Salesforce Glossary: Your Go-To Resource for CRM Terminology
This Salesforce Glossary is your complete guide to understanding the essential Salesforce terms, tools, features, and concepts used across the Salesforce platform. Whether you're a beginner exploring Salesforce for the first time or a seasoned professional aiming to sharpen your knowledge, this Salesforce Glossary provides clear, concise, and up-to-date definitions to support your learning journey. From Apex and Lightning to CRM objects and automation tools, our Salesforce Glossary helps you stay current with the ever-evolving Salesforce ecosystem.
A
Account
A standard object representing an entity, such as a company, organization, or individual (in B2C scenarios via Person Accounts). Accounts store details like name, industry, and billing information and can be linked to contacts, opportunities, cases, and other objects to track business relationships.
Activity
A record of an event, task, logged call, or email associated with objects like accounts, leads, or opportunities. Activities can be manually created or automatically generated by workflows, processes, or approvals, helping users track interactions and follow-ups.
Admin 201
The Salesforce Certified Administrator exam, a foundational certification testing skills in configuration, user management, security, and data management. Its a prerequisite for advanced certifications like Advanced Administrator or Platform App Builder.
Apex
Salesforces proprietary, Java-like, object-oriented programming language for adding custom business logic to the platform. Apex runs on the server side, enabling developers to create triggers, controllers, and batch processes for complex operations like record updates or API integrations.
Apex Trigger
A piece of Apex code that executes automatically before or after specific database events (e.g., insert, update, delete) on a Salesforce object. Triggers are used to enforce business rules or automate processes, such as updating related records.
App
A collection of Salesforce components, including tabs, objects, reports, dashboards, and Visualforce pages, designed to address a specific business function. Standard apps (e.g., Sales, Service) are included, while custom apps can be built or installed from AppExchange. AppExchange
AppExchange
Salesforces online marketplace for discovering, installing, and sharing third-party apps, components, and consulting services. It offers solutions like integrations, analytics tools, and industry-specific apps to extend Salesforce functionality.
App Launcher
A Lightning Experience feature displaying tiles for all accessible standard and custom apps. It simplifies navigation by centralizing app access, with permissions controlling visibility in Salesforce Classic.
Approval Process
An automated process for routing records (e.g., opportunities, cases) for approval based on predefined criteria. It includes steps, actions (e.g., email alerts, field updates), and user assignments to streamline decision-making.
Assignment Rule
A rule that automatically assigns records (e.g., leads, cases) to users or queues based on criteria, such as geography or product interest, to ensure efficient distribution and follow-up.
B
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C
Campaign
A standard object for managing marketing initiatives, tracking details like budget, dates, and campaign members (leads or contacts). Campaigns measure ROI by linking to opportunities and tracking responses.
Case
A standard object representing a customer issue or inquiry, used in Service Cloud to track support tickets, escalations, and resolutions. Cases include fields like status, priority, and resolution notes.
Chatter
Salesforces enterprise social network for internal collaboration. Users can post updates, share files, comment on records, and create groups, fostering real-time communication within the platform.
Classic
The original Salesforce user interface, known for its simplicity and familiarity, used before the introduction of Lightning. While still supported, it lacks the modern features and flexibility of Lightning Experience.
Community Cloud
A Salesforce product (now Experience Cloud) for creating branded portals where customers, partners, or employees can collaborate, access records, and engage with tailored content.
Connections
An annual Salesforce event focused on digital marketing, customer service, and commerce, offering sessions, networking, and insights into Marketing Cloud, Service Cloud, and Commerce Cloud.
Contact
A standard object representing an individual associated with an account, storing details like name, email, phone, and role (e.g., decision-maker). Contacts are critical for tracking relationships in sales and service processes.
Custom Field
A user-defined field added to standard or custom objects to capture unique business data, such as “Preferred Contact Time” or “Customer Tier.” Custom fields can be various types, including text, number, or picklist.
Custom Object
A user-created object tailored to specific business needs, extending Salesforce beyond standard objects. For example, a “Property__c” object could track real estate listings with custom fields like “Square Footage.”
D
Dashboard
A visual representation of data from multiple reports, displayed as charts, gauges, or tables. Dashboards provide real-time insights into business metrics, like sales performance or case resolution times.
Data Loader
A desktop tool for bulk importing, exporting, updating, or deleting Salesforce records. It supports CSV files and is used for data migration or integration tasks, with options for automation via CLI.
Dreamforce
Salesforces flagship annual conference, the worlds largest tech event, held over four days. It features thousands of sessions, keynotes, networking, and product announcements, attracting admins, developers, and executives.
E
Ecosystem
The interconnected community of Salesforce users, developers, partners, and third-party providers, including AppExchange apps, consulting services, and integrations that enhance the platforms capabilities.
Einstein
Salesforces AI platform, embedded across clouds (e.g., Sales, Service, Marketing), offering features like predictive analytics, lead scoring, and automated insights to enhance decision-making and personalization.
Event
A calendar-based activity, such as a meeting or conference, trackable in Salesforce and related to objects like accounts or opportunities. Events can be public or private, with details like date and attendees.
F
Field
A data point in an object, analogous to a column in a database table, storing specific
information (e.g., “Email” in the Contact object). Fields can be standard or custom, with
various data types.
Flow
A low-code automation tool (Salesforce Flow) for building guided processes, screens, and backend logic. Flows can automate tasks, collect user input, or update records without requiring Apex code.
