SALESFORCE INTERVIEW PREPARATION - Part 1

Q.1 What is App in Salesforce ?

An app is a group of tabs that work as a unit to provide functionality. Users can switch between apps using the force.com drop-down menu at the right corner of every page.

You can customize existing apps to match the way you work or build new apps by grouping standard and custom tabs.

Navigation to create an app in Salesforce :Setup->Build->Create->App->Click on new and create your application according to your requirements.

Q.2 What is the object in Salesforce ? 

Custom objects are database tables that allow you to store data specific to your organization in salesforce.com.
You can use a custom object to extends salesforce.com functionality or to build new application functionality.

Once you have created a custom object, you can create custom tabs, custom related lists, reports and dashboard for users to interact with the custom object data.

Q.3 What the difference between standard fields and custom fields ? 

Standard Objects :

• Standard objects are limited to a standard set of fields.
• A standard object includes standard layouts.
• A standard object is included with salesforce by default.

 Custom Objects : 

• Custom objects are made up of custom fields.
• Custom objects allow you to change their layouts.
• Custom objects that you create in your organization.

Q.4 What is CRM ? What Salesforce ? 

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a strategy for managing all your company's relationship and interactions with your customers and potential customers.

• It helps you to improve your profitability.
• Customer Relationship Management enables you to focus on your organization relationships with individual people. Whether these are customer service users, colleagues or suppliers.
• Salesforce is a cloud-based CRM system that allows salespeople to track their sales, support people to track their sales, support people to track their cases and the entire company's employee to collaborate with each other.
• Alternative definition: Salesforce is the most effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) product that is delivered to subscribers as cost-effective software as a service (Saas).

Q.5 What does a custom object allow users to do ?

Once the custom object is created, the subscriber can perform the following tasks:

• Create custom fields.
• Relate the custom object to other records.
• Build a custom page layout.
• Create a custom tab for a custom object.
• Analyze custom object data.
• Share custom tabs, custom apps, custom objects, and various other related components.

 None of these tasks can be accomplished until you define the custom object.

Q.6 How many types of relationships you can create in Salesforce ?

Salesforce recognizes two relationship types : 

i) Lookup Relationship
ii) Master-Detail Relationship 

i) Lookup Relationship :

• This type of relationship links two objects together, up to 38 (latest) lookup relationships allowed for object parent is not a required field.  
• No impact on security and access.
• If you delete a parent, No impact on a child.

ii) Master-Detail Relationship :

• Master-Detail Relationship is the parent-child relationship.
• Master represents parent and detail represents child.
• If the parent is deleted then the child also gets deleted.
• Roll-up summary fields can only be created on Master records which will calculate the sum, average, min of child records.
• Parent field on the child is required while creating the object.
• Access to parent determines access to children.
• A child of one master-detail relationship cannot be the parent of another.
• Parent lookup field on page layout is required.
• For example, If the company is closed then no need to keep its employee's data with them.

Q.7 What is self-relationship ?

A self-relationship is a lookup relationship to the same object.

It is a premise that allows users to take the object 'Merchandise' and create relationships with other objects.

Q.8 What can cause data loss in salesforce ?

• Changing data and date-time.
• Migrating to percent, number, and currency from other data types.
• Changing from multi-select picklist from any type exception picklist.
• Altering multi-select picklist from any type of exception picklist.
• Changing to auto-number from text.
• Changing from text area to email, phone, URL and text.

Q.9 How SaaS(software as a service) is beneficial to salesforce ?

• SaaS is subscription based, so a client can choose to renew and discontinue using the program at any time without penalty other than being able to use Salesforce.
• SaaS is intended to help users to avoid heavy initial startup fees and investment. SaaS application uses an internet interface supported by easy integration.

Q.10 How can you create many to many relationship ?

• Lookup and master-detail relationship are one-to-many relationships.
• We can create a many-to-many relationship by using a junction object.
• Junction object is a custom object with two master-detail relationships.

Q.11 A custom object contains some records, now my requirement is to create fields in this object with a master-detail relationship. Can we create a master-detail relationship in this case ?

No, directly we cannot create a master-detail relationship if a custom object contains existing records. following are the steps to create a master-detail relationship when records are available in a custom object.

• First, create a field with a lookup relationship.
• Associate lookup field with parent record for every record.
• Next, change the data type of the field from a look-up to mater-detail.

