Celebrating 20 years of Salesforce

27 May 2024
3 mins read

Event

Celebrating 20 years of Salesforce  

This month I reached a milestone, celebrating 20 years of working on the Salesforce platform. Back then everything we needed fitted into a slim ‘Salesforce for Dummies’ book.

We were limited to clicks, because there was no Apex code or Visualforce.

Everything was ‘Classic’ before we knew there was going to be a thing called ‘Lightning’. And the Appexchange was just born.

I started my learning journey with a few years of Admin trial and error, then moved to blogs and the Dummies book. I took a risk and went to a test centre in Sheffield to take my ‘Salesforce.com Certified Administrator – Winter ’09’ and ‘Salesforce.com Certified Consultant – Winter ’09’ exams in January 2009, and it started me on a path that would take me up to 17 Certs (4 of which are now so old as to have been retired!).

I attended the original Salesforce User Group in London (which in those days was run by Salesforce employees), and attended the annual CloudForce event (it was renamed a few times before now being called the World Tour London).

Things started to get serious when I set up a new User Group in Manchester (which recently celebrated it’s 10th Anniversary), and I started to attend and speak at Dreamforce in San Francisco each year.

But life moves on, and Salesforce has definitely moved on! It’s important to keep up with new releases, new Products & acquisitions, and new Apps. It’s also important (for older Orgs especially) to know why we are where we are…

  • Why do we sometimes have to move back to Classic?
  • What is that S-control?
  • Should we maintain a Workflow?

Looking backwards as well as forwards enables us to set up and manage an Org in the best possible way.

To celebrate 20 years, myself and Cloud Galacticos will be at the following events:

Thursday, June 13

Salesforce User Group

 
  Manchester

Friday, July 19

London’s Calling


 London

Thursday, June 6

World Tour London


 London

Drop me a line if you are going and we can catch up!

Also let me take this opportunity to introduce the new Management Team at Cloud Galacticos:

Group CEO

Pankaj Gupta

 

Group CTO

Vikram Salwan


Group VP

Vipul Sharma


Group Head, Business &Staffing

Jitendra Mishra


I will be here to support them and the business for the foreseeable future.

And finally, remember we have some great people ready NOW to work on projects, whether you need Fixed Scope projects, Managed Services, or Staff Augmentation

 www.nvdigital.uk | www.cloudgalacticos.co.uk

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

Salesforce AI Day – Tip of the Week #559

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #559

 

Tip 1 – Salesforce AI Day

AI – it’s the hottest topic of the moment and it’s only getting hotter. So it’s no surprise that there’s a special Salesforce AI Day on Monday 12th June.

“..an exclusive event with Salesforce Chair, CEO, and Co-Founder Marc Benioff and AI visionaries as we unveil the future of trusted enterprise AI. Stream game-changing announcements, live demos, and insightful conversations“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – Salesforce Certified Sales Representative

Thought about getting your Salesforce Certified Sales Representative credential?

There’s now a useful exam guide to help you study and prepare for your exam.

The “…exam is for individuals who want to demonstrate their knowledge, skills“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – Stat Library

If you are writing a presentation and need some Salesforce statistics, check out the Salesforce Stat Library, a great resource that you can freely use.

Have you used it? Let us know what you think!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #500 (pt8)

“The best thing I learned from the community is to have faith and believe in yourself. You will have obstacles that will make a lot of noise, just make sure your dreams are louder.

The things you do matter and don’t ever forget that!“

Marciana Davis, Independent Salesforce Consultant, and Salesforce MVP

 

 

 

 

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

London’s Calling – Tip of the Week #558

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #558

 

Tip 1 – London’s Calling

Don’t forget the 8th edition of London’s Calling is back next Friday (9th).

It’s Europe’s largest community lead event for Salesforce professionals, with Mark Watson as special guest.

“Join us for a day of learning, networking and laughter with our comedian headline act“

I’ll be attending – hope to see you there?

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – New to developing with Salesforce?

