Salesforce has been around since 1999, meaning many organizations have used it for years, if not decades. Over that time, the platform has undergone significant changes, introducing new automation tools and best practices to enhance efficiency, reduce technical debt, and streamline operations. However, companies already firmly established in the Salesforce ecosystem haven't updated their system to take advantage of these improvements. They continue to operate with outdated processes and code that slow them down. 

If you haven't stayed up to date on the latest Salesforce advancements, you're missing potential value from your solution investment. However, correctly reconfiguring your Salesforce infrastructure to accommodate novel updates in a way that's tailored to your unique workflows isn't as easy as pushing a button. To start, you may need to take a deep dive into your preexisting structure to determine where your inefficiencies come into play. A Technical Health Check (THC) can help identify and address these inefficiencies, ensuring your Salesforce environment is optimized for today's capabilities.

Why Your Salesforce Org May Be Outdated

Even if you've only been using Salesforce for a few years, there's a good chance that parts of your system are outdated. For instance, one of the biggest shifts in recent years has been the advancement of Flow, Salesforce's primary tool for process automation. Previously, many automations were handled with tools like Process Builder, which is now obsolete. Flow is not only faster but also much easier to maintain.

Additionally, older Visualforce pages, which were used for custom user interfaces, have largely been replaced by more modern Lightning components that function similarly to traditional JavaScript-based web apps. If your system still relies on these outdated tools, you may be experiencing inefficiencies and increased maintenance costs.

How to Use a Technical Health Check to Optimize Salesforce

Imagine a company that has been using Salesforce for ten years. Over that time, they have built numerous custom automations using Process Builder and multiple custom-coded triggers. While everything works, their system has become sluggish, making changes difficult due to the tangled web of old logic.

To optimize its outdated system, this company needs a technical health check to identify, for example, redundant triggers, outdated Process Builder workflows, and automations that are no longer in use. Then, by migrating their automation to Flow and consolidating triggers, the technical health check team can reduce system complexity, thereby improving performance and maintainability. As a result, the company’s Salesforce admins and developers can focus on new business priorities rather than constantly maintaining outdated code.

How to Identify and Address Technical Debt

Technical debt accumulates when outdated or inefficient processes remain in place despite the availability of better alternatives. To resolve these issues, you must first pinpoint where these inefficiencies are within your system. While each company may face unique challenges, here are some common key indicators of technical debt in your Salesforce org:

• Old automation tools like Process Builder: Since Salesforce no longer allows the creation of new Process Builder workflows, any existing ones should be evaluated and, when possible, migrated to Flow.
• Redundant or inefficient code: Many organizations have multiple triggers on the same object, causing unnecessary execution and system slowdowns. Best practices dictate that a single trigger per object is ideal.
• Unused automation and workflows: Many Salesforce instances contain automations that were created years ago but are no longer relevant. These can add complexity and slow down system performance.
• Legacy UI components: If you're still using Visualforce pages instead of modern Lightning components, you may miss out on performance improvements and better user experiences.

The Benefits of a Technical Health Check

In the simplest terms, a Technical Health Check helps uncover and address problems and inefficiencies within your system. Our team's expertise in Salesforce allows us to efficiently analyze your Salesforce environment, identifying opportunities to improve performance and maintainability. We tailor our approach based on the needs and challenges of every unique client while focusing on:

• Code reviews: Evaluate your code for best practices, identify redundant triggers, and recommend improvements.
• Process automation audits: Assess your workflows and suggest migrations to Flow where appropriate.
• UI modernization: Identify outdated Visualforce pages and recommend Lightning alternatives.
• Eliminating unused components: Find and remove workflows, fields, and automations that no longer serve a purpose.

Why Work with Salesforce Technical Health Check Experts?

While many companies have in-house Salesforce expertise, performing a comprehensive technical health check can be time-consuming. Consequently, it often takes a backseat to higher-priority initiatives. The odds are that your internal IT resources are already stretched thin with routine maintenance, meaning conducting a Salesforce THC could significantly disrupt your internal priorities. 

Our team recognizes patterns and identifies common issues, allowing us to complete these reviews efficiently and cost-effectively. By partnering with us, you can reduce your total cost of ownership, improve system performance, and ensure your Salesforce environment is primed for future growth. Rather than spending internal resources on technical debt management, your team can focus on innovation and business growth while we handle the heavy lifting.

Leveraging a Technical Health Check to Maximize the Value of Your Salesforce Investment

If your Salesforce org has been around for a few years or longer, chances are there are inefficiencies lurking under the surface. A Technical Health Check can uncover these issues, helping you take advantage of the latest Salesforce capabilities while reducing technical debt. With Canidium's expertise, you can modernize your Salesforce environment efficiently and cost-effectively, ensuring you get the most out of your investment.

If you are ready to optimize your Salesforce instance, contact Canidium to learn more about what a technical health check could do for your company. We'll help you uncover where you're losing value in your Salesforce investment and fix the legacy issues in your infrastructure.

Read about the timeline and process of a technical health check here.