Salesforce Offline Access and the Mobile App

Part 34: Salesforce Offline Access and the Mobile App

Welcome back to the Salesforce series. In this installment we tackle two closely related topics: offline access and the Salesforce Mobile App. These subjects go hand-in-hand because the primary reason Salesforce invested in offline capabilities was to serve the mobile workforce — sales reps in the field, service technicians at remote sites, and anyone who needs CRM data when a reliable internet connection is not available.

This post combines Sections 33 and 34 from our original table of contents. We will start with Briefcase Builder, the declarative tool that defines which records are available offline, and then move into the Salesforce Mobile App itself — how to install it, how to configure it for your users, and how its offline features tie back into the briefcases you create. By the end, you will have a complete picture of Salesforce mobility.

What is Offline Access in Salesforce

Offline access allows users to view and edit Salesforce records without an active internet connection. When connectivity is restored, changes are automatically synced back to the server.

This is not a new concept in Salesforce — earlier iterations existed in Salesforce Classic — but the modern approach centers on a feature called Briefcase Builder, which was introduced as part of the Lightning Experience and the redesigned Salesforce Mobile App.

Why Offline Access Matters

• Field sales teams visit customer sites that may have poor or no cellular coverage. They still need to review account details, update opportunity stages, and log activities.
• Service technicians work inside buildings, underground facilities, or rural areas where connectivity drops. They need access to work orders, asset records, and knowledge articles.
• Event staff at conferences and trade shows operate in venues with overloaded Wi-Fi. They need to capture leads and look up contacts on the spot.
• Global teams travel internationally and face roaming restrictions. Having key records cached locally on the device eliminates dependence on cellular data.

Without offline access, all of these users are blocked from doing their jobs the moment they lose signal. Briefcase Builder solves that problem.

How Offline Access Works at a High Level

1. An administrator creates one or more briefcases in Setup. Each briefcase defines a set of records (by object and filter criteria) that should be cached on the user’s device.
2. The briefcase is assigned to specific users or groups via profiles, permission sets, or public groups.
3. When those users open the Salesforce Mobile App and have connectivity, the app primes (downloads) the briefcase records to local storage on the device.
4. When the user goes offline, the app switches to a local data store. The user can view, edit, and even create records from the briefcase objects.
5. When connectivity returns, the app syncs changes back to the server. Conflict resolution is handled automatically in most cases, with notifications when manual intervention is required.

What is Briefcase Builder

Briefcase Builder is a Setup tool that lets administrators define which records are available to users when they are offline. Think of a briefcase as a curated suitcase of data that travels with the user on their device.

Key Concepts

Briefcase Builder vs. the Old Offline Approach

In the Classic era, offline access was managed through a browser plugin called Salesforce for Outlook or a separate application called Connect Offline. Those tools are long retired. Briefcase Builder is the current, supported approach and is tightly integrated with the Salesforce Mobile App.

The key advantage of Briefcase Builder over older tools is granularity. You can control exactly which objects, which records (via filters), and which users get offline data. This reduces storage consumption on devices and ensures that sensitive records are not cached on devices that should not have them.

How to Set Up a Briefcase

Let us walk through the process of creating and configuring a briefcase from scratch.

Prerequisites

Before you begin, make sure the following are in place:

• Salesforce Mobile App is enabled for your org (it is enabled by default in most editions).
• Enhanced Mobile App Security is enabled if you want to enforce PIN protection, biometric authentication, and remote wipe on mobile devices.
• The users who will receive the briefcase have profiles and permission sets that grant them access to the objects and fields you plan to include.
• You have the Manage Briefcase Builder permission (typically available to System Administrators).

Step 1: Navigate to Briefcase Builder

1. Go to Setup.
2. In the Quick Find box, type Briefcase Builder and select it.
3. You will see the Briefcase Builder home page, which lists any existing briefcases.

Step 2: Create a New Briefcase

1. Click New Briefcase.
2. Enter a Briefcase Name — choose something descriptive that reflects the audience and purpose. For example: “Field Sales — West Region.”
3. Optionally add a Description to document the briefcase’s intent.
4. Click Next.

Step 3: Add Briefcase Rules (Object Rules)

This is the core of briefcase configuration. Each rule targets a single object and defines which records of that object to include.