Announcing: Refreshed Developer Trails! I’m super excited to announce that the Salesforce Developer Relations team has just refreshed our 3 developer trails on Trailhead!

These trails will help developers get a better understanding of what it takes to be a Salesforce developer, learn the platform faster, and gain critical skills.

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – Throwback #500 (pt7)

“My top tip would be that every Salesforce professional should have not only have the technical knowledge, but also professional training and skill set of business analysis, agile project management and change management to successfully implement Salesforce successfully and achieve high user adoption.

In my experience it’s the lack of application of these professional skills that causes Salesforce projects to go wrong. So if you are starting out or progressing in your career then make sure you invest in suitable training to ramp up your knowledge beyond Salesforce certifications”

Heather Black, CEO Supermums

 

 

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

Salesforce Partner – Tip of the Week #557

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #557

 

Tip 1 – Find Your Salesforce Partner

For years, the place to search for someone to implement Salesforce is via Appexchange. But as of this month (May) there is new way to search for a Salesforce Partner.

At this stage I am not sure what this options adds. The search criteria seems to be the same, and the results are actually based on the content in Appexchange.

Maybe something new is on the horizon, watch this space!

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – Data Security Specialist Superbadge

Another week, another new Superbadge. This time it’s for the Data Security Specialist.

“With this new credential, Trailblazers can showcase their expertise in data categorization and access, as well as data protection“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – Trailcast

Do you enjoy listening to podcasts? Then don’t forget to check out Trailcast – the new audio-based learning.

“Trailcast allows learners to listen to Trailhead modules, enhancing the learning experience and bringing more flexibility to where and when you can learn– and greater accessibility for all“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #500 (pt6)

“Hi new Trailblazers! If there were only 1 tip that I could give you all. It would be falling in love with learning. I think this is one of the most important aspects when it comes to Salesforce and the Tech industry.

The world is always evolving and technology does at an even greater speed. Falling in love with learning would help you adapt to those changes!“

Tony Nguyen, Salesforce Admin and Golden Hoodie recipient

 

 

 

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

Slack Canvas – Tip of the Week #556

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #556

 

Tip 1 – Slack Canvas

Say ‘Hello’ to Slack canvas, it went live last month.

It’s a “new surface where teams can create, organise and share essential information – all inside Slack, your productivity platform“

Could be game changer and hopefully make working together even better.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – World Tour Amsterdam

After another amazing World Tour in Paris earlier this week, it’s time to move onto Amsterdam next Tuesday (23rd).

“Big names and big ideas are heading to Zaandam. With 40-plus sessions from trailblazing industry leaders…“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – India Dreamin’

India Dreamin’ is back tomorrow (20th). It’s already sold out and will be held in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.

As previous events, it’s going to be BIG! With over 1,000 attendees, 60+ speakers, and 45+ sessions to attend.

I still have many happy memories from their first event many years ago. Can you spot me in the photo?

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #500 (pt5)

“The best thing I’ve learned in this community is to always be grateful. There was a time when I knew nothing about Salesforce.

And I was lucky to be surrounded by people who helped me in my learning. They were there when I needed them to answer my questions, whether technical or more generally about my career development. When I became more experienced, I also wanted to help beginners.

There is an Arabic proverb that says: “teach and you will learn”. I think when you’re able to teach others, that’s when you can consider yourself an expert.“

Doria Hamelryk, North Africa Dreamin’ Founder, Salesforce MVP

And CONGRATS to her for getting a Golden Hoodie this week at in Paris at the World Tour!

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

Trailblazing Women – Tip of the Week #555

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #555

 

Tip 1 – Trailblazing Women

For the first time, Trailblazing Women, Salesforce’s annual gender equality summit, is coming to London.

“This summit is an extraordinary, free, half-day event designed to inspire and empower us all — women and allies — on the path to gender equality“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – Dreamforce: Admin Track

The Dreamforce Admin Track Call for Participation is now open.

