User guide

BlackBerry
BlackBerry smartphones communicate with the Salesforce Mobile server through one of two BlackBerry data channels:
BlackBerry Internet Service or Mobile Data Service.
BlackBerry Internet Service (via the carrier)
BlackBerry Internet Service is a public service offered by Research In Motion (RIM) that provides general
Internet connectivity from BlackBerry smartphones. BlackBerry Internet Service offers the same high
level of reliability and performance as a BlackBerry Enterprise Server, while alleviating some of the technical
constraints that can be encountered in a BlackBerry Enterprise Server environment. BlackBerry Internet
Service is available to all BlackBerry smartphones, assuming the carrier offers the service and has installed
the BlackBerry Internet Service books.
BlackBerry Internet Service is the preferred data channel for Salesforce Mobile. When a mobile user
attempts to connect from a BlackBerry smartphone, the mobile application first checks for a BlackBerry
Internet Service connection. If BlackBerry Internet Service is unavailable or has been disallowed, the
application then checks for a BlackBerry Enterprise Server MDS connection.
Mobile Data Service (via the BlackBerry Enterprise Server)
The BlackBerry Enterprise Server is available from RIM. Its main functions include email integration,
address book synchronization, device security management, and enabling the Mobile Data Service.
When Salesforce Mobile communicates through the Mobile Data Service, all device traffic is routed
through the BlackBerry Enterprise Server and its associated corporate network. This can create problems
if the corporate network cannot exchange data with the Salesforce Mobile server due to firewall or proxy
server restrictions.
Additionally, BlackBerry Enterprise Server administrators can severely restrict the ability of BlackBerry
users to install or communicate with third-party applications. Before attempting to deploy Salesforce
Mobile, BlackBerry Enterprise Server administrators should carefully review the BlackBerry Enterprise
Server Requirements on page 10.
Palm Treo, iPhone, and Windows Mobile
Palm Treo, iPhone, and Windows Mobile devices communicate with the Salesforce Mobile server through TCP/IP. Because
TCP/IP is a direct Internet connection, Palm Treo, iPhone, and Windows Mobile users are not subject to the same potential
security restrictions as BlackBerry users. Even when Palm Treo, iPhone, and Windows Mobile devices are integrated with a
corporate server, the server cannot impose IT policies on the operating systems. Salesforce administrators managing Palm
Treo, iPhone, or Windows Mobile users generally do not need to review their corporate network infrastructure before deploying
Salesforce Mobile.
The Mobile Client Application: Capabilities and Limitations
Users download the Salesforce Mobile client application to their supported mobile device, and they use the client interface to
work with their locally stored Salesforce data. While the local data is updated wirelessly, it is important to note that Salesforce
Mobile does not maintain an open Internet connection, cannot execute Javascript, and communicates with Salesforce
asynchronously through the Force.com Web Services API. For these reasons, not all of the features in Salesforce are supported
in the mobile client application.
The following list outlines the capabilities and limitations of the mobile application:
• Available Objects: With Salesforce Mobile, you can mobilize accounts, contacts, opportunities, leads, tasks, events, price
books, products, cases, solutions, and custom objects. Windows Mobile does not support cases or solutions, however. You
cannot mobilize s-controls, merge fields, image fields, or custom links.
• Permissions, Record Types, and Page Layouts: User permissions, record types, and page layouts are inherited from
Salesforce.
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The Mobile Client Application: Capabilities and Limitations