1. Click Add Object Rule.
2. Select the Object from the dropdown — for example, Account.
3. Define Filter Criteria:
   • You can add one or more filter conditions using field-operator-value syntax.
   • Example: BillingState equals California AND Type equals Customer - Direct.
   • You can also use All Records if you want every record of that object cached (use this sparingly — it can consume significant device storage).
4. Set the Record Limit — this caps the number of records downloaded for this rule. The default is 2,000 records per rule.
5. Click Save.

Repeat this step for each object you want to include. A typical field sales briefcase might contain rules for:

• Account — filtered by region or territory
• Contact — related to the included Accounts
• Opportunity — open Opportunities for the included Accounts
• Task — upcoming Tasks assigned to the user
• Event — upcoming Events for the user
• Lead — Leads assigned to the user

Step 4: Configure Related Records

One of the most powerful features of Briefcase Builder is the ability to include related records automatically. When you add an object rule, you can specify that child records related to the parent should also be cached.

For example, if your Account rule includes Accounts in California, you can configure the Contact rule to say: “Include Contacts that are related to the Accounts already in this briefcase.” This is done by selecting the relationship option when building the Contact rule, rather than using standalone filter criteria.

This approach ensures that the user always has the full context — they will not see an Account offline without its Contacts.

Step 5: Review the Briefcase Summary

After adding all your rules, the Briefcase Builder shows a summary:

• Total objects included
• Filter criteria for each rule
• Record limits
• Estimated record counts (approximate)

Review this carefully. A common mistake is including too many objects or using overly broad filters, which leads to long priming times and excessive device storage consumption.

Step 6: Assign the Briefcase to Users

1. On the briefcase detail page, navigate to the Assignments section.
2. Click Add Assignments.
3. You can assign the briefcase by:
   • User — assign to specific individual users
   • Profile — assign to all users with a given profile
   • Permission Set — assign to all users who have a specific permission set
   • Public Group — assign to all members of a public group
4. Select your targets and click Save.

A single user can be assigned multiple briefcases. The records from all assigned briefcases are combined on the user’s device.

Step 7: Activate the Briefcase

Newly created briefcases are in a Draft state. To make the briefcase active:

1. Click the Activate button on the briefcase detail page.
2. Confirm the activation.

Once activated, the next time assigned users open the Salesforce Mobile App and have connectivity, the app will begin priming the briefcase records.

Briefcase Builder Best Practices

Setting up a briefcase is straightforward, but doing it well requires planning. Here are best practices drawn from real-world implementations.

Keep Briefcases Focused

Do not try to put every object into one giant briefcase. Create targeted briefcases for specific roles or teams:

• “Field Sales — Accounts and Opportunities”
• “Service Technicians — Work Orders and Assets”
• “Event Staff — Leads and Campaigns”

This makes maintenance easier and reduces unnecessary data on each user’s device.

Use Filters Aggressively

The more records you include, the longer priming takes and the more storage you consume. Use filter criteria to narrow down to only the records the user actually needs:

• Filter Accounts by owner, territory, or region
• Filter Opportunities by stage (exclude Closed Won / Closed Lost)
• Filter Tasks and Events by date range (next 30 days)
• Filter Cases by status (exclude Closed cases)

Mind the Record Limits

Each briefcase rule has a record limit (default 2,000). If your filter criteria match more records than the limit, only a subset is downloaded. The records chosen are generally the most recently modified, but you should not rely on this — instead, tighten your filters so the total stays under the limit.

The overall limit across all briefcases for a single user is 10,000 records. Plan accordingly.

Consider Priming Time

Users need to be online for priming to complete. If you assign a large briefcase to a user who only has brief windows of connectivity, they may never fully prime. Design briefcases with realistic priming windows in mind.

The first priming (initial download) takes the longest. Subsequent syncs are incremental and much faster.

Test with a Pilot Group

Before rolling out briefcases to your entire field team, assign them to a small pilot group first. Have the pilot users test offline access in realistic conditions:

• Can they see the records they need?
• Are related records included?
• Is priming completing in a reasonable time?
• Do edits sync back correctly?

Gather feedback and adjust filter criteria and record limits before the full rollout.