It’s “the platform for admins to deliver and absorb engaging, actionable, and memorable content that helps them become awesome Salesforce Admins, drive success for their businesses, and elevate their careers“

The deadline is Tuesday 6th June.

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – Salesblazer Updates

Launched last month, the new Salesblazer Community is one to watch, with plenty of recent updates.

It’s new mascot was announced at the World Tour New York. Say ‘Hello’ to Zig the Zebra!

And there’s a new Trailhead Quest. Unlock by 30th June to be entered for a chance to win a Salesblazer hoodie.

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – World Tour Paris

The Salesforce World Tour is back in Paris next Tuesday (16th May).

“The World Tour Paris is the day to celebrate the customer experience. Find ideas and technologies to bring more value , to make your experience a success“

It’s been a few years since I last went to this event, maybe next year?

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #500 (pt4)

“What’s the best thing I’ve learnt from speaking to people within the Community?”

“There are so many talented Trailblazers joining the community events, and they are willing to share their knowledge and experience with Trailblazers.

n my role, the most important thing to learn is… Active listening from soft skills helps me build trust and understand our user’s needs.

I’m a Salesforce Administrator, so my Salesforce flow knowledge helps our business automate complex business processes and manual data entry. Our users can work smarter, not harder.“

Evaldas Zaranka, Salesforce Certified with over 1,500 Trailhead Badges

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

World Tour London 2023 – Tip of the Week #554

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #554

 

Tip 1 – World Tour London 2023

There’s been lots of talk about the Salesforce World Tour coming to London. We all knew it’s going to be in June, and it’s now official. Save the date: Thursday 29th June.

The World Tour London is always a highlight for me, so hopefully be seeing you there?

Registration​​​​​​​ is now open!

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – Bootcamp London

The ever-popular Salesforce Bootcamp is back in London next week (8th to 12th May).

“With five days of expert-led learning, nine role-based tracks, two onsite certification exams, and endless networking opportunities, Trailblazer Bootcamp is the place to build expertise and accelerate your path to certification“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – EinsteinGPT Module

Still talk of the (Salesforce) town, there’s a new Trailhead module dedicated to EinsteinGPT!

“In this Quick Look badge, you learn about GPT and how it fits into the larger concept of generative AI. Then, you’ll meet Einstein GPT, the world’s first generative AI for CRM“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #500 (pt3)

“The Community is always there to help you, answer your questions, and share solutions.

I’ve learned so much from fellow Trailblazers, so dive right in, be #appy, and #alwaysbelearning.”

Amanda (Nelson) Backer, Senior Director, Salesforce AppExchange

 

 

 

 

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

#WomenInTech- Tip of the Week #553

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #553

 

Tip 1 – #WomenInTech

Salesforce UK&I CEO Zahra Bahrololoumi has recently written a great article on #womenintech for techUK: “How businesses can harness tech’s transformative power to deliver diversity“

“The #UK is failing to address the shortage of #WomenInTech, especially in #cloud computing, #engineering, #DataScience and #AI.

I wrote this article for techUK to share how we can change that“

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – NFT-based Loyalty Program

Thanks to Cyril Louis for this tip: “I recently shared my vision on the renaming of Salesforce NFT Cloud into Salesforce Web3 ; anticipating possible use cases such as blockchain-based loyalty program…

And look at this: Ryan Wyatt President of Polygon Labs announced a partnership with Salesforce to launch an NFT-based loyalty program built on the Polygon layer 2 blockchain network“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – World Tour New York

Next Thursday 4th May, the Salesforce World Tour touches down in New York City!

“More ways to learn, more inspiring speakers, and more ways to put your customers at the center of everything you do. Plus, one epic concert and a lot of fun.

The future of business is CRM + Data + AI. Discover it at a World Tour unlike any other“

MAY THE FOURTH BE WITH YOU!

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #500 (pt2)

“If you’re new to the Salesforce ecosystem, welcome! I hope you are finding this industry fun and exciting. Whilst routes into the ecosystem are fairly standard (E.g. Entry-level Admin, Developer, or Consultant), as you become more senior, you will no doubt need to specialise in a certain field, whether that is a niche role, product, or industry. 

