Education Cloud: Getting Up and Running Quickly
Salesforce’s Education Cloud is a super robust platform with a lot to offer. Many of the new features of Ed Cloud have served as almost a direct solution to many of the gaps consultants have seen in Salesforce’s previous Education Data Architecture (EDA).
For those of you not familiar with EDA, it is essentially a personalized Education architecture model package that sits on top of the standard Sales/Service Cloud products. This was developed by Salesforce years ago to serve educational institutions, and it has done just that since its inception. There are a lot of processes, however, that require additional configuration and personalization. In the last 8-ish years, this has been the vast majority of my work.
So, as we’ve had access to learn and understand this ever-evolving platform, I’ve learned some takeaways that can help you get started in this journey quickly and effectively (in other words, without spending months spinning your wheels prioritizing and planning).
1. Set Up a Trial Org, or Create a Sandbox in Your Existing Education Cloud Org
It’s a quick and easy step that is imperative down the line. Preferably, you already have an Education Cloud org that you can create a sandbox in, because this will mirror the features and functionality you’ll have exactly. But, the next best thing is to create an Education Cloud trial org. It’s free, but keep in mind that it is a trial and it will only last 30 days.
Trial Org Link: Try Education Cloud for Free (Note: Trial orgs may not include everything you’re looking to set up. There are some limitations, but generally the foundational structure is there to help you wrap your head around.)
Creating a Sandbox: In your Salesforce org, go to Setup > Sandboxes and create a new Developer Pro (or if this isn’t available, plain Developer is fine) sandbox. If you own or are a System Administrator in the org, you can do this yourself. If not, a System Administrator will need to do it for you. (Note: Don’t add any spaces to your sandbox name, and no Apex Class is needed when creating.)
2. Go By the Book: Follow Salesforce Help Guidance and Documentation
While Salesforce documentation can only get you so far, it really is the best place to start. Does it cover everything you will need to do? No. Can it be confusing, particularly if you’re not familiar with Salesforce documentation and implementations? That is a resounding yes. However, there is no better resource to get acquainted with the bigger picture of what an Education Cloud setup looks like.
3. Practice Setting Up Your Org
I cannot emphasize how important practicing and doing trial runs of setup are when it comes to implementations. If you have a sandbox, do all your configuration and test data work in the sandbox. If you have a trial org, do as much as you can there. In short, do nothing in your Production org (the org you log into at “login.salesforce.com”).
This includes creating records or loading test data for schools, students, locations, faculty, anything that’s relevant for the operations you plan to transition to Salesforce. It also includes going through any and all documentation steps that align with your planned purpose of Salesforce.
4. Document and Plan for Gaps in Functionality
In the years that I’ve worked in education, this is probably the most common point in the process that upsets implementation timelines and progress (beyond procurement in Education, which is a completely different story that I’ll leave for another time). Put simply, you don’t know what you don’t know when it comes to Salesforce. It happens with educational institutions, it happens with Salesforce implementation partners, and it’s generally an inevitable part of the Salesforce journey. Teams do eventually get through this, but the road to get there can be rocky.
That said, I would always err on the side of safety when it comes to identifying what you really need in Salesforce. Write everything down, spare no expense. It’s important to have a full, raw list of what your needs and goals really are. Be thorough with expectations and keep a clear vision toward what it is that you ultimately need, not the stepping stones needed to get there.
After it’s complete, prioritize it and iron out any other details needed.
6. Determine What You Can Do Yourself and What you Need Assistance With
There is a reason almost all Education implementations are built with an implementation partner. At the end of the day, documentation and practice are great resources, but there is usually value in bringing in experts and teams that have done it before, can anticipate the nuances to the implementation process, and have a deeper understanding of resolving quirks and issues. I also can’t say enough about having a Project Manager nearby that can properly sequence tasks and manage communications with Salesforce.
7. Begin!
There’s no better place to start than the beginning. Go back through Salesforce’s documentation and reread, pair it with your findings of gaps and knowledge, and dive into what feels most feasible in your sandbox. What I’ve found to be most helpful from the consulting side when I see institutions independently building is:
Initial setup of the basics, including creating users, modifying page layouts and Lightning record pages
Building out some initial reports, even if they don’t have everything you need in them yet
Creating apps with navigational items most relevant to your team
Creating records and loading data that fits the organization
If you’re considering (or in the middle of) an Education Cloud implementation, you can reach out to me directly at jaclyn@sandrunconsulting.com, or schedule some time to discuss your team’s needs at https://www.sandrunconsulting.com/appointment. I’d love to help you with getting the process started.