Why understand your Org Configuration?
Many Salesforce teams operate without a clear picture of what's inside their Org — what metadata exists, how components connect, and where complexity is hiding. Without this visibility, changes carry risk, onboarding takes longer, and technical debt quietly grows.
By following a structured approach to Org discovery, you can build a reliable inventory of your configuration, surface complexity hotspots, and make confident decisions about what to change, clean up, or document.
Prerequisites
Before you start:
An Elements account. If you are not an Elements user, you can register for free.
Access to a connected Salesforce Org (see Step 1 below).
Edit rights in an Elements Workspace.
Step 1: Connect & Sync your Salesforce Org
Feature: Salesforce Sync (Salesforce Connect)
Connect your Salesforce Org to Elements so that your metadata is available for analysis. Full setup guidance is in the Connect and Sync a Salesforce Org article.
💡 The metadata dictionary is only as accurate as the latest sync. Always confirm sync status before analysing metadata.
Step 2: Establish your Org Footprint
Feature: Analytics 360
Use the Object Analysis Dashboard to get a high-level picture of your Org's scale and complexity.
Sort objects by field count and automation density.
Identify the top 5 most "complex" objects.
💡 Objects with high field volume and heavy automation are often complexity hotspots. These are the best places to start a deeper investigation.
Step 3: Explore the Metadata Dictionary
Feature: Metadata Dictionary
Dive into your Metadata Dictionary to review the full inventory of your Org's components.
Review custom vs standard fields and objects.
Identify undocumented components.
💡 The metadata dictionary acts as a searchable inventory of all objects, fields, automations, and relationships — your single source of truth for what exists in your Org.
Step 4: Visualise Dependencies
Feature: Dependency Trees & Dependency Explorer Grid
Understand how components connect and depend on each other using the Dependency Trees and Dependency Explorer Grid.
Start in Tree view for visual context of structural relationships.
Switch to Grid view for filtering, tagging, and structured analysis.
💡 Tree view shows structural relationships at a glance. Grid view supports deeper filtering and export for documentation or clean-up planning.
Step 5: Validate Usage & Field Population
Feature: Impact Analysis / Usage
Use the Impact Analysis & Field Population tab to determine whether metadata is actively used or potentially redundant.
Review field population percentages across key objects.
Flag low-population fields as candidates for clean-up or retirement.
💡 Field population percentages help determine whether metadata is actively used or potentially redundant — a key input for any clean-up or governance initiative.
Summary
By connecting your Org, analysing its footprint, exploring the metadata dictionary, mapping dependencies, and validating usage, you gain a complete picture of what's in your Salesforce Org and where to focus your attention. This foundation supports everything from impact analysis and change management to clean-up and governance.