Generally speaking, documentation and geolocation are seemingly disparate data points. How often are we concerned with where a document comes from or where it is being sent? But there are benefits to knowing this information. Additionally, location data is key when it comes to audience targeting, locating opportunities, and better understanding your business’ demographics. In today’s digital world this type of data collectively can help shape and inform decisions that affect your business’ future.

Here at FirmWorks, our focus is to develop products to simplify, organize, and optimize your working world. The use cases of our products run the gamut so we are sharing some of the unique solutioning opportunities that we have encountered. In this post, we’re taking a look at a couple of instances where two of our products, FirmWorks Files and Geo, are used together to simplify, organize, and optimize business processes.

 

What’s the Scenario?

Geotagging is not a new concept. But, what if we were able to tag a document on upload with the location of that user to easily ascertain if it was fraudulent? What about if there was an automated internal process that could flag a document for review, because its origin didn’t match the record?

Let’s look at it from the other end of the process. What if you needed an internal document to be distributed to a particular geographic region? For instance, say you’re part of a marketing team that distributes a monthly newsletter to customers with region-specific information and you wanted to only select individuals within that geographic area thereby resulting in a more accurate grouping?

 

Not As Simple As It Sounds

If you are intrigued by the premise, that’s great! But there aren’t many ways to combine geocoding and document management in Salesforce. True story! Not only does it require a way to obtain geocoded information, but it also requires you to manage a cache of documents. Not necessarily an easy task, but one where Salesforce excels.

Salesforce has the tools that allow you to obtain the contextual geocoded information for standard Salesforce Objects while also maintaining a repository of your documents. But just because they CAN provide those two pieces does NOT mean you can make them to work together. That part requires a little help beyond standard Salesforce.

FirmWorks has two products that work together in this manner and can help your Salesforce shine— FirmWorks Files and FirmWorks Geo.

 

The FirmWorks Solution

FirmWorks Files is a package that allows you to regain comprehensive control of your Salesforce files. Have you ever wondered where a file went days, weeks, maybe months after loading it? What about making sure you have all the files you need for an upcoming presentation or audit? Those are just a couple of scenarios FirmWorks Files can help your company with. If you want to learn more about FirmWorks Files’ potential read THIS.

With respect to the topic at hand, FirmWorks Files can facilitate storing geocode information on files themselves to support the use cases we described above. The second piece needed to make this work, and the other half of this dynamic duo, is FirmWorks Geo.

FirmWorks Geo is a free app that allows you to easily geolocate information. In basic terms, FirmWorks Geo leverages out-of-the-box Salesforce data validation in combination with US census data and browser location to help you make the best choices when it comes to your Salesforce data. What are the 10 closest local accounts to the one I am visiting next week? Which accounts are in this region and should receive this newsletter?

Starting to see the through way? Good! Now let’s look at two really interesting ways we can enable geocoding documents and resolve these scenarios.

 

Files + Geo = Success

Option #1:

First, find a group of contacts based on their location to distribute a file or series of files to. Using FirmWorks Geo, FirmWorks Files and Salesforce Flow, a user can run a process that will allow them to obtain a list of contacts, which could initially be filtered by Record-based information, such as Title Buying Power and/or Previous Engagements.

Then, using FirmWorks Geo, that search can be further pared down using Geocoded information to achieve a highly specific geo-targeted list of contacts. The next step in the flow would be selecting the files you want to distribute to that list of contacts. Using FirmWorks Files’ flow components you can view the documents and filter them to a specific set or select a specific document you want to send.

Then, via custom Actions, a basic email can be created with generated public links of those documents for distribution.

 

Option #2:

Alternatively, you could automate the association of specific documents to a group based on their location. This method uses the same three pieces (FWF, FEW, and SF Flows), but with a slightly different approach.

In this instance, the starting point is the FirmWorks Files FileViewer component, which allows you to organize, search, and tag documents on page layout or in a flow. Using this, you can tag specific documents you want to send to a particular group of clients.

Then as you move through the flow there will be a geo component to use geolocation targeting to help select a group of clients in a particular area to distribute those documents to.

Lastly, using a FirmWorks Files’ custom action, a public link can be generated and sent to the aforementioned client audience via email. This ensures that there are no blockages for the client-side email due to file type or size restrictions or any potential access related issues.

 

Conclusion

As I mentioned, files and geolocation aren’t often a consideration, but when put in context the two can provide a powerful and effective solution. Now you can see the potential for a marketing team’s email campaigns, region-specific reminders and follow-ups, and countless other scenarios. If you want to a deeper dive into how FirmWorks Files and FirmWorks Geo can help your org grow, request a demo and let us show you how these products can help your use case.

