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How to enable Salesforce Foundations

Foundations is enabled from a dedicated Setup page, then rolled out per area with permission set groups. Here is the high-level path an admin follows.

By Dipojjal Chakrabarti · Founder & Editor, Salesforce DictionaryLast updated Jun 16, 2026

Foundations is enabled from a dedicated Setup page, then rolled out per area with permission set groups. Here is the high-level path an admin follows.

  1. Open the Foundations setup page

    In Setup, go to the Salesforce Foundations setup page. Add the products you want through Your Account, which provisions the Sales, Service, Marketing, Commerce, and Data 360 capabilities into your org.

  2. Enable the interface and Home app

    Turn on Quick Settings, the vertical navigation bar, and access to the Home app so users get a consistent shell. These changes apply across the org, so confirm they fit your existing navigation before enabling.

  3. Assign permission set groups by role

    Distribute the standard permission set groups (such as General User and Service User) to the right people. Permissions, not just product provisioning, control who can see and use each Foundations feature.

  4. Configure each cloud area

    Set up areas one at a time. Configure marketing email settings and grant app access, assign users to the Commerce app, and set up Data 360 after the required products are added so profiles unify across touchpoints.

Marketing email capremember

Foundations marketing allows up to 2,000 email sends per month. Plan campaign cadence around this ceiling and upgrade to full marketing tooling when you need more volume.

Permission set groupsremember

Standard groups gate access by role. Decide group membership before enabling features so users see only what they should on day one.

Data 360 setup orderremember

Data 360 (formerly Data Cloud) must be configured after its required products are added. Set it up last so unified profiles can draw from the other enabled areas.

Gotchas
  • "No additional cost" covers licensing, not effort. Every capability still needs configuration, permissions, and a rollout plan.
  • Pay Now and some marketing features have regional limits (for example Pay Now is restricted in India, Brazil, and Japan), so confirm availability for your market.
  • Enabling all five areas at once tends to swamp admins and users. Go live per capability on separate schedules for better adoption.
  • Upgrading from Starter or Pro Suite keeps your foundational Sales features and previous permission set group assignments, so reconcile groups before you migrate.

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Salesforce Foundations includes the definition, worked example, deep dive, related terms, and a quiz.