If you have trouble finding a Salesforce record, your database becomes more of an obstruction than a helpful tool. It feels like you have reverted back to the dark ages of sticky notes and spreadsheets. Your database should be helping you, and Salesforce is no exception.
Salesforce makes it quite easy to find what you are looking for. Using the search feature is one way but you will usually find that Salesforce list views are used most often. Salesforce list views are like mini reports where you can access all or some (based on criteria) records for the object (like all contacts or contacts in California with e-mail addresses). You can even do some editing right in the list.
Salesforce list views should be very descriptive. “Accounts > $100,000.00” is better than “Large Accounts”. Also, limit public list views to a few that all users need and instruct users on how to make their own. This will keep your Salesforce lists from getting too large and preventing you from finding the right view.
You also want to plan out the placement of your Salesforce fields (columns) in the view properly. The two pictures below show the same data but the top one is a lot easier to work with. With proper Salesforce list views, finding the record you want is just a few clicks away.
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