If you’re in B2B sales, you know the drill: Salesforce is slow, spreadsheets are messy, and no one wants to waste hours updating deals. Scratchpad promises to clear the clutter and speed up your workflow. But out-of-the-box, it’s just a toolkit. If you want to actually move faster—and not just add another layer to the chaos—you need to set it up your way.
This guide is for sales reps, managers, and operations folks who want to make Scratchpad work for their GTM (go to market) process, not the other way around. No hype, no “transformative journeys”—just what to do, what to skip, and how to keep it simple.
1. Get Clear on Your Actual Workflow (Don’t Skip This)
Before you even open Scratchpad, take 10 minutes and jot down how your team really works: - Where do you track pipeline? (Hint: If it’s not Salesforce, why?) - What fields do you update daily? - Who needs to see what? - What’s annoying right now? (Too many clicks? Missing info? Copy-paste hell?)
Pro Tip: If you blindly recreate Salesforce in Scratchpad, you’ll still hate updating it. Start by identifying what actually helps you close deals or prep for meetings.
2. Connect Scratchpad to Salesforce—But Be Selective
Yes, Scratchpad syncs with Salesforce. But don’t just pull in everything. Here’s how to do it right:
- Log in and connect your Salesforce account.
- When prompted, select only the objects you actually use (Opportunities, Accounts, Contacts, maybe Leads). Ignore the rest—extra noise just slows things down.
- Review which fields you pull in. Do you really need “Last Modified By” or “Created Date” on every view? Probably not.
What works:
- Only syncing what you’ll update or reference every week.
- Hiding “required” Salesforce fields if they’re meaningless in your workflow.
What doesn’t:
- Syncing everything just because you can. You’ll end up scrolling more, not less.
3. Customize Your Pipeline Views for Speed
This is where most of the efficiency gains happen.
Set Up Focused Views
- Create different pipeline views for each stage of your workflow (e.g., “This Week’s Follow Ups,” “Deals Closing This Month,” “Stuck Opportunities”).
- Use filters, not just columns. Want to see only deals over $50k that haven’t moved in 10 days? Set it up once, save it, and stop sorting every day.
- Group by owner, stage, or close date—whatever matches how you run your pipeline reviews.
Clean Up Columns
- Only show columns you update or need at a glance. Hide the rest.
- Put “Next Step,” “Amount,” and “Close Date” up front. Move the rest out of the way.
Pro Tip: If your view feels cluttered, it is. Less is more. You can always add columns back later.
4. Templates: Use Them, But Don’t Overdo It
Scratchpad lets you build templates for notes, call preps, follow-ups, and more. They’re great—if you keep them lightweight.
- Create templates for things you do all the time:
- Call summaries
- Meeting prep
- Handoff notes
- Qualification checklists
- Keep templates short. If you need more than a few bullet points, you’re probably not going to use it.
- Don’t make a template for every single scenario. You’ll never find them again.
What works:
- A simple “Next Steps” template for every meeting.
- A one-pager for new deal qualification.
What doesn’t:
- A 10-step checklist for every possible meeting type. You’ll ignore it after a week.
5. Hotkeys and Quick Actions: Actually Learn a Few
Scratchpad has hotkeys, favorites, and shortcuts. They’re worth learning—especially if you’re in the tool all day.
- Pin your daily views to the sidebar or set them as your landing page.
- Learn the keyboard shortcut for adding notes (usually “N”).
- Use quick filters to jump between pipeline stages fast.
- Try “bulk update” for fields you always change in batches (like Close Date at quarter end).
Pro Tip: You don’t need to memorize everything. Just pick two or three shortcuts that save you real time.
6. Notifications and Reminders: Set What You’ll Actually Use
Scratchpad can ping you about tasks, follow-ups, or field changes. But too many reminders = alert fatigue.
- Set up reminders for truly important things (e.g., “No activity in 7 days” on late-stage deals).
- Avoid daily “update your pipeline” nags—if you ignore them now, you’ll ignore them in Scratchpad.
- Mute or turn off notifications for low-value tasks.
What works:
- One well-timed reminder before your pipeline review.
- Task notifications tied to high-value deals.
What doesn’t:
- “Remind me to update everything, every day.” You’ll just click dismiss.
7. Team Settings: Share What Matters, Keep the Rest Private
If you’re a manager or ops, don’t force everyone to use the exact same setup. Instead: - Create shared views for pipeline reviews, forecasting, or handoffs. - Let reps customize their personal views for their own workflow. - Don’t require everyone to use every template—shared templates should be genuinely helpful, not just more busywork.
Pro Tip: The best shared tools are the ones people actually want to use, not the ones they’re told are “best practice.”
8. Integrations: Use Only What Fills a Gap
Scratchpad plugs into tools like Slack, Google Calendar, and email. Integrate only what helps you, not what looks impressive in a demo.
- Sync with your calendar if you prep for meetings in Scratchpad.
- Push notes to Slack if your team lives there and needs deal updates.
- Skip integrations that just duplicate notifications or add noise.
What works:
- Calendar integration for meeting prep.
- Slack integration for high-priority deal alerts.
What doesn’t:
- Integrating every possible tool “just because.” More integrations, more distractions.
9. Review and Iterate—Don’t Set It and Forget It
Your sales process will change. So should your Scratchpad setup.
- Schedule a 15-minute review once a month. Which views aren’t used? Which templates are ignored? Cut them.
- Ask your team what’s slowing them down. If it’s in Scratchpad, change it.
- Don’t be afraid to delete old workflows or fields. Clutter is the enemy.
Pro Tip: The fastest teams aren’t the ones with the fanciest setup—they’re the ones who keep things simple and tweak as they go.
Keep It Simple and Keep Moving
Customizing Scratchpad is about making your day easier, not impressing anyone with a fancy dashboard. Start with what your team actually uses, cut the rest, and don’t be afraid to make changes as you go.
Most “productivity hacks” just add more to your plate. The best workflow is the one that helps you spend less time updating fields and more time selling. Set up Scratchpad to get out of your way—and get back to closing deals.