Salesforce Certification

What is a Lead?

A Lead is essentially an unqualified prospect. For instance, a collection of business cards gathered at a convention would usually be entered as new leads. When a lead is qualified, it is then converted into a contact, account, and opportunity. Web-to-lead will allow you to accept website submissions directly as Salesforce leads. One lead = one person.

What is a Page Layout?

A page layout influences which fields are displayed and in what order when viewing or editing a record.

What is "Default Locale" for? (Company Profile Fields)

The default country or geographic region that is selected for new users in the organization. This setting determines the format of dates, times, and names in Salesforce. In Contact Manager, Group, Professional, Enterprise, Unlimited, Performance, and Developer Edition organizations, individual users can set their personal locale, which overrides the organization setting. In Group Edition, this field is called Locale.

How do you configure which languages can be selected when adding or modifying users.

The language settings page (Setup --> Company Profile --> Language Settings) determines which languages can be selected. Note that languages cannot be disabled if currently in use by a user.

What is a Quote?

A Quote can synchronize product data from its related opportunity record. A quote can be easily generated in PDF format for email delivery.

What is a Field?

A field is one data point within an object (e.g. "First Name" on the lead object).

What is List view?

A list view is used to quickly segment and action records within an object.

What is a Record?

A record is a row of field data within an object (e.g. the lead "John Smith").

What is a Tab?

A tab is used to expose an object and its data to the end user through the web interface.

What is the relationship between Chatter and record security?

A user must be able to view a record to see Chatter posts related to that record.

What is a Dashboard?

Dashboards are used to visually represent multiple reports on a single page. A dashboard is comprised of many components. Each component is typically a visual representation (chart) of report data.

What is Data?

Data is a set of values of qualitative or quantitative variables. Individual "pieces" of data are individual "pieces" of information. For instance, the custom field "Reason Lost" on the opportunity object is defined with metadata, while the opportunity records are data.

What is the difference between data and file storage.

Data storage is increased by adding records (leads, accounts, opportunities, etc.); File storage is increased by adding file attachments (Chatter files, Content files, etc.).

What is Data.com?

Data.com is a product offering from Salesforce that is a repository of both crowd-sourced and Dun & Bradstreet contact and account information. You can use data.com to source new leads, contacts, and accounts for your organization, as well as clean or update existing data.

What are Entitlement Processes?

Entitlement Processes are used to set a timeline for completion of different milestones (e.g. first response is required within 48 hours of case submission).

What are Entitlement Templates?

Entitlement Templates are used to define the terms of support (e.g. customer A is provided support via email only, while customer B is provided support via both email and phone).

What are Entitlements?

Entitlements are used to determine eligibility for support based on the customer's specific assets, accounts, or service contracts.

What is an Event?

Events are scheduled appointments, with a defined start and end time, similar to an appointment in Outlook.

What is "Fax" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Fax number. Up to 40 characters are allowed in this field.

What are Files?

Files are documents uploaded onto Salesforce and referenced in other areas, such as application logos and email templates. Other methods of document storage and distribution such as Chatter Files and Salesforce Content are generally more commonly used for the storage and distribution of documents.

What is the impact of changing fiscal year configuration within Salesforce?

Fiscal years impact forecasting, quotas, and reporting. Example: selecting a date filter 'Current FY' on an opportunity report is influenced by fiscal year configuration. Changing fiscal year configuration can result in data loss.

What is a Forecast?

Forecasts can be used to project revenue, and track sales quotas. There are multiple versions of forecasting. Many organizations use opportunity pipeline reporting instead of or in addition to forecasting.

What is the difference between Global Search and Sidebar Search in Salesforce Classic?

Global Search is enabled with Chatter, returns personalized results, and searches more information. Sidebar search is present when Chatter is disabled, returns static results, and searches less information.

What is the difference in search behavior between Salesforce Classic, Salesforce1, and Lightning Experience?

