The Spring 16 release has now been deployed for over a month and we at Arkus have been implementing many of the new features. Here’s a partial list of enhancements that we have implemented for our clients orgs with favorable feedback.
Lightning Experience, Salesforce Classic and Salesforce1
- Select Whether a Quick Action Creates a Feed Item On Execution - Users seem to be pleased with being given the ability to identify whether or not a Publisher action creates a Chatter post. The feeds in some cases were becoming unwieldy and considered unnecessary noise, as many users were turned off and ended up hiding them; now, Administrators can re-introduce the value of the updates being posted.
- Create Custom Success Messages for Quick Actions - This is a rather nifty feature that allows Administrators to create and display a custom message when a quick action executes successfully. It’s especially useful if the Admin disables the creation of feed items since it gives the user some indication of success even though the feed will not be updated. Users will love you for this!
Console for Service
- Improve Performance by Limiting the Number of Open Tabs - We all have seen users who open so many tabs their Console becomes unmanageable. Now there’s help for those users, Administrators can set the limits to a reasonable number and let users know they just improved their performance and productivity. Help users to help themselves!
- Preview Tab Contents with Tab Hovers - You really have to admit that this is so helpful it’s a wonder that it hasn’t been available sooner. Users love the capability of seeing the details of the tabbed record without having to click into it. Administrators, remember that this is managed with Compact Layouts for each object.
Service Cloud
- Work Orders (Generally Available) - We received a shiny new Work Orders object in this release that has quickly proven to be useful. Admins can create custom relationships between work orders and other standard or custom objects, they can be associated with accounts, assets, cases, contacts, entitlements, service contracts, and other work orders. They can even be added as navigation tabs to your console. Need to add some preventive maintenance tasks and assign them to a rep? Work Orders is your answer.
Process Builder
- Reuse Names and Descriptions When Creating a New Process Version - Process Builder has recently become my new best friend. This enhancement saves Administrators from having to retype all the names and creative descriptions for each version of the process. Given the fact that every change to an activated process results in having to create a new version, the time and keystrokes saved is significant.
- View Field Names in Your Process at a Glance - Sometimes it’s the little things that make a difference, the ability to hover over the field name in the criteria or action side panel to see the entire name is one small but powerful feature. What a time-saver!
- Easier Mentions in Post to Chatter Actions - Simply @ mention a user in the Chatter post action and that’s it? Really? This is too easy. Trust me, it is that easy and it works. Now you can mention a user and they can check their Chatter mentions to easily see posts that were created by a process.
- Update ID Fields Using Formulas - Do you have a need to auto-assign records based on record type criteria? This feature allows you to do just that within a process. Now Admins can update ID fields, think OwnerID, based on formula criteria.
This Spring 16 Salesforce release has quickly proven to be a winner. Do you have some favorites that we didn’t mention? Please feel free to comment below, on the Salesforce Success Community, on our Facebook page, or directly at me on Twitter @sfdcclicks.
