The Salesforce ecosystem is experiencing rapid growth in the tech world. Its technical skills have become essential in a variety of areas from administrators to developers, integration and beyond. Tech professionals are increasingly drawn to this sector, recognizing its significant growth and scope. The question is do you want to become a Salesforce admin?
It will require continuous learning and adaptability. This blog here will act as a complete guide to help you become a professional in the world of Salesforce. It includes everything from their role to skills, available credentials and steps to acquire them. But first things first and that means understanding Salesforce.
Salesforce is a SaaS or Software-as-a-Service CRM platform. It offers cloud-based applications to enterprises of all sizes and domains to aid them in managing their customer data and relationships.
It was founded in 1999 and has only witnessed an upward growth graph since. Today, it is famous throughout the world for its unique features and services.
A Salesforce administrator is one who specializes in the CRM platforms of the Salesforce suite. These professionals are the go-to experts for developing processes, training others in the platform, organizing data, answering questions, and running reports.
All in all, they are aware of the platform inside and out. But what are the responsibilities of an SF admin? Let's find out!
The job role of a Salesforce admin is not fixed. This is because the software is so huge that what its professional is required and expected to do depends largely upon the company and the industry. However, here are a few job roles of this expert that are mostly common:
As a Salesforce System Administrator, you will be expected to be in possession of the following skills.
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The benefits of becoming an SF Administrator are numerous and here are a few -
To be called a Salesforce Certified Administrator, four basic certifications are being offered by the company. Each of these certificates has its own merits and getting each of these would put a stamp of some distinct knowledge and skills. Let's talk about them-
The Certified Administrator certification is best suited for admins who wish to understand and consequently implement the capabilities and features offered by Salesforce. To earn this certification, the individual needs to master all the concepts that come under its curriculum.
| Exam Topics | Weightage |
| Configuration and Setup | 20% |
| Object Manager and Lightning App Builder | 20% |
| Sales and Marketing Applications | 12% |
| Service and Support Applications | 11% |
| Workflow and Process Automation | 16% |
| Data and Analytics Management | 14% |
| Productivity and Collaboration | 7% |
Those with more experience as an SF administrator will find this certification more apt to showcase their skills. The Salesforce Certified Advanced Administrator demonstrates their advanced expertise in configuring, managing and extending this platform. They are proficient in handling complex configurations, managing larger-scale deployments and using advanced features and functionalities. Its curriculum involves:
| Exam Topics | Weightage |
| Security and Access | 20% |
| Objects and Applications | 19% |
| Auditing and Monitoring | 10% |
| Cloud Applications | 11% |
| Data and Analytics Management | 13% |
| Environment Management and Deployment | 7% |
| Process Automation | 20% |
CPQ Specialist certification is specifically designed for individuals having experience with Salesforce CPQ or configure, price, and quote software. It will help an individual demonstrate their knowledge and skills in building, implementing, and designing proposal and estimation workflows for product price configuration. The curriculum of the CPQ Specialist certification involves:
| Exam Topics | Weightage |
| CPQ Platform | 23% |
| Bundle Configurations | 17% |
| Pricing | 16% |
| Quote Templates | 7% |
| Product Selection | 7% |
| Orders, Contracts, Amendments, and Renewals | 15% |
| Products | 11% |
| Approvals | 4% |
A lot of organizations are looking for customized apps within the SF platform. An administrator with the Platform App Builder certification is the best fit for such organizations. These professionals are able to design and build highly customized applications. To become one of them, you have to prepare for the following concepts:
| Exam Topics | Weightage |
| Salesforce Fundamentals | 23% |
| Data Modeling and Management | 22% |
| Business Logic and Process Automation | 28% |
| User Interface | 17% |
| App Deployment | 10% |
If you think you are ready to explore career opportunities as a Salesforce system administrator, then you must go for a Salesforce Admin course. However, there are a few other steps that will get you closer to your goals.
Gaining experience in this platform is essential to help you build a strong skill set that will eventually demonstrate your job-ready side to employers. You can go for a Salesforce entry-level job or an internship. This period of working with a company dealing with SF will help you learn more about the platform. This hands-on experience will be a learning experience for a lifetime.
Once you have the experience, it is time to understand the exam curriculum. There are many different certificate options for SF administrators each covering different skills. You can explore them from trailhead.salesforce.com. Just select the certification you want to acquire and go through their exam guide.
It will help you to understand the exam pattern, prerequisites, curriculum, enrollment fee and other details. The Salesforce Certified Administrator is the ideal option as the starting point for a beginner.
As we know, these credentials test a candidate's proficiency in different areas. The exam guide will only provide a basic overview. This means you have to prepare for each topic, which requires a structured learning path. You can consider the following points in this preparation:
Self-learning is indeed possible even for beginners, but it is challenging and may take a long time. There are a variety of resources you can use to prepare quickly. Trailhead itself provides online courses for the candidates.
You can also use Salesforce Admin tutorials, online courses and training programs. It provides training by the top industry experts to ensure your preparation for the certification is streamlined and consistent. A course will also help you prepare well with practice tests and mock exams.
The next step is to enroll and schedule the exam. You can do it from the home page of that particular credential by clicking on the Schedule Now Button. This involves entering the necessary details, following the instructions and proceeding with the payment. On exam day, be calm, take deep breaths, deal with each question with focus and manage your time.
Acquiring the certification will not be enough as they have a particular validation period. Therefore, you have to maintain your certification by completing a maintenance module. Maintaining the credentials prevents you from reappearing in the exam and ensures you are always eligible for the professional role.
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Salary of a certified SF admin depends on various crucial aspects, including their experience, qualification, skills, certifications, and more. Here are some of their average salaries from the top career-focused websites.
| Country | Beginners Salary | Salary with Experience |
| India | INR 4L - 6L per annum | INR 7L - 13.5L per annum |
| USA | $82,821 per annum | $157,507 per annum |
| UK | EURO 37,000 per annum | EURO 54K per per annum |
Acing the Salesforce Admin Certification exam requires you to stay calm, manage time well, and learn in a dedicated manner by making the most of the available resources. Once you have joined the best Salesforce Admin training, you can leave all your worries behind and move towards making a successful run in this field and become a certified Salesforce admin.
So, what are you waiting for? Salesforce is a leading craze right now and considering its features and benefits, it is going to stay at the top in the future too.
Ans. The cost of the Salesforce Admin Certification exam is $200 + tax.
Ans. Many companies hire admins even without a certification. They also give time to get certified in many cases. However, it is always better to get certified first because then more companies will see you as an asset and you will also be able to negotiate your salary better.
Ans. A combination of hands-on experience, formal training, and self-study is the best path to preparing for this certification. You can explore Trailhead communities, participate in workshops, and complete online tutorials.
Ans. The best way to stay Up To Date with the new features and tools is by checking the official website for updates, joining community forums and user groups, attending its annual conference, and participating in official events and webinars.
Ans. No, there are no official prerequisites penned down by the company. However, certification training is the best path to take for the best outcomes.
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Course Schedule
| Course Name | Batch Type | Details |
| Salesforce Admin Training | Every Weekday | View Details |
| Salesforce Admin Training | Every Weekend | View Details |
