If you work in B2B sales, you already know the pain: updating Salesforce feels like wrestling a spreadsheet with a vendetta. You’re supposed to log every note, update every field, and keep pipeline data squeaky clean—while actually selling. That’s where Scratchpad promises to help. It claims to make working with Salesforce “fast, simple, and delightful.” That’s a big promise. Let’s look at where it delivers, where it misses, and whether it can actually save your team time (and sanity).
Who Should Care About Scratchpad?
This review is for frontline B2B salespeople, sales managers, and sales ops folks who:
- Waste hours each week in Salesforce.
- Have a messy, unreliable pipeline.
- Hate context switching between note tools, spreadsheets, and CRM.
- Want to actually use the data in Salesforce, not just feed it for someone else’s reporting habit.
If you’re a solo founder, a tiny sales team, or someone who doesn’t use Salesforce, you can probably skip this. For everyone else: keep reading.
What Is Scratchpad, Really?
Scratchpad isn’t a CRM replacement. It’s a layer that sits on top of Salesforce, making it less painful to update and work with. Think of it as a friendlier front-end for your CRM, with quick note-taking, list views, pipeline editing, and task management. It’s not the only tool in this space (see: Dooly, Accord, or even using Google Sheets with a Zapier hack), but it’s one of the slickest and most widely used.
Key features: - A Chrome extension and web app that overlays on Salesforce - Fast, spreadsheet-style inline editing for pipeline and opps - Note-taking that syncs back to the right Salesforce records - Templates and checklists for call prep and deal reviews - Task management (personal, not team-wide) - Integration with your existing fields and layouts (mostly)
Setup: How Painful Is It?
The Good
- Ridiculously fast onboarding. You log in with Salesforce, set permissions, and you’re in. No IT tickets. No 3-hour training calls.
- Minimal configuration needed. It pulls in your existing Salesforce fields, so your pipeline matches what your team actually cares about.
The Bad
- You still need Salesforce access. Scratchpad doesn’t work if you don’t have a Salesforce license or your permissions are locked down.
- Custom field wonkiness. If your org has tons of custom objects, some of them will be “read only” or a pain to update. Expect to send a few support tickets for edge cases.
Pro tip: If your Salesforce admin is super strict, get them involved early. Otherwise, you’ll hit weird permission errors.
Day-to-Day: Does It Actually Save Time?
Where Scratchpad Shines
- Pipeline updates are quick. You can edit dozens of opps in a few clicks—no more opening every record in a new tab. This is the #1 reason reps love it.
- Notes are finally where you need them. Take a call note, link it to the right opp/account, and it’s in Salesforce (without ugly copy-paste jobs).
- Checklists and templates. Create repeatable processes (like MEDDIC, call agendas, or deal review checklists) so you don’t forget the basics.
- Minimal context switching. No more bouncing between Salesforce, Google Docs, and Post-Its.
Where It’s Frustrating
- Task management is basic. It’s great for personal to-dos, but don’t expect full-blown collaborative task management.
- Some fields are slow to sync. Occasionally, changes take a minute to show up in Salesforce. Not a dealbreaker, but you’ll notice the lag.
- Non-standard workflows are tricky. If your team does weird stuff in Salesforce (custom objects, unusual layouts), you’ll run into bumps.
Features Breakdown: The Good, The Meh, and The Ignore
The Good
-
Pipeline View
Inline editing, filters, and mass updates. This is what most reps use daily. Way faster than Salesforce’s native UI. -
Notes & Templates
Actually encourages reps to take notes and keep them in the right place. Customizable templates make onboarding new reps easier. -
Scratchpad Command
Quick search across opportunities, accounts, and contacts from anywhere in Chrome. This is genuinely useful if you live in your browser.
The Meh
-
Task List
It’s fine for jotting a quick follow-up, but if your team uses Asana, ClickUp, or Salesforce Tasks, you’ll probably ignore this. -
Deal Collaboration
You can @mention teammates and share notes, but it’s not as robust as Slack or dedicated deal rooms.
Ignore (Unless You’re Bored)
- Meeting Scheduler
There’s a basic booking tool, but it’s no Calendly. Most sales teams already have a preferred meeting tool.
Workflow Examples: How Real Teams Use It
1. Weekly Pipeline Review
- Open Scratchpad, filter for this quarter’s deals.
- Update stages, next steps, and close dates for a dozen opps in 5 minutes.
- Add call notes or update MEDDIC fields directly—no Salesforce tab required.
2. Prepping for Customer Calls
- Pull up the account or opp in Scratchpad.
- Use a custom note template (e.g., “Discovery Call”) to jot down questions and fill in fields.
- Everything syncs back to Salesforce, so managers can see prep quality.
3. End-of-Day Clean-Up
- Scan your task list (follow-ups, reminders).
- Knock out quick updates or log activities with a click.
- You actually leave work on time, for once.
Honest Pros and Cons
Pros
- Genuinely saves time for reps who do a lot of pipeline updates.
- Easy adoption. Most reps don’t need training.
- Better data hygiene—management gets cleaner, more up-to-date Salesforce data.
- Reduces context switching—everything in one view.
Cons
- Not for complex workflows. If your Salesforce setup is a Rube Goldberg machine, expect hiccups.
- It’s another tool. Some reps will resist (“Why can’t Salesforce just not suck?”).
- Pricing isn’t cheap if you want advanced features (team templates, admin controls).
- Still tied to Salesforce’s limitations. Scratchpad can’t fix underlying CRM design flaws.
Pricing and Alternatives
- Scratchpad has a free tier for individual reps, but most real benefits are in paid plans (which start around $39/user/month and go up).
- Dooly is the closest competitor—very similar feature set, slightly different UI.
- Spreadsheets or Notion can handle basic pipeline tracking, but won’t sync with Salesforce.
- Salesforce’s own UI is slowly improving, but still pretty clunky for heavy users.
If your sales team hates updating Salesforce, Scratchpad is a solid bet. But if your team is happy with their current workflow (ha!), or your CRM is already simple, you might not need it.
When to Skip It
- Your team only has a few deals open at a time—manual updates are fine.
- You’re not using Salesforce (Scratchpad is basically useless for HubSpot or others).
- Your workflows are so custom that no overlay tool can help.
- You want to manage complex, multi-person tasks or projects (use a real project management tool).
Final Thoughts: Keep It Simple, Iterate Often
Scratchpad isn’t magic—it won’t turn bad data into good, or make your reps love Salesforce overnight. But if you’re drowning in pipeline updates and juggling too many tabs, it’s a genuinely useful way to cut down the busywork. Try the free plan, see if it fits your workflow, and don’t be afraid to ditch it if it doesn’t stick. The best sales tools are the ones your team actually uses, not the ones with the flashiest features.
Keep your workflow simple. Iterate as your team grows. And remember: no tool will ever replace actually picking up the phone and closing deals.