Case Study: Transforming player development and marketing automation
Tribal gaming and resort property needed real ability to see a 360 degree view of the business, the guests, and the facility.
Tribal gaming and resort property needed real ability to see a 360 degree view of the business, the guests, and the facility.
What is an API in Salesforce? An API is an Application Programming Interface offered by Salesforce, a leading cloud-based CRM platform. The API allows developers to integrate Salesforce functionality into other applications and business systems, enabling streamlined workflows, automated processes, and greater productivity. In essence, the API is a messenger that pulls information from one place and feeds it to another. APIs are everywhere and have many different faces and capabilities. For example, when your car’s navigation system uses Google Maps to direct you to the airport, that’s an API. Google allows navigation systems to use its popular mapping software — for a price (more on that later). Likewise, if there are share buttons at the bottom of your company’s blog posts, those are also APIs. Each one allows users to easily share content with their Facebook friends, Twitter followers, or Instagram feed. API stands for Application Programming Interface and it’s simply another way of sending commands to Salesforce, only this time there’s no graphical UI to work through, instead developers use the APIs to send commands like View or Save to Salesforce programmatically by writing platform code. Salesforce provides a handy tool for determining which API to use in different situations. API NAME API TYPE DATA FORMAT COMMUNICATION REST API REST JSON, XML Synchronous SOAP API SOAP (WSDL) XML Synchronous Connect REST API REST JSON, XML Synchronous (photos are processed asynchronously) Apex REST API REST JSON, XML, Custom Synchronous Apex SOAP API SOAP (WSDL) XML Synchronous Analytics REST API REST JSON, XML Synchronous User Interface API REST JSON Synchronous GraphQL API GraphQL JSON Synchronous Tooling API REST or SOAP (WSDL) JSON, XML, Custom Synchronous Bulk API 2.0 REST CSV Asynchronous Metadata API SOAP (WSDL) XML Asynchronous Pub/Sub API gRPC and protocol buffers Binary Asynchronous When to Use REST API REST API provides a powerful, convenient, and simple REST-based web services interface for interacting with Salesforce. Its advantages include ease of integration and development, and it’s an excellent choice of technology for use with mobile applications and web projects. For certain projects, you can use REST API with other Salesforce REST APIs. To build UI for creating, reading, updating, and deleting records, including building UI for list views, actions, and dependent picklists, use User Interface API. To build UI for B2B Commerce on Lightning, CMS managed content, Experience Cloud sites, or Chatter, use Connect REST API. If you have many records to process, consider using Bulk API, which is based on REST principles and optimized for large sets of data. See REST API Developer Guide. When to Use SOAP API SOAP API provides a powerful, convenient, and simple SOAP-based web services interface for interacting with Salesforce. You can use SOAP API to create, retrieve, update, or delete records. You can also use SOAP API to perform searches and much more. Use SOAP API in any language that supports web services. For example, you can use SOAP API to integrate Salesforce with your org’s ERP and finance systems. You can also deliver real-time sales and support information to company portals and populate critical business systems with customer information. See SOAP API Developer Guide. When to Use Connect REST API Connect REST API provides programmatic access to B2B Commerce for Lightning, CMS managed content, Experience Cloud sites, files, notifications, topics, and more. Use Connect REST API to display Chatter feeds, users, and groups, especially in mobile applications. See Connect REST API Developer Guide. When to Use Apex REST API Use Apex REST API when you want to expose your Apex classes and methods so that external applications can access your code through REST architecture. Apex REST API supports both OAuth 2.0 and Session ID for authorization. See Apex Developer Guide: Exposing Apex Classes as REST Web Services. When to Use Apex SOAP API Use Apex SOAP API when you want to expose Apex methods as SOAP web service APIs so that external applications can access your code through SOAP. Apex SOAP API supports both OAuth 2.0 and Session ID for authorization. See Apex Developer Guide: Exposing Apex Methods as SOAP Web Services and SOAP API Developer Guide: Apex-Related Calls. When to Use Analytics REST API You can access CRM Analytics assets such as datasets, lenses, and dashboards programmatically using the Analytics REST API. Send queries and access datasets that have been imported into the analytics platform. Create and retrieve lenses. Access XMD information. Retrieve a list of dataset versions. Create and retrieve CRM Analytics apps. Create, update, and retrieve dashboards. Retrieve a list of dependencies for an application. Determine what features are available to the user. Work with snapshots. Manipulate replicated datasets. See Analytics REST API Developer Guide. When to Use User Interface API Build Salesforce UI for native mobile apps and custom web apps using the same API that Salesforce uses to build Lightning Experience and Salesforce for Android, iOS, and mobile web. Build user interfaces that let users work with records, list views, actions, favorites, and more. Not only do you get data and metadata in a single response, but the response matches metadata changes made to the org by Salesforce admins. You don’t worry about layouts, picklists, field-level security, or sharing—all you do is build an app that users love. See User Interface API Developer Guide. When to Use GraphQL API Build highly responsive and scalable apps by returning only the data a client needs, all in a single request. GraphQL API overcomes the challenges posed by traditional REST APIs through field selection, resource aggregation, and schema introspection. Field selection reduces the size of the payload, sending back only fields that were included in the query. Aggregations reduce round trips between the client and server, returning a set of related resources within a single response. Schema introspection enables a user to see the types, fields, and objects that the user has access to. See GraphQL API Developer Guide. When to Use Tooling API Use Tooling API to integrate Salesforce metadata with other systems. Metadata types are exposed as sObjects, so