Why do computers hate going to their file storage?

Because it’s a hard drive.

And on that note, let’s discuss how vital documents and files are to virtually every business type in every industry.

How documents are stored, shared, and most importantly, created is of tremendous importance to a business’s core functions, productivity, and overall success. While sounding insignificant, document generation is an essential aspect of daily operations for every business, especially those using Salesforce.

Why is the Doc Gen source important?

Much like your daily meals, your business feeds on a steady diet of documents like NDAs, contracts, SOPs, resources, financials, HR docs, and so much more. In our diets, we know the importance of both the ingredients and the preparation, and it’s no different with the prep of your business docs. Businesses run smoothly when the people in charge know what documentation and files are created AND how.

We’ve previously discussed document sharing, document management, and reporting on files in Salesforce. Clearly the source of data is important, and in document generation that is no different, so let’s next discuss why the data in Salesforce is crucial for fast and reliable document generation.

Data Accuracy: The source ensures that the data used is accurate and up to date. Whether it’s customer information, sales figures, or product details, having a reliable source ensures the documents reflect the most current data.

Consistency: A centralized source ensures consistency. Whether it’s sales proposals, contracts, or reports, consistency is key for professionalism and compliance.

Efficiency: With a well-defined source, the process of document generation becomes more efficient. Users don’t have to waste time searching for the right data or worrying about its accuracy; it’s readily available from the trusted source.

Compliance and Security: Each industry and/or region has compliance requirements regarding data handling and storage. Using a secure and compliant source ensures that sensitive information is handled appropriately, reducing the risk of data breaches and compliance violations.

Integration with other Systems: Salesforce is often integrated with other systems within an organization. Having a defined source ensures seamless integration and data flow between Salesforce and other systems, enhancing overall operational efficiency.

How to Choose a Doc Gen Solution

There are many Salesforce Document Generation tools with varying prices and functions. Making the right choice for YOUR business can be tough, but at the end of the day it is important to focus on three simple things:

Scalability: How does the solution grow with your business from year to year? Do you need the solution to handle large documents with pictures or documents merging large data sets?

Automation: Does the number of documents your org will generate merit automation, or do you need to send documents as part of an automated business process?

Delivery: How do your documents need to be distributed to internal and external individuals? Does your delivery method need to be more secure based on the data in the generated documents?

Issues to be Addressed

Once you’ve answered those questions and landed on a solution you are set, and document generation can begin, right? Well, not quite. There are a few more things to consider when you are generating documents with a tool.

Depending on your industry, here are some issues that may arise:

Organization: Sifting through the generated documents can be a taxing endeavor especially when trying to find specific file within a myriad of documents without clear delineators.

Automation: If you set up your document generation to create a document every time a change is made, that is going to result in a LOT of docs, without any mechanism for easily identifying important documents there will be documents that get lost.

Compliance Tracking: Document generation is a huge boon to any company but how do you make sure the generated documents are helping your compliance policies? Alternatively, how easy is it to monitor and manage required compliance documents?

Visibility & Access: Once you’ve generated these documents, how easy are they to access, interact, and distribute to the individuals or clients that need them?

Why Choose FirmWorks Files?

Post Document Generation Tagging

 

The easiest way to absolve yourselves of most of the issues that arise when document generation solutions are implemented is to tag your documents post generation. As seen in Figure 1, the ease of this operation can depend on the document generation tool you use. If the tool allows you to update fields on the generated file records, then you are in a great spot! From there you can just set tags as part of the doc gen process. This means FirmWorks Files (FWF) components will be able to utilize all the tags to organize, view, and interact with generated documents!

If your document generation tool does NOT allow you to set fields on the generated file(s), then tagging gets complicated. One workaround we’ve seen is inserting what would be the tag within the naming convention of the file upon generation and THEN assigning the tag based on the file name and renaming it. But let’s be frank, that laborious process is wildly impractical, inefficient, and potentially inconsistent while yielding only so-so results. However, since most doc gen tools can set output files names, with FWF we can leverage that file name to get all the information needed to tag the document and then update its name to something more practical and palatable for clients and users.

Channels of Distribution

 

 

Document generation tools handle distribution of the documents they create, generally by emailing the document to external parties. In our professional opinion, emailing a document has SEVERE limitations. Document size and type alone can drastically affect the email’s ability to be sent. These two characteristics can drastically impact one’s operational efficiency by hindering your ability to send out complex contracts, huge planning PDFs, high resolution images, presentations, etc., because they can’t even be attached or sent via email.

