Why Salesforce Storage Limits Could Be Holding Your Business Back

 There’s one notification that can ruin a Salesforce admin’s entire day: “Storage Exceeded.”

It’s like a ticking time bomb: you know it’s coming, but you just don’t know when. This is because Salesforce has very limited storage space.

Admins live with the constant fear of hitting the cap, and when that happens, it’s not just about the storage crunch; it's also about the impact on productivity. The fallout is way bigger. From slowed processes to blocked uploads and broken workflows, the ripple effect can cripple your business operations.

If you want to keep your Salesforce org running smoothly, you’ve got to understand exactly why limited storage space is such a business killer.

This starts by understanding how Salesforce storage works.

What are the types of storage in Salesforce?

Salesforce splits storage into different buckets:

  • Data Storage → For storing records like Accounts, Contacts, Opportunities, and other standard/custom object data.

  • File Storage → For housing files, attachments, documents, and rich media.

  • Big Objects (Archival Storage) → For massive volumes of historical or reference data

All of these come with small limits, based on your edition.

What are the storage limits in Salesforce?

Here’s what Salesforce gives you by default;


Salesforce Edition

File Storage

Data Storage

Essentials

1 GB/org

10 MB/user

Professional

10 GB/org

20 MB/user

Enterprise

10 GB/org

20 MB/user

Unlimited

10 GB/org

120 MB/user


When you’re just starting out, the storage space Salesforce provides might seem more than enough. But as your business grows, this space fills up faster than you’d expect. For industries like manufacturing, construction, real estate, or even healthcare, it’s common to deal with heavy files. Documents such as CAD drawings, blueprints, high-resolution videos, or detailed designs can easily eat up your allotted storage, sometimes within just the first few months.

Quick Check: How to See Your Salesforce Storage Limits

Now that you know the different types of storage Salesforce offers and their limits, let’s take a look at how much space you actually have left.

  1. Log in to Salesforce.

  2. Go to Setup → type “Storage Usage” in the Quick Find box.

  3. You’ll see exactly how much space you’ve used and what’s left.

Salesforce Storage Limits


The Impact of Limited Storage Space 

Initially, nothing drastic happens. Salesforce will send a “storage limit exceeded” alert, and admins will start receiving reminder emails, which can quickly become overwhelming. The platform does allow you to exceed the limit slightly (up to about 110%), but once you cross that buffer, you’ll eventually run into bigger problems, such as:

  • Inability to upload or attach new files.

  • Performance issues with record handling.

  • Increased pressure to purchase additional storage.

  • Workflows that rely on attachments or documents hit errors. 

Apart from these obvious impacts on your CRM, it can also affect your Salesforce file management.

How Does Your Salesforce File Management Take a Hit?

  • Unable to Manage Large Size or Volume Files → Large files like videos and presentations quickly overload Salesforce storage, disrupting your entire file management process.

  • Reduction in Collaboration and Productivity → Limited storage makes file sharing and access difficult, weakening collaboration and dragging down productivity.

  • Challenges with File Visibility and Accessibility → Salesforce storage Limit slows down file access and editing, creating chaos during critical moments.

  • Inability to Manage Massive Files of Community Users → More Community Users mean more files, quickly filling storage and reducing overall efficiency.

  • Challenges in Integrating Salesforce with 3rd-party Apps → Heavy file generation from integrations consumes storage fast, blocking smooth automation and workflows.


Read More: Understanding Salesforce File Storage limitations.

The cost of Salesforce File storage

There’s always the option of purchasing additional space from Salesforce, but here’s the catch: it comes at a steep price. Whether you’re running a small business or a large enterprise, the cost of extra storage often outweighs the value, making it far from cost-effective. 

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We’ve broken down Salesforce file storage costs for you in this datasheet

Download Now!

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In short, Salesforce charges $5 per GB per month, regardless of the edition you’re on. Now, multiply that across every user, org, and the growing GBs you need. Pretty steep, right?

Reduce Your Salesforce File Storage Costs

What if I told you that you could save up to 85% of the cost you’re currently paying for additional Salesforce storage?

You absolutely can, and here’s how.

The smarter approach is to move your files to an external cloud storage solution. Most businesses already use platforms like Google Drive, SharePoint, AWS S3, or OneDrive. While some have started shifting their Salesforce files there, the challenges usually lie in manual migration, security, and organization issues. If you’ve already made the move, great, you’re ahead of the curve. If not, it’s never too late to get started.

With XfilesPro, you never have to worry about hitting the Salesforce storage limit exceedederror again. Our Salesforce file management app seamlessly connects your CRM with existing cloud storage or helps you set up one that works best for your business.

Why do forward-thinking businesses prefer external cloud storage? These platforms are designed for documents and offer robust document management systems. XfilesPro takes this a step further by bringing your CRM and cloud storage together for the best of both worlds.

Here’s what you can do with XfilesPro:

  • No-code integration to connect Salesforce with your cloud storage.

  • Organize documents your way for quick and easy access.

  • Apply role-based access control to protect internal documents from external users.

  • Sync files and folders to ensure that everything remains up to date. 

  • Preview and view documents directly within Salesforce.

  • Save significantly on expensive Salesforce storage costs.

  • Enjoy full compatibility with FSL and the Salesforce mobile app.

Conclusion

Salesforce is a powerful CRM, but its limited storage space can quickly get filled with files like CAD drawings, videos, and presentations. Exceeding these limits leads to disruptions such as blocked uploads, workflow errors, and reduced collaboration. Buying additional Salesforce storage is costly, $5/GB per month across all editions. 

The smarter move is to integrate Salesforce with an external cloud storage solution. XfilesPro makes the process effortless with no-code integration, role-based access control, file syncing, and document previews directly within Salesforce. With XfilesPro, you can save up to 85% on Salesforce storage costs while boosting productivity and collaboration.


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