Q.12 What are custom field types in salesforce ?

• Text
• Picklist
• Picklist (Multi-select)
• Date
• Email
• Date/time
• Date
• Currency
• Checkbox
• Number
• Percent
• Phone
• URL
• Text Area
• Geolocation
• Lookup Relationship
• Master-Detail Relationship

Q.13 What is Tab in salesforce ?

A Tab is a user interface component to display custom object data.

There are three types of Tabs in saleforce.

• 1. Custom Tabs.
• 2. Visualforce Tabs.
• 3. Web Tabs.
• 4. Lightning Component Tabs.
• 5. Lightning Page Tabs.

Q.14 Can a user create, insert their own custom logo, while creating their own custom applications ?

Yes, a user can upload their custom logo in documents and then they can choose that logo for an organization.

Q.15 What is Roll-up summary ? How many Roll-up summary fields are possible in master-detail relationship fields ?

A Roll-up summary is used to establish the relationship in master-detail fields.

We can use sum, count, min, max calculations by defining the relationship between the fields.

Q.16 What is formulae field in salesforce ?

A formula field is a read-only field whose value is evaluated from the formula or expression defined by us.
We can define the formula field on both standards as well as custom objects.

Any change in expression on formula will automatically update the value of formulae field.
Not stored in a database, calculated dynamically with access.

Q.17 What is validation rules in Salesforce ?

Validation rule contains a formula or an expression that evaluates the data in one or more fields and return a value, true or false.

We can display the error message at the top of the page or below the field when rule returns true.

Q.18 What are the different types of validation rule ?

• 1. Logical Error (Example: Date of joining > Date of birth).
• 2. Condition-based mandatory fields (Example: IF Type = Employee).
• 3. Format Validation Regular Expression (Example: 9999-9999-9999).
• 4. Data Consistency (Example: City___ then Zipcode___).

Q.19 What is page layout ? What are the features of the page layout ?  

• It is a standard component of salesforce.
• It is object specific.
• Features : 
• Drag & Drop (fields, buttons, related list, sections, blank spaces).
• Update properties of a related list.
• Multiple page layout/objects can be created and arranged according to profiles.
• Making a field required and read-only.
• Updating the main page layout.

Q.20 What is record type ? what is its use ?

It allows you to define different sets of picklist values for both standard and custom picklists.

• Record types help you implement your custom business processes.
• To segment picklist value specific to a business needs.
• For Example Segment by division, product line or region.

Q.21 What is Lead, Opportunity, Account ?

Lead: 

People who are interested in your company to do business with or involved in a business which your company can offer to him, But this lead is not qualified yet.

• Not sure if they're going to buy from you.
• People you don't have a relationship with yet.
• For example: Visiting cards which you get on conference or trade show.
• Then Lead converts into Contact and Account.

Contact: Someone you have a business relationship with someone you know possibly has bought from you in the past.

Account: A business entity. Contacts work for Accounts.

Opportunity: Sales events related to an Account and one or more Contacts.

• Opportunity is when you had a discussion with contact and when you think Yess !!! there is some connection between your offerings to the person you talked with then you create an opportunity.
• Opportunity is basically putting together.
• You cannot create an opportunity without converting a lead into Account and Contact.

Q.22 What is the difference between trigger and workflow ?

Workflow 

It is an automated process that fired an action based on evaluation criteria and rule criteria.

• We can access a workflow across the object.
• We cannot perform DML operation on workflow. We cannot query from the database.

Trigger 

It is a piece of code that executes before or after a record is inserted or updated. 

• We can access the trigger across the object and related to those objects.
• We can use 20 DML operations in one trigger. We can use 20 SOQL's from the database in one trigger.

Q.23 What is the difference between Process builder and Workflow rules ?

Process Builder: You can handle multiple rule criteria simultaneously in one process.

• More useful to avoid Governor limit exception.
• Using Process builder you cannot send the outbound message.
•  It's challenging to maintain processes than workflows.
• Process builder does not require Rule Criteria. 

Workflow Rule: You cannot handle multiple rule criteria simultaneously in one process.

• Governor limit 50 active workflows per object.
• In workflow rule, you can send an outbound message.
• Workflow rules are more stable than process builder.
• Workflow requires Rule criteria.

Q.24 What are the different type of reports in salesforce ?

