Power User Tips and Tricks

Master advanced techniques, discover hidden features, and learn productivity hacks to maximize your efficiency with Salesforce Navigator.

Hidden Features

Double-Press Commands

Ctrl+K Twice for Different Actions:

In Editor, press Ctrl+K once:

• On picklist field: Opens picklist selector
• On lookup field: Shows reference record details
• On modified field: Shows change history
• On any field: Shows field metadata

Press Ctrl+K twice (quickly):

• Opens advanced field inspection
• Shows API name, type, length, precision
• Displays all field properties

Shift+K for Reference Details:

On lookup/reference fields, Shift+K shows detailed record info:

Field: AccountId
Value: 001xx000003DH1QAAW

Referenced Record:
  Name: Acme Corporation
  Type: Customer
  Owner: John Doe
  Created: 2025-01-15
  Last Modified: 2025-10-20

Quick Record ID Copy

In Editor:

:copy  → Copies current record ID

In Query results, on ID cell:

y  → Copies ID value

In Inspector (Objects tab):

y  → Copies object API name

Filtered Search vs Regular Search

Regular Search (/):

• All fields visible
• Matches highlighted in green
• Great for exploring

Filtered Search (Ctrl+/):

• Only matching fields shown
• Faster navigation
• Great for focused editing

Pro Tip: Use / when learning field layout, Ctrl+/ when you know what you want.

Navigation Multipliers

Some implementations support count prefixes:

5j  → Move down 5 fields
10k → Move up 10 fields
3gg → Jump to field 3

If not supported, use gg/G for quick jumps:

gg → Jump to top
G  → Jump to bottom
Then j/k to fine-tune position

Command History Search

In Query Tool:

Ctrl+R → Opens fuzzy command history search
Type to filter
Select with j/k
Enter to execute

Yank and Paste Workflow

Copy field value and paste to multiple fields:

1. Navigate to field with source value
2. Press y (yank)
3. Navigate to target field (j/k)
4. Press p (paste)
5. Repeat steps 3-4 for other fields

Example: Copy email from one contact to another
1. Open first contact (Ctrl+Shift+E)
2. Navigate to Email field (/ or Ctrl+/)
3. Press y
4. Open second contact (Ctrl+Shift+E in new tab)
5. Navigate to Email field
6. Press p
7. Press :w to save

Productivity Hacks

Keyboard Mastery

Stay in Normal Mode:

• Spend 90% of time in Normal mode
• Only enter Insert mode to type
• Immediately Esc back to Normal
• This keeps hands on home row

Home Row Navigation:

• j k keep fingers on home row
• No reaching for arrow keys
• Faster, less RSI
• More ergonomic

Command Chaining:

Chain commands for efficiency:

ij → Enter Insert mode, move down (doesn't work in all implementations)

Better approach:
i [type] Esc j → Edit, exit, move down

Fastest for bulk edits:
i [type] Esc j i [type] Esc j i [type] Esc

Template Library

Build a Template Library:

Save frequently used queries with descriptive names:

:savequery Active High Value Accounts
:savequery Contacts Without Email
:savequery Weekly Won Opportunities Report
:savequery Stale Open Cases
:savequery User Permission Audit

Organize by Category:

[Sales] High Value Opportunities
[Sales] Pipeline by Stage
[Service] Open Cases Today
[Service] Unassigned Cases
[Admin] User Audit
[Admin] Permission Set Assignments
[Data] Missing Emails
[Data] Duplicate Records

Use Descriptive Names:

Bad:

:savequery Query1
:savequery Report
:savequery Test

Good:

:savequery Q4-2025-Won-Deals-By-Rep
:savequery Contacts-Missing-Email-Customer-Accounts
:savequery Last-30-Days-Case-Volume-By-Priority

Variable Strategies

Global Variables for Constants:

Set once, use everywhere:

:let ^myUserId = '005xx000001AbCd'
:let ^teamGroupId = '00Gxx000001XyZ'
:let ^productionAccountPrefix = '001'
:let ^minDealSize = 50000
:let ^fiscalYearStart = 2025-01-01

Local Variables for One-Time Queries:

Quick temporary filters:

:let :todayDate = 2025-11-02
:let :tempStatus = 'Open'
:let :testAccountId = '001xx000003DH1Q'

Built-in Variables for Dynamic Queries:

Use system variables for always-current data:

SELECT Id, Name FROM Opportunity
WHERE OwnerId = $USERID
  AND CloseDate >= $THIS_MONTH

-- Query works for any user, any month
-- No manual updates needed

Split-Screen Workflows

Side-by-Side Comparison:

Compare two related records:

1. Query parent records (e.g., Accounts)
2. Open first account in editor (split-screen)
3. In left pane, navigate to second account
4. :editinsplitscreen
5. Now you have two accounts side-by-side
6. Compare fields, values, relationships

Rapid Related Record Editing:

Edit multiple child records without switching tabs:

1. Query parent with child IDs
2. For each child:
   - Navigate to child ID cell
   - :editinsplitscreen
   - Edit in right pane
   - Save (:w)
   - Back to left pane (Ctrl+H)
   - Navigate to next child
3. Repeat for all children

Batch Operations

Bulk Field Updates:

Update same field across many records:

1. Query records
2. Navigate to field column
3. Edit first cell: i [value] Enter
4. Yank value: y
5. Navigate down, paste: j p
6. Repeat: j p j p j p...
7. Save all: :wall

Alternative (faster):
1-3. Same as above
4. Hold j key (continuous scroll)
5. Tap p at each record (paste while scrolling)
6. Save all: :wall

Pattern-Based Editing:

Use variables for pattern-based updates:

Query:
SELECT Id, Name, Email FROM Contact
WHERE Email = null

For each record:
1. Navigate to Email cell
2. Press i
3. Type: [firstname].[lastname]@company.com
   (based on Name field value)
4. Enter
5. j (next record)
6. Repeat
7. :wall

Workflow Optimizations

Morning Routine

Open Your Dashboard:

Create a "Daily Check" template:

-- My Daily Dashboard
-- Saved as: Daily-Dashboard

-- My open opportunities
SELECT Id, Name, Amount, StageName, CloseDate
FROM Opportunity
WHERE OwnerId = $USERID
  AND IsClosed = false
ORDER BY CloseDate ASC
LIMIT 20

-- Tasks due today
SELECT Id, Subject, Status, WhoId, Who.Name
FROM Task
WHERE OwnerId = $USERID
  AND ActivityDate = $TODAY
ORDER BY Priority ASC

One-Command Workflow:

1. Ctrl+Shift+Q (open Query Tool)
2. :loadquery Daily-Dashboard
3. Ctrl+Enter (execute)
4. Review results with j/k
5. Take action as needed

End-of-Day Routine

Daily Summary Export:

Template for daily summary:

-- Daily Summary
:let ^todayDate = 2025-11-02

-- Activities completed today
SELECT Id, Subject, Status, WhoId, Who.Name, WhatId, What.Name
FROM Task
WHERE OwnerId = $USERID
  AND ActivityDate = ^todayDate
  AND Status = 'Completed'

-- Opportunities updated today
SELECT Id, Name, Amount, StageName, LastModifiedDate
FROM Opportunity
WHERE OwnerId = $USERID
  AND LastModifiedDate = ^todayDate

-- Export both, send to manager
:exportcsv

Weekly Reporting

Automated Weekly Report:

Create template with relative dates:

-- Weekly Won Deals
SELECT Id, Name, Account.Name, Amount, CloseDate, Owner.Name, LeadSource
FROM Opportunity
WHERE StageName = 'Closed Won'
  AND CloseDate = THIS_WEEK
ORDER BY Amount DESC

-- Execute every Monday
-- Export as CSV
-- Email to sales team

Batch Weekly Tasks:

