Salesforce architecture is the backbone of your Salesforce platform. As a multi-layered system, it can support multiple use cases (and companies) while keeping important data safe from prying eyes. This makes it flexible, scalable, and cost-effective.
No matter where you are or what device you’re using, Salesforce architecture aims to give you a seamless and personalized experience. As a result, when you begin building upon your original Salesforce setup, the architecture will play a vital role in creating supportive solutions.
In this article, we’ll show you the core components and the technical aspects you need to understand before making the most of your Salesforce platform. Let’s take a look!
The Core Components of Salesforce Architecture
Salesforce Architecture consists of different parts, including data services, artificial intelligence, and robust APIs for development. At the heart of this tool reside four fundamental components: Data Model, User Interface, Business Logic, and APIs.
Salesforce Architecture: The Data Model
The Data Model is organized around objects and fields. Objects are tables that store data, while fields are columns that define the data types. Salesforce provides a set of standard objects, such as Accounts, Contacts, and Opportunities, but you can also create custom objects to meet specific business needs. Then, you can configure fields to capture data, such as text, numbers, dates, and picklists.
User Interface
The User Interface is how users interact with Salesforce. Salesforce has a set of standard user interfaces, such as the Salesforce Classic and the Lightning Experience, but you can also create custom user interfaces to meet all your users’ needs. You can configure them to display data like lists, reports, and dashboards, and to enable users to take actions, such as create, edit, and delete records.
Business Logic
Business Logic is responsible for the way things work behind the scenes in Salesforce – like a decision-making brain. There are two ways to set it up:
The easy way (Declarative): You can use tools like Workflow Rules, Process Builder, and Flows. It’s like using a simple point-and-click interface to tell Salesforce what to do. You can set rules and actions without needing to write any code.
Or, if you’re tech-savvy (or have access to in-house developers or partners), you can up the ante.
The advanced way (Programmatic): For complex business logic, you can use Apex and Visualforce to write code instructions. This lets you do jobs like automating tasks, checking if data is correct, making sure things are secure, and connecting with other systems.
APIs
APIs in Salesforce are connectors that let developers link up Salesforce with other systems and make special apps. There are standard APIs, like pre-made connectors such as SOAP, REST, and Bulk. But if you want something special, you can also create your own custom APIs.
You can use APIs to read and write data, perform searches, execute transactions, and manage metadata – which is data that describes other data, to define the structure and behavior of their applications. This makes it easier to change and update your apps over time, and it gives you more freedom to do things your way.
Multi-Tenant Architecture
Multi-tenant architecture means that the software can serve multiple organizations (or tenants) from a single instance of the software. In Salesforce, each tenant has its own data, configuration, and customizations. This means that Salesforce can scale to support a large number of tenants, which is crucial for cloud-based software.
Think of it as a shared apartment building for different companies. Each company living in this building (we call them tenants) gets its own room (data, settings, and customizations). This setup makes it easy to make the software work just right for each company.
Because many companies share the same building, it’s like they’re sharing some resources like the elevator or the laundry room. This helps everyone save money. Also, when it’s time to fix something or make an improvement, the “landlord” does it for the whole building at once. No need for each company to worry about fixing their own place.
So, this shared living situation (multi-tenant) in Salesforce helps save resources, makes maintenance easy, and lets each company have a home they’ve customized to perfection (without breaking down any walls).
Integration Patterns
When it comes to integrating Salesforce with other applications, there are two main integration patterns you can choose from: point-to-point integration and middleware integration.
Point-to-Point Integration in Salesforce Architecture
Point-to-point integration is a simple way to integrate Salesforce with another application. In this pattern, you create a direct connection between Salesforce and the other application, allowing them to communicate and exchange data. This integration pattern works well for simple integrations that involve only two applications.
But take note: point-to-point integration can become complex to manage as the number of applications you need to integrate increases! Each new integration needs a separate connection, which can result in a tangled web of connections that are difficult to maintain.
Middleware Integration
Middleware integration is the friendly messenger between Salesforce and other apps, helping them share information. It’s a flexible way to link many apps with your tool. With middleware, you create a hub that connects all your apps, making everything easier to manage.
There are different tools for this job, like MuleSoft, Dell Boomi, and Informatica. They all have features that make it easy to set up robust connections between Salesforce and other apps.
So, when you’re making Salesforce work with other apps, you can either go the direct way (which can get a bit messy with lots of apps) or use middleware, the “middleman” that makes everything simpler.
Development Environment
When developing Salesforce applications, you get access to different environments that help you build, test, and deploy your code.
Sandbox in Salesforce Architecture
Sandbox is a full copy of your production environment where you can test changes and new features without affecting your live data. You can create multiple sandboxes with different configurations and data sets to simulate different scenarios. Sandboxes are great for testing, development, and training purposes.
Scratch Orgs
Scratch orgs are short-term spaces for creating and testing new things. You can make them quickly, use them to work on your code, and then toss them away when you’re done. They’re perfect for when you want to develop things fast, work together with others, and keep everything nimble and flexible.
Deployment
When it’s time to put your code into action, you’ve got a few ways to do it. You can use tools like Salesforce CLI, Metadata API, or change sets to move your code and settings to where they need to be. Each method has its own perks and limits, so choose the one that works best for your current project.
How to Optimize Salesforce Architecture
As with anything, you need to optimize your Salesforce architecture to ensure your system keeps running smoothly. Fortunately, you’re not the first to come across this conundrum. We’ve spoken to experts who swear by the following best practices in their Salesforce orgs:
Data Management Best Practices
Keep your data organized today to prevent problems tomorrow. In short: clean up old data regularly and don’t let your database get too cluttered. This not only helps with faster searches but also makes your system overall more efficient. For example, as you integrate more third-party tools, such as tools for data enrichment, you might come across duplicate or inaccurate data. Establish processes before the issues get the chance to affect your revenue.
When dealing with a lot of data at once, like big operations, using bulk APIs is a smart move. Cut down on the number of times your system “talks” to others, making everything run well. This is also why middleware integrations are such a favorite.
Code Optimization
Improving your code can boost how well your system performs. One trick is to keep the number of SOQL and SOSL queries low. These queries use up a lot of resources and make your system slow if you use them too much. A good idea is to try using just one SOQL query to get all the data you need or filter your results using a specific indexed field.
Governor Limits
Salesforce has set some rules called governor limits to keep its shared system operating efficiently. These rules control how much of the computer’s resources, like processing power and memory, one action can use. They also limit the number of times you can ask the database for information.
To avoid bumping into these limits, plan your code with the limits in mind. This way, you can make sure your system works well while giving users the best experience.
Analytics and Reporting
Finally, adding to its robust capabilities, Salesforce architecture boasts flexible reporting and analytics features. While you can take your time on reports and dashboards that fit exactly what you need, you can use ready-made templates if you’re in a hurry.
The reporting tools let you get granular with the data, helping you filter it to focus on specific details. You can even schedule reports to run automatically and send updates to your key stakeholders on a daily basis.
For those who love diving deep into numbers, there are some powerful analytics tools as well! They help you get into the nitty-gritty of how your business is running with advanced data analysis and modeling. For example, you can predict future trends based on your past performance, helping you make smarter decisions. And smarter decisions are what Salesforce is all about.
Salesforce Architecture Is the Blueprint for Business Resilience
Instead of clunky legacy systems, Salesforce’s architecture centralizes your operations in one infinitely customizable hub so your team can focus on what they do best: maximizing every opportunity. It’s built to help developers provide solutions and for end users to seamlessly navigate them.
If you’re looking for a trailblazing advantage, congratulations. You just found it!