What is the data cloud in Salesforce? A hyperscale data platform built into Salesforce. Activate all your customer data across Salesforce applications with Salesforce Data Cloud, formerly known as Customer Data Platform (or CDP). Empower teams to engage customers, at every touchpoint, with relevant insights and contextual data in the flow of work. What is the benefit of Salesforce data cloud? Your company can feel confident in your customer data, and know that you’re taking the right steps to engage with your customer base across multiple channels. The team at Tectonic can help you bring value to your wealth of customer data when you leverage Data Cloud. With Salesforce Data Cloud, automation, intelligence, real-time data, and security aren’t just goals; they make up the foundation of the platform. Data Cloud brings the power of automation, analytics, AI, data, and integration together to create a single view of the customer across any cloud. As a team of certified Salesforce experts with years working within all core and industry clouds, analytics, and customizations across all aspects of the platform, Tectonic can help you understand how Data Cloud fits into your customer experience goals, supports revenue growth, and integrates with your existing data models, data sources, and systems such as Snowflake, Tableau, Slack, and MuleSoft. By Implementing Data Cloud, we can enable you to: Are you taking advantage of SFDC Data Cloud’s customer 360 capabilities when it comes to intuitive, fast, efficient customer service? Data Cloud is the fastest growing organically built product in Salesforce’s history (Salesforce built it themselves, not via acquisitions). Data Cloud could be described as the ‘Holy Grail of CRM’, meaning that the data problem that’s existed since the infancy of CRM is now finally solvable. There are some differences between Genie and Data Cloud. Genie offers a zero-data copy architecture, meaning data can be fetched on-demand without duplicating it on the Salesforce platform. This allows for more flexibility and scalability when handling large amounts of customer data. Is Salesforce Data Cloud a data lake? Your data sitting in the data lake benefits from all of the capability of the Salesforce platform just like it does in the transactional side in Oracle. That means that Data Cloud is now not just a really good CDP, it’s now a data lake which will be used in sales and service use cases. Is Data Cloud free? At Dreamforce 2023, Salesforce announced that Data Cloud free licenses are now included for all Enterprise Edition or above customers so customers can become familiar with the new capabilities and develop use case ideas. There’s never been a better time to partner with Tectonic to explore Salesforce Data Cloud for your business. Content updated November 2023. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more CRM Cloud Salesforce What is a CRM Cloud Salesforce? Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform for Salesforce clients to Read more How Travel Companies Are Using Big Data and Analytics In today’s hyper-competitive business world, travel and hospitality consumers have more choices than ever before. With hundreds of hotel chains Read more
Healthcare institutions have the golden opportunity to enhance the technology systems implemented over the past few pandemic years, particularly in the realm of virtual rounding—where clinicians utilize collaboration technologies to interact with patients remotely. This approach gained significant traction during the pandemic and is now poised for further growth and refinement. Healthcare Technology Solutions. Healthcare technology solutions refer to the use of technology to improve both healthcare delivery and outcomes. These solutions encompass a wide range of technologies from electronic health records to wearable devices to mobile applications. Many believe the solution to better healthcare is data and collaboration. The right software can help. Healthcare Technology Solutions Here are ways to maximize the impact of virtual rounding specifically in your healthcare organization: Devices: Collaboration Software: Telehealth Peripherals: Electronic Medical Records: Patient Experience APIs: Asset Tracking: Business Intelligence: Mobility Management: Whether your organization requires healthcare technology hardware, software, or cloud-based solutions, Tectonic is well-equipped to expedite the implementation process with numerous healthcare implementations under our belt. Five Exciting and emerging healthcare technology solutions coming in 2023 and beyond: Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