• There are 4 types of reports in Salesforce:
• 1. Tabular Report
• 2. Summary Report
• 3. Matrix Report
• 4. Joined Report

1. Tabular Report: 

• This is the most basic report.
• It displays just the row of records in a table like a format with a ground total.
• The tabular report cannot be used for generation dashboards.

2. Summary Report:

• This is the most common type of report. It allows grouping of rows of data.
• It supports sorting and displaying subtotals. For example in a recruiting app, a summary report could be used to display open positions classified by department name.

3. Matrix Report:

• This is the most complex report format. matrix report summarizes information in a grid format.
• Matrix reports allow records to be grouped by both columns and rows.
• Summary and matrix reports can be used to generate dashboards.

4. Joined Report:

• A joined report can contain data from multiple standards or custom report types.
• You can add report type to a joined report if they have relationships with the same objects.
• A joined report consists of up to five report blocks, which you add to the report to create multiple views of your data.

Q.25 What is Dashboard in salesforce ? What are its types ?

• A dashboard is a graphical representation of reports.
• A dashboard can be generated for summary or matrix reports (and not for tabular reports)
• Dashboard display data as per last time reports were run.
• A dashboard can have up to 20 components.
• There are five types of dashboards:-
• Chart used for comparisons.
• Table good for showing the top five, bottom five lists.
• Gauge used to show progress towards a goal.
• Matrix shows a single number.
• Visualforce Pages  used to pull data from other sources.
• Further, there are six types of charts:
• Virtical Column
• Horizontal Bar
• Line
• Donut
• Funnel
• Pie chart

Q.26 How will you implement security in Report & Dashboard ?

• Using folder level security we can provide security to reports and dashboards with 3 different access level
• 1.Viewer
• 2.Editor
• 3.Manager
• You cannot create dashboards with the tabular report.

Q.27 How many data management tools have you used in salesforce and what is the difference between them ?

• There are 3 data management tool available in Salesforce
• 1. Data Loader
• 2. Data Import Wizard
• 3. Workbench

1. Data Loader :

• It is a Stand-alone tool, downloadable.
• It can process 5 million records.
• It supports all standard and custom object.
• It based on SOAP API.
• The user security token is required.
• Features: Insert, update, delete, export, export all.
• You cannot control the firing of workflow rules & processes.

2. Data Import Wizard :

• It is a cloud-based tool, not downloadable.
• It can process 50k records.
• It supports all custom object but only 5 standard objects.
• It is not based on API.
• No additional security required.
• Features: Insert, update, upsert.
• You can control the firing of workflow rules & processes.

3. Workbench :

• It is a cloud-based application.
• It can process up to 5 million records.
• It supports all standard & custom objects.
• It is based on the REST API.
• It uses session Id for additional security.
• Features: Insert, update, delete, purge, upsert.
• You cannot control the firing of workflow rules & processes.

Q.28 What is upsert in salesforce ?

• Upsert means to update the record while inserting the record in Salesforce.
• Upsert = Update + Insert

Q.29 How will you control a batch size of data loader ?

• For heavy data set keep the batch size as low as possible.

Q.30 Explain different type of API's available in salesforce ?

• 1. REST API
• 2. SOAP API
• 3. BULK API
• 4. STREAMING API

1. REST API:

• REST API  is a simple and powerful web service based on RESTful principles.
• It exposes all sort of salesforce functionality via REST resources and HTTP methods.
• For example : 
• you can create, read, update and delete records.
• search or query your data.
• Retrieve object metadata and access information about limits in your Org.
• REST API supports both XML and JSON.
• Because of its lightweight request and response framework and its easy to use, it's great for writing mobile and web apps.

2. SOAP API:

• SOAP API is robust and powerful web services based on the industry standard protocol of some name.
• It supports XML only.
• Because SOAP API uses the WSDL files as a formal contract between the API and Consumer, It's great for writing server-to-server integration.

3. BULK API:

• BULK API is a specialized RESTful API for loading and querying lots of data at once. By lots, I mean 50,000 records or more.
• BULK API is asynchronous, meaning that you can submit a request and come back later for the results.
• BULK API is great for performing tasks that involve lots of records, such as loading data into your org for the first time.

4. STREAMING API:

• STREAMING API is a specialized API for setting up a notification that triggers when changes are made to your data.
• It's great for writing apps that would otherwise need to frequently poll for changes.