Why Architecture Matters
A system built without structured architecture usually reaches a point where every small change produces unexpected side effects. Pre-planned architecture reduces this risk and enables clear and responsible changes.
Layers to Plan For
- Solution Architecture — how a Salesforce product connects to business operations.
- Data Architecture — objects, relationships, data quality, sources of truth.
- Security Architecture — profiles, roles, sharing model, protected fields.
- Automation Architecture — Flow, Apex, asynchronous automations.
- Integration Architecture — Middleware, events, flow directions.
- Environment & Release — Sandboxes, deployments, backups.
Guiding Principles
- Prefer Configuration over code when possible.
- Do not develop parallel automation for the same event — choose where it runs.
- Maintain a simple and clear permissions model, even at the cost of some flexibility.
- Plan for growth in data volumes, not just for day one.
- Every architectural change goes through a testing environment before Production.
Signs Your Architecture Needs Improvement
- Small changes take weeks and cause unexpected errors.
- There are multiple conflicting sources of truth for the same customer.
- The permissions model has become too complex for anyone to understand.
- There is no clear documentation for active processes and automations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Not always, but it is recommended to at least have an architect's guidance during the planning phase and for significant system changes.