Monitor Storage and Sync Health

Salesforce provides monitoring tools for offline sync health. In Setup, you can view:

• Which users have successfully primed their briefcases
• Sync error logs
• Record counts per user

Check these regularly, especially after making changes to briefcase rules.

Briefcase Builder Limitations

Like any Salesforce feature, Briefcase Builder has limitations you need to be aware of.

Supported Objects

Not all standard objects are supported by Briefcase Builder. As of the current release, supported objects include:

• Account
• Contact
• Opportunity
• Lead
• Task
• Event
• Case
• Work Order
• Asset
• Custom Objects
• And several others

However, some objects like Knowledge Articles, Reports, Dashboards, and Files (large attachments) are not supported or have limited offline support. Always check the Salesforce documentation for the latest list of supported objects.

Record Limits

• Per rule: 2,000 records (configurable)
• Per user (across all briefcases): 10,000 records
• Per briefcase: Up to 25 object rules

These limits mean that Briefcase Builder is designed for targeted, focused data sets — not for taking your entire org offline.

No Offline Reports or Dashboards

Users cannot run reports or view dashboards while offline. Only individual record views and list views (based on cached records) are available.

Limited Offline Actions

While offline, users can:

• View records
• Edit records
• Create new records (for supported objects)

However, they cannot:

• Run flows or quick actions that require server-side processing
• Send emails
• Access related lists that were not included in the briefcase
• Use global search across all objects (search is limited to cached data)

Conflict Resolution

When a user edits a record offline and another user edits the same record on the server, a conflict occurs during sync. Salesforce uses a last-write-wins strategy by default, but in some cases, the user may be prompted to resolve conflicts manually. Educate your users about this possibility.

The Salesforce Mobile App

Now let us shift focus to the Salesforce Mobile App itself — the primary vehicle through which your users access Salesforce data on their phones and tablets, and the app that leverages the briefcases you configured above.

What is the Salesforce Mobile App

The Salesforce Mobile App is a free, native application available for iOS and Android. It provides a touch-optimized interface for accessing Salesforce data, and it is the primary mobile client for the Salesforce platform.

The app is not a stripped-down version of Salesforce — it is a full-featured client that supports:

• Viewing and editing records
• Navigating Lightning apps
• Running reports (when online)
• Participating in Chatter
• Using flows and quick actions
• Receiving push notifications
• Working offline (with Briefcase Builder)

The mobile app uses the Lightning Experience interface adapted for smaller screens. Components built with Lightning App Builder for desktop often work on mobile as well, though you can configure mobile-specific page layouts.

Salesforce Mobile App vs. Mobile Browser

Users can also access Salesforce through a mobile web browser, but the native app offers several advantages:

For any organization with mobile users, the native app is the recommended approach.

How to Install the Salesforce Mobile App

Installing the Salesforce Mobile App is straightforward for end users, but as an administrator, you should understand the process so you can guide your users and troubleshoot issues.

For iOS (iPhone and iPad)

1. Open the App Store on the device.
2. Search for Salesforce.
3. Look for the app published by Salesforce (the icon is the Salesforce cloud logo on a blue background).
4. Tap Get (or the download icon) to install.
5. Once installed, tap Open to launch the app.
6. At the login screen, enter your Salesforce username and password, or tap Use Custom Domain if your org uses a My Domain URL.
7. Complete any multi-factor authentication (MFA) prompts.

For Android (Phones and Tablets)

1. Open the Google Play Store on the device.
2. Search for Salesforce.
3. Select the app published by Salesforce.
4. Tap Install.
5. Once installed, tap Open.
6. Log in with your Salesforce credentials, using Custom Domain if applicable.
7. Complete any MFA prompts.

Enterprise Deployment (MDM / EMM)

For organizations that manage devices centrally through a Mobile Device Management (MDM) or Enterprise Mobility Management (EMM) solution (such as Microsoft Intune, VMware Workspace ONE, or Jamf), the Salesforce Mobile App can be deployed silently to managed devices.

The general process is:

1. Add the Salesforce app to your MDM catalog (using the App Store or Play Store app ID).
2. Assign the app to a device group or user group.
3. Configure app-level policies (PIN requirements, data loss prevention, etc.) through your MDM.
4. Push the app to devices.
5. Users launch the app and log in.