Query-based task management:

-- Find accounts needing weekly check-in
SELECT Id, Name, Owner.Name, LastActivityDate
FROM Account
WHERE Type = 'Customer'
  AND LastActivityDate < LAST_N_DAYS:7
ORDER BY LastActivityDate ASC
LIMIT 50

-- For each: Create task or log call

Keyboard Mastery Drills

Drill 1: Navigation Speed

Goal: Navigate 20 fields in < 5 seconds

Practice:

1. Open test record with 20+ fields
2. Start at top (gg)
3. Press j 20 times rapidly
4. Should reach field 20 in ~5 seconds
5. Try again, beat your time

Target: 2-3 seconds for 20 fields

Drill 2: Edit Cycle

Goal: Edit, save, quit in < 3 seconds

Practice:

1. Ctrl+Shift+E (open editor)
2. i [type] Esc :wq (edit, save, quit)
3. Repeat 10 times
4. Aim for < 3 seconds each

Target: Muscle memory, no thinking

Drill 3: Query Execution

Goal: Write and execute simple query in < 10 seconds

Practice:

1. Ctrl+Shift+Q (open query tool)
2. Type: SELECT Id, Name FROM Account LIMIT 10
3. Ctrl+Enter (execute)
4. Time yourself

Target: < 10 seconds from shortcut to results

Drill 4: Search and Edit

Goal: Find field and edit in < 5 seconds

Practice:

1. Open editor on test record
2. Ctrl+/ (filtered search)
3. Type field name
4. Esc (focus field)
5. i [type] Esc (edit)
6. Time yourself

Target: < 5 seconds

Common Patterns

The "Quick Query" Pattern

Use Case: One-off data lookup

Ctrl+Shift+Q → Type query → Ctrl+Enter → Review → Ctrl+W (close tab)
Total time: 10-15 seconds

The "Bulk Edit" Pattern

Use Case: Update multiple records

Query → Edit first → Yank → j p j p j p... → :wall

The "Template + Export" Pattern

Use Case: Weekly report generation

:loadquery [template] → Update variables → Ctrl+Enter → :exportcsv → Rename file → Send

The "Split-Screen Research" Pattern

Use Case: Investigate related records

Query parent → Navigate to child ID → :editinsplitscreen → Compare → Document findings

The "Field Copy" Pattern

Use Case: Copy data between records

Open record 1 → Navigate to field → y → Open record 2 → Navigate to field → p → :w

Pro Tips

Tip 1: Learn One Feature Per Week

Week 1: Basic navigation (j, k, gg, G) Week 2: Searching (/, Ctrl+/) Week 3: Editing (i, u, :w, :wq) Week 4: Query tool basics (Ctrl+Shift+Q, execute) Week 5: Copy/paste (y, p) Week 6: Variables and templates Week 7: Split-screen editing Week 8: Advanced query features

Tip 2: Minimize Mouse Usage

Challenge: Use Navigator for 1 hour without touching mouse.

Forces you to:

• Learn keyboard shortcuts
• Build muscle memory
• Discover efficiency gains

Result: 2-3x faster workflow

Tip 3: Create a Personal Cheat Sheet

What to Include:

• Your 10 most-used shortcuts
• Your template names (for quick recall)
• Your global variable names
• Common query patterns

Keep it Visible:

• Print and place near monitor
• Or use digital sticky note
• Review before each Navigator session

Tip 4: Use Query Comments

Document your queries:

-- Purpose: Find high-value accounts for Q4 campaign
-- Owner: Jane Doe
-- Last Updated: 2025-11-02
-- Runs: Weekly on Mondays

SELECT Id, Name, AnnualRevenue, Owner.Name
FROM Account
WHERE AnnualRevenue > 5000000
  AND Type = 'Customer'
ORDER BY AnnualRevenue DESC
LIMIT 100

Benefits:

• Remember query purpose
• Share with teammates
• Audit query usage
• Track changes over time

