It’s no secret that Salesforce documentation can often feel like a chore. After all, there are more urgent tasks that you and your team need to tackle. But documentation can actually hold the key to unlocking cross-functional strategic conversations between the technical teams and the GTM management teams. By prioritizing thorough, up-to-date documentation, you’ll be committing to keeping your operations running smoothly. Here’s why taking the time to document your Salesforce (or getting Sweep’s AI-powered tool to do it for you) is one of the best investments you can make in your workflow as well as in your team’s success.
Reduce Salesforce onboarding time
Whether you’re adding to your headcount or simply having an existing team member shift roles, it can be absolutely vital to have your entire Salesforce fully documented. Research suggests that proper documentation can reduce onboarding time by up to 50% by allowing new hires to quickly understand workflows and configurations. Not only will this reduce the amount of time that the new person needs to get familiar with what’s been built, but it will also cut down on future troubleshooting as new projects get kicked off.
A well-documented Salesforce setup means less time spent explaining configurations and more time on value-added tasks, allowing new team members to feel confident in taking on projects quickly. In fact, a survey by TalentLMS found that 91% of employees feel more empowered when provided with self-service resources, such as documentation. While documentation may not fully replace the need for training sessions, it can certainly cut down on the amount of time spent in those meetings. Plus users will have an up-to-date resource to help them take on more responsibilities.
Get a seat at the GTM strategy table
Too often, the Salesforce team can feel stuck in a silo. Even though they’re responsible for pulling key data insights from the CRM, it can be challenging to turn those numbers into the foundation for a strategic conversation with leadership. With clear, up-to-date documentation, Salesforce team members can leverage their technical knowledge of business processes and get a seat at the table with GTM strategy leaders. Sweep’s visual workspace also provides technical and business teams a way to have a productive conversation on a single platform, ensuring that everyone remains on the same page.
Improve data hygiene and reliability across the team
Data hygiene should always be prioritized. Companies with documented processes are 40% more likely to avoid major data discrepancies, according to McKinsey. And creating a shared source of truth ensures that every team can be confident in the insights that are being delivered and used as strategic pillars.
When processes aren’t documented, individuals tend to develop their own methods, which can lead to inconsistencies in how Salesforce is used. Detailed documentation serves as a single source of truth, ensuring that workflows remain consistent and reducing the likelihood of errors. For RevOps, this consistency translates to reliable reporting and forecasting, which are essential for strategic decision-making.
Avoid disruptions when key players are unavailable
When only one or two people know the details of complex Salesforce configurations, the team is vulnerable if those individuals go on vacation or leave the organization. This may not feel like an urgent issue, but a study by Gartner found that 70% of companies experience operational delays due to undocumented systems when key players are absent. With clear documentation, anyone on the team can step in and maintain or troubleshoot workflows, minimizing disruptions and ensuring that business continues as usual.
Support scalability as your business grows
Salesforce documentation is not just a technical challenge. It can affect the entire business. As your organization grows, your Salesforce instance will need to scale with it. In fact, the Harvard Business Review reports that companies with scalable, documented processes are 30% more likely to hit growth milestones without operational setbacks. With documented processes, scaling becomes smoother and more manageable, allowing new elements to be added without dismantling existing structures. Revenue Operations, in particular, can benefit from a structured, documented approach, ensuring that growth efforts are supported by scalable processes.
Reduce time spent on troubleshooting and support
Imagine how much time is spent hunting down the “why” behind a broken workflow or an inaccurate report. Clear, detailed documentation serves as a roadmap that reduces the need for extensive troubleshooting, saving time for Salesforce Admins and RevOps teams alike. This also allows you to address issues faster, keeping operations running smoothly.
A study by Forrester found that IT teams spend up to 40% of their time diagnosing and resolving issues in poorly documented systems. With robust documentation, Salesforce teams can drastically reduce their troubleshooting time by addressing issues quickly and keeping operations running smoothly.
Ensure compliance and security standards are met
For many industries, adhering to compliance standards is non-negotiable. Documentation shows a clear path of action for audits and regulatory reviews, helping you avoid penalties and maintain trust with stakeholders. It also serves as a safeguard for security practices, which is essential for protecting sensitive customer and business data. In fact, 68% of companies cite documentation as the top factor in successfully navigating compliance audits (PwC).
Automate your documentation for peace of mind
Instead of adding an extra task, find a solution that automates your Salesforce documentation so you can save hours down the line. With Sweep, you can take advantage of AI-powered Salesforce documentation and instantly see everything that’s been built in your configuration. Imagine being able to hand off Salesforce management or add new team members without a second thought, knowing they can access detailed guidance and insights on how things work. Sweep provides a visual map of your Salesforce so you can click on any element for details on how it's used and what it connects to.
So if you’ve been putting off documentation, it’s time to look at Sweep and automate the entire process. Your team will thank you. Book time here to see how it works.
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