This approach ensures that every device in the field has the app installed without relying on individual users to do it themselves.

First Launch Experience

When a user opens the Salesforce Mobile App for the first time:

1. They see a login screen with options for username/password or custom domain login.
2. After authentication, the app loads the user’s default Lightning app.
3. The app downloads essential metadata (object definitions, layouts, etc.).
4. If the user has been assigned a briefcase, priming begins in the background.
5. A navigation bar at the bottom provides access to the main menu, search, and notifications.

The first launch takes longer than subsequent launches because of the metadata download. Let your users know this is normal.

How to Set Up the Mobile App for Your Users

As an administrator, you have significant control over what users see and can do in the Salesforce Mobile App. Here is how to configure the experience.

Step 1: Verify Mobile App Access

1. Go to Setup.
2. Search for Salesforce Mobile App in Quick Find and select Salesforce Mobile App.
3. Verify that the Salesforce Mobile App is enabled for your org (it is enabled by default).
4. Under Connected Apps, confirm that the Salesforce Mobile App connected app is configured correctly. In most cases, no changes are needed here.

Step 2: Configure the Mobile Navigation Menu

The mobile navigation menu determines which items appear in the bottom navigation bar and the overflow menu. This is the most impactful configuration you can make because it controls what users see first.

1. Go to Setup > Salesforce Mobile App > Mobile Navigation.
2. You will see two columns: Available items on the left and Selected items on the right.
3. Move items from Available to Selected to include them in the mobile navigation.
4. Reorder the Selected items — the top items appear in the bottom navigation bar (the most prominent spots), and the rest go into the overflow menu.
5. Click Save.

Best practices for mobile navigation:

• Put the most-used items at the top: Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, Tasks, Dashboards
• Remove items that mobile users do not need (e.g., Setup-related items, desktop-only features)
• Keep the list short — a cluttered navigation defeats the purpose of mobile simplicity
• Remember that the first item in the Selected list becomes the landing page when users open the app

Step 3: Configure Compact Layouts

Compact layouts control which fields appear in the record highlights panel — the card at the top of a record page on mobile. This is critical for mobile because screen space is limited.

1. Go to Setup > Object Manager.
2. Select the object you want to configure (e.g., Account).
3. Click Compact Layouts.
4. Click New to create a compact layout, or edit the existing one.
5. Select up to 10 fields to display in the compact layout. The first field becomes the primary field shown in list views and lookups.
6. Save the compact layout.
7. Go to Compact Layout Assignment and set it as the Primary Compact Layout for the object.

Repeat this for each object your mobile users work with. Prioritize fields that reps need to see at a glance — phone number, account name, opportunity amount, stage, close date.

Step 4: Configure Mobile-Specific Page Layouts

Lightning pages can have different configurations for desktop and mobile. Using the Lightning App Builder:

1. Open the Lightning App Builder for the record page you want to customize.
2. At the top of the builder, you will see a device selector — switch between Desktop and Phone views.
3. In the Phone view, you can:
   • Rearrange components for the smaller screen
   • Hide components that are not useful on mobile
   • Add mobile-specific components (like the Activity Timeline or Chatter Feed)
4. Save and activate the page.

This allows you to create a streamlined mobile experience without affecting the desktop layout.

Step 5: Configure Quick Actions for Mobile

Quick Actions are the buttons that appear in the action bar on mobile record pages. They allow users to perform common tasks with minimal taps.

1. Go to Setup > Object Manager and select the relevant object.
2. Click Buttons, Links, and Actions.
3. Ensure you have the Quick Actions your mobile users need. Common examples:
   • Log a Call — for recording call notes
   • New Task — for creating follow-up tasks
   • New Event — for scheduling meetings
   • Send Email — for quick emails from the record
   • Update actions — for updating key fields like Stage or Status
4. Go to the object’s Page Layout.
5. In the layout editor, find the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section.
6. Drag your desired Quick Actions into this section and reorder them.
7. Save the layout.

The first four Quick Actions in the layout appear as primary action buttons in the mobile action bar. Additional actions go into an overflow menu.

Step 6: Configure Push Notifications

Push notifications alert users about important events — new approvals, Chatter mentions, task assignments, etc.

