Object: Salesforce Optimizer doesn’t like to see multiple Apex Triggers on the same object
    • This anti-pattern (bad programming practice) can cause you to hit Apex limits, which creates bad experiences for your users and your integrations
    • No way to control the order in which these triggers execute
    • Salesforce recommends having a single trigger per object and using helper classes to do the heavy lifting
  • No My Domain: Salesforce Optimizer flags if “My Domain” isn’t turned on
    • My Domain is required is required for a number of other features, like single sign-on with an external identity provider
  • Too many admins
    • Salesforce Optimizer considers any user with “Modify All Data” and “Customize Application” permissions an admin.
    • This help article provides guidance on the right number of Salesforce admins - reference table below
    • Other considerations:
      • In small businesses, role of an admin is not necessarily full-time. In initial stages of implementation, role requires much more concentrated time. After go-live, managing Salesforce CRM day-to-day requires much less time.
      • If several business units use Salesforce CRM solutions - sales, marketing, support, professional services, etc - consider using separate administrators for each group
      • Another common practice is “delegated administrators” for specific tasks
      • If there are multiple geographic regions, consider using one administrator for each of them
      • If you need customization beyond the declarative capabilities of Salesforce CRM or want to develop new applications, you may need a developer to create, test, implement custom code