---
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title: Understand the Basics
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version: current
locale: en-us
portal_url: https://docs.salesforce.com/admin/current/en-us/xcloud/264-0-0/essentials_basics.md
canonical_url: https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_basics.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5
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content_type: documentation
content_hash: 6c643430d069479fbf82a2fc919e486eee04e752c8625d28ed6426ded49e3a5c
description: Get to know the foundational features in Salesforce like Accounts, Leads, and Cases. Learn how to import your data into Essentials. Take your data to the next level with custom fields, reports, and dashboards.
products:
  - Cross Cloud
release: "264"
---
# Understand the Basics

Get to know the foundational features in Salesforce like Accounts, Leads, and Cases. Learn how to import your data into Essentials. Take your data to the next level with custom fields, reports, and dashboards.

- **[Salesforce Essentials Glossary](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_glossary.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Search for terms and brush up on your Salesforce knowledge with the Essentials glossary.
- **[Importing Data into Salesforce Essentials](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_data_import.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Learn best practices for importing your customers’ data into Salesforce. You can turn your spreadsheet into Account, Contact, Lead, and Opportunity records in Salesforce using the Data Import Wizard.
- **[Keep Track of All the Details with Accounts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_accounts.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Accounts keep track of contact information and details for any business, customer, or provider that you work with.
- **[Know Exactly Who You’re Talking to with Contacts](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_contacts.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Contacts are individual people you communicate with to move a business deal forward. If you work with other businesses, Contacts are associated with Accounts, or companies you’re doing business with.
- **[Close More Deals with Leads](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_leads.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Snag a business card or see some new opt-ins for your newsletter? Those are leads, or customers who are interested in your product or service.
- **[Track Your Open Deals with Opportunities](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_opportunities.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Opportunities are business deals in progress. Track progress by moving each opportunity through a series of business milestones called stages, like Prospecting, Proposal Sent, Negotiation, and Contract Signed. The goal is to “win” the opportunity, or move it to a final stage that represents a successful outcome for your business.
- **[Track and Solve Customer Issues](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_cases.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Use cases to track customer feedback and issues. In Salesforce, all the information you need to solve the issue is right in front of you with related contact information, past cases, articles, and more. Say goodbye to jumping from tab to tab and close cases faster.
- **[Get the Details You Need with Custom Fields](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_custom_fields.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Capture all the data that’s important to your business by adding custom fields.
- **[Keep Tabs on Every Detail with Reports](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_reports.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    See how your business is doing, make better purchasing decisions, and keep tabs on your progress with reports.
- **[Track Your Progress with Dashboards](https://help.salesforce.com/s/articleView?id=xcloud.essentials_dashboards.htm&release=264.0.0&type=5)**  
    Take a look at how your business is doing in a single glance with dashboards. You select the metrics that matter and Salesforce brings the data to life with graphs, charts and more.