CRM & Salesforce Glossary
Quick answers to your questions about Salesforce, Financial Services Cloud, data migration, and CRM integrations. From "What is Salesforce FSC?" to "What is API-led connectivity?"
Account-Based Marketing (ABM)
A strategic marketing approach where key business accounts are targeted as individual markets.
ADT (Admit, Discharge, Transfer)
Real-time patient status notifications for hospital admissions, discharges, and transfers.
Agile Methodology
A project management approach that delivers work in small increments through iterative sprints.
AI in CRM
The integration of artificial intelligence capabilities into CRM platforms to automate tasks, provide predictive insights, and personalize customer interactions.
Anti-Money Laundering (AML)
Regulations and procedures designed to prevent criminals from disguising illegally obtained funds as legitimate income.
Apex
Salesforce's proprietary programming language used for custom business logic and automation.
Apex Trigger
A piece of Apex code that executes before or after specific data manipulation language (DML) events occur.
API (Application Programming Interface)
A set of protocols and tools that allows different software applications to communicate and exchange data.
API Rate Limit
A restriction on the number of API calls that can be made within a specific timeframe.
API-Led Connectivity
An integration approach that structures APIs into three layers: System, Process, and Experience.
Assets Under Management (AUM)
The total market value of investments that a financial advisor or firm manages on behalf of clients.
BAA (Business Associate Agreement)
A HIPAA-required contract between a covered entity and business associate handling PHI.
BANT Framework
A lead qualification framework used by sales teams to assess the quality of a lead based on their Budget, Authority, Need, and Timeline.
Business Intelligence (BI)
Technology-driven processes for analyzing data and presenting actionable information for business decisions.
Business Process Automation (BPA)
Technology-enabled automation of complex business processes to improve efficiency and reduce costs.
Call-to-Action (CTA)
A button or link that prompts users to take a specific action.
Care Coordination
The deliberate organization of patient care activities between multiple providers and settings.
Care Plans
Structured treatment plans with goals, tasks, and interventions for managing patient health conditions.
Case Management
The process of managing customer issues and requests from initial contact through resolution.
Change Management
A structured approach to preparing, supporting, and helping individuals, teams, and organizations in making organizational change.
Chatbot
A computer program that simulates conversation with users, especially for customer service and lead generation.
Chatflow (HubSpot)
A HubSpot tool that allows you to create and manage chatbots on your website for 24/7 engagement.
Company (CRM Object)
A CRM record representing a business or organization.
Compliance
Conforming to rules, regulations, and standards for data handling and business processes.
Composable CRM
An architectural approach where CRM functionality is built from a collection of independent, best-of-breed applications that are seamlessly integrated.
Connected App
A framework in Salesforce that enables external applications to integrate using APIs and OAuth.
Contact (CRM Object)
A CRM record representing an individual person.
Custodian Integration
The automated connection between a CRM and financial custodians like Schwab, Fidelity, or TD Ameritrade to sync account data.
Custom Object
A custom database table created to store information specific to your organization's needs.
Customer 360
A complete and unified view of a customer's data and interactions across all touchpoints, including sales, marketing, and service.
Customer Data Platform (CDP)
A system that creates a unified, persistent customer database accessible to other systems.
Customer Journey
The complete sum of experiences that customers go through when interacting with a company and its brands.
Customer Lifetime Value (CLV)
A prediction of the net profit attributed to the entire future relationship with a customer.
Customer Segmentation
Dividing a customer base into groups with similar characteristics for targeted marketing and service.
Cutover Plan
A detailed plan for transitioning from the old system to the new system, including timing, tasks, and responsibilities.
Cybersecurity
Practices protecting CRM systems, networks, and data from digital attacks and unauthorized access.
Data Cleansing
The process of detecting and correcting corrupt, inaccurate, or incomplete data before migration or use.
Data Cleansing
The process of detecting and correcting (or removing) corrupt or inaccurate records from a record set, table, or database.
Data Enrichment
The process of appending or otherwise enhancing collected data with relevant context obtained from additional sources.
Data Governance
The overall management of the availability, usability, integrity, and security of the data employed in an enterprise.
Data Lake
A centralized repository that allows you to store all your structured and unstructured data at any scale.
Data Mapping
The process of defining how data fields in the source system correspond to fields in the target system.
Data Migration
The process of transferring data from one system to another, typically during a software upgrade or system replacement.
Data Normalization
Organizing database columns and tables to minimize redundancy and improve data integrity.
Data Quality
The measure of data accuracy, completeness, consistency, and reliability for its intended use.
