Salesforce Lightning vs. Classic: Which is Right for Your Business?

Salesforce has established itself as a powerhouse in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems, offering a wide range of features that help businesses streamline their sales, marketing, customer service, and more. Over the years, Salesforce has evolved, and one of the most significant changes came in the form of Salesforce Lightning – a modern user interface and development framework designed to enhance the overall user experience. However, for many businesses, the question arises: Should we move from Salesforce Classic to Salesforce Lightning? In this article, we’ll break down the differences between Salesforce Lightning and Classic, highlighting the features, benefits, and key considerations to help you make the right decision for your business.

Understanding Salesforce Classic

Salesforce Classic is the original version of Salesforce's user interface (UI). It has served as the foundation for businesses using Salesforce for years. With its familiar layout and workflow, many companies continue to use Classic, relying on its tried-and-true functionality.

Key Features of Salesforce Classic:

1. Familiar Interface: Users have a consistent, traditional interface that has been in use for many years. This can make the transition for legacy users easier, as they are comfortable with the layout and navigation.
2. Traditional Reporting: Classic provides the option to create reports using the old reporting engine, which many users find intuitive for basic analytics.
3. Customization Limitations: While Salesforce Classic allows for customization, it has some restrictions in terms of design flexibility and user interface enhancements compared to Lightning.

Introducing Salesforce Lightning

Salesforce Lightning is a newer version of Salesforce's user interface, launched to provide a more modern, dynamic, and efficient experience. Lightning introduces a set of new features designed to improve productivity, enhance the user interface, and allow for deeper customization and flexibility.

Key Features of Salesforce Lightning:

1. User-Friendly Interface: Salesforce Lightning offers a clean, modern, and intuitive design, featuring a more customizable dashboard and user interface. This makes it easier for users to navigate, improving overall user experience.
2. Lightning Components: A powerful feature of Salesforce Lightning is the ability to use Lightning Components. These reusable components make it easier to create and deploy custom applications within Salesforce. This allows developers to build flexible, efficient, and user-friendly applications.
3. Improved Reporting and Analytics: Lightning provides enhanced reporting and analytics capabilities, including a more advanced and visual report builder. This enables businesses to generate more actionable insights.
4. Mobile-First Design: Salesforce Lightning is built with a mobile-first approach, meaning it’s optimized for mobile devices and offers a better user experience across different screen sizes.
5. Enhanced Automation: Lightning includes better workflow automation tools like Process Builder and Flow Builder, which streamline business processes and reduce manual work.
6. Integration with Einstein AI: Salesforce Lightning integrates seamlessly with Salesforce Einstein, enabling users to take advantage of artificial intelligence for predictive analytics, recommendations, and smarter decision-making.

Salesforce Classic vs. Lightning: Key Differences

While both Salesforce Classic and Lightning offer powerful CRM features, the differences between them are significant. Understanding these differences can help businesses decide which interface aligns best with their needs.

1. User Interface

• Salesforce Classic: The interface is older and may appear outdated, particularly for new users. It’s functional but lacks the modern look and feel found in Lightning.
• Salesforce Lightning: The interface is sleek, modern, and designed to improve user productivity. With its customizable dashboards, streamlined navigation, and intuitive layout, Lightning provides a more dynamic experience.

2. Customization

• Salesforce Classic: Customization in Classic is limited to what can be done through traditional page layouts, workflow rules, and triggers.
• Salesforce Lightning: In contrast, Lightning offers greater flexibility through Lightning Components, which can be used to build custom pages, apps, and workflows. It’s also more developer-friendly, offering enhanced options for creating complex business logic.

3. Productivity Tools

• Salesforce Classic: Basic productivity tools are available, but more advanced options are limited compared to Lightning.
• Salesforce Lightning: Lightning comes with enhanced productivity tools such as Kanban View, Path, and Lightning App Builder, which help users stay organized and efficient while providing greater control over their data and tasks.

4. Mobile Experience

• Salesforce Classic: The mobile experience is somewhat functional but lacks the modern features and responsiveness of Lightning.
• Salesforce Lightning: Optimized for mobile devices, Lightning ensures a better experience on smartphones and tablets, with features like mobile-optimized apps, mobile dashboards, and streamlined navigation.

5. Reporting & Analytics

• Salesforce Classic: Classic offers basic reporting capabilities, suitable for small-scale data analysis but lacking advanced features.
• Salesforce Lightning: Lightning provides an enhanced reporting engine, allowing for real-time analytics, dynamic reports, and visualizations that offer deeper insights and better decision-making.

6. Integration with Third-Party Applications

• Salesforce Classic: While Classic can integrate with third-party applications, the process is less seamless than in Lightning.
• Salesforce Lightning: Lightning is designed to support modern integrations with third-party applications and services, including native integrations with popular tools such as Slack and Google Workspace.

7. Future-Proofing

• Salesforce Classic: As Salesforce continues to develop and innovate, Classic will receive fewer updates and new features. Eventually, Salesforce plans to phase out Classic in favor of Lightning.
• Salesforce Lightning: Lightning is the future of Salesforce, and all new features and updates are being developed with Lightning in mind. If your business wants to stay on the cutting edge, moving to Lightning is essential.

Which One Should You Choose?

The decision between Salesforce Classic and Lightning depends largely on the specific needs and goals of your business. Here are some factors to consider:

1. Ease of Transition

If your organization is already heavily invested in Salesforce Classic and has a workforce familiar with it, transitioning to Lightning might take time and resources. It’s essential to consider the training required for employees, the potential for system disruptions, and whether custom integrations need to be reconfigured.

2. Business Growth

For growing businesses that need more flexibility, scalability, and access to advanced features like Lightning Components, better reporting, and workflow automation, Salesforce Lightning is the clear winner. It supports the needs of modern organizations and offers better customization and productivity tools.

3. Cost

Moving to Salesforce Lightning can involve initial setup costs, such as training and migration. However, the long-term benefits in terms of enhanced productivity and future-proofing often outweigh these costs. Salesforce offers a variety of pricing plans, and the upgrade might be part of your overall Salesforce development strategy.

4. Salesforce Development Company

For businesses looking to customize Salesforce to their specific needs, a Salesforce development company can help with the transition. These companies specialize in Salesforce implementation, customization, and development, ensuring that the switch from Classic to Lightning is smooth and effective. They can also assist in creating custom Lightning Components, integrating third-party applications, and developing automation to streamline business operations.

Conclusion

When deciding between Salesforce Classic and Salesforce Lightning, the right choice depends on your organization’s unique requirements. If you're looking for a modern, flexible, and feature-rich CRM system, Salesforce Lightning is the way to go. Its advanced capabilities, user-friendly interface, and future-proof design make it the ideal choice for businesses looking to stay ahead of the curve.

However, if your business is content with the basic features of Salesforce Classic, especially in the short term, there’s no immediate rush to migrate. Nonetheless, businesses should start planning for the eventual transition to Lightning to ensure they can take full advantage of Salesforce’s evolving capabilities.

If you’re unsure about making the switch or need help migrating, a Salesforce development company can provide the expertise and support you need to make the most of Salesforce Lightning.