Salesforce Admin key terms

The baseline record-sharing setting for each object. It sets the most restrictive access level for users who do not own a record and have not been granted access another way. Internal and external users can have different defaults.

A tree of roles in Setup where users higher in the tree see records owned by users below them, as long as the object's default sharing is private or public read only.

A required setting assigned one per user that defines the baseline of what they can do: object and field permissions, system permissions, login hours, and default apps. Permission sets add to it.

An add-on collection of permissions and settings that grants a user extra access without editing their profile. Users can be assigned many permission sets, and assignments only add access, never remove it.

The entitlement on a user record that decides which features the user can access and which profiles can be assigned to them, such as Salesforce or Salesforce Platform.

An authentication setup where users sign in once to an external identity provider and are passed into Salesforce using SAML, so Salesforce never checks a separate password.

A table you create to store records for data that standard objects do not cover. It gets its own tab, page layouts, and API name, and can be linked to other objects.

A loose relationship where a child record points to a parent but can exist without one. Deleting the parent does not delete children by default, and the child keeps its own owner and sharing.

A tight parent-child relationship where the child cannot exist without the parent. The parent controls sharing and deletion, and you can roll up summary values from child to parent.

Settings on a field that decide whether a user can view or edit it. Field-level security is granted through profiles and permission sets and works together with page layouts.

A configuration that lets one object present different picklist values, page layouts, and business processes to different users, so a single object can serve distinct processes.

Controls the arrangement of fields, buttons, and related lists on a record page, plus which fields are required or read-only, and it can vary by profile.

A page built in the Lightning App Builder that arranges components for one object's record view. It can be assigned to different apps, record types, or users.

A record for a person or company that might become a customer. It stores contact details and a source, and is worked until it is qualified or disqualified.

The action that turns a lead into an account and contact, and optionally an opportunity, mapping lead fields onto the new records and marking the lead converted.

A record that tracks a potential sale through stages toward a close date and amount, so reps can manage pipeline and managers can forecast revenue.

A picklist on opportunities that shows where a deal stands in the sales process. Each stage carries a probability and forecast category used in reporting.

A projection of expected revenue built from opportunity amounts, close dates, and forecast categories. Reps submit forecasts and managers see rolled-up totals through the role hierarchy.

A list of products with the prices your org sells them at. Opportunities and quotes choose a price book, then add products as line items with quantities and discounts.

A record for planning and measuring a marketing effort such as an email, event, or ad. It collects campaign members and tracks responses and cost for ROI reporting.

A record of a customer question, problem, or request. Cases track status, priority, owner, and related communication from creation through resolution.

A rule that automatically assigns new cases to a user or queue when conditions such as product or priority match. Entries are evaluated in order until one matches.

A time-based rule that reassigns or notifies on cases that stay open too long, using case age and business hours to decide when to act.

A record that defines the support a customer is owed, such as coverage hours and response targets, so the org can enforce service terms and track milestones on cases.

A library of articles that agents, and sometimes customers, can search and attach to cases so answers are consistent and repeat issues resolve faster.

A console app layout for support agents that shows a case beside related records and tools in split views and subtabs, so they work without leaving the page.

The collaboration feed inside Salesforce where users post updates, share files, follow people and records, and join groups to work together.

Tasks are to-dos with a due date; events are calendar items with start and end times. Both log customer touchpoints and appear on record timelines.

A phone and tablet client that gives users access to records, Chatter, and dashboards away from the desk, with a simplified layout and limited offline access.

A browser tool for loading up to 50,000 records of accounts, contacts, leads, and custom objects, with simple field mapping and built-in duplicate checking.

A desktop client for bulk import, export, update, and delete of large data volumes using CSV files. It runs interactively or from the command line.

A rule that defines which fields on a record are compared and how, such as exact or fuzzy matching, to decide whether records are probably duplicates.

A rule that warns or blocks a user from saving a record that matches existing records according to a matching rule. It can compare within one object or across objects.

The template that decides which objects and fields a report can use and how those objects are joined, with or without related records.

A page of charts, gauges, and metrics built from report source components. It can refresh on a schedule or on demand and is shared through folders.

A formula on an object that stops a record from saving when the formula returns true and shows an error message, used to enforce data quality.

The tool for building automations by dragging elements onto a canvas, covering screen flows that collect input and autolaunched flows that change data behind the scenes.

A flow that runs automatically when a record is created, updated, or deleted, either before save to change its own fields or after save to act on related records.

A multi-step sign-off process with entry criteria, approvers, and final actions. Submitted records are locked while pending and update when approved or rejected.

Legacy automation that fires field updates, email alerts, tasks, or outbound messages when criteria are met. It cannot update related records, and flows now replace it.