My advice is to pay attention to the aspects of your role you enjoy. Find out what tasks you find fun, and what elements of your job you want to focus on. The opportunities available in the Salesforce ecosystem are endless, and by focussing on what you actually enjoy, you can ensure you have a long and happy career.“

Ben McCarthy, aka SalesforceBen

 

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

New Salesblazer Community – Tip of the Week #552

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #552

 

Tip 1 – New Salesblazer Community

Early this month saw the launch of Salesblazer Community – building the largest and most successful community for sales professionals.

“It’s a place where anyone in the field can come to learn, connect, and grow their careers — and help their companies thrive with the skills they gain“

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – Architect.Salesforce.com

From Johann Furmann: “A friend told me that every project’s security should be judged by the “Trusted” section of architect.salesforce.com.

Working through the trusted section reduces the chance of a major security risk.

Let’s make sure it becomes our first and last step in every project“

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – New Trailhead Module

It’s always exciting to discover new Trailhead modules. And the latest one to catch my eye is Screen Flows.

“Do you want to create a Flow that walks users through a process? Or set up a Flow that asks users questions and takes action accordingly?“

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #500 (pt1)

“With millions of Trailblazers around the world, one of the most special parts of the Salesforce ecosystem is the Trailblazer Community. Whether you’re connecting online or attending an in-person community event, the impact of sharing your knowledge and learning from others is monumental.

Be willing to put yourself out there by asking questions and providing guidance. The connections and experience you will gain is a proven game-changer.”

Jessica Langston, Senior Director, Trailblazer Community

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Manchester Marathon

Finally, thank you for all your support and best wishes for my 3rd Manchester Marathon last Sunday.

No world records were going to be broken, it was a slow run for me, but it was a great day… I’m still sore!

Good luck to my Salesforce Ohana running the London Marathon on Sunday!

 

 

 

 

 

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!

Phil's Salesforce Tip of the Week

Summer ’23 Release – Tip of the Week #551

Welcome to Phil’s Salesforce Tip of the Week #551

 

Tip 1 – Summer ’23 Release

It may feel like spring is barely here, but it’s already time to think about Summer!

Admins can now sign up for a pre-release Developer Edition environment – it’s full of all the Summer ‘23 features for you to explore.

Release readiness live expected mid to late June.

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 2 – Salesforce Chief Equality Officer

“When she was appointed Salesforce’s chief equality officer, Lori Castillo Martinez set a clear vision: to become the most inclusive workplace“

Find out more about Lori and her role as chief equality officer at Salesforce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 3 – Manchester User Group

The next Salesforce Manchester User Group will be on Wednesday 26th April, 5.30pm. It’ll be at the Slalom Manchester office again.

Expect some interesting sessions, friendly faces, and of course, plenty of pizza!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tip 4 – Throwback #400 (pt2)

From #400, General Salesforce Learning Resources:

  1. The Official Certification Guides – if you are looking to get certified this is the place to start. The official guides give a great breakdown of what topics each exam will cover and the points for each section.
  2. Salesforce Certification Days – A day of exam preparation from an expert which often include discount codes for the exam itself
  3. Salesforce Support official YouTube channel that has a lot of great videos
  4. Salesforce Architects Medium Blog – a fairly new blog we featured in a recent tip of the week. A superb resource to read more about all things architecture.
  5. Salesforce Engineering Medium Blog – Not necessarily talking about Salesforce technology but by the team that keeps the platform moving
  6. Salesforce Tip/Cheat Sheets – a great set of cheat sheets for all sorts of things
  7. SFDC Stop – a great blog that contains lots of Salesforce information
  8. Salesforce.org Blog – The official blog for the Salesforce.org team

Final Tip Of The Week – Sign Up

Remember if you have enjoyed this Tip of the Week then sign up for the weekly Friday email, direct to your inbox here. And feel free to get in touch if you have any ideas for future Salesforce tips!