When I was preparing for interviews, it was easy to get lost in theory and tutorials. Pre-built orgs for mileage tracking or job search processes have their place. However, they didn’t always provide the hands-on experience I wanted to show for practical scenarios. After some reflection, I realized that the best practice environment wasn’t one someone else came up with. It was one that mirrored the challenges I faced daily. It would also be useful for challenges I would encounter in an interview.

That’s when the idea hit me: build a Salesforce playground based on the exact improvements and functionalities I wanted in my current org. This approach not only sharpened my skills but also gave me an edge when solving realistic problems.

Here’s how I structured my playground, inspired by an interview exercise:

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Task 1: Partner Lead Forms Creating Leads

The Challenge
Partners referring opportunities needed a seamless way to submit leads to the sales system. This task involved designing a form using HubSpot to gather partner and prospect details. It also required integrating it with Salesforce via an API to automatically create Leads.

Salesforce Playground Solution
In my playground, I did:

• Design the Form: I created a basic web form using HubSpot that included fields for partner and prospect details (e.g., names, emails, company info, and reason for interest).
• Connect HubSpot and Salesforce:
  • I built a middleware layer using Zapier, as HubSpot integration wasn’t available in the free HubSpot version.
  • I mapped HubSpot form fields to Salesforce Lead fields.
• Automation Processes:
  • I used a Flow to assign Leads to the relevant Partner Manager based on prospect location or type.
  • I set up notifications to inform the Partner Manager upon Lead creation.
• Reporting: I created dashboards to track the number of Opportunities generated by partners and their conversion rates.

If I had more time, I would have expanded this setup to include Experience Cloud and Screenflows. However, this task focused on Salesforce Sales Cloud capabilities.

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Task 2: Optimizing Salesforce for Sales Contracts

The Challenge
The goal was to generate contracts with:

• Products and pricing accurately configured.
• Standard legal terms embedded.
• PDFs generated and attached to Opportunities.

Salesforce Playground Solution
In my playground, I:

• Set Up Products and Pricing:
  • I created product catalogs in Salesforce.
  • I added price books and discount structures for different customer types.
• Automating Legal Terms:
  • I designed templates for Contracts using SDocs.
  • I included dynamic fields for terms, conditions, and customer-specific details.
• Automating PDF Generation and Storage:
  • I automated PDF creation upon Opportunity stage progression.
  • I stored generated documents under the Opportunity records.
• Built Automations:
  • I used a record-triggered Flow to create Orders, Contracts, and Renewal Opportunities when an Opportunity moved to Closed Won.
• Monitored Processes:
  • I built reports to track order completion times and document accuracy.

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Why I Built This Playground

Focusing on challenges like these ensured my skills stayed relevant and practical. For instance, my playground org was inspired by Splash Computers, a fictional company I created to reflect real-world needs.

• Business Model: The playground could easily adapt its appearance and theme to align with any interviewing company.
• Customer Types: Unique sales processes could be introduced as needed. The sales process, which went through Opportunity stages and contract creation, was both adaptable and realistic for different requirements.
• Website Forms: Creating forms in Salesforce or HubSpot demonstrates an understanding of tasks that could also involve the Marketing team.
• Sales Operations changes you could add:
  • Managing requests through emails to case for after sales support.
  • Utilise account teams for large clients.
  • Document solution consultant support during the sales process via a custom object.

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Takeaways

Creating a Salesforce playground based on actual business scenarios bridged the gap between theory and practice. It allowed me to demonstrate not only technical skills but also business acumen during interviews.

If you’re preparing for your next big opportunity, think about creating a playground. Ensure it reflects the systems and workflows you aspire to manage. For me, it wasn’t just a learning experience — it was a step toward mastering real-world challenges.