Navigating Salesforce
Salesforce Lightning Experience is the modern interface you'll use daily. This guide covers the core navigation elements.
The App Launcher
The App Launcher (grid icon in the top-left corner) is your starting point for accessing different apps and items in Salesforce.
Screenshot needed: The App Launcher open, showing the search bar and pinned apps
- Click the grid icon to open it
- Use the search bar to find apps, objects, or items quickly
- PivotPB Sales is the main app you'll work in — pin it as a favourite for quick access
- You can also access standard apps like Reports, Dashboards, and Files from here
The Navigation Bar
Screenshot needed: The navigation bar showing tabs, the pencil icon for customisation, and the More dropdown
The horizontal bar across the top of the screen contains your main tabs:
| Element | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Tabs | Quick links to objects like Leads, Clients, Contacts, Properties |
| Home | Your personal home page with key metrics and tasks |
| More dropdown | Access tabs that don't fit on the bar |
| Pencil icon | Reorder or add/remove tabs from the navigation bar |
Customising Your Tabs
- Click the pencil icon at the end of the navigation bar
- Click Add More Items to add new tabs
- Drag items to reorder them
- Click items to remove them from the bar
- Click Save
Your tab customisation is personal — it won't affect other users.
The Home Page
The Home tab shows a personalised dashboard including:
- Sales Home — a custom home page with key pipeline metrics and shortcuts (this is a PivotPB customisation covered in Getting Started)
- Assistant — action items and suggested next steps
- Today's Events — calendar events for the day
- Recent Records — quick links to records you've recently viewed
Record Navigation
Screenshot needed: A record page highlighting the highlights panel, path, related lists, and activity timeline
When you open a record (e.g. a Lead or Client):
- Highlights Panel — key fields displayed at the top of the record
- Path/Kanban — visual status indicator (e.g. Lead Status steps)
- Related Lists — associated records shown below or to the right
- Activity Timeline — history of calls, emails, tasks, and events
- Details Tab — all fields on the record in an editable layout
Navigating Back
- Use your browser's back button or keyboard shortcut (Cmd+Left on Mac)
- Click a tab in the navigation bar to go back to that object's list view
- Recently viewed records appear in the tab dropdown — hover over a tab to see them
The Utility Bar
Screenshot needed: The Utility Bar at the bottom of the screen with items expanded
The Utility Bar is the thin bar at the bottom of the screen. It provides quick access to tools without leaving your current page:
- Notes — jot down quick notes
- History — see recently visited records
- Any custom utilities your admin has added
Click an item in the utility bar to expand it as a floating panel. Click again to collapse.
Keyboard Shortcuts
Salesforce has built-in keyboard shortcuts. Press / (forward slash) in most areas to see available shortcuts, or use:
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
/ | Open shortcut menu |
Cmd + / | Global search |
E | Edit a record (when viewing one) |
Tips
- Pin list views you use frequently — they'll appear first when you click a tab
- Favourite records by clicking the star icon on any record page for quick access from the Favourites menu (star icon in the top bar)
- Split View — click the split view icon on list views to browse records in a side panel without leaving the list