Salesforce undoubtedly is a leading name in the CRM space and enjoys a wide adoption rate among businesses across different industries. Besides the flexibility and scalability offered by the platform, this client success platform has become a highly sought-after platform due to its multitenant architecture. To draw the most out your Salesforce investment, it can be either be configured or customized as per the unique needs of your business. Whether an organization opts for Salesforce configuration or customization, they must seek support from a certified Salesforce implementation partner.
While the platform can be configured easily and can be tailored to meet organizational goals, yet Salesforce might have limited potential when it comes to unique business challenges. Organizations need to configure their application to ensure optimum performance and platform limits for their Salesforce projects.
The use of Salesforce configuration or customization, everything is focused on creating new functionalities so that the users can get the most out of this platform.
With so much buzz around Salesforce configuration vs customization, it’s easy to understand whether both are same or are they completely different from each other.
All About Salesforce Configuration
Salesforce configuration is done within the CRM, where user-defined values are used to add new fields, creating profiles, setting workflows and more to support your business goals.
By leveraging built-in tools, features, and components, you can configure Salesforce to align with best business practices and significantly boost ROI. Unlike customization, configuration is a cost-effective approach, as it uses existing functionalities to enhance performance and stability.
While configuration can involve complex processes, partnering with one of the best Salesforce consultants can ensure optimal results and a seamless experience.
By using built-in tools and features, you can increase productivity and improve conversion rates. Salesforce configuration also streamlines user support, ensures appropriate access for employees, and minimizes code redundancy.
Key features of Salesforce configuration
- It enables the activation of certain features/modules through user-defined values.
- To ensure timely and budget-friendly setup, companies can engage expert Salesforce administrators for initial configuration tasks.
- Configuration gives you control over program settings by allowing changes via the admin panel.
- Adjusting settings in the Salesforce pane through configuration helps you integrate new fields, workflows, surveys, and reports seamlessly.
- With a pre-configured Salesforce application, customers can easily obtain the functionality they need.
Skills Required
Configuration of Salesforce is simpler than customization, as the functions and features are already available within your existing Salesforce platform. The key lies in knowing how to leverage them effectively. Getting in touch with an expert to train your team on the features and their proper use can be highly beneficial. Consider partnering with a Salesforce Administrator familiar with the specific version of Salesforce you’ve implemented.
Benefits of Salesforce Configuration
- Supports a wide range of clients and user types
- Allows businesses of any size to customize employee access as needed
- Offers robust flexibility to adapt to changing needs
- Eliminates code duplication for cleaner, more efficient solutions
- Enhances development and operational efficiency for clients
- Centralizes logic management for streamlined control and oversight
Drawbacks of Using Salesforce Configuration
- It can be challenging to build and maintain
- As each component needs to be accounted for, testing becomes complex
- Multiple approaches may lead to code instability
Also Read – Key Benefits of Salesforce Managed Services
All About Salesforce Customization
Salesforce customization involves developing custom code to add features that align seamlessly with your business processes and bring your unique ideas to life. It goes beyond standard Salesforce configuration, which may not always meet specific requirements.
Customization allows users to fine-tune functionality of their platform while tailoring it to their specific needs and even creating custom apps for specialized tasks.
Unlike configuration, which is designed for broad usage across various industries, customization targets specific user groups. While this tailored approach can boost user satisfaction, it’s crucial to strike a balance, as over customization can complicate future upgrades.
Key Features of Salesforce Customization
- It allows users to define custom values that enable specific features or modules to begin functioning.
- Organizations can consider hiring experienced administrators to configure initial settings and ensure the project is completed within the set timeline and budget.
- Configuration enables you to use the admin panel to modify settings and toggle features within the programs.
- Salesforce configuration allows you to add new fields, modules, workflows, surveys, and reports by adjusting settings within the Salesforce interface.
- Customers can meet their expectations by configuring and utilizing a pre-built Salesforce application.
Skills Required
Customization of Salesforce usually requires external support and expertise. For effective implementation of customizations, you’ll require the support of one of the best Salesforce Consultants, Developer, or a certified Implementation Partner.
Benefits of Salesforce Customization
- Easier to develop since it is tailored precisely to the client’s requirements.