Global search in the full Salesforce site (whether Lightning Experience or Salesforce Classic) and the Salesforce1 mobile app uses the same search index, so you're always searching the same data. You see the same set of recently accessed records in instant results. The search scope (the list of objects you use the most) influences search results. Some standard objects aren't available in Salesforce1 and Lightning Experience, so you might not always see the exact same search results. And the global search interface is different between all these experiences, so there are visual and navigational differences to consider.

What is "Division" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Group or division that uses the service, for example, PC Sales Group. Up to 40 characters are allowed in this field.

What are Ideas?

Ideas allows users to create and vote on ideas. The most popular ideas score the most points. Ideas is ideally suited to capture product improvement ideas, and can be used in conjunction with a customer portal.

What is "Default Language" for? (Company Profile Fields)

The default language that is selected for new users in the organization. This setting determines the language used for the user interface text and help. In all editions except Personal Edition and Database.com, individual users can separately set the language for their own login, which will override the organization setting. In Group Edition, this field is called Display Language. This setting also determines the language in which all customizations—such as custom fields, tabs, and user interface options—are stored. For customizations, individual users' language settings do not override this setting. If you edit or clone existing filter criteria, make sure this setting matches the default language that was configured when the filter criteria was originally set. Otherwise, the filter criteria may not be evaluated as expected.

What is an Object?

An object is comprised of its field definitions and records.

What are the effects of configuring business hours and holidays?

Business hours and holidays impact when case escalation rules are triggered. Example: How long does it take to get back to a customer; When will employees be available around holidays.

What are the capabilities of Chatter Messenger?

Chatter Messenger allows Chatter users to chat in real time with other Chatter users.

What is "Country" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Country portion of user's address. Entry is selected from a picklist of standard values, or entered as text. Up to 80 characters are allowed if the field is a text field.

What is a Report?

Reports are used to display, summarize, and chart record data.

What are the components of the Company Profile?

1. Default User Settings 2. Used Data & File Space 3. API Usage 4. Org ID 5. Licensing Information 6. Fiscal Year Configuration 7. Business Hours & Holidays 8. My Domain 9. Language Settings

In what editions of Salesforce does API Access come standard?

1. Enterprise Edition 2. Unlimited Edition 3. Developer Edition 4. Performance Edition API Access does not come standard in the following editions: 1. Contact Edition 2. Group Edition 3. Professional Edition

What are Activities?

Activities are split into tasks and events.

What is "Admin Newsletter" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Allow administrators in your organization to choose whether they want to receive administrator-targeted promotional emails from Salesforce.

What is "Newsletter" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Allow users in your organization to choose whether they want to receive user-targeted promotional emails from Salesforce.

What is an Account?

An Account is typically an organization that is a qualified potential customer, an existing customer, partner, competitor, or has a relationship of similar significance. The account is the glue that holds the relationships (contacts) and interactions (activities, opportunities, cases, etc.) with an organization. The standard Salesforce account is configured for B2B (business to business) relationships. One account = one organization.

What is an Opportunity?

An Opportunity typically represents either a) a completed sale, b) a lost potential sale, or c) the potential for a future sale. Opportunity data is also referenced in forecasting.

What is a User Account?

An active User account is required for an individual of any role (employee, customer, partner) to login to your Salesforce org.

What is an Application?

An application is selected in the top right of the screen, and influences which tabs are displayed along the top navigation bar.

What are Answers?

Answers allows users to ask questions, which can be answered by other users. Answers can be used in conjunction with a customer portal to allow customers to ask and answers each others' questions.

What is an API?

Application Programming Interface

What is best practice for Salesforce administrators in response to the system updates?

As an administrator, it is a best practice to read through the release notes to see which improvements can be applied within your organization.

What is an Asset?

Asset(s) represent the products associated with an account, and can be referenced for support issues. For instance, a customer purchases a generator. This product would be listed on an opportunity as an opportunity line item. Upon sale completion, it may then be added to the account as an asset. When the customer calls in with a problem with the generator, a case is generated and references the asset.

What is a Campaign?

Campaign(s) are used to track and measure marketing efforts. Leads, contacts, and opportunities can be associated with campaigns. Campaign rollup summary fields, ROI reporting, and campaign hierarchy are then used to measure various campaign statistics.

