When you get set up in Salesforce, adding users is an anticipated step. After all, your users are the ones who will be entering data in Salesforce and using it the most. This said, granting a user login credentials is one piece of the puzzle, and adding users without considering what type of access they need can produce headaches down the road. Get the full user management scoop via this User Management Trailmix on Trailhead, our free, hands-on learning platform
Assigning the right profiles, roles, and data access means you will have more flexibility in the future. Consider a comprehensive user management strategy that incorporates these best practices.
The most basic aspect of user management is creating the usernames and login accounts for your users. In just a few clicks, you can send a team member their login and get them into the platform.
Profiles determine which objects users can access. The most common distinction for standard profiles (what you get out of the box) is the SysAdmin profile vs. Standard User. The SysAdmin has access to setup and all objects, as they are the ones maintaining the platform. You can create custom profiles with fine-tuned access for different teams.
Increase object access through permission setsPermission sets grant access to objects outside of profiles. They are helpful when specific users need access to objects outside of their profiles. They help grant access to objects on an as-needed basis.
Roles in many ways mimic how your team is structured in real life. Admins create a role hierarchy and assign users to each role to organize users into a management chain. Assigning users to a role hierarchy makes records accessible within their team.
Organization-wide defaults and sharing rules determine what data is private and what data is shared with other users. These settings come in handy when working across a large team with varying data security needs
Whether you are just getting started with user management, OR want to explore more ways to improve how your users are set up, we’ve got resources for you to keep the momentum going.
1. Need additional guidance? Bring your questions to an Ask the Expert webinar, search sessions and register here, and check out other great events where you can connect with a Salesforce expert.
2. Update your user settings to incorporate profiles, permission sets, roles, and data security. Take a look at the AppExchange Profiles and Permission Set Helper to give you a head start.
3. Need additional guidance? Connect with other Trailblazers and experts on the Customer Success Group on the Trailblazer Community.
DreamHouse Realty is a real estate agency that uses Salesforce for sales and service. At first, their admin set up all users with the same profile, role, and data access. The team was small and there was no need to separate data access between sales and service teams.
As DreamHouse grew, their sales and service teams became more distinct and needed to focus on their respective roles and access different sets of data. Sales needed access to Opportunities, and the service team needed access to Cases. Other objects were unnecessary and a distraction.
Knowing they needed a new user management strategy, DreamHouse's admin went to the User Management Trailhead to learn how to create custom profiles and roles and how to set up new, organization-wide defaults. These adjustments, along with new sharing rules and permission sets, created more flexibility as their sales and service teams grew.
After watching the Who Sees What video series to see these aspects of user management in action, the admin implemented new profiles for each team, assigned roles, and fine-tuned data access through organization-wide defaults and sharing rules. The new strategy gave each team the access they needed to do their jobs, and set them up to adjust access as changing needs arise.
