Trailhead Baby

Tools, tools everywhere.   Day 3  Day 3 out of 6 and the upcoming exam is looming over my head.  Of course, most things are over my head given that I am a relatively short fellow, so I'm used to it.  The biggest challenge today was determining which tools were the best fit for these smaller weight topics.  I needed to get through a minimum of 5 topics today and 4 tomorrow while still leaving room for an afternoon nap.  To do this, I took some advice from my Daddy.  He does maintenance at a large apartment complex and can fix anything.  His tools take up half of the garage, but he only takes a small bag to work with him most days.  Why?  I asked him by chewing on the handle of his channel lock pliers while giving him an inquisitive look.  His response - "95% of service requests can be fixed with two tools, a 6-way screwdriver and a pair of channel locks.  It is better to focus on the 95% today and save the 5% for tomor...

Making sense of the chaos Day 2 It was day 2 of the Six Days to Certification challenge, and I started the evening study session with an overabundance of confidence.  "I am the Trailhead Baby," I thought, "standard and custom objects are simple.  I can create a custom object with one hand while holding my bottle in the other.  Tonight will be easy!."  I soon discovered that I was sorely mistaken.  The quick evening turned into an all nighter, as I turned to Trailhead for several refresher modules. Standard and Custom Objects (18%) The positives: Trailhead- Many helpful modules with fantastic in-depth information.  See- Data Modeling, App Customization Lite, UI Customization, Formulas and Validations Certified on Demand - This tool was a huge help in identifying knowledge gaps!  For example, despite 50+ Trailhead Badges, I somehow overlooked the concept of record types.   Trailhead Baby is an Admin Hero fan! Admin Hero - This art...

A big project is best taken one step at a time.  Take crawling for example:  I practiced form first by getting into the proper position.  Next came slow movement as I tentatively rocked back and forth and advanced forward inch by inch.  Several weeks later, after multiple practice sessions, I am quick enough to catch the dog's tail!  I took the same approach with certification.   Finding the right tool Using the Salesforce Certification Exam Guide , divide the sections, by weight into 25% chunks for a 4 day crash course.   Review the details under each section and take the related practice quiz on Certified on Demand. If I immediately knew the quiz answers, I moved on to the next section.  If not, I paused for a Trailhead review then took the quiz a second time - ensuring that I fully understood.  If additional help was necessary, I dived even deeper - referencing Tip Sheets at help.salesforce.com .  Are you ready to get star...

Can a Salesforce novice with little practical experience and a nonexistent budget pass the Salesforce Admin Exam?  Absolutely!  This is the story how I aced the Salesforce Administrator Certification Exam in 6 days primarily using Trailhead.                         Background - How I became a Trailhead Baby My fascination with Trailhead began when I was 6 months old.  Before Trailhead, I was a standard baby doing normal things like eating, napping, exploring.  After Trailhead life became much more exciting, as a badge earning hobby quickly became a nightly obsession.  When Mom and Dad turn off the lights and tuck me in for the night,  I boot up my laptop and get to work.  I started with the "Admin Beginner" trail then moved onto topics as they peaked my interest.  I tackled the Lightning Specialist Superbadge (see Super Badge for a Super Baby ) then went on to complete the "Admin A...

The title of today's post is found within which Trailhead module?  If you guess, I'll mail you a prize!  I'm starting to crawl and pull up on furniture, so the mailbox is within my reach. I've been trying to "Migrate to the Lightning Experience" for a few weeks, but I have been stuck one one final module - "Lightning Alternatives to JavaScript Buttons."  One tiny section within the module has been driving me crazy!  "Discover Lightning Actions."  I was getting desperate.  I attended - by proxy - the Global Lightning Tour and listened to a whole afternoon about code.  By proxy = Mom attended.  I slipped a tap recorder into her bag. Sneaky me!  Dad gave it to me to play with - buttons! - but I googled how to use it.  What an archaic device!  At the Tour, I learned all kinds of handy things.  How everything is a "component" , html = the foundation of the web, CSS = "the look"... etc...   I was still stumped!  Finall...

Growing Basil The event monitoring section was easy - so you are on your own with those modules!  I decided to try to finish the Advance Admin trail in one night!  I thought it might be an all-nighter, but it turned out to be a lot easier than planned.  The only part that took extra thought was the Salesforce Connect modules.  A helpful note- Only 1 external data source is allowed for a Playground.  So, you can't follow along with the instructions in the module AND complete the challenge in the same org. Tips: The challenge to Set up Salesforce connect requested an API name of “Phone_Plans_x” and “Phone_x.”  I used these exact API names and Trailhead kicked off an error when doing the challenge check.  Trailhead is looking for “Phone_Plans” and “Phone.” The challenge to Integrate External Data- In order to add “0000123442” to the “Phone_UUID” field, make sure that the section where the field was added is visible.  I had to adjust the pag...

To kick off my quest to become the youngest certified Salesforce Admin, I started on the "Advanced Admin" trail.  To start off, I spent the night playing with formulas!  I made a critical mistake right away.  I used a Playground that I had already used for another challenge.  Oops!  I had the perfect formula saved, clicked to verify that the challenge was completed, and ran straight into an approval process that did not let the check complete.  I cleaned up my org, then bumped into a validation rule!  It would have been much faster to start with a fresh Playground. This article from Salesforce is particularly helpful!  It contains examples for each formula function: Formulas: How Do I ... ? I have to go!  I hear Mom coming to check on me.  I'm going to kick off my blanket and pretend to be cold.  Perhaps she will pick me up to snuggle!