Before managing referrals and teams, managers need to understand the Salesforce manager workspace. This section walks you through the three core areas you will use every day to maintain operational visibility and stay on top of your team's work.

The manager homepage is your operational control centre. Review it at the start of each working day to stay on top of your team's activity and identify anything that needs prompt attention.

The Salesforce navigation bar gives managers quick access to all core areas of the platform. Familiarity with these areas - and the list views within them — is essential for effective day-to-day oversight.

Referrals are the starting point of every Family Support journey. Managers are responsible for reviewing incoming referrals promptly, assessing the information provided, and making a clear allocation decision. External Referrals are made from: https://referral.opfs.uk

At the review stage, managers should consider presenting needs, safeguarding information, existing agency involvement, existing contacts in Salesforce, office and location requirements, and current worker capacity before making a decision.

Whilst getting used to using Salesforce, once a referral has been processed, managers should carry out a validation check to ensure that all records have been created correctly and that the Salesforce pathway reflects the right outcome. This protects data quality from the very start of the case journey.

Thoughtful allocation is one of the most important management responsibilities in Salesforce. It is not simply about filling capacity - it is about matching the right worker to the right family at the right time.

Once cases are allocated, managers maintain ongoing oversight of the Family Support pathway. Salesforce shows you where cases are progressing well - and where they may be drifting or missing key actions.

Accurate Contact and household records are the foundation of good Salesforce data. Managers should regularly validate that family structures are correctly recorded - particularly where families have existing records in the system.

Dashboards are your real-time operational window into how your team and service is performing. They translate Salesforce data into clear, visual summaries that support everyday management decisions.

Reports give managers the ability to drill down beyond dashboard summaries and explore detailed data across cases, workers, offices, and outcomes. Building familiarity with your key reports is one of the most valuable operational habits you can develop.

Salesforce supports safeguarding oversight as part of everyday case management. Managers play a critical role in ensuring that concerns are visible, reviewed promptly, and acted upon appropriately.

Activities, tasks, and email integration help managers and workers maintain a clear and up-to-date record of all contact with families. Consistent use of these features ensures that case records accurately reflect the work being done.

Salesforce will continue to evolve as OPFS teams use the platform operationally. Managers and staff are encouraged to share feedback actively - your day-to-day experience is the most valuable source of improvement ideas.

Understanding where operational risks most commonly arise helps managers to prevent them. Most of these issues develop gradually through drift and distraction rather than deliberate oversight — which is why regular Salesforce review is so important.

Building confidence with Salesforce takes time and practice. This timeline gives you a clear focus for each week so you can develop your skills progressively and feel operationally ready by the end of your first month.

These eight principles reflect what good operational management in Salesforce looks like in practice. They are not a checklist — they are habits to build over time.