1. Manual Ways to Run SOQL in Salesforce

Before you automate, it helps to master the traditional paths. Think of these as the “muscle memory” your AI agent will eventually copy.

1.1 Developer Console Query Editor

1. Log in to Salesforce.
2. Click the gear icon in the upper right and select Developer Console.
3. In the Developer Console, go to Query Editor at the bottom.
4. Type a SOQL query, for example:
   SELECT Id, Name, Industry FROM Account WHERE BillingCountry = 'US' ORDER BY Name
5. Click Execute.
6. Review the results grid, and use Save Rows to export if needed.

This is the most direct, admin‑friendly way to test queries. See Salesforce’s SOQL reference for syntax details: https://developer.salesforce.com/docs/atlas.en-us.soql_sosl.meta/soql_sosl/sforce_api_calls_soql_select.htm

Pros:

• No extra tools needed.
• Great for quick ad‑hoc queries and debugging.

Cons:

• Not ideal for non‑technical users.
• Manual copy/paste into Sheets or BI tools.

1.2 Workbench (Web UI)

1. Visit Workbench (commonly used with Salesforce; sign in with your org credentials).
2. Choose environment (Production/Sandbox) and API version.
3. Go to Queries → SOQL Query.
4. Select the object (e.g., Account).
5. Use the field picker to select columns or paste your own SOQL.
6. Run the query, then export results as CSV.

Pros:

• Visual field selection.
• Easy exports for analysts.

Cons:

• Another interface to manage.
• Still fully manual.

1.3 Salesforce Inspector (Browser Extension)

Based on the Tether guide, Salesforce Inspector is a lifesaver for many admins.

1. Install the Salesforce Inspector Chrome extension.
2. Open any record page in Salesforce (e.g., an Account).
3. Click the small arrow overlay from Salesforce Inspector.
4. Use Show All Data to explore fields and API names.
5. Click Data Export, then type or paste a SOQL query like:
   SELECT Id, Name, AccountNumber, BillingCity FROM Account WHERE BillingCountry IN ('US', 'USA') ORDER BY Name
6. Execute and copy the table to Excel, CSV, or JSON.

Pros:

• Shows all fields and API names quickly.
• Great for learning object structure and building queries.

Cons:

• Browser‑dependent.
• You still run everything manually.

2. No‑Code Automation with Salesforce Tools

Once you’re comfortable running SOQL by hand, the next step is to remove repetitive clicks using Salesforce’s own automation stack.

2.1 Salesforce Flow with SOQL‑like Logic

Salesforce Flow doesn’t use raw SOQL in every context, but it lets you build record queries through a visual UI that ultimately rely on similar query logic.

1. Go to Setup → Flow (or Process Automation → Flows).
2. Click New Flow and choose a Scheduled Flow or Record‑Triggered Flow.
3. Add a Get Records element.
4. Select the object (e.g., Opportunity).
5. Define filter conditions that mirror a SOQL WHERE clause (e.g., Stage = 'Closed Won', Amount > 50000, CloseDate in this quarter).
6. Choose the sorting and number of records (similar to ORDER BY + LIMIT).
7. Use the records you retrieved to update fields, send emails, or create tasks.

You can explore Flow docs in Salesforce Help: https://help.salesforce.com

Pros:

• No code, admin‑friendly.
• Runs on triggers or schedules.

Cons:

• Less flexible than raw SOQL for complex, cross‑object queries.
• Debugging can be slower for large flows.

2.2 Scheduled Reports as “Friendly Queries”

Standard reports aren’t SOQL, but functionally they answer many of the same questions.

1. Use the Reports tab in Salesforce.
2. Choose a report type, such as Accounts, Opportunities, or Contacts with Opportunities.
3. Add filters to mimic WHERE logic (e.g., Billing Country, Amount ranges, Stage).
4. Add and reorder columns to behave like SELECT.
5. Use groupings and sorts to emulate ORDER BY.
6. Schedule the report for email delivery daily or weekly.

Pros:

• Very accessible for non‑technical business users.
• No need to learn SOQL syntax.

Cons:

• Complex joins and aggregate logic can be tricky.
• Limited for highly customized, API‑driven workflows.

3. Scaling with AI Agents (Simular) for SOQL at Scale

Here’s where the story gets interesting. Imagine you’re a marketing ops manager who runs the same family of SOQL queries every Monday:

• Open Opportunities by region for the sales leaders.
• Campaign Members with last activity date for marketing.
• Accounts with no recent touch for the CS team.

Each run means logging in, opening your tool of choice, adjusting a date filter, exporting CSVs, and dropping them into Sheets or Slack. It’s boring, fragile, and expensive in human hours.

Simular’s AI computer agents are designed to replicate that entire workflow across your desktop, browser, and cloud tools.

3.1 Agent Runs Queries via Browser Tools (Inspector / Workbench)

How it works:

1. In Simular Pro (https://www.simular.ai/simular-pro), you record or define a workflow: log into Salesforce, open Salesforce Inspector or Workbench, paste a parameterized SOQL query, execute, and export results.
2. You specify variables like date ranges, regions, or product lines.
3. The AI agent uses its computer‑use capabilities to follow the exact sequence: click, type, select, download.
4. It then uploads the CSV into Google Sheets or your data warehouse, and optionally summarizes key metrics.

Pros:

• No need to expose APIs or write integration code.
• Every step is transparent, inspectable, and modifiable.

Cons:

• Heavily UI‑driven; page layout changes in Salesforce might require minor agent updates.

3.2 API‑Style SOQL Automation with an AI Orchestrator

If your team is more technical, you can mix SOQL, APIs, and agents.

1. Define a standard library of SOQL templates that your data or RevOps team approves.
2. Use Simular to orchestrate a workflow that calls Salesforce APIs (via your existing integration tools) and then handles all the manual surrounding work: monitoring results, updating dashboards, emailing summaries.
3. The agent can:
   • Check if the previous data pull was successful.
   • Log into Salesforce or your BI tool.
   • Compare today’s data vs last week.
   • Draft a short narrative summary for sales or marketing.

Pros:

• Combines robust API calls with human‑like UI work.
• Reduces manual follow‑up tasks after each query run.

Cons:

• Requires some upfront design of SOQL templates and access controls.

3.3 Delegated Ad‑hoc Query Runner for Non‑Technical Teams

You can also use an AI agent as a “SOQL butler” for your sales and marketing leaders who will never open the Developer Console.

1. Define a small catalog of common questions: “show me all Accounts in EMEA with ARR over $100k”, “all open Opportunities stuck in stage Proposal/Sent for 30+ days”, etc.
2. For each question, pair a ready‑made SOQL query.
3. Configure a Simular AI agent that:
   • Receives a request (via a form, webhook, or chat).
   • Maps it to the right SOQL template.
   • Logs into Salesforce, runs the query, exports results.
   • Delivers outputs to the requester’s preferred channel (email, Slack, Sheets).

Pros:

• Democratizes access to Salesforce data.
• Reduces load on admins and RevOps for repetitive asks.

Cons:

• Requires strong governance so the agent only runs approved queries on allowed objects.

To understand how Simular thinks about reliability and transparency in these long‑running workflows, see: https://www.simular.ai/about and https://www.simular.ai/simular-pro

In short: master the manual tools first, then codify your best SOQL patterns in no‑code automations, and finally let an AI computer agent like Simular execute the tedious parts at scale while you stay focused on strategy, not syntax.

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