In 2020, the average person created 1.7MB of data per second, which is roughly equivalent to one HD image every second.
In our information-rich world, your business’s data stores can quickly become disorganised and redundant if you’re not careful. Even the most diligent employees make mistakes during data entry and you shouldn’t rely on analytics without validating your data at the start. Your records are only ever as good as your data cleansing routine.
In this guide, we’ll outline some Salesforce data cleansing best practices so you can maintain lean, tidy data and ensure your software stack is running smoothly 24/7.
The top Salesforce data cleansing best practices for 2022
1: Audit and validate regularly
Our first Salesforce data cleaning best practice is the most important one to follow: whatever your standards, enforce them regularly.
Think of your data stores as a digital inventory for your business. You likely tidy your physical stockroom, count assets and throw out anything that isn’t useful with some regularity. The same approach is crucial for your Salesforce data, as the problems hiding in your records only grow the longer they remain unattended.
If you’d like more information containing best practices for cleansing Salesforce data, read our guide on how to improve data quality in Salesforce.
2: Keep your stack simple
You probably have more than one pool of data to manage. A 2021 survey showed that the average business runs 843 separate applications (rising to 901 within financial services firms), of which less than 30% are meaningfully integrated.
Cleansing your data is easier when you simplify your tech stack. By utilising centralised software suites like the Salesforce ecosystem, your transfer processes remain straightforward and you reduce the likelihood of duplicates in your data.
If you want to take your Salesforce data cleansing best practices even further, you can use tools like the AppExchange and MuleSoft. These API-led integration tools offer flexible methods to smoothen bottlenecks and help you maintain a lean digital toolbox.
3: Tidy as you go
Data irregularities happen somewhere within your business, even if they’re accidental. That’s why it’s important to train your staff on your firm’s data standards.
Doing so democratises the (usually quite large) task of managing an entire firms’ data and empowers staff to input correctly formatted data from the start. Although some mistakes may still slip through the cracks, you’ll still gain time from the lower volume of work left over.
4: Automate what you can
One of the easiest ways to ensure you’re following Salesforce data cleansing best practices is to use automation tools. Not only can you save time versus manual processing, but you can also focus on completing the more complex tasks like validation more thoroughly.
‘Automation’ is as easy as using Salesforce itself, as all your data syncs to the cloud natively. Moreover, you can mandate field inputs so you always have pre-validated records. If you’ve got the skills, you can even use tools like the REST API to change records easily at scale
6: Delete what you don’t need
Not all data is valuable. Outdated or incomplete records can actually hamper your business, obscuring your development of useful insights. That’s why a vital Salesforce data cleansing best practice is deleting records that don’t have strategic value within your business.
If you find that you’re coming across ancient files or partial records, wipe them. They’ll only serve to further bloat your stores and offer little insight during your analysis later on.
7: Keep up to date with the latest features
Salesforce publishes regular updates and maintains APIs for a minimum of three years.
Regardless, it’s important to keep pace with new releases, lest you lose compatibility with newer software versions, trapping your data in an outdated format.
Software updates also come with security patches and new features, enabling you to do more with the same tools. There’s really no reason to fall out of sync with the latest updates. Learn more about updating your software in Salesforce’s dedicated guide and stay at the forefront of customer service innovation.
Let your software spark joy with our Salesforce data cleansing best practices
Your software is only as good as the data you put into it. That’s why it’s so important to follow data cleansing best practices in Salesforce, or any other platform you use.
A variety of factors contribute to poor data, so it’s a constant battle to maintain lean, tidy records. Nevertheless, taking time to audit your data provides lasting dividends in the form of real-time strategic insights. Use the steps above to ensure every byte of data is correct using regular checks, vigilant teams and automated tools.
Leverage Salesforce data cleansing best practices with makepositive
makepositive is a Platinum Salesforce Partner with 180 experts and over 600 Salesforce certifications.
We can help you unleash the full potential of Salesforce in your business, whether you’re looking to identify new opportunities using your data, or grow your customer base.
Our award-winning Health Check can help identify issues in your current Salesforce usage while our Managed Service SLA keeps you in the loop on new releases and how to use them.
Get in touch with us at [email protected] and discover where your data can take your business today.
