Salesforce Backup Plans and Backups: Succession Planning for Your Salesforce Administrator

A Salesforce administrator holds a uniquely powerful position within your organization. They’re the architects of your CRM, responsible for maintaining, customizing, and optimizing what is likely your nonprofit’s most valuable asset – your data. So, what happens if your beloved admin wins the lottery, retires, or simply moves on? Does your organization have Salesforce backup plans? Do you do backups?

The loss of institutional Salesforce knowledge can be disruptive and damaging. That’s where succession planning comes into play. A proper plan minimizes chaos and ensures a smooth transition if your Salesforce admin leaves the organization.

Documentation: The Backbone of Succession Planning

Meticulous documentation is the foundation of effective Salesforce admin succession planning. Think of it as an insurance policy for your Salesforce instance. Here’s why it matters:

• Understanding the “Why”: Good documentation doesn’t just tell you how something is done, it explains why decisions were made. This context helps a new admin avoid repeating past mistakes.
• Quick Troubleshooting: In a pinch, clear documentation allows other team members to troubleshoot basic issues without always needing a dedicated admin.
• Training and Onboarding: Comprehensive documentation streamlines the training process for a new admin, getting them up-to-speed faster.

What Should Your Salesforce Admin Document?

Here’s a breakdown of the key areas to focus your documentation efforts on:
Customization: Detailed steps on any custom objects, fields, workflows, automation rules, validation rules, reports, and dashboards.

• Integrations: Explanation of connected third-party apps, including setup details and necessary access information.
• Security and Permissions: Clear outlines of user roles, profiles, permission sets, and how sensitive data is protected.
• Data Policies: Descriptions of your data import/export processes, and the logic behind data cleansing and backup schedules.
• Training Materials: User guides, training videos, FAQs, or anything that will educate new admins along with general users.

Steps to Take When Your Salesforce Administrator Leaves

Even with the best documentation, the departure of a Salesforce admin will have some impact. Here’s a proactive checklist to create Salesforce Backup Plans in the event your admin leaves:

1. Knowledge Transfer: Schedule dedicated sessions for the outgoing admin to share as much knowledge as possible with their replacement, or with whoever will temporarily manage Salesforce.
2. Passwords and Access: Securely transfer all the credentials for Salesforce and related integrations. Update your organization’s password manager.
3. Assess Ongoing Needs: Consider if the outgoing admin’s work requires immediate hiring, if responsibilities can be shared, or if a Salesforce consultant should provide interim support.

Additional Tips

Store documentation centrally: Choose an accessible platform (Google Drive, Confluence, etc.) to organize your Salesforce documentation.

• Be ready to call for help: BackOffice thinking is always here to offer support, guidance, and our expertise to help you navigate these kinds of challenges.
• Start early: Don’t wait until the crisis hits to think about succession planning. Make documentation an ongoing priority.

Losing a Salesforce admin can be a setback, but it doesn’t have to translate into serious downtime. By prioritizing careful documentation of key processes and taking proactive steps to ensure a smooth transition, you can protect your Salesforce investment and safeguard the continuity of your operations. When you need to call for help, just contact us and we’ll get you going again.