The Nitty-Gritty of Installing and Synchronising Salesforce Lightning for Outlook: A Salesforce Certified Administrator's Guide

Let's kick things off by saying that Salesforce Lightning for Outlook is not your run-of-the-mill kind of plug-in. It's a powerful beast, connecting two technological titans, Salesforce and Microsoft Outlook. Picture this: your everyday email communications, integrated seamlessly with your Salesforce customer management. We're discussing that exact concept!

Now, let's not get ahead of ourselves before we delve into the heart of the matter. First off, we must install this beast. While this task isn't for those lacking courage, I assure you, you needn't be a rocket scientist to do it. You just need to follow steps to the tee and voila - you'll be strutting around with Salesforce Lightning for Outlook installed in no time.

Installation Procedures

To install Salesforce Lightning, you'll need to get your hands a little dirty, figuratively speaking, of course. Head into "the Setup" in Salesforce classic or Lightning Experience. Navigate your way to 'Outlook Integration and Sync' and enable things like 'Outlook Integration' and 'Outlook side panel'. Remember, if you don't clear the 'Allow users to enable the side panel' checkbox, you might find yourself in a pickle down the line.

After these settings are taken care of, feel free to download the Outlook Integration (MSI). Once downloaded, simply run the installer and follow the prompts. Just like that, you’ve got Salesforce Lightning for Outlook at your fingertips!

Synchronisation Options

Now, with all the installing out of the way, let's shimmy over to synchronisation options. After you’ve gone through the hoopla of installing Salesforce Lightning, you'll have a couple of options for syncing. You'll choose your path based on your intended goals.

Let's dissect this further. 'Two-way sync' and 'one-way sync' options are available to you. As the name implies, two-way sync facilitates data flow both from Outlook to Salesforce and vice versa. This can be handy-dandy when you need to keep information updated in both places. On the flip side, one-way sync only updates data from Outlook to Salesforce. It resembles a one-way street where data has permission to flow only in one direction.

Then, we come across 'manual sync' and 'auto sync' options. Their names pretty much reveal their functionality. Manual sync allows you to decide the timeline and content of sync, while auto sync assumes control and does everything automatically. It’s like setting your car on cruise control!

By the Numbers

Now, I hear you ask, why the hullabaloo about Salesforce Lightning for Outlook? Well, let me throw some numbers your way. According to Salesforce's 2020 State of Sales Report, sales reps spend 34% of their time on actual selling. The rest of their time? They're buried deep in administrative tasks and the likes of data entry. That’s where Salesforce Lightning for Outlook comes in, reducing the need for manual data entry and ultimately freeing up precious time for the actual selling.

Moreover, the CSO Insights' 2019 World-Class Sales Practices Study found that top-performing sales teams were 2.3 times more likely to use guided selling technologies like Salesforce Lightning for Outlook. It just goes to show that these sales tools aren't just bells and whistles; they're making a tangible difference in sales performance.

In the end, installing and synchronising Salesforce Lightning for Outlook is certainly a walk in the park; a park filled with technical terms and options, sure, but a walk nonetheless. And you, a Salesforce Certified Administrator, are more than equipped to tackle this walk. So, roll up those sleeves and put your best foot forward. After all, a stitch in time, saves nine!