Data Validation
The process of ensuring data meets specified criteria, formats, and business rules before or during entry.
Data Visualization
The graphical representation of information and data using visual elements.
Data Warehouse
A large repository of data from multiple sources used for reporting and analysis.
Deal (CRM Object)
A CRM record representing a potential revenue-generating opportunity.
Digital Transformation
The process of using digital technologies to create new or modify existing business processes, culture, and customer experiences.
Duplicate Detection
The process of identifying and merging duplicate records to maintain a single source of truth.
Electronic Health Record (EHR)
A digital version of a patient's medical history maintained by healthcare providers.
Email Marketing
The use of email to promote products or services and build customer relationships.
ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)
A three-phase process for moving and transforming data: Extract from source, Transform to match target format, Load into destination.
ETL (Extract, Transform, Load)
A type of data integration that refers to the three steps used to blend data from multiple sources.
FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources)
A modern healthcare data exchange standard for interoperability between healthcare systems.
Fiduciary Duty
The legal obligation to act in a client's best interests, putting their needs ahead of one's own financial gain.
Financial Account
A Salesforce FSC object that represents investment accounts, bank accounts, insurance policies, or credit cards.
FINRA (Financial Industry Regulatory Authority)
The self-regulatory organization overseeing broker-dealers and registered representatives in the United States.
Flow Builder
A declarative automation tool in Salesforce that allows you to build complex business processes without code.
Headless CRM
A CRM architecture where the backend is decoupled from the front-end, allowing CRM data and functionality to be delivered to any device or channel via APIs.
HEDIS (Healthcare Effectiveness Data and Information Set)
A comprehensive set of standardized healthcare quality measures used by health plans.
HIE (Health Information Exchange)
A network that enables secure sharing of patient health information across organizations.
HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act)
U.S. federal law protecting patient health information privacy and security.
HL7 (Health Level Seven)
A set of international standards for healthcare data exchange between systems.
Household Management
The ability to group related individuals and their financial accounts together to view total household wealth.
Hyperautomation
A business-driven approach to automate as many business and IT processes as possible using a combination of tools like RPA, AI, and low-code platforms.
Key Performance Indicator (KPI)
A measurable value demonstrating how effectively a company achieves key business objectives.
Know Your Customer (KYC)
The process of verifying a client's identity and assessing their risk profile to prevent fraud and money laundering.
Lead Nurturing
The process of building relationships with potential customers by providing them with relevant and timely information to guide them through the sales funnel.
Lead Scoring
A methodology used to rank prospects on a scale that represents the perceived value each lead represents to the organization.
Legacy System
An outdated computer system or application that is still in use, often targeted for replacement.
Legacy System
An outdated computer system, technology, or application still in use.
Lifecycle Stage
A property indicating where a contact is in the marketing and sales process.
Lightning Web Components (LWC)
A modern JavaScript framework for building custom Salesforce user interface components using web standards.
Lists (HubSpot)
A HubSpot tool for creating and managing segmented groups of contacts, companies, or deals.
Low-Code/No-Code (LCNC)
A software development approach that requires little to no coding to build applications and processes.
Machine Learning
AI that enables computers to learn from data without explicit programming.
Marketing Automation
The use of software to automate marketing actions like sending emails, posting to social media, and managing ad campaigns.
Master Data Management (MDM)
A technology-enabled discipline in which business and IT work together to ensure the uniformity, accuracy, and accountability of shared master data assets.
Middleware
Software that connects different applications and enables them to communicate and exchange data.
Minimum Viable Product (MVP)
A version of a new product with just enough features to satisfy early adopters and gather feedback.
MuleSoft
An integration platform (owned by Salesforce) that connects applications, data, and devices using APIs.
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
A security system that requires more than one method of authentication to verify user identity.
Natural Language Processing (NLP)
A field of AI that helps computers understand, interpret, and manipulate human language.
Net Promoter Score (NPS)
A metric used to gauge customer loyalty by asking how likely they are to recommend a company to others.
OAuth
An open standard for secure authorization that allows apps to access user data without exposing passwords.
Object (CRM)
A database table in CRM that stores specific types of records.
Omnichannel
A multichannel sales approach that provides customers with an integrated and seamless shopping experience across all touchpoints.
Opportunity Management
The process of tracking and managing potential revenue-generating deals through the sales cycle.
Patient 360 View
A unified, comprehensive view of a patient's health information aggregated from multiple sources.
Permission Set
A collection of settings and permissions that extend users' functional access without changing their profile.
