A user asks for a new field in Salesforce.
Your first instinct might be to start configuring it.
That’s often where projects go wrong.
Before creating a field, building a flow, or adding validation rules, there’s a more important question to answer:
What problem are we trying to solve?
I’ve seen teams spend hours implementing exactly what was requested, only to realize later that it didn’t solve the underlying business need.
Sometimes the request is based on an existing workaround.
Sometimes the user is proposing a solution instead of describing the problem.
And sometimes, there’s already a Salesforce feature that meets the requirement without any customization.
The best Salesforce consultants don’t jump straight into configuration.
They ask questions, understand the process, and challenge assumptions before opening Setup.
That extra conversation often leads to simpler solutions, fewer customizations, and better outcomes for everyone involved.
Salesforce configuration should be the last step, not the first.
It’s much easier to build the right solution when you fully understand the problem you’re solving.
What questions do you always ask before starting a Salesforce configuration? I’d love to hear the ones that have saved you from building the wrong solution.