Salesforce Technical Architect Best Practices (Part II) : Planning and Product Adoption

Having gone multiple channels and adoption of Salesforce in wide domains. I started pointing down the common  features and practices that are applicable to any organization who have invested million in adopting Salesforce.com Platform. Again, this is very broad topic to discuss, but with my experience in dealing with multiple Architects, CIO's and sessions. I developed few practices and conclusion that is channelized through this series of post, I am writing series of post, which cover wide aspects of Salesforce ranging from building the team, organization and roadmap for implementation. I'll cover best practices, strategies on multiple aspects that an Architect have to think through while carving this platform for any organization.

Also read, Salesforce Technical Architect Series : Building Center of Excellence and Team

Salesforce Platform Entity Relationship and Diagram

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Entity Relations and Documentation (ERD)

Documentation and Enterprise Level of Entity is challenging specially in Agile Model. Take proper actions, to build prototype to structure process for user and developers.

Train Team to leverage these Materials to explain processes and structure to users

 Create High Level ERD

- Helps build high level layout of Object Relationships

Create Detailed ERD for the Platform

- Helps build Knowledge Document for both functional and technical Team
- Captures Entity relationships to identify gaps and impact for future enhancements/releases
- Detail ERD provides key Attributes for each entity within the platform
- Helps other application teams to understand the Platform Structure

Detail Documentation of End to End Process Flows

- Capture end to end process flows for each functionality rollout out
- Map process flows based on integrated applications to show end to end processes

Avail Share Picklist

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Leverage Scalable model for common picklist values

Same picklist values across multiple Objects 

- Configure once and leverage across multiple Objects
- Standardization of picklist values
- Standard dependent values defined once

Option 1 - Leverage Custom Objects

- Create Custom Object for managing picklist values that are associated as lookup relationships
- Data values based picklist that are common across multiple Objects
- Scalable and does not limit to list of values
- Dependent values defined once and leveraged across multiple Objects 

Option 2 - Leverage Future road map item of Global picklist values

- Work with Salesforce Product Management team to implement Global Picklist Values feature
- Help build picklist once and leverage across Org

Backup Recovery and Purge Process 

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Leverage Scalable model for common picklist values

Backup 

- Take frequent backup from Salesforce to your Data Warehouse
- Ensure to build strategy for Master Data backup and Transactional Data Backups
- Files if needed for enterprise backup strategy ensure that Interface is built to backup files frequently

Recovery 

- Create a Interface for recovery if data is accidently deleted by users in Salesforce
- Most of the Objects in Salesforce implementation, users cannot delete however
- Business Admin and System Admin can delete data ensure recovery process is in place
- Files are can be deleted by the Owner ensure there is a backup/recovery process in place 

Purge 

- Once data or files are no longer needed in Salesforce have a interface that can purge date after backup based on enterprise data/file retention policy

Increase Chatter Adoption

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Chatter Best Practices for Chatter Users 

Measure Usage 

Create Reports and Dashboards
Leverage AppExchange to Download Adoption Dashboards
Make Adoption Fun

Rewards Users 

- Create reward points program
- Monthly Newsletter
- Quiz’s with prizes
- Engage the team spirit by create team chatter groups to collaborate
- Use peer pressure 

Extend Chatter Within Organization

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Extended Chatter within the Organization and other departments to increase collaboration

 Build Chatter Collaboration with Organization by including broader user group

- Create Chatter Groups for different Departments within your Organization to collaborate
- Reward users within each Chatter Group
- Share knowledge and experience within chatter groups
- Promote Chatter for all communications
- Private Groups for Partner and Customer to deliver collaborative environment  with Internal Users

Roll out to other departments 

- IT Team
- Product Team
- Field Services
- Training Team
- All Executives and management team

Build Price Book Architecture

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Define a Price Book Architecture based on CPQ Tool

 Product Pricing for scalable CPQ Tool 

 - Configuring Products
 - SKU level pricing
 - Customer Pricing and Catalogue
 - Distributor/Partner Pricing and Catalogues
 - Discounting and Discount Approval Process
 - Online Ordering Tools/Integration

 - Build CPQ Tool to integrate with Opportunities

- Allow Users to start with Opportunity and manage multiple Quotes and  Configurations for single
   Opportunity
- Create Quote from Opportunity
- Sync Quote to Opportunity

Next Generation Service Cloud

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Build Service Cloud for Fields Reps and Service Organization

Consider Next Generation Service Cloud

- Fully Integrated System with Single View of your Customers
- Chatter for Collaboration within the Organization

One Platform for the Enterprise 

- Case Management – Route cases based on skills, products, priority with case escalation processes
- Knowledge Base – Search for Articles, Ideas, FAQs  or Step by Step Instructions
- SOS – Live video support using screen sharing and on-screen guided assistance
- CTI Integration
- Easy to roll out to Distributors via Partner Community
- Online access to End Customers via Customer Community
- Reports and Dashboards
- Live Agent
- Mobile ready

Stay in tune for continuation of series and chain of topics in upcoming posts.