Formula Field
A read-only field that calculates its value based on an expression, pulling data from other fields or constants. For example, a formula field might calculate a discount based on opportunity amount.
G
Global Search
A search bar at the top of Salesforce pages, enabling users to query across all objects and fields, with results organized by record type for quick access to relevant data.
H
Heroku
A Salesforce-owned platform-as-a-service (PaaS) for building, deploying, and scaling custom applications using languages like Node.js, Java, or Python, often integrated with Salesforce for extended functionality.
I
Instance
A specific server or cluster hosting a Salesforce org, identified by a unique ID (e.g., NA1, EU5). Instances determine the orgs geographic location and performance characteristics.
J
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K
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L
Lead
A standard object representing a prospect who has shown interest in a product or service. Leads are qualified and converted into accounts, contacts, and opportunities once validated.
Lead Scoring
A Marketing Cloud feature that assigns numeric scores to leads based on attributes (e.g.,job title, engagement) or behaviors (e.g., website visits), prioritizing high-potential leads for sales follow-up.
Lightning Component
A reusable, modular building block in Lightning Experience, built with Aura or Lightning Web Components (LWC), used to create custom UI elements or functionality, like dynamic forms.
Lightning Experience
Salesforces modern user interface, introduced in 2015, offering a responsive design, enhanced customization, and features like Lightning Components and App Launcher, replacing Salesforce Classic.
Lightning Web Components (LWC)
A modern framework for building fast, reusable components in Lightning Experience, using standard web technologies (e.g., HTML, JavaScript) for better performance than Aura components.
List View
A customizable view of object records, filtered by criteria (e.g., “Open Opportunities”) and displayed as a sortable table. Users can edit, delete, or perform bulk actions from list views.
Lookup Relationship
A relationship between two Salesforce objects where one object references another via a field, such as linking a custom object to an account. Unlike master-detail, its less restrictive and doesnt enforce deletion cascading.
M
Master-Detail Relationship
A tightly coupled relationship between two objects where the detail records lifecycle (e.g., deletion) depends on the master record. Its used for hierarchical data, like order items tied to an order.
Metadata
The configuration and structure of a Salesforce org, including objects, fields, workflows, and page layouts, but not the actual data. Metadata is managed via Setup or tools like the Metadata API.
MuleSoft
A Salesforce-owned integration platform for connecting Salesforce with external systems, APIs, and databases, enabling seamless data flow across applications using pre-built connectors.
N
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O
Object
A database table in Salesforce, storing records with fields. Standard objects (e.g., Account, Contact) are built-in, while custom objects (e.g., Invoice__c) are user-defined for specific needs.
Opportunity
A standard object tracking a potential sale, including details like amount, close date, and stage. Opportunities are linked to accounts and contacts to manage the sales pipeline.
Org
A unique Salesforce environment for a customer, containing their data, configuration, and customizations. Each org runs on a specific instance and is identified by an Org ID.
P
Page Layout
A configuration defining the arrangement of fields, buttons, and related lists on a records detail page, customized per object and user profile for optimal usability.
Permission Set
A collection of permissions and settings assigned to users to grant additional access beyond their profile, without modifying the profile itself, for flexible access control.
Platform App Builder
A Salesforce certification validating skills in designing, building, and deploying custom applications using declarative tools like Flow, custom objects, and Lightning Components.
Profile
A set of permissions and settings controlling a users access to objects, fields, and features in Salesforce. Every user is assigned one profile, like “System Administrator” or “Standard User.”
Q
Queue
A holding area for records (e.g., leads, cases) awaiting assignment to a user or team. Queues ensure equitable distribution and can be managed via assignment rules.
R
Record
A single instance of an object, analogous to a row in a database table, containing specific field values (e.g., a contact record for “John Doe”).
Report
A tool for analyzing Salesforce data, displaying records based on filters and groupings, often visualized as tables or charts. Reports feed into dashboards for broader insights.
Role
A hierarchical setting controlling data visibility, allowing users to access records owned by subordinates in the role hierarchy (e.g., a manager accessing team data).
S
Salesforce ID
A unique 15- or 18-digit identifier for each record, object, or component in Salesforce, ensuring unambiguous referencing across the platform.
Sandbox
A non-production Salesforce environment mirroring a live org, used for development, testing, or training without risking live data. Sandboxes vary by type, like Developer or Full.
Sharing Rule
A security setting that extends record access to users or groups based on criteria or ownership, supplementing role hierarchy and manual sharing for broader data visibility.
SOQL
Standard Object
A pre-built Salesforce object for core CRM functionality, such as Account, Contact, Lead, or Opportunity, designed to support common business processes.
T
Task
An action item, like calling a lead or following up on a case, trackable in Salesforce and linked to objects. Tasks include details like due date and status.
Trailhead
Salesforces free, gamified learning platform offering interactive modules, trails, and badges to teach skills in administration, development, and business processes.
U
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V
Validation Rule
A rule enforcing data quality by preventing record saves unless specific criteria are met, such as requiring a phone number format or a non-zero opportunity amount.
Visualforce
A framework for building custom user interfaces in Salesforce, using a tag-based markup language to create pages or components integrated with Apex controllers.
W
Web-to-Lead
A feature for generating web forms that capture lead data (e.g., name, email) from a website and automatically create lead records in Salesforce.
Workflow Rule
An automation tool that triggers actions (e.g., email alerts, field updates) when records meet predefined criteria, though largely replaced by Flow for new implementations.
X
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Y
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Z
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