Compare the Admin and Business Analyst Roles

Learning Objectives

After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:

Describe the Salesforce admin role.
Describe the Salesforce business analyst role.
Explain how the two roles are different.

Introduction

Maybe you’ve heard that Salesforce admins and Salesforce business analysts perform some of the same tasks. Or you’ve heard that in some cases, a company doesn’t have a dedicated business analyst and the admin takes on business analysis as a job function. There are multiple configurations of the two roles. So what’s the difference between them? Let’s look at them side by side to find out.

Discover Salesforce Administration

Salesforce administration is an operational role. Salesforce admins work with stakeholders to define optimal processes and customize the Salesforce Platform. They help their company’s users get the most out of Salesforce by making the platform work for the business’s unique needs. They bring innovation to life—automating business processes, creating reports and dashboards, training users, and staying on top of platform updates.

Discover Salesforce Business Analysis

Salesforce business analysis is a project-based, business-improvement role. Business analysts help businesses improve processes and efficiency in Salesforce by eliciting, documenting, and analyzing requirements around business challenges. Then they produce data-driven solutions. Think of the business analyst like an interpreter. They’re the go-to person when it comes to communication between IT and business stakeholders. Business analysts make sure everyone involved works together to achieve the best results.

Learn How the Roles Are Different

Now that you know a bit about each role, let’s compare them.

Role Type

Salesforce admin	Salesforce business analyst
Operational	Project-based

Role Summary

Salesforce admin	Salesforce business analyst
Admins set up users, security measures, and processes, and they maintain data on the Salesforce Platform. They are the Salesforce experts within the organization.	Business analysts use data to plan and oversee Salesforce projects. They apply their knowledge of Salesforce capabilities and limitations to guide the business to the best solutions. And they act as interpreters between IT and business stakeholders.

Key Tasks

Salesforce admin

Salesforce business analyst

Set up the Salesforce org.
Set up users.
Configure security and access settings.
Create custom objects and create and maintain fields.
Manage sales and marketing applications.
Manage service and support applications.
Manage activities and collaboration.
Manage data.
Build reports, dashboards, and other analytics.
Create process automations.
Administer desktop and mobile apps.
Install packages from AppExchange.
Manage sandbox and production environments.
Manage the health of the org.
Train Salesforce users.
Communicate with stakeholders.

Elicit and document requirements.
Develop and define project roadmaps.
Write user stories.
Communicate with managers and stakeholders.
Analyze data and draw business insights.
Facilitate business solutions.
Manage Salesforce projects.
Create and deliver business presentations.
Manage and analyze Salesforce implementations.
Apply frameworks and methodology to Salesforce projects.
Create user training materials.
Solve issues during testing.
Understand current business processes and document processes in development.

Required Skills

Salesforce admin	Salesforce business analyst
Communication skills to work with people across the organization, from leadership to the actual users themselves. Time management skills to help with case management and constant user requests. Leadership skills to lead the way in everything Salesforce. Problem solving skills to solve for the best solution for the organization.	Leadership skills to guide the business throughout a project and have confidence in the right solutions. Communication skills to work with stakeholders at all levels of the business, gather requirements, and oversee projects from beginning to end. Project management skills to keep Salesforce projects on track and moving toward the end business goal.

Key Qualities

Salesforce admin	Salesforce business analyst
Empathetic. Listens to and understands customer needs, requests, and issues. Confident. Draws on knowledge about the Salesforce Platform to argue against requests that aren’t in the best interest of the business. Encouraging. Drives user adoption.	Data-driven. Tracks and evaluates data to provide insights back to the business. Action-oriented. Makes quick, actionable recommendations based on data findings. Solution-oriented. Takes project requirements and creates the best solution for the organization.

Learn More About Each Role

If you’re wondering what a career as an admin or business analyst looks like, check out the Salesforce Administrator Careers page and the Salesforce Business Analyst Careers page. These pages are a good place to learn more about both roles. Also, check out the Salesforce Administrator certification, which is essential to becoming a successful admin or business analyst.