- Leads to higher client retention and satisfaction by directly fulfilling the client’s specific needs.
- Has no effect on other parts of the application.
- Ideal for customized websites and seamless systems integration.
- Offers a wide range of functionalities to choose from.
Drawbacks of Using Salesforce Customization
- It is difficult to maintain.
- Future scalability of applications becomes uncertain.
- Excessive customization can hinder scalability and make maintenance challenging.
Also Read – How to Integrate Salesforce with Microsoft SharePoint?
Salesforce Customization vs Configuration: Quick Comparison
| Feature | Salesforce Configuration | Salesforce Customization |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Modifying Salesforce using built-in tools and settings without coding. | Extending or altering Salesforce functionality using custom code and development. |
| Complexity | Low to moderate complexity. | High complexity, requires development skills. |
| Implementation Time | Faster to implement. | Takes longer due to coding, testing, and deployment. |
| Tools Used | Point-and-click tools like workflows, process builder, validation rules, and reports. | Apex (programming language), Visualforce, Lightning Components, and APIs. |
| Flexibility | Limited to standard Salesforce features and settings. | Highly flexible, allowing custom solutions beyond standard capabilities. |
| Cost | Lower cost since it doesn’t require development expertise. | Higher cost due to the need for developers and additional resources. |
| Example Use Cases | Creating custom fields, modifying page layouts, setting up workflows and automation, using reports and dashboards. | Developing custom integrations, creating Visualforce pages, building custom Lightning components, implementing complex business logic. |
| Maintenance | Easier to maintain with minimal risk of breaking updates. | Requires ongoing maintenance, testing, and potential updates with new Salesforce releases. |
| Best For | Businesses that need quick, out-of-the-box solutions without deep technical expertise. | Companies with unique requirements that cannot be met with standard Salesforce features. |
Salesforce Customization vs Configuration: Buying Guide
When to Opt for Salesforce Configuration?
It makes sense to opt for Salesforce configuration under the following situations.
- Leverage built-in tools, modules and features to their maximum potential.
- Optimize business processes by applying tailored logic within the Salesforce platform.
- Develop custom functionality to fulfil the needs of multiple users.
- Achieve goals within constraints of time, budget, and available resources.
When to Opt for Salesforce Customization?
Salesforce customizations should be opted for in the following situations:
- Requires integration of external applications.
- If Salesforce Configuration fails to provide desired customer satisfaction.
- If you require strengthening and stabilizing your operations with a robust CRM.
- If supporting the operations of sales team requires the introduction of new capabilities.
- If computation of complex features is required.
- If requirement of time, budget and resource is unlimited.
Salesforce Customization vs Configuration: Best Practices
Best Practices of Salesforce Configuration
Determine the best practices and necessary settings that will help improve the features of your Salesforce and increase the effectiveness of interactions with your sales team.
- Run Field Utilization Reports: With this Salesforce configuration, you can identify any data sources that may be compromising data quality. A practical approach to address this is by removing fields that remain blank at least 30% of the time. Additionally, it’s advisable to deprecate underutilized fields to maintain a cleaner, more efficient system.
- Deactivate Inactive Users: Users who do not require accessing Salesforce — whether due to role changes or leaving the company should be deactivated. This helps enhance the overall efficiency and performance of your Salesforce environment.
- Monitor for Errors: Regularly review any Salesforce configuration errors that may arise. It’s equally important to analyze debug logs to prevent last-minute issues. Whenever an external application syncs data with Salesforce, be sure to check its error logs for any emerging error patterns. This proactive approach helps maintain system stability and data integrity.
- Review the Login History Table: This configuration enables you to identify user lockouts and monitor for excessive login errors. Regularly reviewing this table helps ensure secure and uninterrupted user access.
- Run APEX Tests: As part of Salesforce configuration, it’s essential to run all APEX tests within your Salesforce environment. This helps identify any new errors that may have resulted from data cleanup, or modifications to validation rules or triggers.
- Maintain an Updated Setup Audit Trail: This practice involves reviewing changes, additions, or deletions made in the past week. Ensure all updates are documented and properly annotated within the original area of change to maintain clear records and support system integrity.
Best Practices of Salesforce Customization
For successful customization of Salesforce, it’s crucial to follow certain best practices. Outlined below are key guidelines to help you customize effectively, and with confidence.
