Definition
In-App Guidance is a Salesforce platform component that offers specialized capabilities for organizations looking to extend their CRM investment. It integrates with the core platform to deliver additional value across the business.
Real-World Example
Consider a scenario where the IT director at Vertex Global is working with In-App Guidance to scale their operations using the Salesforce platform. In-App Guidance gives them the infrastructure and tools needed to support new business requirements, handle increased data volumes, and serve a growing user base without compromising performance.
Why In-App Guidance Matters
In-App Guidance is a Salesforce feature that allows administrators to create contextual prompts, walkthroughs, and informational pop-ups that appear directly within the Salesforce interface. These prompts can be floating panels, docked panels, or targeted pop-ups attached to specific page elements, and they appear when users navigate to designated pages or meet specific criteria. In-App Guidance solves the challenge of user training and adoption by delivering help content at the exact moment users need it, rather than relying on external training sessions or documentation that users may never read. Administrators can target prompts by profile, permission, or custom criteria, ensuring that new employees see onboarding tips while experienced users see advanced feature announcements.
As organizations roll out new features, processes, or policy changes, In-App Guidance becomes a powerful change management tool that reaches users where they work. Traditional training methods like classroom sessions and email announcements have low engagement rates because they are disconnected from the actual workflow. In-App Guidance delivers the right message at the right time, such as a prompt explaining a new field when a user opens a record page, or a walkthrough guiding users through a new process the first time they encounter it. Organizations that leverage In-App Guidance for feature rollouts see significantly higher adoption rates because users learn by doing rather than by reading. The feature also reduces support ticket volume, as common questions are proactively answered by contextual prompts.
How Organizations Use In-App Guidance
- Vertex Global — Vertex Global used In-App Guidance to roll out a new opportunity qualification process. When sales reps opened an opportunity in the 'Qualification' stage for the first time after the change, a walkthrough prompt guided them through the new required fields and explained the updated criteria. Adoption of the new process reached 90% within 2 weeks without a single training session.
- MetroHealth Systems — MetroHealth Systems created targeted In-App Guidance prompts for new hires during their first 30 days. When new service agents open the Case console, prompts explain the case priority matrix, show where to find knowledge articles, and highlight the escalation button. New agent onboarding time decreased from 3 weeks to 10 days.
- CloudPeak Software — CloudPeak Software uses In-App Guidance to announce new features in each Salesforce release. Instead of sending emails that go unread, they create floating prompts on relevant pages that describe the new capability and link to a Trailhead module for deeper learning. Feature awareness surveys showed 75% of users learned about new features through these prompts.