1. Go to Setup > Notification Delivery Settings.
2. Configure which notification types are enabled for the Mobile App channel.
3. Common notifications to enable:
   • Approval requests
   • Chatter mentions and comments
   • Task assignments and reminders
   • Custom notification types (created via flows)

Users can also manage their notification preferences within the mobile app itself under Settings > Notifications.

Step 7: Enforce Mobile Security Policies

Security is especially important for mobile devices, which can be lost, stolen, or used on unsecured networks.

1. Go to Setup > Salesforce Mobile App > Mobile Security.
2. Configure the following policies:

3. For organizations using MDM, these policies can be supplemented with device-level controls (VPN, device encryption, app containerization).

Step 8: Test the Mobile Experience

Before rolling out to all users, test the mobile experience thoroughly:

1. Install the app on a test device (or use multiple devices to test both iOS and Android).
2. Log in with a test user account that has the same profile and permission set as your target users.
3. Walk through the key workflows:
   • Can the user find the right records quickly?
   • Are compact layouts showing the most useful fields?
   • Are Quick Actions in the right order?
   • Do push notifications arrive?
   • Is the navigation menu intuitive?
4. Test offline access (if configured) — go into airplane mode and verify that briefcase records are available.
5. Document any issues and adjust configurations before the full rollout.

Mobile App Configuration: Additional Options

Beyond the core setup steps above, there are several additional configuration options worth knowing about.

Lightning Apps on Mobile

The Salesforce Mobile App respects Lightning App assignments. If you have created custom Lightning Apps (e.g., “Sales Console,” “Service App”), users will see the app they have access to. You can control which Lightning App is the default for mobile by adjusting app assignments.

However, not all Lightning App features translate perfectly to mobile. Console apps, for example, are not supported on mobile — they fall back to a standard navigation experience.

Mobile-Only Components

Salesforce provides several components designed specifically for mobile use:

• Map component — shows Account or Contact addresses on a map, with navigation to the device’s maps app
• Scan a barcode — uses the device camera to scan barcodes and QR codes
• Activity Timeline — optimized for touch interaction on small screens

These components can be added to Lightning record pages through the Lightning App Builder.

In-App Guidance on Mobile

If you use In-App Guidance (prompts and walkthroughs) in your desktop Salesforce experience, be aware that some guidance types are not supported on mobile. Floating prompts and docked prompts are supported, but walkthroughs are currently desktop-only. Plan your mobile onboarding accordingly.

Custom Branding

You can customize the Salesforce Mobile App with your company’s branding:

1. Go to Setup > Salesforce Mobile App > Branding.
2. Upload a Loading Page Logo — shown when the app starts up.
3. Upload a Loading Page Background Color — customize the splash screen color.
4. These settings apply to all users in your org.

Note that branding customization is limited to the splash screen. The in-app interface follows Salesforce’s standard design system.

The Mobile App’s Offline Features

Now let us bring everything together by examining how offline features work within the Salesforce Mobile App.

How Offline Mode Works in the App

When a user’s device loses connectivity, the Salesforce Mobile App automatically switches to offline mode. There is no manual toggle — the app detects the network state and transitions seamlessly.

In offline mode:

1. The app displays a banner at the top of the screen indicating that the user is offline.
2. The user can navigate to records that were cached through Briefcase Builder.
3. The user can view all fields on cached records (subject to field-level security — only fields the user has access to are cached).
4. The user can edit cached records. Edits are saved to a local queue on the device.
5. The user can create new records for objects that are included in their briefcase.
6. Search is limited to cached records only.

The Sync Process

When connectivity is restored:

1. The app automatically begins syncing.
2. Outbound sync pushes local edits and new records to the Salesforce server.
3. Inbound sync pulls down any changes that occurred on the server while the user was offline.
4. The sync process runs in the background — the user can continue working.
5. A sync status indicator shows the progress.

If a sync conflict occurs (the same record was edited both locally and on the server), the app handles it based on the configured conflict resolution strategy. In most cases, the server version wins, and the user’s local changes are flagged for review. The user receives a notification explaining the conflict.