What is a Case?

Case(s) are used to track support issues. If a customer purchases a product or service, and calls in for support, this would get tracked using a case record. An open case is unresolved, while a closed case is resolved. Email-to-case allows customers to email a generic address (e.g. [email protected]) to automatically generate a case. Web-to-case allows customers to submit a support request via a web form. One case = one support issue.

What are the capabilities of Chatter Answers?

Chatter Answers can be used to ask and answer questions directly within Chatter, indicate the best answer, and can be used within Communities.

What are the capabilities of Chatter Publisher Actions.

Chatter Publisher Actions allow an administrator to define actions (create a record, or invoke a VisualForce page) that a user can take quickly and directly from within their Chatter feed.

How do you deploy Chatter via profiles and permission sets (rather than org-wide)?

Chatter can be deployed to specific users via profiles or permission sets. To deploy Chatter in this fashion, you must raise a case with Salesforce.com.

What is Chatter?

Chatter is a built-in communication tool within Salesforce. It combines some features of Twitter, Facebook, and chat but is accessible only by users licensed in your Salesforce org. Chatter licensing options (including free) allow you to extend Chatter access to non-Salesforce users and customers.

What is "City" for? (Company Profile Fields)

City in which organization is located. Up to 40 characters are allowed in this field.

What is Cloud Computing?

Cloud computing is a broad term that generally refers to a service or software that is consumed via the internet.

What is a Contact?

Contact(s) store an individual's demographic information, such as phone numbers and email addresses, and are linked to accounts. If a contact is not linked to an account then it is a "private" contact and only viewable by the contact owner or salesforce administrator. One contact = one person.

What is Content?

Content is a method to upload and distribute documents and files in Salesforce.

What are Content libraries?

Content libraries are used to segment and secure access to content.

What is a Contract?

Contracts are generally used to represent legal agreements with an account.

What is the Groups tab for in the Chatter App?

The Groups tab allows users to find, follow, and create Chatter groups. There are 3 types of Chatter Groups: Public, Private, and Unlisted. Public groups can be seen and joined without permission by all users, private groups require permission to join but can be seen by all users, while unlisted groups are not displayed to all users (only seen by administrative users and group members; users cannot request to join, they must be added by a group manager). Public and Private Groups are available by default, while Unlisted Groups must be enabled

What is the People Tab for in the Chatter App?

The People tab allows users to search for and follow Chatter users.

What is the Profile tab for in the Chatter App?

The Profile tab allows a user to view and edit their Chatter profile.

Describe the term API, and how API usage differs from using the standard user interface.

The Salesforce API (application programming interface) allows programs external to Salesforce to interact with Salesforce data. Common examples of API usage include the Data Loader, and integrations. API usage is limited, while standard website usage is not.

What is the significance of the Salesforce Org ID.

The Salesforce Org ID is unique to every Salesforce Org (regardless of edition, sandbox or production).

What is "Fiscal Year Starts In" for? (Company Profile Fields)

It determines the Fiscal Calendar of the organization. If using a standard fiscal year, the starting month and year for the organization's fiscal year. If using a custom fiscal year, the value will be "Custom Fiscal Year."

How do you determine if a standard or custom fiscal year is appropriate?

It ultimately depends on your businesses financial model. Standard fiscal years have 4 quarters, 3 months per quarter; the administrator can configure the start or end month of a standard fiscal year. Custom fiscal years allow fiscal quarters to be determined by week, instead of by month; custom fiscal years should only be used when standard fiscal years are inadequate.

What are Joined reports?

Joined reports let you create multiple report blocks that provide different views of your data. Each block acts like a "sub-report," with its own fields, columns, sorting, and filtering. A joined report can even contain data from different report types. Joined reports are available only in Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer Editions.

What are Tabular reports?

