Salesforce allows you to Mass Delete accounts and contacts, but only 254 at a time. During the Trial Period there is a choice for "Delete All Data" but this option disappears once you become a full customer of Salesforce. This is to protect users from accidentally deleting all the data. But here is a way to delete them all automatically.
If you want to fill in the name and address from a web site, or mailing label, you can use the copy and paste feature. Copy the whole block of the name and address, including zip code. Then create a new Account or Contact as appropriate. You can paste the name and address block temporarily into the Notes fields. Then you can cut and paste the information into the appropriate fields. This way you do not have to type, and you can ensure accuracy.
You can feel free to open more than one window at a time when working with Salesforce. This is one of the benefits of working on web-based software. For example, you may wish to refer to another contact in your database in one window while working with another. You can easily copy and paste simliar information from one to the other. To open multiple windows in your browser, use File New Windows in Internet Explorer, or Tools, New Window in Netscape.
You can add links to Maps & Aerial Photos to your Salesforce screen. This article tells how.
Here is an article to assist you in using Microsoft Word with Salesforce, and Modifying Mail Merge Templates (Word Format)
This is an article on printing mailing labels from SalesForce, a topic that does not even come up in Salesforce's Help screen.
Even with a faster internet connection, global replaces and database cleanup can be slow and tedious. You can download your database, clean it up using fast FoxPro, then upload it, using the tips at SalesForceFox.com
You can use Microsoft Access to help you get an idea of the structure of SalesForce. This will show you the relations and how the tables fit together, to avoid data entry errors.
This article shows the suggested fields for mapping using IntelliSync's Salesforce Synchronization setup. (under construction)
When entering your hours worked on your Palm, it does not have the capability of linking those activities to the Opportunity or Account. So we have to do that in SalesForce. At least we have the hours entered. SalesForce has good reports which enable us to easily find those that need to be linked. (Article under construction)
Relationships into Accounts, Contacts, & Opportunities - How to create an invoice of events and send it to the appropriate address.
The screens you will need to fill out, and the fields you will need to have to import your data into Salesforce.
Rick Shaddock
SalesForce-Consulting.com