What Users See Offline

The offline experience in the mobile app is intentionally similar to the online experience, with a few differences:

Offline Limitations in the Mobile App

• No Apex execution — any automation that requires server-side Apex will not run until the record syncs.
• No validation rules during offline save — validation rules are enforced during sync, not during offline save. This means a user can save a record offline that would fail validation online. The error surfaces during sync.
• No triggers during offline save — similar to validation rules, triggers fire during sync, not during the offline save.
• No workflow or flow execution — automations tied to record changes do not fire until sync.
• Limited file access — large files and attachments are typically not cached offline due to storage constraints.
• No approval processes — submitting or approving records requires connectivity.

Configuring the Offline Experience

Beyond Briefcase Builder, there are a few additional settings that affect the offline experience:

1. Offline Priming Schedule — by default, the app primes briefcase data whenever the user opens the app and has connectivity. You can influence this by advising users to open the app while on Wi-Fi (rather than cellular) for the initial prime.

2. Storage Limits — the mobile app’s local storage is constrained by the device. iOS and Android impose limits on how much data an app can store locally. If a user’s briefcase exceeds the available storage, priming will partially fail. Monitor this through the admin dashboard.

3. Selective Sync — users can manually trigger a sync from within the app by pulling down on the screen (pull-to-refresh) or by navigating to Settings > Offline > Sync Now within the app.

4. Offline Access Permission — ensure the users who need offline access have the Offline Access permission enabled in their profile or permission set. Without this, briefcase records will not prime to their device.

Offline Best Practices for Administrators

Managing offline access at scale requires attention to detail. Here are recommendations for a smooth rollout.

Communicate with Your Users

Offline access is not intuitive for everyone. Create a brief training document or video that covers:

• How to recognize when the app is offline vs. online
• What the sync banner means
• Which records will be available offline (and which will not)
• What to do when a sync conflict occurs
• How to manually trigger a sync

Plan for Storage

Calculate the approximate storage footprint of your briefcases:

• Each record consumes a small amount of storage (typically a few kilobytes).
• 10,000 records is roughly 10-50 MB depending on field counts and data types.
• Files and attachments are much larger and should be included sparingly.

Ensure that your users’ devices have sufficient free storage. This is especially important for older devices or devices shared across multiple apps.

Stagger Rollouts

If you are enabling offline access for hundreds of users simultaneously, the initial priming creates a load on Salesforce servers. Stagger the rollout in waves:

• Week 1: Pilot group of 10-20 users
• Week 2: Expand to a region or team of 50-100 users
• Week 3: Full rollout

This gives you time to identify and resolve issues at each stage.

Monitor Sync Errors

Sync errors are inevitable. Common causes include:

• Validation rule failures — the user saved a record offline that violates a validation rule
• Required field missing — the user created a record offline without populating a required field
• Record lock — the record was locked by an approval process while the user was offline
• Sharing violation — the user’s access to the record was revoked while they were offline

Proactively monitor the Offline Sync Errors report in Setup and reach out to users who have persistent failures.

Keep Briefcases Current

As your org evolves — new objects, new fields, new teams — revisit your briefcases regularly. A briefcase that was perfect six months ago may be missing critical objects today. Schedule a quarterly review of all active briefcases.

Putting It All Together: A Complete Example

Let us walk through a complete example to solidify these concepts.

Scenario

You are the Salesforce administrator for a company with a field sales team of 50 reps. The reps visit customer sites across the country. They need to:

• View Account and Contact details while on-site
• Update Opportunity stages after meetings
• Log calls and create follow-up Tasks
• Access all of this when they have no internet connection

Step-by-Step Implementation

1. Create the Briefcase

• Go to Setup > Briefcase Builder > New Briefcase.
• Name: “Field Sales — My Accounts.”
• Add an Account rule: OwnerId equals $CurrentUser (include only Accounts owned by the logged-in user). Record limit: 500.
• Add a Contact rule: Related to Accounts in this briefcase. Record limit: 1,000.
• Add an Opportunity rule: OwnerId equals $CurrentUser AND IsClosed equals false. Record limit: 500.
• Add a Task rule: OwnerId equals $CurrentUser AND ActivityDate >= LAST_N_DAYS:7 AND ActivityDate <= NEXT_N_DAYS:30. Record limit: 500.
• Add an Event rule: OwnerId equals $CurrentUser AND ActivityDate >= TODAY AND ActivityDate <= NEXT_N_DAYS:30. Record limit: 200.