Tabular reports are the simplest and fastest way to look at data. Similar to a spreadsheet, they consist simply of an ordered set of fields in columns, with each matching record listed in a row. Tabular reports are best for creating lists of records or a list with a single grand total. They can't be used to create groups of data or charts, and can't be used in dashboards unless rows are limited. Examples include contact mailing lists and activity reports.

What is a Task?

Tasks are phone calls, emails, and other follow up items. They have an associated date, and an optional reminder. They will appear in open activities until updated to a completed status, and will then appear in activity history.

What is the Files tab for in the Chatter App?

The Files tab allows users to search for files posted to Chatter, and upload new files to their Chatter feed.

What are Knowledge Articles?

Knowledge Articles is a method used to capture responses to commonly requested information (e.g. here are the specific steps to remove paper from this printer when jammed). Knowledge is similar in function to Solutions, but is more feature rich and better integrated with the Service Cloud (and carries an additional license fee as well).

What are Matrix reports?

Matrix reports are similar to summary reports but allow you to group and summarize data by both rows and columns. They can be used as the source report for dashboard components. Use this type for comparing related totals, especially if you have large amounts of data to summarize and you need to compare values in several different fields, or you want to look at data by date and by product, person, or geography. Matrix reports without at least one row and one column grouping show as summary reports on the report run page.

What is Metadata?

Metadata is data that provides information about other data. There are two types of metadata: "structural metadata" and "descriptive metadata". Configuration within Salesforce, including object and field definitions is stored within metadata. For instance, the custom field "Reason Lost" on the opportunity object is defined with metadata, while the opportunity records are data.

What are Milestones?

Milestones are defined steps that support reps must complete as they respond to the case (e.g. returning a customer call or sending a customer an email).

What is Multitenancy?

Multitenancy is a software structure in which a single instance of software runs on a server and serves multiple users/tenants. Tenants/Users share a common access with specific privileges designed for each tenant.

Describe how to monitor API usage within Salesforce.

Navigate to the company information page within Salesforce (Setup --> Company Profile --> Company Information). API usage is limited with a 24-hour period. The limit depends on which edition of Salesforce you are using and how many user licenses you have.

What are the implications of enabling a custom fiscal year.

Once enabled, custom fiscal years cannot be disabled. Custom fiscal years have fairly significant implications for developers and AppExchange package compatability; make sure they are truly needed before enabling.

What are Opportunity Products?

Opportunity Products represent the products sold as line items within an opportunity (e.g. 2 widgets for $5,000/each).

What are the advantages of posting a file attachment using Chatter?

Posting a file attachment using Chatter uses Salesforce Files to manage the file; this is discussed in greater detail in the Content section. When you use the Chatter feed to post a file to a record in Salesforce, two things happen: 1. All users with view access to the record are granted the ability to view the Chatter file. 2. Chatter will post a link to the file in the Notes and Attachments related list listed with type "Feed Attachment".

What is a Price Book?

Price Book(s) are used to establish different pricing structures for products. For instance, your high-volume customers may receive a different price for many or all products than small-volume customers.

What is "Default Time Zone" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Primary time zone in which the organization is located. A user's individual Time Zone setting overrides the organization's Default Time Zone setting. Note: Organizations in Arizona should select "Mountain Standard Time," and organizations in parts of Indiana that do not follow Daylight Savings Time should select "Eastern Standard Time."

What is a Product?

Product(s) are typically used to store information about the goods or services that your organization sells. This would include specifics like the name, product code, MSRP or sale price, and other details.

What is SaaS - Software As A Service?

SaaS - Software As A Service is a software licensing and delivery model in which software is licensed on a subscription basis and is centrally hosted. As a consumer of SaaS product, you pay a recurring fee for access to a service/software (e.g. yearly licenses for Salesforce.com, Amazon Prime, LinkedIn).

What is "Currency Locale" for? (Company Profile Fields)

The country or geographic region in which the organization is located. The setting affects the format of currency amounts. For single currency organizations only.

What is "Corporate Currency" for? (Company Profile Fields)

The currency in which the organization's corporate headquarters reports revenue. Serves as the basis for all currency conversion rates. Only for organizations that use multiple currencies.

