Nonprofits Proactive with Salesforce Now, Save Time Later

Is Salesforce consuming your time or freeing it up? If you feel like it’s weighing you down, perhaps I can convince you that spending a little time up front with Salesforce will help you gain a lot more time later. Used proactively, Salesforce can be a powerful tool to automate tasks, create efficient workflows, and free up your team to focus on what matters most.
Here’s are a few tips on how to be proactive with Salesforce to save time:

1. Clean Data is Efficient Data

• Regular Data Audits: Bad data is a time suck. Schedule regular data audits to catch duplicates, inconsistencies, and missing information. Salesforce’s duplicate rules and data cleansing tools can help automate this process.
• Data Entry Standards: Implement clear data entry standards and provide training to your team. Better yet, force your team to enter data the way you want with validation rules!

2. Automate, Automate, Automate:

• Automation Tools: Automate repetitive tasks like sending email acknowledgements for donations, assigning tasks to team members, or updating records based on specific criteria.
• Email Templates: Create reusable email templates for common communications such as donation receipts, event reminders, and volunteer opportunities.
• Automated Reports and Dashboards: Schedule reports to run automatically and deliver them to key stakeholders. Visualize key metrics with dashboards to track progress and identify areas for improvement.

3. Empower Your Team:

• Knowledge Base: Create a centralized knowledge base within Salesforce to store FAQs, how-to guides, and training materials. This empowers your team to find answers quickly and reduces reliance on individual experts.
• Chatter: Utilize Chatter for internal communication and collaboration. Share updates, ask questions, and work together on projects in a transparent and accessible way.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask for Help:

• Trailhead: Salesforce’s free online learning platform offers trails specifically designed for nonprofits.
• Salesforce Community: Connect with other nonprofit professionals, share best practices, and find answers to your questions.
• Work with us: Consider working with BackOffice Thinking. We specialize in helping nonprofits like yours better execute on its mission. Contact us or email support.

By taking a proactive approach to Salesforce, you can transform it from a simple database into a powerful tool for efficiency. Free up your time, empower your team, and drive greater impact for your mission.