2. Assign the Briefcase

• Assign the briefcase to the “Field Sales” permission set (which all 50 reps have assigned).

3. Activate the Briefcase

• Activate the briefcase.

4. Configure Mobile Navigation

• Go to Setup > Salesforce Mobile App > Mobile Navigation.
• Set the order: Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, Tasks, Events, Dashboards, Chatter.

5. Configure Compact Layouts

• Account: Name, Phone, BillingCity, Industry, Owner.
• Contact: Name, Title, Phone, Email, Account Name.
• Opportunity: Name, Amount, Stage, Close Date, Account Name.

6. Configure Quick Actions

• On Account: Log a Call, New Task, New Event, New Opportunity.
• On Opportunity: Log a Call, Update Stage (custom action), New Task.
• On Contact: Log a Call, Send Email, New Task.

7. Enforce Security

• Enable App PIN (4 digits minimum).
• Enable Biometric Unlock.
• Set Session Timeout to 30 minutes.
• Enable Remote Wipe.

8. Pilot Test

• Assign the briefcase to 5 reps in the pilot group.
• Have them test for one week, including:
  • Full priming on Wi-Fi.
  • Airplane mode testing.
  • Editing an Account field while offline.
  • Creating a new Task while offline.
  • Verifying sync after reconnecting.
• Collect feedback and adjust briefcase filters, navigation, and compact layouts.

9. Full Rollout

• After pilot validation, activate the briefcase assignment for all 50 reps.
• Send a communication with training materials.
• Monitor sync health for the first two weeks.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Records Not Appearing Offline

• Cause: The user was not assigned the briefcase, or the briefcase is still in Draft status.
• Fix: Verify the briefcase assignment and activation status. Ensure the user has the “Offline Access” permission.

Priming Takes Too Long

• Cause: The briefcase includes too many records or the user is on a slow cellular connection.
• Fix: Reduce record limits, tighten filter criteria, and advise users to prime on Wi-Fi.

Sync Errors After Reconnecting

• Cause: Validation rules, required fields, or record locks are preventing the sync.
• Fix: Review the sync error details in Setup. Work with the user to correct the records. Consider adjusting validation rules to be more lenient for mobile-edited records (use the $Api.Session_Type variable in validation rule formulas to distinguish mobile sessions if needed).

App Crashes on Older Devices

• Cause: Insufficient device memory or storage.
• Fix: Reduce the briefcase record count. Ensure the device has at least 500 MB of free storage. Consider upgrading devices that are more than four years old.

Users Cannot Log In

• Cause: My Domain is not configured correctly, MFA is not set up, or the user’s profile does not allow mobile access.
• Fix: Verify My Domain settings, check the user’s MFA enrollment, and confirm that the “Salesforce Mobile App” connected app is accessible for their profile.

Push Notifications Not Arriving

• Cause: Notifications are disabled at the org level, the user disabled them on the device, or the device’s operating system is aggressively managing background apps.
• Fix: Check Setup > Notification Delivery Settings. Have the user check their device’s notification settings for the Salesforce app. On Android, ensure the app is excluded from battery optimization.

Summary

In this post we covered two topics that are essential for any organization with a mobile workforce.

Briefcase Builder gives you declarative control over which records are cached on users’ devices for offline access. You create briefcases with object rules and filter criteria, assign them to users, and activate them. Records prime automatically when users are online and become available offline when connectivity drops.

The Salesforce Mobile App is the native client for iOS and Android that delivers the Lightning Experience to handheld devices. As an administrator, you configure the mobile navigation menu, compact layouts, Quick Actions, push notifications, and security policies. The app seamlessly integrates with Briefcase Builder to provide offline capabilities.

Together, these two features ensure that your users are never blocked by a lost connection. Whether they are in a remote warehouse, on a cross-country flight, or at a crowded trade show, they can access the records they need, make updates, and have everything sync back when they are online again.

What’s Next

In the next part, Part 35: Managed Packages and the AppExchange, we will explore how to extend your Salesforce org with third-party applications. We will cover what managed packages are, how to evaluate and install apps from the AppExchange, managing package licenses, and the lifecycle of upgrades and uninstalls. If you have ever wondered how to safely add functionality to your org without building everything from scratch, that is the post for you.

See you in the next one.