The overall structure of a Salesforce org: its objects, the fields on them, the relationships between them, and the rules and automation that govern them. Understanding the schema is the foundation for changing an org safely.
A field that ships with Salesforce out of the box (for example, Account Name or Opportunity Amount). Standard fields exist on standard objects and cannot be deleted, though many can be configured.
A field added to an object to capture data Salesforce doesn’t track by default. Custom field API names end in __c. Orgs accumulate hundreds over time, which is why a current data dictionary matters.
A read-only custom field whose value is calculated from other fields using a formula, recomputed whenever the record is viewed. It stores no data of its own but can depend on many other fields.
A field on a parent record that aggregates values (count, sum, min, max) from related child records across a master-detail relationship.
A field that constrains input to a defined list of values. Values can be local to one picklist or shared through a global value set reused across multiple fields.
A way to offer different business processes, picklist values, and page layouts to different users for the same object — for example, distinct sales and support processes on Case.
The arrangement of fields, related lists, and buttons on a record. Page layouts control what users see and edit, and are assigned by profile and record type.
A loosely coupled link between two objects. The child can exist without the parent, and deleting the parent does not delete the child — unlike a master-detail relationship.
A tightly coupled link where the child (detail) depends on the parent (master): the child inherits sharing, and deleting the parent deletes the children. Required for roll-up summary fields.
A rule that checks data entered on a record against a condition and blocks the save with an error message if it fails. Useful for data quality, but easy to accumulate and forget.
Salesforce’s primary no-code automation tool. Flows can create and update records, send notifications, and run complex logic on triggers or screens — and are a common source of hidden dependencies.
Code that runs automatically before or after records are inserted, updated, or deleted. Triggers enable logic beyond no-code tools but add code that must be understood before changing related fields.
A baseline set of permissions and access settings assigned to a user — object and field permissions, page layouts, and more. Every user has exactly one profile.
A grant of additional permissions to specific users without changing their profile. Permission sets are the modern, additive way to manage access and can be assigned to many users.
A bundle of permission sets assigned together to represent a role, with the option to mute specific permissions. Effective access is the union of the group’s permission sets minus anything muted.
Controls that determine which users can see or edit a specific field, set per profile and permission set. FLS is what decides who actually has visibility into a field, independent of the page layout.
A bundle of components (objects, fields, code) installed from the AppExchange, namespaced and version-controlled by its publisher. Managed-package components often can’t be edited directly.
The Salesforce API for reading and deploying an org’s configuration — objects, fields, layouts, automation — as metadata rather than record data. SchemaForce reads metadata only, never record contents.
A catalog of every object and field in an org with its type, purpose, relationships, and usage. Many teams maintain one by hand in a spreadsheet; SchemaForce builds and keeps it current automatically.
In a Salesforce org, the accumulation of unused fields, redundant automation, and undocumented configuration that makes change slower and riskier over time. Surfacing it is the first step to clearing it.
Determining what a proposed change would affect before you make it — which automations, fields, and reports depend on the thing you’re about to change. The antidote to a small edit quietly breaking three things.