PHI (Protected Health Information)
Individually identifiable health information protected under HIPAA.
Population Health Management
Strategies to improve health outcomes for a defined group of individuals through data analytics and care interventions.
Predictive Analytics
The use of data, statistical algorithms, and machine learning techniques to identify the likelihood of future outcomes based on historical data.
Process Builder
A point-and-click tool that lets you easily automate business processes in Salesforce.
Profile
A collection of settings and permissions that defines what a user can see and do in Salesforce.
Registered Investment Advisor (RIA)
A firm or individual registered with the SEC or state regulators to provide investment advice for a fee.
REST API
A lightweight API architecture using HTTP requests to read, create, update, and delete data.
Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
A form of business process automation technology based on software robots that can automate repetitive, rule-based tasks.
Sales Cadence
A sequence of touchpoints with a prospect designed to increase the chances of making a sale.
Sales Enablement
The iterative process of providing sales teams with the resources they need to close more deals, including content, tools, knowledge, and information.
Sales Funnel
The marketing model that illustrates the theoretical customer journey from the moment of first contact with your brand to the final purchase.
Sales Pipeline
A visual representation of sales prospects and where they are in the purchasing process.
Salesforce AppExchange
Salesforce's marketplace for third-party applications, components, and consulting services.
Salesforce Bulk API
A specialized API designed for loading or querying large volumes of data asynchronously.
Salesforce Financial Services Cloud (FSC)
A specialized CRM platform built on Salesforce designed specifically for wealth management, banking, insurance, and financial services firms.
Salesforce Flow
A powerful automation tool for building complex business processes without code using a visual interface.
Salesforce Health Cloud
A healthcare-specific CRM platform built on Salesforce for patient engagement, care coordination, and population health management.
Salesforce Lightning
The modern user interface and component framework for Salesforce, replacing Salesforce Classic.
Salesforce Sales Cloud
The core Salesforce CRM platform designed for managing sales processes, leads, opportunities, and customer relationships.
Salesforce Sandbox
A separate testing environment that is a copy of your Salesforce production organization.
Sandbox
A copy of a Salesforce production environment used for development, testing, and training purposes.
Scalability
The ability of a system to handle growing amounts of work by adding resources.
SEC Rule 17a-4
A regulation requiring broker-dealers to retain records in a non-rewriteable, non-erasable format for specified periods.
Sentiment Analysis
The process of computationally identifying and categorizing opinions expressed in text to determine whether the writer's attitude is positive, negative, or neutral.
Sequences (HubSpot)
A HubSpot tool that allows you to send a series of targeted, timed emails to nurture contacts over time.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
A commitment defining the level of service expected from a provider, including metrics like response and resolution time.
Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA)
A software design approach where services are provided to other components through a communication protocol over a network.
Single Sign-On (SSO)
An authentication scheme allowing users to log in once to access multiple related systems.
Single Source of Truth (SSOT)
The practice of structuring information models and data so that every data element is stored exactly once.
Snippets (HubSpot)
Reusable blocks of text that can be quickly inserted into emails, chats, and other communications in HubSpot.
SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language)
The language used to query data from the Salesforce database.
STAR Ratings
CMS quality ratings for Medicare Advantage and Part D prescription drug plans.
Tasks (HubSpot)
A HubSpot tool for creating and managing to-do items for yourself and your team.
Technical Debt
The implied cost of rework caused by choosing an easy solution now instead of using a better approach that would take longer.
Territory Management
A system for grouping customers by geographic area or criteria and assigning sales reps to each territory.
Test Migration
A trial run of the data migration process to a sandbox environment to identify and fix issues before production.
Tickets (HubSpot)
A HubSpot object that represents a customer issue or support request.
Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)
A financial estimate of all direct and indirect costs of owning and operating a system.
Vendor Lock-In
A situation where switching to a competitor's product becomes difficult or costly.
Visualforce
A framework that allows developers to build custom user interfaces for Salesforce applications.
Voice of the Customer (VoC)
A term that describes your customer's feedback about their experiences with and expectations for your products or services.
Web-to-Lead
A Salesforce feature that allows you to capture leads from your website and automatically create new lead records.
Webhook
An HTTP callback that sends real-time data from one application to another when a specific event occurs.
Workflow Rule
An automated process that triggers actions based on specific criteria being met.
Workflow Rule
A container for a set of workflow instructions that can be triggered when a record is created or updated.
Workflows (HubSpot)
A HubSpot tool that automates marketing, sales, and service processes through if/then logic.
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