Salesforce User Training: Tips and tools for Salesforce Administrators

The drive for increased productivity is the driving force behind all Salesforce training initiatives.  For years, Salesforce Administrators (Admins) have leveraged this powerful motivator to enhance their careers and stay ahead of the curve.

Upskilling has become the trend over the last couple of years for tech driven roles. Companies and individuals are now investing time and money to accelerate the learning of skills in high demand. Among these, cloud-based skills hold significant value and demand. By participating in a certificate training program, you’ll not only gain exposure to the latest best practices and use cases, but you’ll also be able to fast-track your professional growth. 

This article will cover the importance of training end-users and how to do it.

Table of Contents

Benefits of training Salesforce end-users

The comprehensive training of end-users has numerous benefits that significantly augment the overall efficacy of Salesforce. Some of the most notable benefits include:

• Enhanced productivity and efficiency for teams using the CRM platform, leading to more streamlined processes and improved results.
• Increased user adoption, as end-users feel empowered and confident in utilizing the platform to its fullest potential.
• Improved data quality thanks to end-users comprehending the significance of accuracy and consistency, leading to more valuable insights and informed decision-making.
• Alleviation of workload for Salesforce Admins, enabling them to focus on more strategic tasks that drive the organization’s success.

By prioritizing end-user training, organizations can realize these benefits and maximize the value of their Salesforce investment.

Why does the responsibility of training end-users fall onto Salesforce Admins? 

As Salesforce Administrators take on more responsibilities, it’s crucial that they continuously upskill and adapt to their expanding roles. The demands on Salesforce Administrators have grown, from developing comprehensive training guides to end-users to leading standardization initiatives.

To ensure the success of their training efforts, companies often employ a test-review-revise approach to their training materials. Salesforce Admins are also often relied upon to provide valuable insights, including tracking user adoption for specific features. However, reinventing the wheel for each training opportunity can lead to a slow and less rewarding path. A more effective approach is to create a comprehensive training plan, which allows Admins to streamline their efforts and maximize the impact of their training.

What are the best practices for training end-users? 

Training your Salesforce end users helps everyone from sales reps to Salesforce Administrators holistically grasp the strategy behind how Salesforce can be leveraged to move your company forward. Personalized training for your end-users starts way back during the implementation phase when expected functionalities are being discussed. The information gathered there helps shape user stories, QA checkpoints, UAT guidance, and can even be used to formulate new hire Salesforce user training.

Salesforce training programs have established themselves as the premier training solution for complementing team member development and facilitating user training during Salesforce implementations. Over the years, these programs have consistently proven to be effective in ensuring the successful adoption and utilization of the platform.

Broad-based training resources can often leave gaps in knowledge for end-users, especially in complex environments with extensive configuration or customization. The challenge then becomes seamlessly integrating existing training methods with the unique features and needs of the organization’s Salesforce setup. This presents a significant opportunity for Salesforce Administrators to demonstrate their expertise and play a critical role in ensuring end-user success.

Salesforce Administrator Training Tools and Techniques

You may be tasked to come up with a training plan or choose to take the initiative to improve training by discussing ideas with your Salesforce Account Executive. Either way, many companies in the ecosystem have transparent training plans that outline training materials and what to expect during the sessions. These plans include various learning tools that can be beneficial for training.

We’ve curated a list of those learning tools to help you confidently train your team in Salesforce. These tools can transform the training experience and lead to end-user success, whether you’re the only Salesforce professional in your organization or not.

• Network with other potential training resources within the company for more inclusive training.
• Host exciting lunch and learn sessions to boost company culture and tailor them to specific user groups or take a company-wide approach.
• Recommend badges to address end-user needs for personalized training.
• Use Learning Paths, which reportedly offers the preferred digital adoption platform learning method.
• Use Salesforce Paths to make end-user life easier.
• Use In-App Guidance, which has an FAQ page for step-by-step walkthroughs of new configurations.
• Utilize Enablement Site (formerly myTrailhead) to bring the gamified Trailhead experience to your training needs by allowing you to configure branded badges.
• Provide clean documentation to shape training prerequisites and serve up self-resolutions.
• Hold dedicated train-the-trainer workshops for implementations and major enhancements.
• Host weekly or monthly Office Hours sessions with a guest co-host for a less formal, personalized learning experience.
• Use Salesforce training programs such as mini boot camps and webinars.
• Automate end-user training or configure screen flows with Experience Cloud.

Admins who are familiar with learning tools can prevent usability concerns. It’s important to align the training methods with the best learning practices for effective knowledge transfer. These tools can be used together for an immersive and efficient upskilling experience, known as blended learning. Positive reinforcement is built into many aspects of the Salesforce ecosystem, which leads to engaged and satisfied end-users. When we invest in capacitating end-users, we pave the way for a better tomorrow. This is the essence of being a Trailblazer. Let’s strive to create a training environment that empowers our end-users and brings success to our organizations.

How to build confidence to train end-users? 

Looking to improve your ability to train end-users in Salesforce as an admin? Invest in upskilling through a certificate program to gain the necessary skills to become a leader within your organization.

Pathstream offers an industry-recognized Salesforce Administrator Certificate Program that can teach you the skills needed to train your team effectively and efficiently. With hands-on, project-based learning, you’ll gain the practical experience needed to excel in your role and drive success for your organization. 

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to take your career to the next level – get started today.