What do Salesforce integrations entail? Salesforce Integrations for Sales and Marketing Teams. Salesforce integrations involve establishing connections between Salesforce and various third-party applications, ranging from marketing automation tools and customer service software to accounting programs. This seamless exchange of data between platforms serves to enhance Salesforce’s overall functionality. How extensive is Salesforce’s integration ecosystem? Salesforce boasts a robust integration ecosystem, with over 3,000 integrations available on its AppExchange marketplace. Beyond these, users can leverage: Salesforce Integrations for Sales and Marketing Teams While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all list of essential Salesforce integrations for sales and marketing, we’ve curated a selection of widely-used integrations across various categories: These integrations cater to diverse needs within sales and marketing, facilitating efficient data handling, analytics, communication, project management, and more. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Transforming Hospitality with Salesforce CRM The hospitality industry, known for its expansive options and fierce competition, faces challenges from small hotels to globally recognized resorts. Beyond traditional amenities like clean rooms and Wi-Fi, evolving customer expectations demand highly personalized services for enhanced comfort and swift issue resolution. Salesforce CRM emerges aremains a tool for managing customer interactions and elevating the operations of various players in the hospitality sector. Leading establishments such as Quest Apartment Hotels, Carlson Hotels Worldwide, and HotelTonight harness the capabilities of Salesforce CRM to enhance their services. Salesforce for Hospitality Beyond the realm of hotels, the world’s most widely used CRM solution empowers the entire hospitality industry, encompassing transportation and travel, to deliver personalized and seamless customer experiences. Transportation companies leverage real-time query management and dynamic services to navigate the future of freight efficiently. Simultaneously, travel and hospitality entities utilize data-driven insights to tailor travel options, incorporate artificial intelligence for personalized recommendations, and establish connected guest services, ensuring unparalleled comfort and satisfaction. In essence, Salesforce CRM offers the hospitality industry unified customer views, heightened customer satisfaction and loyalty, invaluable analytics data, automation solutions, and prompt customer service. Its implementation accelerates industry efficiency, fostering innovation and driving continuous improvements in the realm of hospitality. Content updated September 2023. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Enhance case resolution and field service efficiency by promoting instant collaboration through Salesforce Slack “swarming”. Facilitate quick access to the right experts using Expert Finder, initiating a swarm channel directly from a case or incident. The seamless integration ensures that agents can participate in a Slack swarm without leaving the console, maintaining access to crucial Salesforce CRM data. Your service team comprises individuals working to resolve customer issues. Using a swarm from a Slack channel to engage the appropriate experts and document activities in Salesforce. To start a swarm using the Service Cloud for Slack app, go to the About tab and select the Start command for /service-swarm-start. Alternatively, invoke a swarm from the Attachments and shortcuts search or with the slash command. Press the return key to activate the command. Choose your preferred swarming method and select Next. Swarm in a New Channel: Create a swarm in a new Slack channel directly from Slack. Enter swarm information in the prompted window fields and click Create. Visit the new swarm channel to collaborate with other agents. To update the record in Salesforce, click Finish Swarming or use the slash command /service-swarm-close. Select members to add to the swarm, view the record, or finish swarming. Note that swarm member records are generated when new members join the swarming Slack channel. To reopen a swarm, click Reopen Swarm. Swarm in an Existing Channel: Create a swarm in an existing Slack channel. Enter swarm details in the prompted window fields and click Create. The Service Cloud for Slack app sends a pinned notification to the selected channel, announcing the new swarm request. Use buttons on the request to view information or close the swarm when the issue is resolved. Select members, view the record, or finish swarming. When complete, the swarm is marked Closed, and the case is linked in the first unpinned post. Only open swarms remain pinned for easy access in channels with multiple swarms. In response to recent challenges, a series featuring insights from customer service leaders and experts explores industry trends and tactics for success. The first post includes discussions with Jim Roth, EVP of Customer Support at Salesforce, and Kevin Albers, VP of Customer Experience at Slack, addressing digital solutions, agent burnout, and collaborative swarming models. In a digital-first world, customer expectations have risen. Companies are adapting with tools like live agent chat and digital support. Jim Roth emphasizes the need to meet customers where they are, leveraging digital innovations to enhance customer experiences. Growing expectations have increased call volume and case complexity, leading to agent burnout. Kevin Albers suggests addressing this with proper tooling, reducing cognitive overload, and empowering agents to be part of the solution through experimentation. Transitioning to a Swarming Model Transitioning from a tiered model to a swarming model, where a single agent owns a case from start to finish, has shown impressive results. Jim Roth highlights the benefits of a tierless model, including reduced wait times, retained context, and increased agent satisfaction. The swarming model benefits agents by providing rewarding challenges, training opportunities, and expanded experiences. Kevin Albers emphasizes that empowering agents leads to higher engagement and better solutions. Successful Swarming with Slack Tips for successful swarming in Slack include creating workflows, utilizing emoji reactions for status updates, and leveraging Slack’s public API for advanced analysis. The aim is to deliver an easy and expert experience to customers through faster resolution and collective wisdom. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Salesforce Case Object The Salesforce case object represents a case, which is a customer issue or problem. What is the Salesforce case object? A Salesforce Case object can be thought of as a workbook containing all the issues, questions, disputes, and requests that customers have brought up with your business. What is the difference between a case and a task in Salesforce? Tasks are To-do’s whereas Cases are more used for requests or complaints. Having said that, you can use Cases for both, but if you were to change your case management process(es), you would now need to think about a To do process and a customer case process. How cases are used in Salesforce? A case is a customer’s question, feedback, or issue. Support agents can review cases to see how they can deliver better service. Sales reps can use cases to see how they affect the sales process. Responding to cases keeps your customers happy and enhances your brand. How do I create a case object in Salesforce? Step-1: Login into the salesforce classic account, then click on the setup and select the case object that is present in the nav bar. Step-2: After selecting the case object, the case object page is open then click on the new option. Supported Calls create(), delete(), describeLayout(), describeSObjects(), getDeleted(), getUpdated(), query(), retrieve(), search(), undelete(), update(), upsert() Fields Salesforce Case Object Field Details AccountId TypereferencePropertiesCreate, Filter, Group, Nillable, Sort, UpdateDescriptionID of the account associated with this case.This is a relationship field.Relationship NameAccountRelationship TypeLookupRefers ToAccount AssetWarrantyID TypereferencePropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionID of the Asset associated with the warranty. Must be a valid asset warranty ID. BusinessHoursId TypereferencePropertiesCreate, Filter, Group, Sort, UpdateDescriptionID of the business hours associated with this case. Comments TypetextareaPropertiesCreate, Delete, Layout, Nillable, Query, Retrieve, Search, Sort, Undelete, UpdateDescriptionUsed to insert a new CaseComment. Email textarea has a length of 4000 chars. CaseNumber TypestringPropertiesAutonumber, Defaulted on create, Filter, idLookup, SortDescriptionAssigned automatically when each case is inserted. It can’t be set directly, and it can’t be modified after the case is created. ClosedDate TypedateTimePropertiesFilter, Nillable, SortDescriptionThe date and time when the case was closed. CommunityId TypereferencePropertiesCreate, Filter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionID of the zone associated with this case.This field is available in API version 24.0 and later. ConnectionReceivedId TypereferencePropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionID of the PartnerNetworkConnection that shared this record with your organization. This field is available if you enabled Salesforce to Salesforce. ConnectionSentId TypereferencePropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionID of the PartnerNetworkConnection that you shared this record with. This field is available if you enabled Salesforce to Salesforce. This field is supported using API versions earlier than 15.0. In all other API versions, this field’s value is null. You can use the new PartnerNetworkRecordConnection object to forward records to connections. ContactEmail TypeemailPropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionEmail address for the contact. The Case.ContactEmail field displays the Email field on the contact that is referenced by Case.ContactId. Label is Contact Email. This field is available in API version 38.0 and later. ContactFax TypephonePropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionFax number for the contact. Label is Contact Fax. This field is available in API version 38.0 and later. ContactId TypereferencePropertiesCreate, Filter, Group, Nillable, Sort, UpdateDescriptionID of the associated contact.This is a relationship field.Relationship NameContactRelationship TypeLookupRefers ToContact ContactMobile TypephonePropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionMobile telephone number for the contact. Label is Contact Mobile. This field is available in API version 38.0 and later. ContactPhone TypephonePropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionTelephone number for the contact. Label is Contact Phone. This field is available in API version 38.0 and later. CreatorFullPhotoUrl TypestringPropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionURL of the user’s profile photo from the feed. Chatter Answers must be enabled to view this field. This field is available in API version 26.0 and later. CreatorName TypestringPropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionName of the user who posted the question or reply. Only the first name of internal users (agents) appears to portal users in the feed. Chatter Answers must be enabled to view this field. This field is available in API version 26.0 and later. CreatorSmallPhotoUrl TypestringPropertiesFilter, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionURL of the user’s thumbnail photo from the feed. Chatter Answers must be enabled to view this field. This field is available in API version 26.0 and later. Description TypetextareaPropertiesCreate, Nillable, UpdateDescriptionA text description of the case. Limit: 32 KB. FeedItemId TypereferencePropertiesCreate, Group, Nillable, SortDescriptionID of the question in Chatter associated with the case. This field is available