Why Salesforce Projects Fail Without a Good BSA

If your Salesforce implementation is stuck, delayed, or delivering lackluster results—it might not be the tech. It’s probably your team. Specifically, the absence of a skilled Business Systems Analyst (BSA).

In this video, Cloud Connects co-founder Graham Bischof lays out the BSA role with brutal honesty—and why your project depends on getting it right.

📺 Watch Now:

What Is a BSA—and Why Are They So Critical?

A Business Systems Analyst is the connective tissue between business stakeholders and technical teams. They’re not coders. They’re not the “vision people.” They’re the translators, documenting exactly what the business needs and ensuring the tech team delivers it.

Common BSA deliverables include:

• Business Requirements Documents (BRDs)

• Process Flow Diagrams

• Test Plans and QA Scripts

If you’re working with Cloud Connects, these are standard in our Discovery and Architecture phases—where we help teams get aligned before a single line of code is written.

The BSA vs. BA vs. System Admin: Know the Difference

Confused about who does what? You’re not alone. Here’s a quick breakdown:

A BSA sits in the sweet spot—understanding both the business goals and how to technically enable them. This is critical to avoid scope creep, misalignment, and failed rollouts.

💡 Want to dive deeper? Check out Salesforce’s Trailhead module on business analysis in the Salesforce ecosystem.

Why Most BSAs Are Set Up to Fail

Here’s the kicker: Most companies throw a junior ops person into the BSA role with zero training and all the expectations. It’s no wonder things break.

At Cloud Connects, we see this all the time. Projects stall, devs get blamed, and leadership loses faith in Salesforce altogether.

That’s why in our Audit services, we often start by assessing not just the tech—but the people and processes driving it

The BSA’s Toolkit: What They Deliver

A seasoned BSA brings order to chaos. Their core assets include:

1. Business Requirements Documents (BRDs)

The single source of truth outlining what the business wants—and what the tech should do. BRDs help prevent scope creep and misinterpretation.

2. Process Flowcharts

Visual maps of how your business actually works. These are invaluable for admins and devs configuring Salesforce automations, flows, and integrations.

3. Test Plans

BSAs define how success is measured. These plans guide quality assurance and user acceptance testing (UAT), ensuring what was built meets the original need.

These deliverables are core to our Implement engagements—where we bring Salesforce plans to life, fast and without fluff.

A Real-World Example: 100 Days, Two CRMs, One BSA-Driven Success

We once helped a client merge two Salesforce orgs in just 100 days. Sound impossible? It would’ve been—except we had BSAs embedded from day one.

For the first month, they did nothing but document:

• Stakeholder requirements

• Business process variations

• Integration needs

• Testing scenarios

That clarity made the entire implementation phase frictionless. No confusion. No finger-pointing. Just results.

How to Tell If You Need a BSA (Hint: You Probably Do)

Here are some warning signs:

• Conflicting requirements from stakeholders

• Developers asking, “What exactly do you want built?”

• Delays due to “missing info” or “unclear logic”

• Endless cycles of QA rework

If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to talk to us. Whether you need a full-time BSA or just some expert help getting unblocked, our Manage offering gives you on-demand access to Salesforce-savvy talent.

Final Thought: Projects Live and Die on the BSA Role

At Cloud Connects, we believe every successful project is built on strong communication and clear documentation. That’s what a great BSA delivers.

Don’t let your project fail because you skipped the role that keeps everyone aligned.

👉 Ready to work with people who get it? Book a Discovery Call and let’s get your Salesforce project unstuck.