It’s safe to say that everyone in the Salesforce ecosystem loves Trailhead. This gamified platform is a great way to learn new Salesforce skills, but how do you decide which badge, module, or trail to choose?
This guide brings together the modules and trails we think will be useful in 2023. In a rocky economic climate, specializations will help you stand out in the job market, while making you indispensable to an organization that desperately needs expertise in a particular area. Split by admin and developer (with a few bonuses), these badges will help you bring your Salesforce A-game!
Admin Badges
Business Analyst
Trail: Get Started as a Salesforce Business Analyst
Salesforce introduced the Business Analyst Certification mid-way through 2022, and its popularity has skyrocketed ever since. The figures speak for themselves – year-on-year demand grew by a whopping 55% according to the Salesforce Talent Ecosystem Report ‘22 – it’s time to jump on the BA wave in 2023.
However, if you don’t wish to shift your career towards the business analyst path, but you’re still curious about this popular role, check out the “quick look” module that compares admins and BAs – this will help you understand the responsibilities and why there’s so much hype around the role:
Module: Admin & BA Job Comparison: Quick Look
CPQ
Module: Salesforce CPQ Basic
Salesforce CPQ (configure, price, quote) – now known as Revenue Cloud – helps sales reps create accurate quotes for customers to sell complex sets of products and bundles.
Even if you are not in sales, CPQ badges are a no-brainer. CPQ-knowledgeable people are scarce, which leads to high earning potential, as well as the opportunity to work with some very cool companies.
Data Privacy
Module: Data Privacy
Data is the lifeblood of CRMs, so data privacy should be front of mind for all admins. Although it may not sound like the most interesting topic, this badge will show that you are vigilant in understanding the data privacy laws and obligations that affect everyone, and, in turn, help you to ensure the safety of your own org.
Flow Orchestrator
Module: Orchestrator Basics
Flow Orchestrator is a tool that allows you to orchestrate multi-user, multi-step, and multi-stage flows. This means that admins are able to create a string of automations that may need to be assigned to different people for action along the way.
Earn this badge and level up your Flow game.
Tableau
Module: Tableau Basics
In 2019 Salesforce acquired Tableau: a powerful visualization tool that aims to ease complexities of data analytics for data exploration and management. We believe 2023 is the year to harness Tableau, so why not start by learning the basics?
Developer Badges
Lightning Web Components
Module: Lightning Web Components Basics
Lightning Web Components (LWC) are seriously becoming the ‘big thing’ for Salesforce Developers, especially for front-end development. This user interface (UI) framework is used to create customized pages and functions on the Salesforce platform.
If you don’t already know LWC, you should start learning with this module. And for those looking to transition their skill sets…
Trail: Migrate from Aura to Lightning Web Components
OmniStudio
Trail: Get to Know Omnistudio
OmniStudio is a suite of digital engagement tools comprising FlexCards, OmniScripts, DataRaptors, and Integration Procedures. These enable designers to create a guided brand experience resembling a flow, with the UI and styling flexibility of Lightning Web Components.
Sign up for your very own OmniStudio enabled developer org here, and get started with the hands-on exercises in the Trail.
Platform APIs
Module: Platform API Basics
When building features on the Salesforce platform, you need to build a robust API for a feature before you focus on the user interface. This badge goes through the data APIs – REST API, SOAP API, Bulk API, and Streaming API – giving you the knowledge you need to select the right one for your projects.
Scalability
Module: Scalability with Salesforce
As part of the Developer Advanced Trail, this badge teaches you about adjusting your org based on scale. Ensure your org remains effective with increased traffic and data changes. If your org is growing, this may be the one for you.
Bonus Badges
CDP
Trail: Explore Customer Data Platform
Customer Data Platforms capture first-party customer data (transactional, behavioral, demographic, historical, etc.) from offline and online data sources to build a complete customer profile and bring all of your data ‘under one roof’.
CDP is a marketing buzzword, and has only become more popular with the introduction of Genie. Maybe 2023 is the year to maximize return on all of that data you’ve collected?
Career Development
Module: Career Development Planning
As a more generic addition, this may be the badge for you if you are starting (or transitioning) your Salesforce journey. It contains four sections:
- Assessing yourself
- Career options
- Creating a plan
- Landing your next opportunity
And if you really want to stand out in the Salesforce ecosystem, why not take our free Salesforce Career Course?
Maintenance
Although not a specific badge, this is a nudge to ensure that you have completed all of your Maintenance exams in line with the most recent release – after all, new updates also mean new exams!
Find the Maintenance Schedule here.
Final Thoughts
All right, there you have it – our top badges for the year. With topics from CPQ to CDP, there should be something for everyone to explore.
Let us know below in the comments which badges you plan on tackling this year…