in API version 33.0 and later, and is only accessible in organizations where Question-to-Case is enabled. HasCommentsUnreadByOwner TypebooleanPropertiesDefaulted on create, Filter, Group, SortDescriptionIndicates whether a case contains comments that the case owner hasn’t read (true) or not (false). HasSelfServiceComments TypebooleanPropertiesDefaulted on create, Filter, Group, SortDescriptionIndicates whether a case has comments added by a Self-Service user (true) or not (false). Only visible when Customer Portal is enabled. IsClosed TypebooleanPropertiesDefaulted on create, Filter, Group, SortDescriptionIndicates whether the case is closed (true) or open (false). This field is controlled by the Status field; it can’t be set directly. Label is Closed. IsClosedOnCreate TypebooleanPropertiesDefaulted on create, Filter, Group, SortDescriptionIndicates whether the case was closed at the same time that it was created (true) or not (false). This flag is read-only and is automatically set when a record is created. It can’t be set to true unless the IsClosed flag is also true. IsDeleted TypebooleanPropertiesDefaulted on create, FilterDescriptionIndicates whether the object has been moved to the Recycle Bin (true) or not (false). Label is Deleted. IsEscalated TypebooleanPropertiesCreate, Defaulted on create, Filter, Group, Sort, UpdateDescriptionIndicates whether the case has been escalated (true) or not. A case’s escalated state does not affect how you can use a case, or whether you can query, delete, or update it. You can set this flag via the API. Label is Escalated. IsSelfServiceClosed TypebooleanPropertiesDefaulted on create, Filter, Group, SortDescriptionIndicates whether the case is closed for Self-Service users (true) or not (false). IsStopped TypebooleanPropertiesCreate, Defaulted on create, Filter, Group, Sort, UpdateDescriptionIndicates whether an entitlement process on a case is stopped (true) or not (false). IsVisibleInSelfService TypebooleanPropertiesDefaulted on create, Filter, Group, SortDescriptionIndicates whether the case can be viewed in the
Should nonprofit organizations embrace Customer Relationship Management (CRM)? The benefits of Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud for NGOs are numerous. Many nonprofit organizations are currently leveraging Salesforce’s CRM for Nonprofits, known as Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud. Salesforce proves instrumental in fortifying and expanding crucial relationships and opportunities aligned with your organization’s mission. Whether it’s maintaining strong connections with constituents, segmenting supporters based on issues and interests, tracking membership activities, or streamlining the donation process, Salesforce empowers nonprofits to confidently and effectively manage their data. What exactly is a nonprofit CRM? A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is a software application designed to centralize data management, enhancing customer experience, satisfaction, engagement, and service by consolidating all communications across various channels into a unified location. Initially developed with sales, marketing, and customer service in mind, modern CRMs now extend their functionality to interact with all facets of an organization’s operations and business. They facilitate relationship and project management among team members, suppliers, partners, and contributors. CRM software proves invaluable for tracking, collecting, and managing critical information about donors, volunteers, employees, and projects. Benefits of Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud: Salesforce enhances organizational efficiency, enabling nonprofit organizations to lead and address significant challenges faced by the communities and concerns they serve. Salesforce serves as a guide to achieve objectives, professionalize approaches, and optimize influence. Tectonic offers tailored Nonprofit Quickstarts to streamline Salesforce implementation, backed by a dedicated team committed to your organization’s success. If you believe your organization can benefit from Salesforce Nonprofit Cloud, inquire today for a no-cost estimate. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Here is a helpful glossary of Salesforce developer terms you will often here in relation to Salesforce Development. Acronym Meaning Defintion ALM Application Lifestyle Management “How changes and enhancements are rolled out to Salesforce instances. Having a solid ALM process ensures the org continues to work properly and delivers the most value to end-users. Within the ALM process there are three separate development models: change set development, org development, and package development.” (source) API Application-Programming Interface An intermediary that allows two systems to be integrated together. APIs enable us to make two systems “talk” to each other, to successfully exchange data when and how we expect. Salesforce has multiple types of APIs, depending on what your integration requirements are. BYOK Bring Your Own Key When setting up Salesforce Shield, you can use Salesforce’s encryption keys, or bring your own if you already have a key management infrastructure in place. CI/CD Continuous Integration/Continuous Deployment/Continuous Delivery A software development practice that refers to different automated processes. Continuous integration (or “CI”) is about automatically moving work items along a release pipeline, through environments for combining and testing packages, before promoting them to production. Continuous deployment is about immediately deploying changes to a downstream environment in your release pipeline as soon as a change or work item has been approved and merged into version control. Continuous delivery is the ultimate goal of CI/CD. It’s a culture or way of working (rather than a type of