If you’ve ever been the person on your team told to “just figure out Salesforce,” you’re not alone. And if that task came with the added pressure of “…make sure we’re using AI!”—well, we salute you.

Salesforce talks a big game (with good reason). Einstein this, Data Cloud that, predictive lead scoring here, GPT-generated insights there. It’s impressive—but also overwhelming, especially if you’re not 100% sure what all those AI features actually do.

The Simplus Business Transformation Services team sees this happen way too often: A team signs on for Salesforce licenses and AI features with high hopes, only to realize months later that they’re not using half of what they paid for. Worse yet, they bought the wrong functionality entirely. 

Studies show that 75 percent of companies that invested in CRM failed to leverage their system effectively. Instead of enjoying a transformative and wildly successful go-to-market, they were left with misaligned processes, manual administrative tasks, and inconsistent lead management. 

Amid this economic uncertainty, it’s more important than ever to be sure your CRM investment performs in ways you need most. That begins with understanding what you are shopping for. 

Let’s examine some of the most misunderstood Salesforce functions so you don’t fall into that trap.

 

1. Einstein GPT vs. ChatGPT

Einstein GPT and ChatGPT might sound like twins, but they’re different. ChatGPT is the general-purpose AI chatbot from OpenAI, built to answer questions, write content, and more. On the other hand, Einstein GPT is Salesforce’s AI built specifically to work inside Salesforce products and help with things like writing emails to prospects or auto-generating reports. 

The confusion happens because “GPT” appears in both names, so people assume they do the same thing. In reality, Einstein GPT is like a customized version of GPT that lives inside your Salesforce workspace, fine-tuned for business tasks.

What people think it means: Salesforce now comes with ChatGPT baked in.

What it actually means: Einstein GPT is Salesforce’s version of generative AI, tailored for CRM use cases. It can draft emails, summarize records, and even generate reports—but only within specific boundaries and data contexts.

What to ask when shopping for CRM: How does Einstein GPT get access to our data—and can we control what it sees or suggests?

 

2. Salesforce Data Cloud

Salesforce Data Cloud sounds like just another data storage tool, but it’s way more powerful—and that’s where the confusion starts. It’s not just a place to keep your data; it’s a real-time engine that connects all your customer info from different sources and turns it into something actionable. 

Think of it this way: one big brain that helps GTM teams see your customers clearly and respond fast. The misunderstanding usually comes from the name—people hear “Data Cloud” and think it’s just another database when it’s the smart layer that makes all your CRM, marketing, and sales tools work better together.

What people think it means: A new place to store all our customer data.

What it actually means: Data Cloud unifies and harmonizes data across systems into one real-time profile so AI and automation can work as intended. It’s not a replacement for Sales Cloud or Service Cloud. Instead, consider it the engine that feeds them.

What to ask when shopping for CRM: Do we have the right data sources and governance in place to make Data Cloud useful?

 

3. Einstein Lead Scoring

Einstein Lead Scoring sounds fancy—and it is—. Still, it’s really just Salesforce’s way of helping you figure out which leads are most likely to convert, based on past data, which is timely since almost half (42%) of sales reps rank prospecting as the hardest part of their job, and 22 percent rank qualifying leads as a top challenge.  

The confusion about Einstein Lead Scoring usually comes in when teams assume it’s magic or totally automatic. In reality, Einstein needs good historical data and some setup to be truly effective. It’s not just “set it and forget it”—you must understand what it’s scoring and why. Once dialed in, though, it’s like having a smart assistant flag your hottest leads without the guesswork.

What people think it means: The AI tells us who’s ready to buy.

What it actually means: It scores leads based on historical conversion patterns. If your data is messy, limited, or biased, your scores will be, too.

What to ask when shopping for CRM: What criteria is Einstein using for our lead scoring? Can we adjust the model inputs?

 

4. Salesforce Flow Automation

Salesforce Flow Automation is like the behind-the-scenes magic that keeps your CRM humming—automating tasks, updating records, sending emails, and guiding users through processes without anyone needing to code. But here’s why it trips people up with its drag-and-drop interface: it LOOKS simple, yet it can get super complex fast. 

People often think it’s just for basic workflows, but it’s powerful enough to run entire business processes—if you know how to use it right. The trick is knowing when you need a simple flow and when you need an admin to help untangle your scattered mess of logic and ideas. 

What people think it means: We can automate anything with clicks.

What it actually means: You can automate a lot, but Flow still requires logic and planning. AI can help suggest or generate flows, but it won’t understand your business process unless you do it first.

What to ask when shopping for CRM: Do we have documentation on our current processes, and are those reflected in our Flow builds?

 

5. Intelligent Forecasting

Intelligent Forecasting sounds like it should just be a smarter way to guess the future, right? Well, kind of—but it’s a lot deeper than that. In Salesforce, Intelligent Forecasting uses AI to spot patterns in your sales data and help predict things like revenue, deal close rates, and pipeline health. 

The confusion usually comes from thinking it’s just a prettier version of a spreadsheet forecast. In reality, it’s analyzing way more variables (like rep behavior, deal velocity, and even seasonality) to make smarter predictions. However, if your data’s a mess, even the most intelligent AI can’t make sense of it—so the “intelligent” part is only as good as the info you feed it.

What people think it means: Salesforce will magically predict our future revenue.

What it actually means: If your team uses forecasting fields consistently and your pipeline data is clean, Einstein Forecasting can give strong projections. But it’s only as good as the data you feed it.

What to ask when shopping for CRM: Are our reps entering pipeline data consistently? Do we know how forecasting fields are configured?

 

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Salesforce is an incredibly powerful platform—but like any tool, it only works well if you understand what you’re working with. Whether shopping for new functionality or just trying to get more out of what you’ve got, the best move is to ask simple, specific questions.

So the next time someone says, “Can Salesforce do that with AI?”—you won’t just nod and Google it later. You’ll know exactly what to look for (and what to ask before you buy). 

Still have questions? We can help!