With the Salesforce mobile app, your users can access CRM data from a phone or tablet. The app is available for both Android and iOS devices. Just like its desktop counterpart, it is already a secure app that requires a username and password to log in.
However certain industries (like Financial Services or Health Care) and organizations impose more stringent control on what a user can or cannot do on the mobile app. For example, I remember doing a project for a Financial Services company in Singapore, where their security and compliance department stated that users should not be able to copy and paste data from the mobile app.
Security and access for the Salesforce mobile app is a bit of an offbeat topic and not many people are aware of the nuances of what Salesforce has to offer in this area. So, in this post, we will take a look at all the different settings that Salesforce offers specifically for securing data in the mobile app.
Salesforce Mobile App: Security Features
Broadly, Salesforce mobile app security features can be categorized into two groups:
1. Control the access & security of the mobile app itself
2. Control what a user can or cannot do once inside the app
1. Control the access & security of the mobile app
Profiles – Grant access to Salesforce mobile app to users of specific profiles
Permission Sets – Grant access to Salesforce mobile app to specific users only
PIN (Passcode) – Require a 4 – 8 digit PIN every time when logging into the Salesforce mobile app
Login IP Ranges – Specify login IP ranges to allow access to Salesforce mobile app from specific IP ranges only
2. Control what a user can or cannot do once inside the app
DISABLE_EXTERNAL_PASTE – Controls copying of Salesforce record’s text and pasting in an app outside Salesforce
ENABLE_SHARE – Controls sharing of a Salesforce record or a page’s link
SHOW_OPEN_IN – Controls opening of files stored in Salesforce in a third party app on user’s phone outside Salesforce
DISABLE_ACTIVITY_TIMELINE (iOS Only) – Controls the visibility of Activity Timeline on standard Salesforce objects such as Lead, Contact, etc. on iOS devices only
SHOW_PRINT (iOS Only) – Controls the visibility of Print button for Salesforce files on iOS devices only

For a complete guide and step by step instructions, check out these Google slides! These steps won’t take more than 15-20 minutes to go through.
Summary
Security was and always will be the top priority of Salesforce. It is your responsibility to use these features wisely to safeguard your system and prevent your data from being vulnerable.
References
- Salesforce Mobile App Security and Compliance – Trailhead Module (2 hr 10 mins)
- Control Access and Security for the Salesforce Mobile App – Help Article (10 mins)
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