Salesforce Platform:
Salesforce Platform is a Business Application Development Platform.
Business Application:
Business Application is a software that supports a specific department of a business, such as Sales, Service, Marketing, Commerce, IT, etc., to efficiently perform their relevant activities.
Business Application Development:
Business Application Development refers to the process of developing and deploying business applications to improve the operational efficiency of a business.
Business Application Development Platform:
Business Application Development Platform is a software that provides a comprehensive environment with a set of tools and services for developing and deploying business applications effectively.
Therefore, the Salesforce Platform provides a comprehensive environment with a set of tools and services for developing and deploying business applications effectively.
Over the years, Salesforce continued to innovate and improve the Salesforce Platform with new features to support the evolving business needs.
Key Milestones in the Evolution of the Salesforce Platform:
✦ Initial Launch as Force.com Platform:
In 2008, the Salesforce Platform was initially launched as Force.com Platform, enabling businesses to create and run business applications in the cloud.
✦ Relaunch as Lightning Platform:
In 2015, Salesforce relaunched the Salesforce Platform as Lightning Platform, introducing modern functionalities, tools, and a sleek user interface.
✦ Relaunch as Einstein 1 Platform:
In 2023, Salesforce again relaunched the Salesforce Platform as Einstein 1 Platform, emphasizing the integration of robust AI capabilities.
Therefore, the names Force.com Platform, Lightning Platform, and Einstein 1 Platform represent the same Salesforce Platform at different stages of its evolution.
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Salesforce Platform Configuration:
Salesforce Platform Configuration refers to the process of customizing business applications using Point-and-Click Tools of the Salesforce Platform.
Salesforce Platform offers two approaches for customizing business applications:
1. Point-and-Click Tools:
Point-and-Click Tools enable customization of business applications without writing any code.
Salesforce Platform includes a range of Point-and-Click Tools for quick and easy customization.
2. Programmatic Tools:
Programmatic Tools enable customization of business applications by writing code.
Salesforce Platform also includes a range of Programmatic Tools for flexible and more controlled customization.
Therefore, Salesforce Platform Configuration involves customizing business applications using only point-and-click tools, without using programmatic tools or writing any code.
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Salesforce Terminology:
Salesforce Terminology refers to a collection of terms specialized by Salesforce to facilitate clear, common, and consistent communication within the Salesforce ecosystem.
Organization:
An Organization (Org) is an instance of the Salesforce Platform that includes all the default features provided by Salesforce, along with its own users, applications, data, and more.
User:
A User is an individual who has login access to an org.
Generally, Users are employees of a business who need login access to do their work.
Each User is assigned a license, a profile, some permission sets, and other configurations that control what they can see and do in the org.
License:
A License is an entitlement that determines which features are available to a user in an org.
Licenses are created by Salesforce; users cannot create or modify them.
Profile:
A Profile is a collection of settings and permissions that serves as the foundation of user access, determining what a user can see and do within an org.
Every user in an org must have a Profile.
A Profile can be assigned to multiple users, but a user can have only one Profile at a time.
Types of Profiles:
1. Standard Profile:
The Profile that is created by Salesforce is called a Standard Profile.
2. Custom Profile:
The Profile that is created by a user is called a Custom Profile.
Permission Set:
A Permission Set is a collection of permissions that grants additional access to a user without modifying or changing their profile.
A user in an org may or may not have a Permission Set.
A Permission Set can be assigned to multiple users, and a user can have multiple Permission Sets at the same time.
Application:
An Application (App) is a collection of tabs that supports people in a specific department to work more efficiently.
Types of Applications:
1. Standard Application:
The Application that is created by Salesforce is called a Standard Application.
2. Custom Application:
The Application that is created by a user is called a Custom Application.
Object:
An Object is a table in Salesforce’s database.
Types of Objects:
1. Standard Object:
The Object that is created by Salesforce is called a Standard Object.
2. Custom Object:
The Object that is created by a user is called a Custom Object.
Tab:
A Tab is a user interface (UI) element that is used for navigating around an application.
Users can create, add, and rearrange Tabs in any application to make navigation easier.
Record:
A Record is a row in an object.
Every Record contains a Record ID.
Record ID:
A Record ID is a system-generated identifier that uniquely identifies a specific Record in Salesforce’s database.
Whenever a Record is created, a unique Record ID is automatically generated and assigned to that record.
Record IDs cannot be customized, edited, or deleted.
Field:
A Field is a column in an object.
Types of Fields:
1. Standard Field:
The Field that is created by Salesforce is called a Standard Field.
When an object is created, some Standard Fields are automatically created, such as Name, Owner, Created By, Last Modified By, etc.
2. Custom Field:
The Field that is created by a user is called a Custom Field.
Recycle Bin:
Recycle Bin is used to access and restore deleted records of any object in an org.
Deleted records are stored in the Recycle Bin for 15 days before they are permanently removed.
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Object Manager:
Object Manager is a section in Setup that is used to manage the Data Model of an org.
Data Model defines how data is structured, related, and accessed within an org.
Auto Number Field:
An Auto Number Field is a read-only field that automatically generates a unique and sequential identifier for each record in an object.
Formula Field:
A Formula Field is a read-only field that automatically performs calculations based on a defined formula.
A Formula Field is recalculated and updated automatically whenever the value of its Source Fields changes.
Source Fields are the fields used in a formula to calculate the value of a Formula Field.
Page Layout:
A Page Layout is used to control the arrangement, visibility, and behavior of fields, buttons, and other elements on an object’s record page.
Validation Rule:
Validation Rules are used to ensure that the data in a record meets specific criteria before being saved while creating or updating that record.
Validation Rules help to prevent incorrect or incomplete data from being saved.
