Before we get to the topic of objects in Salesforce, let’s first define what this platform is. In a nutshell, Salesforce is a CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software which allows you to manage your database in an sophisticated but easy-to-use interface.
With it, you can also develop several applications using the drag and drop method. A typical relational database lets you use tables to store data but with Salesforce, data is stored in objects which contains all the functionalities of a regular table but much better. There are two types of objects: standard objects and custom objects.
Standard objects are objects included in Salesforce by default such as accounts, products, reports, contacts, and other standard data. Custom objects are objects that you can build to suit your organization’s specific needs. They contain the same components as standard objects except you have the ability to build it on your own.
Each object will contain a set of fields such as an identity field which gives you an identifier for every record in the form of a URL, a name field which is a human-readable identifier, and custom fields which can be utilized to further extend the functionality of a standard object. Users can also set up formulas, add labels, create notes, track specific fields, and control access to certain objects, records, or fields.
Once the custom objects are created and set up accordingly, they can now be used like any other object in Salesforce. Take note that custom objects and standard objects are accessed differently. When accessing a custom object, go to Create menu in Salesforce and find the Objects. As for standard objects, they can be found under the Customize Menu.
In a next post, we’ll teach you how to send an email from Salesforce.