How does Salesforce provide new releases through their platform?

Salesforce updates their platform 3 times per year (Winter, Spring, Summer), and includes new features or other improvements. All Salesforce orgs are automatically updated with the latest release (according to the release schedule emailed to administrators) for free.

What are the capabilities of "Global Search" and "Chatter Search"?

Search efficiently finds what you're looking for by breaking apart your search terms and finding matches for them from the index.

What is "Hide Notices About System Downtime" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Select this checkbox to prevent advance notices about planned system downtime from displaying to users when they log in to Salesforce.

What is "Hide Notices About System Maintenance" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Select this checkbox to prevent advance notices about planned system maintenance from displaying to users when they log in to Salesforce.

What are Service Contracts?

Service Contracts are used to represent an agreement between you and your customers (e.g. warranty, subscription, or SLA).

What is Site.com?

Site.com is a product offering by Salesforce that allows users to create websites with dynamic content driven from data within their Salesforce org; Community Designer (released in beta in the Winter 15 release) will largely supersede Site.com by offering the use of templates to build and manage dynamic content. Sites without templates can still be constructed using Site.com.

What is a Solution?

Solutions are used to document and communicate common resolutions to cases. For instance, if customer A calls in with a problem and steps 1-5 must be taken to resolve the issue, these steps can be entered into a solution. When customer B calls in with the same problem, instead of retyping steps 1-5, the customer support agent can reference the solution to quickly communicate the resolution.

What are the Standard Components in Salesforce?

Standard Applications: - App Launcher - Call Center - Community - Content - Marketing - Sales - Salesforce Chatter - Site.com Standard Objects: - Leads - Account - Opportunities - Chatter - Campaigns - Contacts - Forecast - Contracts - Orders - Cases - Solutions - Products - Reports

What is the difference between standard and custom components?

Standard components are included or added by Salesforce, while custom components are added by an administrator. The options for customizing standard components are more limited than custom components (e.g. you cannot delete standard fields/objects/tabs).

What is "Address" for? (Company Profile Fields)

Street address of the organization. Up to 255 characters are allowed in this field.

What are Summary reports?

Summary reports are similar to tabular reports, but also allow users to group rows of data, view subtotals, and create charts. They can be used as the source report for dashboard components. Use this type for a report to show subtotals based on the value of a particular field or when you want to create a hierarchical list, such as all opportunities for your team, subtotaled by Stage and Owner. Summary reports with no groupings show as tabular reports on the report run page.

What is "API Requests, Last 24 Hours" for? (Company Profile Fields)

The total number of API requests issued by the organization in the last 24 hours. The maximum number of requests depends on your Edition.

What are the capabilities of Salesforce Chatter Topics?

Topics can be primarily used in two ways: 1. Inline in a chatter post by using a hashtag (e.g. #topic). 2. Once topics are enabled for an object, users can add topics to records of that object. Records associated with a topic can then be viewed from the Chatter topic. Topics can also be referenced in list views on objects where topics is enabled. Important note: Creating a Chatter post with a #topic inline on a record (#1 above) does not associate that record to the topic. You must specifically specify the topic on the record itself. For example, topics is enabled on the lead object. I create a Chatter post on the lead record stating "This lead is #hot!". The Chatter post is tagged with the topic #hot - not the lead itself. Therefore the lead would not appear within a list view for the topic #hot (unless I specifically added the topic to the lead).

What is "Modified By" for? (Company Profile Fields)

User who last changed the company information, including modification date and time. (Read only)

What is "Created By" for? (Company Profile Fields)

User who signed up the organization, including creation date and time. (Read only)

What are the options for inviting non-Salesforce users to participate in Chatter?

Users can optionally invite coworkers and/or customers to participate in Chatter. Chatter free licenses can be used to extend access to Chatter for no cost. Invitations can be enabled/disabled via configuration: Setup --> Customize --> Chatter --> Settings.

What is Chatter feed tracking?

When feed tracking is enabled for an object, each time one or more tracked fields is updated, a Chatter post is automatically generated.