- Plan Ahead: It’s crucial to plan in advance for customization as it ensures scalable implementation.
- Organizing Salesforce customizations: This ensures you’re not just building efficiently, but also focusing on the most effective solutions first.
- Development and Testing: A Salesforce sandbox environment should be used to develop and test customizations in a controlled way to ensure live data and users remain unaffected.
- Seek Support of professionals: This is done to ensure your customizations are efficient, scalable, and aligned with best practices.
- Leverage supporting tools: The application customization process becomes more efficient through the use of Salesforce AppExchange solutions together with low-code platforms and development utilities.
- Repeated Testing: Testing every custom modification should be completed in a sandbox environment before the deployment to production to find problems and address them. Through this testing method organizations achieve both performance stability and peak operation.
- Adopt Naming conventions: The implementation of proper naming conventions should apply to objects as well as fields and components to achieve better understanding and better teamwork and extended system sustainability.
- Document your customizations thoroughly: Provided documentation should feature descriptions along with purpose information along with usage details to keep other developers on track with the feature and its evolution.
- Offer Help Texts: Add clear and concise help texts to custom fields and features to guide users and enhance the overall user experience.
Salesforce Customization vs Configuration: Assess Your Needs
Mentioned below is a checklist that can help you assess your current CRM requirements:
Define Your Goals
Your initial step should include specifying your targets together with all necessary capabilities for their achievement. If you do not consider this you risk wasting resources as well as time. Attach yourself to an experienced Salesforce consultant and your business situation will start to transform.
Evaluate What You Need vs. What You Have
Starting your decision about configuration versus customization requires you to compare your present system capabilities to both short-term and long-term organizational requirements. Companies typically select Salesforce configuration first to handle present requirements until business development calls for customization needs. Your understanding of the platform remains limited when you try to implement customization because it creates an overwhelming situation.
Assess Your Available Expertise
Separate the range of Salesforce expertise from internal sources from other sources that you can readily use. You must determine if your organization will handle the work independently or if you need to hire Salesforce specialists or possibly hire both types of staff. Determine if your project requires complete external management or needs such support only for internal teams’ education along with assistance. The process of customization demands higher technical competence than the process of configuration.
Focus on End Users
You must keep your clients in mind while implementing Salesforce. Allowing your users to test the solution before implementing it can lead to successful integration. You must also ensure that your users understand your objectives and train them accordingly, as per best practices.
Why Should Businesses Seek CRM Support?
Whether you need to tailor Salesforce to align with user expectations or augment it for maximum ROI, it makes sense to associate with one of the best Salesforce Consultants. Such a consultant will not just guide you through the complexities but will help you find the best solution for your needs. This will be followed by seamless implementation and success.
However, it’s essential to find out how customization and configuration differ from each other. Since, both play a major role in attaining your business objectives, managing these aspects wisely becomes extremely crucial. By assessing your business needs, you can draw most out of your CRM.
Salesforce Customization vs Configuration: How to Strike the Right Balance?
Your decision should align with your business goals, complexity, and scalability needs. You must opt for configuration when standard features can meet your needs at a reduced cost. However, when standard features fail to serve the purpose, customization can offer the desired flexibility and power. But wonder how you can strike the right balance? You must seek support from a reputed consultant who will suggest you the right approach after assessing your needs. They will enable you to craft a solution that is cost-effective, as well as future-proof.
Conclusion
Businesses should understand the differences between Salesforce configuration vs customization in order to manage CRM systems effectively.
Configuration is the process by which it is possible to optimize the various features within the Salesforce system to suit different organizational requirements while using the default code or formulas. It is rather easy and usually does not presuppose any special knowledge. The settings control the abilities and options of the CRM according to the business processes of the company.
Customization goes beyond configuration where new code is added or existing code is modified to come up with new features. It includes higher adaptability, increased possibilities to incorporate specific business needs into the system, but at the same time – it increases the level of system’s complexity, its cost, and various issues related to subsequent system upgrades.
Therefore, selecting configuration in preference to customization or vice versa shall be aligned with the operational objectives and resource competence, so that Salesforce can be effectively utilized towards closer relationship with the clients.