Tip 5: Leverage Autocomplete

Don't Type, Select:

Instead of typing full field names:

Type: SEL → Tab → Na → Tab → Em → Tab
Result: SELECT Name, Email

Faster than typing SELECT Name, Email

Benefits:

• Fewer typos
• Faster query writing
• Learn field names
• Discover new fields

Tip 6: Master Command Mode

Memorize These Commands:

Essential:

• :w - Save
• :q - Quit
• :wq - Save and quit

Useful:

• :refresh - Reload data
• :togglereadonly - Hide formulas
• :copy - Copy record ID

Advanced:

• :editinsplitscreen - Split-screen edit
• :exportcsv - Export results
• :columns - Show/hide columns

Pro:

• :let ^var = value - Set global variable
• :savequery [name] - Save template
• :wall - Save all modified records

Tip 7: Understand Modes

Blue = Navigate

• Use j, k, gg, G
• Ready to move

Dark Blue = Edit

• Type to change value
• Press Esc to finish

Red = Command

• Type colon commands
• Press Enter to execute

Green = Search

• Type to filter
• Press Esc to exit

Remember: Always press Esc to return to Normal (blue) mode

Tip 8: Build Workflows, Not Queries

Think in Workflows:

Bad: "I need a query for opportunities" Good: "I need a workflow to update my pipeline every morning"

Workflow Example:

Morning Pipeline Review Workflow:
1. Ctrl+Shift+Q
2. :loadquery My-Open-Opportunities
3. Ctrl+Enter
4. Review with j/k
5. For each opportunity:
   - Note action needed
   - Update stage if needed (inline edit)
   - Add task (open in new tab)
6. :wall (save all changes)
7. :exportcsv (export for manager)
8. Email CSV to manager

Tip 9: Use Navigator for Learning

Explore Salesforce with Navigator:

1. Open Inspector (Ctrl+Shift+I)
2. Browse all objects (Objects tab)
3. For interesting objects:
   - Open in Object Manager (Enter)
   - Or query a few records:
     SELECT Id, Name FROM [Object] LIMIT 5
4. Review fields in Editor (Ctrl+Shift+E)
5. Learn by doing

Benefits:

• Understand data model
• Discover hidden objects
• Learn relationships
• Become Salesforce expert

Tip 10: Share Knowledge

Help Your Team:

• Share query templates
• Document workflows
• Create training materials
• Conduct lunch-and-learn sessions

Benefits:

• Team efficiency multiplies
• Common query library grows
• Best practices emerge
• Continuous improvement

Measuring Your Progress

Efficiency Metrics

Track These:

• Time to open and edit record: Target < 5 seconds
• Time to write and execute query: Target < 15 seconds
• Time to export weekly report: Target < 2 minutes
• Mouse clicks per hour: Target < 20 (aim for 0!)

Weekly Goal:

Save 1 hour per week using Navigator = 50 hours per year = 1+ weeks of productivity gained

Proficiency Levels

Beginner (Week 1-2):

• Can open Navigator, Editor, Query Tool
• Knows j, k, i, Esc, :wq
• Uses mouse occasionally

Intermediate (Week 3-4):

• Navigates with gg, G, /
• Uses y, p for copy/paste
• Writes simple queries
• Rarely uses mouse

Advanced (Week 5-8):

• Master of all modes
• Creates query templates
• Uses variables
• Split-screen editing
• Never uses mouse

Expert (Week 9+):

• Custom workflows
• Template library
• Teaches others
• Contributes feedback
• Fastest person on team

Next Steps

• Workflows - Real-world workflow examples
• Common Queries - Query examples to copy
• Keyboard Shortcuts - Complete shortcut reference

Your Journey to Mastery

Mastery takes time. Focus on one technique per week. Practice daily. Build muscle memory. Within 2 months, you'll be navigating Salesforce faster than you ever thought possible. The investment pays off quickly—most users save 5-10 hours per month after becoming proficient.