🥪 Lunch & Learn
OPFS Salesforce
Information Session
Introducing our new Salesforce recording system for Support for Families
👋 Welcome!
A warm welcome to all OPFS staff joining today's lunchtime session.
This is an information session — not a training session. Grab your lunch, relax, and join the conversation. Questions are very welcome.
Why Now?
Why Are We Doing This?
Incredible work happens across OPFS every single day — and we want to make sure that work is properly reflected, evidenced, and celebrated.
💛 The work is incredible
OPFS staff across all services deliver meaningful, life-changing support to families every day.
📋 Hard to evidence consistently
Much of this work is difficult to capture in a consistent, reportable way across services.
🗂️ Information is fragmented
Data currently sits across multiple systems, spreadsheets, and documents — making it hard to see the full picture.
🔗 Salesforce brings it together
One platform to bring recording and reporting together — consistently, across all services.
"This is about better reflecting the impact of our work with families."
What It Does
What Salesforce Will Help Us Do
Salesforce is here to support the work you already do — by making it easier to record, report, and demonstrate the difference OPFS makes.
Record work more consistently
A shared approach to recording across all OPFS services.
Reduce fragmented information
Bring data together from across services into one connected system.
Improve visibility of support journeys
See the full story of a family's support in one place.
Capture outcomes and impact
Record what changed for families as a result of OPFS support.
Improve reporting
Better data for services, managers, funders, and partners.
Support safeguarding visibility
Clearer records to support safeguarding decisions and continuity.
✅ "Salesforce supports the work — it does not replace the work."
Important Clarifications
What Salesforce Does Not Replace
We know that many services already use specialist systems that work well. Salesforce is designed to complement those — not replace them.
Employability systems
Staff using dedicated employability platforms will continue to do so. Salesforce sits alongside these, not instead of them.
Welfare Rights systems
Specialist welfare rights recording tools are not being replaced by Salesforce.
Other specialist service systems
Where services rely on tailored tools, those remain in place. Salesforce adds to the picture.
💡 The aim is a more complete organisational picture. We know services work differently — this system has been designed with that in mind.
Built for OPFS
Built Around OPFS Services
Salesforce has been tailored specifically around how OPFS works — the pathways, processes, and language you already use.
Family Support Pathways
Structured to reflect OPFS's approach to supporting families through each stage.
My Life & Me
Supporting tools and recording aligned to this approach are built in.
Action Planning
Create and track action plans directly within the case record.
Outcomes Tracking
Record what changes for families and track progress over time.
Reviews
Set and track review dates so nothing slips through the cracks.
Activities & Support Logs
Record every call, visit, and contact — all linked to the case.
The System
What the System Looks Like
Salesforce is designed to be practical and usable — not overwhelming. Here's a high-level look at the key areas you'll use.
🏠 Home Page
Your personal dashboard — tasks, recent records, and a snapshot of your workload when you log in each day.
📁 Case Page
The central record for each family. Everything links here — contacts, activities, notes, documents, and outcomes.
📝 Activities
Log calls, visits, emails, and notes directly on the case. A running history of all work done.
✅ Tasks
Your personal to-do list — with due dates, reminders, and the ability to assign actions to colleagues.
📊 Dashboards
Visual summaries of open cases, reviews due, outcomes recorded, and more — at a glance.
💡 "It is designed to be practical and usable." You won't need to learn everything at once — the system guides you through.
The Journey
The Family Support Journey in Salesforce
Salesforce reflects the stages of family support work you're already familiar with. This is a high-level orientation — not a step-by-step walkthrough.
1
Referral
New referral received and recorded
2
Initial Contact
First contact made with family
3
First Visit
Home or community visit logged
4
Assessment
Needs and goals identified
1
Action Planning
Plan agreed with family
2
Intervention
Support delivered and recorded
3
Review
Progress reviewed with family
4
Closure
Case closed with outcomes recorded
✅ "The system guides staff through the process step-by-step." You don't need to remember every stage — Salesforce prompts you as you go.
Recording
Activities & Recording
Every interaction with or on behalf of a family should be recorded as an activity. Activities create the operational history of your work.
Calls
Log every phone contact — including attempts.
Visits
Record who was present and what was discussed.
Emails
Log emails sent or received relating to a case.
Follow-ups
Tasks and reminders for agreed next actions.
Notes
Case notes and records of key conversations.
Tasks
Actions to complete — with a due date and owner.
⚠️ Good recording supports families, continuity, safeguarding, reporting, and demonstrating impact.
"If it happened, record it."
"If it happened, record it."
Impact
Outcomes & Impact
One of the most important things Salesforce helps OPFS do is evidence the difference we make — for families, for funders, and for our organisation.
Financial gains
Record benefits gained, debts resolved, and financial improvements for families.
Confidence building
Track increases in confidence and self-efficacy for families and individuals.
Parenting support
Capture outcomes from parenting programmes and one-to-one support.
