Data has become our most valuable commodity, and yet, sometimes, there can be too much of it.

Aside from there being more data that is easy to analyse without the help of technology, a lot of data is also irrelevant, outdated or can even be in violation of new privacy laws. Along with data collection, data maintenance is also a must. Data that is no longer useful needs to be deleted and outdated data needs to be updated.

The Salesforce CRM is an excellent resource for businesses to keep a record of client data and use that data effectively. However, it is important that Salesforce data be reviewed occasionally and kept up to date. Doing this can be time-consuming, and if not done systematically, can result in prolonged downtime. Here we discuss the best practices for deleting and maintaining Salesforce data so that the process is quicker, more efficient and with fewer to no errors.

Tips to Delete and Maintain Salesforce Data

Assess: The first step to cleaning and maintaining Salesforce data is to assess it. Areas that need to be looked at include duplicated data, incomplete data, data that lacks formatting, irrelevant data and so on. Duplicates and incorrect formatting can occur when data is migrated from one type of CRM to another or when data is obtained from multiple sources.

Many times, the lack of information leads to incomplete fields in the datasheet. And, of course, after a while, data can get outdated and irrelevant. Once you are clear on where your data stands, it makes it easier to maintain.

Complete: When maintaining Salesforce data, completing data sheets is always a good idea. Complete sheets help to maintain the integrity of the data obtained for better analysis. Having all the data fields complete, also improves customer service and customer experience. Knowing information like the age, location, interests and shopping/browsing history can help businesses provide custom-made services to their clients.

Updating the fields with new data is also important as it can represent new or wider interests of the clients. If you can set up a system that identifies when fields are incomplete and alerts users, you can prevent the problem as it occurs.

Clean: Cleaning comes into play when data is not formatted correctly. During Salesforce maintenance, it might be noticed that fields have been populated incorrectly and the formats vary from one client sheet to another. Migrating data is one of the main reasons this happens, but it can also happen when international clients follow different methods of entering dates, addresses, phone numbers and so on.

Make sure to fix a data form that everyone can follow, and that all data has to conform to when cleaning up. Keeping all employees informed of the format and training them to use it will prevent incorrect data formats from being used in the Salesforce CRM.

Delete: Excessive data can cause clutter, making it harder to identify what is relevant and what isn’t. Knowing what data is required by the business can help you delete what is not required. Duplicates can also be deleted, as well as data that has crossed a certain age, data that hasn’t been verified and sensitive data that violates privacy terms.

Deleting unnecessary data not only decreases the volume and makes it easier to manage, but it also forces users to take a good look at what irrelevant data is being collected and how to better plan the data collection strategy.

Protect: Finally, once you have cleaned your data and deleted what you don’t need, you need to protect your Salesforce CRM. Make sure that your security features are up to date and can counter any attempts at compromising the data. Keeping client data safe and secure is the number one priority of any organisation.

The SalesFix Solution

If you are looking to clean, delete and maintain your Salesforce data, then SalesFix can be of service to you. We can help you take your Salesforce CRM data to the next level simply by streamlining the process by which data is collected, formatted and used.

We take the burden off you by providing effective solutions to maintain Salesforce data so that downtime is much shorter, and your data can be much more insightful.
Contact SalesFix today to speak to one of our expert consultants to find out how we can be of service to you.