Create an Alignment in Salesforce Maps Territory Planning

This article answers the question: how do you create an alignment in Salesforce Maps Territory Planning, including building the territory model and assigning ownership and units?

Create the Alignment

1. Click the Territory Planning tab to launch the app and display the Browser window. If you are already viewing the Territory Planning tab, select Click to Open under Data Set (top left).
2. Hover over an active data set and click the + symbol to add a new alignment.
3. Enter a Name and Description (optional) for the alignment and click Next.
4. In the Create Alignment window, configure the Territory Model to reflect the reporting hierarchy and ownership of territories in your alignment. Alignments can have a maximum of 10 levels.

Build or Import a Territory Model

You can import an existing territory model from Enterprise Territory Management, start from a sample model, import the model from another alignment, a report or query in your Data Set, a CSV, or build a new model from scratch.

Build a New Model

If your organization does not currently leverage Enterprise Territory Management (ETM) or you would like to build your own model from scratch:

1. Hover over the Territory Model Root node.
2. Click the + symbol to add a child territory.
3. Repeat at each hierarchy level, until your model reflects the reporting structure and territories you want to align.
4. Click Next.

Populate Sample Territory Model

If you are not sure where to start and need some inspiration, click Populate Sample Territory Model to quickly start building your model from a template. You can use the pencil icon to edit the name, the + icon to add a new territory or level, and the bin icon to delete the territory or level. You can edit the template until your model reflects the reporting structure and territories you want to align.

Import From Alignment

If you have previously created an alignment using the same territory boundaries as your newly created data set, you can click Import Model > Import From Alignment to import its hierarchy.

1. Optionally, select Import boundary assignments to import the geo unit assignments from the previous alignment.
2. Click Next.

Import Salesforce Territory Model

If your organization uses Enterprise Territory Management (ETM), click Import Model > Import from Salesforce Territory Model to automatically populate the alignment model with territories from an existing active or planning ETM model.

1. You can customize the scope of the import by selecting a model, branch, and role in territory (optional). Selecting a role will designate the user with that role as the Territory Owner.
2. You can choose to include the Assignment rules from ETM. However, if a rule criteria references a field that is not included in the dataset, that rule criteria will be skipped and a warning message will be displayed.
3. You can import your rules from ETM and transform your existing boundary rules into Boundary Assignments and generated boundary rules, but only if those rules were originally created in Territory Planning.
4. Click Import.
5. Review and confirm the imported hierarchy and territories.
6. Click Next.

Import from Data Set

You can also create a model from a report or query in your Data Set. Click Import Model > Import From Data Set and select a data source that contributes to your Data Set. Then set the area levels that you want for the model's root structure and click Import.

Import from CSV

You can use a CSV file to import your own model, or re-import a model from data set that failed. Click Import Model > Import From CSV. Then select a CSV file that includes the territory model data that you want to import, specify the area and parent columns, and click Import.

Note: The CSV must be in a two-column format, with the Area Name and Parent Area. You must have Areas where the Parent column is blank (Areas without Parents) — those will be attached to the Territory Model Root. There is a hardcoded limit of 5,000 areas to prevent you from crashing the application.

Review Ownership and Unit Assignments

1. Review ownership assignments for your territories and make changes if needed.
   1. Territory Ownership will be pre-populated with existing owners (if designated) when using the Import Salesforce Territory Model or Import From Alignment options.
   2. Click the X button next to the auto-populated user on a territory to change its ownership.
2. Review unit assignments for your territories and make changes if needed.
   1. Select options for each Unit Assignment column:
      1. If your Unit Assignment Field matches the Territory Name, select Auto-Fill with Territory Name.
      2. If your Unit Assignment Field matches the Territory Owner Id, select Auto-Fill with Territory Owner Id.
      3. If your Unit Assignment Field matches the Territory Owner Name, select Auto-Fill with Territory Owner Name.
      4. If you do not want to leverage existing territory assignments, select the Leave Units Unassigned toggle.
3. Click Finish to complete the alignment setup.

Note: If you are using territory boundaries, checking the Automatically assign nearby containers box will automatically assign containers that are close to the geographic center of the territory. Assign nearby is useful for bringing containers from unassigned into the appropriate territory upon alignment creation.