Utilities
Utilities are features that can be quickly accessed through all aspects of Salesforce and help to provide efficiencies in navigation, workflow and feature access.
Key Utilities in Salesforce
Most of these features are accessed through the Utility Bar, which can be customized at an App level giving admins flexibility in what is provided to varying user groups.
The most popular are:
- The To Do List is a feature that allows users to track tasks for the day, complete those tasks and execute flow orchestration items directly from the utility bar.
- Macros are a feature that allow users to predefine field capture and quickly execute recurring tasks from anywhere in the system.
- Notes, while self explanatory, are again access from the Utility Bar and allow users to have a singular place to quickly record feedback, next steps or other information if they receive it while performing a function that doesn’t allow them to leave the record they are working on.
- Favorites are accessible through the top banner in salesforce and allow users to “favorite” records so they can quickly navigate to them from anywhere in the system.
- Global Search is the “Google” of Salesforce and allows users to search the entirety of the CRM from any record page in Salesforce.
- Salesforce Help is a direct line to salesforce support to enter cases and research issues. It is directly accessible from any page in the CRM.
- “Home” is tab feature that allows for a “Home” page within each app (if desired) where users can see Reports, dashboards, feeds etc.
Defining Utilities
While there are many utilities that are available OOTB in Salesforce, it is crucial that the business and its administrators determine what will be most useful.
While Global Search is powerful, without proper search result settings it can be rendered useless.
Knowing what fields to define in search layouts will help users get the insight they need to make correct navigation choices from the record search results.
Understanding App Development will allow administrators to configure apps with the proper utilities.
In a Sales app, you want macros to help gather and track lead information, while in a Service app, macros more focused on Case capture and completion are more applicable.
Who is Impacted?
End Users
Giving User groups the correct bundle helps complete day to day tasks quicker and more efficiently.
Admins
Administrators utilize knowledge of App Development and Lightning features to ensure the proper utilities are available to the right people.
Management
Managers should expect to see increased efficiencies once users begin to adopting utilities in their daily job functions.