Quarterly Salesforce SOPs for User Management: A Checklist for Success
Managing your Salesforce instance effectively means keeping a pulse on user management. Quarterly reviews are essential to maintaining a secure, efficient, and well-utilized system. Here’s a practical guide to the standard operating procedures (SOPs) you should implement every quarter.
1. License Usage Audit
Unused or misallocated licenses can drain resources and limit your Salesforce ROI. A quarterly audit ensures that every license is effectively utilized.
Under-utilized Licenses: Identify users who rarely log in. If a license is allocated to someone who barely uses the platform, investigate why. Can their needs be met by another user who accesses the system more frequently?
Over-provisioned Users: Review users who might have more access than necessary. For instance, does a finance team member really need Marketing User permissions? Validate the need or reassign the license.
Actionable Step: Schedule a report to track user logins and license assignments. Based on the data, reallocate or deactivate licenses as appropriate.
2. User Access and Permissions
User roles evolve as your business grows. Quarterly reviews of permissions ensure everyone has the right level of access.
Permissions Review: Look for users with elevated permissions like "Modify All" and verify they genuinely need them.
Permission Set Groups: Check that group memberships align with current job roles and responsibilities.
Pro Tip: Salesforce’s User Access & Permissions Assistant, available on the AppExchange, simplifies the process of reviewing and managing permissions.
Why Quarterly Matters: Regular reviews help minimize risks like unauthorized data access and maintain the integrity of your Salesforce data.
3. MFA and Security Checks
Security is a moving target. Stay ahead by auditing your multi-factor authentication (MFA) and security policies every quarter.
Ensure all users comply with MFA requirements.
Confirm new hires are properly configured with MFA settings.
Check for unauthorized security exceptions.
Pro Tip: Automate a quarterly report to quickly review user access and MFA compliance.
4. Integration User Audit
Integration users are often overlooked, but they can pose security risks if not properly managed. Quarterly reviews ensure these accounts are secure and necessary.
Verify that integration accounts are still tied to active tools or processes.
Apply the least-privilege principle, limiting access to only what’s required.
Pro Tip: Always document changes to integration user settings for clear audit trails.
5. Monitor User Adoption and Engagement
Your Salesforce instance is only as powerful as its users. Quarterly, assess engagement and adoption metrics:
Who is logging in regularly?
Who might need additional training or support?
Are there any patterns of disengagement?
Pro Tip: Download the Salesforce Adoption Dashboards by Salesforce Labs from the App Exchange. Adoption dashboards or login activity reports can help uncover gaps and opportunities for improvement.
Final Thoughts
User management isn’t a one-time task—it’s an ongoing responsibility. By incorporating these quarterly SOPs into your Salesforce management routine, you can ensure optimal license utilization, maintain security, and foster user adoption.
Start small, automate wherever possible, and make these reviews a priority. Your Salesforce instance—and your business—will thank you for it.