workflow), which is about releasing added value and new functionality to your end-users as soon after the completion of the development or customization work as possible. CLI Command Line Interface A text-based user interface (UI) used to view and manage files. The Salesforce CLI simplifies development and building automation by:Aggregating all the tools you need to perform commands against your Salesforce org.Synchronizing source to and from scratch org.Creating and manage orgs.Creating and executing tests.Creating and installing packages. COOP Cross-Origin Opener Policy “Shield your custom Visualforce pages from external attacks. When you enable COOP, each top-level custom Visualforce page opens in a new browsing context group. This process prevents direct access between other browser tabs and your Visualforce page and the page’s content.” (source) CPU Central Processing Unit A common computing term that refers to the component that processes instructions based on software and user input. In Salesforce terms, you’ll hear “Apex CPU”. The Salesforce platform imposes a CPU usage governor limit to any given execution context, which is approximately 10 seconds. It means that Apex Code, declarative tools, or a combination in a transaction, must not exceed a ~10-second limit. DML Data Manipulation Language “Provides a straightforward way to manage records by providing simple statements to insert, update, merge, delete, and restore records.” (source) DOC DevOps Center Salesforce DevOps Center is the place to manage releases and to give low-code and pro-code development team members a single set of configuration and code to work with bringing closer collaboration. DORA DevOps Research and Assessment “Research program…that seeks to understand the capabilities that drive software delivery and operations performance. DORA helps teams apply those capabilities, leading to better organizational performance.” – (source)DORA is centered around four metrics, of which testing software is the main component to reducing your change-failure rate. E2E Ecosystem to Ecosystem A test automation concept, E2E testing involves your entire IT stack, no longer testing in silos (one vendor at a time) as was traditionally the case. The complexities of modern-day hybrid cloud architecture can touch hundreds even thousands of upstream and downstream endpoints. ETL Extract, Transform, and Load A category of tools that extract data from one platform, transform the data’s format, and load it into another platform. They have a widely varying set of capabilities, and which you choose will depend on your integration or data migration challenges. GTL Guide Template Language GTL is a Marketing Cloud script language that “provides a declarative syntax used for creating personalized, dynamic, data-driven messages, as well as constructing cross-channel templates and layouts.” (source) GUI Graphical User Interface “A form of user interface that allows users to interact with electronic devices through graphical icons and audio indicators such as primary notation, instead of text-based user interfaces, typed command labels or text navigation.” (source) IDE Integrated Development Environment “For heavy development work, you need a professional IDE that offers features like integration with source control, syntax highlighting, auto-completion, debugger, offline editing, etc.” (source)Popular examples include Visual Studio Code and the Developer Console. ISTQB® International Software Testing Qualifications Board “Global certification scheme in the field of software testing.” (source)There are multiple certifications to progress through, from the foundation, to agile, core, or specialist pathways. LWC Lightning Web Component An updated web standards-based framework method for creating components on the Salesforce Platform. They are simpler to define and develop because they are in line with updated web standards (like CSS, HTML, and updated JavaScript without requiring a set framework). LWR Lightning Web Runtime Experience Cloud sites built using LWR templates “deliver unparalleled site performance and improve developer productivity…using the Lightning Web Components programming model.” (source) MEL Mule Expression Language “A lightweight, Mule-specific expression language that you can use to access and evaluate the data in the payload, properties, and variables of a Mule message.” (source) MVC Model–view–controller An application design model made up of three parts:Model = an entity representing data or activity.View = visualization of the state of the model.Controller = a facility for changing the state of the model. NACL Not Another Configuration Language NACL is the language Salto has developed especially for readability. Anyone who is familiar with Salesforce will be able to understand the logical display of the XML content in order to understand the purpose of a component, what changes are planned, and even dependencies. OData Open Data Protocol A set of best practices for building and consuming RESTful APIs. (source)Salesforce Connect calls out to external OData endpoints to surface data that’s stored in external objects. PD1 Platform Developer 1 The Platform Developer 1 certification is a