My Life & Me progress
Track changes in mental health, wellbeing, and quality of life.
"This helps us better tell the story of OPFS work — to families, to funders, and to the wider community."
Reporting
Dashboards & Reporting
Dashboards and reports give OPFS the visibility it needs — at every level, from individual workers to organisational leadership.
What you might see
- Open cases by worker or service
- Reviews coming up or overdue
- Financial gains recorded
- Outcomes trends over time
- Caseload visibility
Better reporting supports
- Services — to manage workloads and priorities
- Managers — to oversee and support their teams
- Funders — to demonstrate impact and value
- Organisational learning — to improve and adapt
💡 Dashboards are built from the data staff record. Better recording = better reporting. It all starts with you.
Support Available
What Staff Will Receive
You won't be left to figure this out alone. A full range of support is being put in place to help every member of staff feel confident using Salesforce.
Onboarding guide
A friendly, step-by-step guide to getting started in Salesforce.
Manager guide
Dedicated guidance for managers on oversight and reporting.
Training sessions
Hands-on training sessions for all staff — scheduled and announced in advance.
Ongoing support
A named point of contact for questions and support throughout rollout.
Future advanced sessions
More detailed sessions for those who want to go deeper into the system.
✅ "You are not expected to learn everything today." Support is here every step of the way.
Rollout
Our Training Approach
We're rolling Salesforce out carefully and collaboratively — giving everyone the time, space, and support they need to feel confident.
01
Information sessions
Sessions like this one — to introduce the system, answer questions, and build familiarity before training begins.
02
Hands-on training
Scheduled training sessions where staff can practise in a supported environment with guidance from the team.
03
Go-live support
When Salesforce goes live, additional support will be available to help staff through the first weeks of use.
04
Ongoing improvements
Salesforce will continue to be refined based on feedback from staff and services. This is an evolving platform.
💡 "We will continue refining the platform based on feedback." Your experience matters — and shapes what happens next.
FAQs
Questions We're Expecting 😊
These are some of the most common questions we hear — and the honest answers.
Will this create more admin?
It may feel that way at first, but Salesforce supports consistent recording, reduces duplication, and makes reporting much easier over time.
What if I'm not technical?
You don't need to be. Salesforce is designed to be straightforward, and support will guide you through every step.
Will there be support?
Yes — guided Salesforce walkthroughs and hands-on sessions will be available for all staff, with a practice environment to use first.
Can the system evolve?
Absolutely. The OPFS Salesforce system will continue to be improved and refined based on what staff tell us is working — and what isn't.
Our Vision
What Success Looks Like
We're not aiming for perfection on day one. Success looks like a gradual, collaborative improvement in how OPFS records, reports, and evidences its work.
Better visibility
Staff and managers can see the full picture of family support in one place.
Cleaner recording
Consistent, timely records that reflect the work being done across services.
Better organisational insight
Leadership can understand trends, pressures, and achievements across OPFS.
Stronger evidence of impact
We can clearly demonstrate the difference OPFS makes for families.
Improved continuity
Families receive consistent support even when key workers change.
Better reporting for funding
Robust data that supports grant reporting, bids, and partnership conversations.
Collaboration
Feedback & Collaboration
This system has been shaped by OPFS — and it will continue to be. Staff feedback is not just welcome, it's essential to making Salesforce work for real-world practice.
Your feedback matters
If something isn't working, or if you have a better idea — we want to hear it. Salesforce is here to support the work, not the other way around.
The system will evolve
Salesforce will be updated, improved, and refined over time. Your experience of using it shapes what comes next.
Operational experience matters
The people closest to the work know best what's needed. We'll continue to involve staff in decisions about how the system develops.
This is a collaborative rollout
We're doing this together — not to you. The team is here to support, listen, and respond.
"We want the platform to support real-world practice — and that means listening to the people doing it."
Next Steps
What Happens Next
Today is just the beginning. Here's what's coming up — and how you can get involved.
1
Further Information Sessions
More lunchtime sessions covering different aspects of the system for staff across services.
2
System Access
Staff will be given access to the Salesforce system.
3
Hands-On Training
Structured training sessions scheduled for all staff — dates to be confirmed and communicated.
4
Support Materials
Guides, quick reference cards, and support resources shared with all staff.
📬 Questions or thoughts after today? Please reach out to Tariq (tariq.ali@opfs.org.uk). We're happy to answer anything — big or small.
Thank You 💛
Thank You
Thank you for joining today's session and for everything you do for families across OPFS every day.
"Salesforce is here to help OPFS better evidence, support, and showcase the incredible work happening with families every day."
💬 Questions welcome
Please ask anything — now or any time after the session. No question is too small.
📬 Get in touch
Contact Tariq / tariq.ali@opfs.org.uk with any questions, feedback, or thoughts after today.
📅 Watch out for
Training session announcements, support materials, and Salesforce access — coming soon.