The Salesforce AppExchange, the business app store from Salesforce, is a dizzying, dazzling treasure trove of thousands of enterprise and small business applications for all industries. With so many apps, you may feel overwhelmed at the number of choices, but once you learn how to navigate the Salesforce AppExchange, you’ll be on your way to increasing your productivity and enhancing your business in no time.
Wading into the AppExchange waters
On AppExchange.com, you’ll find multiple spots where you can click into the AppExchange demo. On the homepage, view it from the “Are you new?” link on the top right side of the page, under Collections (Getting Started) on the left-hand navigation bar and at the bottom from clicking Learn About the AppExchange.
Group apps in a way that works for you
From the homepage, at the top of the left-hand navigation, you can sort apps by the most popular, the newest and ones that free. If you click on Popular, sort further by clicking in the Sort By dropdown box in the top right-hand side of the page, and see these options:
- Popularity: Arranged by the most to the least number of downloads.
- Rating: Arranged by the most number of ratings to the least number of ratings.
- Release Date: Arranged by most recent release date to oldest release date.
- Name: Arranged by alphabetical order, after all apps whose names start with a number.
- Provider: Arranged by provider name in alphabetical order, after all providers whose names start with a number.
Find what makes others successful
You can also sort by Collections in the left-hand navigation bar, which are selected by Salesforce and include suggested apps for Salesforce1 Mobile, Small Business, Gamification, Featured Apps and Customer Picks. Customer Picks is an interesting selection, including apps suggested by individual, hand-picked Salesforce customers who have used groups of applications to improve their specific business need, from handling admin tasks to achieving results in non-profit organizations to improving consulting businesses.
Narrow your purpose, achieve your goals
Under Categories in the left-hand navigation bar, find what you’re looking for to solve issues in your specific department or area of concern, according to the AppExchange demo video:
- Sales: Representatives can utilize apps to create complex, error-proof quotes and orders, as well as apps that motivate sales teams and let them close deals fast.
- Customer Service: These apps provide access to the data customer service representatives need, even while out in the field.
- Marketing: With these apps, teams can manage global campaigns with ease.
- IT & Administration: Here are apps that let IT professionals seamlessly integrate clean data in real time.
- Human Resources: HR staff will find apps that allow them to hire and find the right candidates, then teach them the skills they need to succeed.
- Finance: With these apps, accounting can easily manage invoices, expense reports and simplify payroll.
- Enterprise Resource Planning: This section includes distribution apps that keep the supply chain running smoothly.
- Collaboration: These apps let project managers keep their teams organized, on task and aligned.
- Analytics: The entire company can use these apps to discover key analytics, tracking everything from sales to overall growth.
Lastly on the left-hand navigation bar, sort AppExchange apps by your specific industry: communications, education, financial services, government, healthcare & life sciences, manufacturing, media, nonprofits, professional services, real estate or retail.
With more apps added to it every day, the Salesforce AppExchange includes apps that are easily accessible from any device, available in multiple languages, and many are free. When you click into an app, discover its pricing, demonstrations of its use, read reviews and then install them with the tap of a finger.