Ever considered having a static section in Salesforce for essential items like training links, flows, external links, visualforce pages, phone dialer, and more? Look no further – enter the Salesforce Lightning ‘Utility Bar.’ This insight provides a quick introduction to the utility bar, detailing how to set up and make the most of this handy tool. If you would like to incorporate the utility bar in your salesforce org, Tectonic can help. What Is a Salesforce Utility Bar? Think of the utility bar as a utility belt for Salesforce. These are items you want readily accessible at any point in Salesforce. Irrespective of the page you’re on, as long as you’re within the same app, you’ll encounter this “specialized Lightning page.” How to Set Up the Utility Bar? Setting up a utility bar is a straightforward process. Here are brief descriptions of the items which could be featured in your utility bar: Now armed with practical use cases and an understanding of the possibilities, jot down your ideas and start experimenting in a Salesforce sandbox. Have users test your proof of concept (POC) and iterate until it meets your requirements. If you are unsure where to start, contact Tectonic today. Keep in mind that the utility bar is configured per app, not per user. For unique user requests, consider creating a custom Visualforce page Sor screen flow. Additionally, note that the utility bar is exclusive to desktop use, with no mobile support as of now. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Quip Sales Cloud Service Cloud Quip, the document collaboration platform under Salesforce ownership, has recently announced a deeper integration into the core Sales Cloud and Service Cloud products of Salesforce. Quip helps sales teams accelerate business in real-time. Reimuip’s mobile-first content collaboration platform and word processing programs let’s you create, edit, discuss, and organize your team’s work — all in one place. This development is indeed big news, addressing the anticipation that followed Salesforce’s $750 million acquisition of Quip in 2016. The integration, now realized with Quip for Sales and Quip for Service, marks a transformative step for Quip. Quip’s cloud-based word process and collaboration software enhances Salesforce’s suite of productivity tools for business. This discussion will explore two pivotal aspects that distinguish the new Quip: Interface and Automation. Interface: Quip is now seamlessly embedded into the Salesforce console interface, offering a more integrated user experience. Automation: Using Quip gains the ability to leverage Salesforce Workflows, Approval Processes, and Lightning Flows configured by administrators. Quip for Sales Enhancing internal communication is crucial for sales teams to maintain strategic focus and present a professional image externally. Recognizing the limitations of static sales strategies, Quip meets the need for agility in sales teams to remain competitive. Quip transforms critical strategy documents into living plans, constantly updated with live data and adjusted collaboratively by the team within the context of the account. Use Cases Sales-specific use cases encompass: Account/Territory Plans Account hand-offs Proposal/Quote Feedback, linked to approval processes Pipeline Stage Required Documentation, aligned with the Sales Process Quip for Service With the simultaneous introduction of Quip for Service and the Einstein for Service announcement, there’s an increased focus on customer service transformation. The evolving landscape demands more from service agents, both in terms of diversified portfolios on the product side and elevated expectations from customers. Collaboration in service becomes imperative, especially as cases become less straightforward, requiring consideration of additional context in complex discussions. Use Cases Service-specific use cases include: Agent ‘Swarming’: Groups of agents collaborating on a single, complex case can engage in digital discussions. Knowledge Article Editing: Feedback from subject matter experts or the marketing department ensures content and messaging accuracy. Guided Actions for Case Resolution: Lightning Flows, exemplified by a Guided Actions flow, play a significant role in Service scenarios. The tighter integration of Quip and Salesforce’s Sales Cloud and Service Cloud signifies a strategic move that enhances user interface cohesion and introduces powerful automation capabilities, marking a noteworthy evolution for Quip. Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more 50 Advantages of Salesforce Sales Cloud According to the Salesforce 2017 State of Service report, 85% of executives with service oversight identify customer service as a Read more CRM Cloud Salesforce What is a CRM Cloud Salesforce? Salesforce Service Cloud is a customer relationship management (CRM) platform for Salesforce clients to Read more
Configuring Revenue Management for Automated Population of Recognition Templates and GLAs Revenue Management can be set up to automatically populate the recognition template and GLAs on your source records based on their revenue recognition treatment. How It Works Revenue Management assigns the correct recognition template to a source record by following these steps: Setting Up the Flow To use this functionality, you must build a Salesforce flow that triggers an Apex action. Follow these steps to create a flow for each source object: Below is an outline for creating a flow for the Order Product (OrderItem) source object: Creating the Flow for Order Product (OrderItem) The flow will trigger when you save or update an order product that meets the conditions for inclusion in recognition processes. Repeat for Other Source Objects Repeat the above procedure to create flows for each of the remaining source objects: Invoice Line, Credit Note Line, and Usage Summary (if used). Ready? By following these steps, you can efficiently configure Revenue Management to automate the population of recognition templates and GLAs, streamlining your revenue recognition processes. Like1 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