As seen in Figure 2, FirmWorks Files can detect a file creation on a specific object and create public links to distribute documents that can easily be accessed externally as part of a flow. For internal distribution, FWF can also help! Normally a developer is required to create additional links from a file to other object, but FWF’s automation tools can automatically create links to other objects, which means anytime someone generates an NDA for a new Opportunity, for example, it can be shared to the Account automatically!

 

Approval of Generated Documents

 

 

Some documents should not be automatically distributed once generated and need to be reviewed and approved before they can be used for anything. This could be the case for any product white papers generated from Salesforce records or a contract that needs to be approved by legal. While some doc gen tools do facilitate actions post generation, it comes at a price and can be cost prohibitive.

Using FirmWorks files you can create the approval processes you need, no sweat. As you can see in Figure 3 FirmWorks File Event package can be used on the creation of any file to trigger an approval process. This can also be based on logic of the generated file so not all files need to go through the same or any approval process.

 

Automated Compliance with Document Generation

 

 

One of the awesome parts of automated document generation is the ability to integrate it within your existing processes. The better document generation tools allow you to call a document generation event from Salesforce Flow. This is great because FirmWorks Files leverages platform events, which can trigger a Flow. Combining these together with another FWF feature, File Reporting, allows you to leverage tags on your files to tell you when your Salesforce records fall under the company’s specified compliance standards.

For example, you could have an MSA in place for all your subscribers or the tax information required to prove a company you are working with is a non-profit. Once this report is in place, you can schedule it to run at whatever intervals you want and when the report runs the FileViewer package will publish a platform event for each record that populates the report results. From there you can trigger a flow to run that could identify which document(s) is/are missing and subsequently initiate a document generation automation action to create the missing document. This is a very powerful way to ensure your company is compliant.

Managing Doc Gen Templates

 

 

All doc gen solutions require you to build and maintain a structure for the document being generated, typically referred to as templates. Depending on how many different documents you need to generate, you could have a lot of templates involved in your business’s day-to-day operations. Furthermore, templates can change frequently, which makes maintaining versioning a supremely important activity so you can roll back any potential mistakes in a template.

Using FirmWorks Files you can tag your templates to get a better snapshot of your Current Document template, improve document organization, and keep your document generation solution up to date and accurate.

FirmWorks Provides Next Level Doc Gen

Document generation tools are at the forefront of a successful business infrastructure. While the style, language, appearance, and structure of these documents is important, it is even more essential to maintain a firm handle on their organization, accessibility, and maintenance.

The quote “with great power comes great responsibility,” has long since transcended its original medium and can now be applied to most aspects of life, including the likes of document generation. Keeping that in mind, the next time you use tools to help you generate your company’s documents consider our words and let us help you harness the power of those files with FirmWorks Files.

Previously on the FirmWorks blog, we discussed The Synergy of Geography and Data, outlining the five points below—

01.  Geographical context is crucial for businesses: Geography significantly impacts various aspects of business operations, including personalization, targeted marketing, logistics, and customer insights.

02.  Geolocation as a strategic asset: Geolocation data is like a digital treasure map, offering businesses valuable insights and opportunities for optimization.

03.  Challenges of accessing geolocation data: While geolocation data is valuable, accessing it can be complicated and costly, requiring specific tools and investments.

04.  Integration of geolocation with Salesforce: Salesforce provides tools like Data Integration Rules (DIR) to help organize and connect geolocation data effectively within its platform.

05.  Customization may be necessary: While Salesforce offers some standard geocoding capabilities, businesses may need to engage in custom development and utilize geocoding APIs for more specific or custom data objects or fields.

So let’s discuss FirmWorks Geo, our FREE mapping solution for Salesforce, in greater detail.

If you were to scroll through the AppExchange for mapping applications, you’d find quite a few of them, but not many, if any, that are budget friendly or free. Recognizing that not everyone needs a complete mapping or route generating service, and that sometimes people simply need a basic map for what’s in the area, we found a need for a simple solution and developed FirmWorks Geo.

Oh, and did I mention it’s FREE?

Here’s how it works—

The Nuts and Bolts of FirmWorks Geo

In a previous post, we covered the basics of Salesforce and geocoding. So where does FirmWorks Geo fit in the mix? Rather that operating off Google Maps or Mapquest API calls (a cost-inefficient solution), Geo uses US Census Data.

If you wanted to Google or Mapquest rather than US Census Data with FirmWorks Geo, could you? Of course. That choice is yours and the application is completely flexible.

In addition to the Census Data, you’ll need to have one of the four basic Data Integration Rules [Account Billing Address, Account Shipping Address, Contact Address, and Lead Address] active on an object. Does this sound overly technical and complicated? I assure you it isn’t.