A Salesforce lead queue serves several purposes. Accepting leads from a queue is an easy way to reassign leads to yourself. Salesforce lead queues are a great way to assign leads to a team, too. To reassign a single lead from a queue, go to the record detail page and change the record owner. To assign a lead to a queue: Can a queue own a lead Salesforce? The default lead owner can be a user or a queue. 1. From Setup, click Setup – Feature Settings – Marketing – Lead Settings, and then click Edit. How do you assign lead to queue using flow? A Salesforce lead queue allows users to prioritize, distribute, and assign records – ideal for teams that share workloads. Queues bring together groups of users to help manage shared workloads, while increasing visibility into what needs to be done (even if team members are out sick or on vacation). Like2 Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more
Salesforce’s Communications Cloud facilitates the delivery of digital-first journeys. With seamless order processes, offering time and cost savings while enhancing internal operational efficiencies. In collaboration with Tectonic, this Salesforce tool empowers the creation of straightforward yet powerful digital experiences. It aids in streamlining product and service launches and adhering to industry standards.. With architectures, and leveraging predictive analytics to reduce email churn. Built on the world’s leading CRM platform – Salesforce, Communications Cloud, formerly known as Vlocity for communications. It empowers B2C, B2B, and wholesale communications service providers (CSPs) to transition to a catalog-driven digital BSS (digital business support system). Purpose Built Industry Functionality With purpose-built industry functionality and the comprehensive capabilities of Sales Cloud and Service Cloud, service providers can swiftly adapt to changing customer expectations. The tool to achieve faster time-to-value, and integrate every aspect of their organization, from marketing and retail channels to customer care and operations. Salesforce Communications Cloud ensures businesses exceed customer expectations across B2B, B2C, and multiple channels. It seamlessly integrates with Salesforce Marketing, Sales, and Service Clouds, offering industry-specific functionality. Utilizing analytics and artificial intelligence (AI), it delivers personalized services, enabling omnichannel marketing across various channels. Collaborating with Tectonic ensures the seamless integration of Communications Cloud functionality with other Salesforce systems, promoting smooth data flow and cohesive organizational processes. Properly implemented Salesforce Communications Cloud makes omnichannel communications easy. For specific business operations, like number reservation systems or credit check applications, that are not directly supported by Salesforce Customer 360, OmniStudio and APIs can be employed to integrate third-party applications. This solution provides industry-standard APIs, including TMF620 and TMF645 APIs, automating processes for faster and more accurate service. Communications Cloud allows tailoring customer interactions based on individual preferences, providing notifications about promotions, service activations, outages, billing information, product changes, and feedback opportunities. Each communication is tracked on the customer account, enabling Einstein Analytics to monitor interactions for efficient and personalized service. Collaboration with Salesforce Communications Cloud Commercial and technical teams collaborate using a shared catalog to design and develop customer-specific offers. With reusable components in the shared catalog, teams can efficiently build, test, and connect offer elements, reducing time-to-market. Customers can order products and services through various channels, and Communications Cloud, being omnichannel, processes and stores information using a master data source. It ensures that products and services offered are relevant, correctly configured, priced, available, and deliverable before the order is placed. Integration with Marketing and Service Clouds facilitates order fulfillment, service scheduling, and customer communication. Call center interactions become opportunities to build relationships and make informed suggestions, enhancing the customer experience. Communications Cloud makes every connection with a customer a positive experience properly tracked in your CRM. Communications Cloud in the Communications Industry In the communications industry, changes to plans and services, known as move, add, change, delete (MACD), are managed through Communications Cloud integration with Salesforce Service and Marketing clouds. Sales reps create MACD orders with industries CPQ, keeping customers informed of progress and scheduling relevant service appointments. Tectonic, as a Salesforce Consulting Partner, assists companies in utilizing Communications Cloud effectively. Through the discovery process, roles and responsibilities are mapped to determine how key employees can best leverage Salesforce Communications Cloud. Tectonic comprises a skilled team of Salesforce-certified Consultants, Developers, Analysts, and Project Managers. Specializing in innovative Salesforce solutions, the team brings custom Salesforce technology to various business aspects, ensuring strategic services align with specific needs. Reach out to the Tectonic team today to explore how Salesforce Communications Cloud can improve your customer communications. Like Related Posts Salesforce OEM AppExchange Expanding its reach beyond CRM, Salesforce.com has launched a new service called AppExchange OEM Edition, aimed at non-CRM service providers. Read more The Salesforce Story In Marc Benioff’s own words How did salesforce.com grow from a start up in a rented apartment into the world’s Read more Salesforce Jigsaw Salesforce.com, a prominent figure in cloud computing, has finalized a deal to acquire Jigsaw, a wiki-style business contact database, for Read more Health Cloud Brings Healthcare Transformation Following swiftly after last week’s successful launch of Financial Services Cloud, Salesforce has announced the second installment in its series Read more