Follow these three simple steps—

✓   Download the application and turn on the DIR during setup. (This has the addresses you are using for data analysis and want to show within the FirmWorks Geo tool).

✓   Patiently wait for Salesforce to get that data imported …

✓   Then simply decide whether you’d like to operate on the Global or Object level, add the components where needed, and DONE.

Excluding the Salesforce import, the whole process takes less time than it takes to make a hard-boiled egg.

What Can You Do With FirmWorks Geo?

You have your relevant data geocoded, FirmWorks Geo is all loaded up, now it’s time to get that data on a map and see what can be done with it. Let’s look at what FirmWorks Geo can help your company effectively do with its geocoded data.

Sales Route Planning

The most 1:1 use case for FirmWorks Geo is for planning sales routes. Whether for new lead generation or account reviews, location is a nodal data point for planning an efficient sales route, especially with how sales teams tend to operate via regions and territories.

By using FirmWorks Geo, an administrator can set up filters based on your orgs data, then the sales team can plot the best possible routes within a particular market.

Cool, right?

First, connect with your sales team and identify key factors on accounts or contacts that will help identify the best areas/regions/territories to focus their efforts.

For example, your team may only want to physically travel for accounts worth more than $500k, or maybe they just want a list of decision makers to take out to lunch, so they can close deals faster. Whatever the parameters may be, you can build a filter using FirmWorks Geo that will provide them with the best possible route for any sales use case!

Service Visits Made Easy

Sometimes sales teams aren’t the only folks that need to travel. If your org provides any services where individuals need to do site visits, FirmWorks Geo is a free alternative to purchasing a secondary mapping system on top of your existing Salesforce org.

So, let’s talk about Service visit planning.

While the configuration for these use cases is similar, for Service it may require looking at account addresses that have purchased a particular type of service. If you create a way to represent this on the Account, you have your geocoding, then you can create a list of accounts related to each type of product or service contract and design routes for Service team members based on their skill set or expertise!

Not for Profit, not a Problem!

The best use case we’ve encountered is helping those companies that help others. Not-for-Profit clients tend to be very interested in knowing more about their data’s location.

FirmWorks Geo provides a great way to map visits with top tier donors, as well as the most efficient route when visiting individuals to campaign for funds.

By setting up a few FirmWorks Geo filters on contact records, users can efficiently assess where to coordinate and focus volunteers in the field.

Additionally, users can also determine great locations for fundraising events centrally located to their donors, volunteers, and/or other important constituents’ locations. This can even be taken a step further by filtering information from the NPSP package, like Gift Amount or other Contact roll ups, to make these filters more powerful and poignant.

Data + Geo = Success

Geocoding data in a database can be a lot more complicated than simply using Google Maps. Data doesn’t automatically come with geolocation information attached to it; it must be provided by a geocoding service. At this point, everything starts coming together and you can use your data to improve your processes. For many business types, a complex geolocation service is not needed. That is why we offer FirmWorks Geo for FREE, so your org can take advantage of geography. Want to give it a try? Get in touch here, info@getfirmworks.com, or simply download FirmWorks Geo today and we’ll get the power of geography in your hands!

Soilworks, a company specializing in soil stabilization and dust control solutions, reached out to FirmWorks for assistance storing, using, and sharing their multitude of files.  

Soilworks provides various products and services aimed at controlling dust and erosion, enhancing soil stability, and improving the overall performance of unpaved surfaces. Their environmentally friendly solutions are used in various industries such as mining, construction, agriculture, and transportation to mitigate dust emissions and maintain soil integrity. Their products are designed to be cost-effective, long-lasting, and environmentally sustainable. 

A Folly of Files 

From the beginning, the Soilworks team experienced issues with storing, using, and sharing their files inside of their Salesforce org. In truth, they needed to build an entire filing system on the Libraries Object which has very limited features and functionalities out-of-the-box and make getting client context and sharing files very cumbersome.   

Uploading a file to a Library is like placing your files into a secure, private vault accessible only to authorized personnel within your organization.  Alternatively, you could upload your files to Objects, or create links to the Object, which can give you better context on why it was loaded, but finding those connections is like tracing the yarn strands of a conspiracy theorist’s plot board.  

The team did, however, get as far as they possibly could designing a system that “worked”, even managing to create some custom tags, but ultimately it wasn’t good enough to meet their needs.  

In addition to there issues finding and sharing files, their storage was brimming with countless duplicates that ate up a ton of storage and subsequently a lot of money. Their Salesforce was file solution felt more like a collection of overstuffed digital pendaflexes.  

The FirmWorks Fix 

After years of searching for an effective solution to their file woes, the Soilworks team stumbled upon FirmWorks and FirmWorks Files. Utilizing FirmWorks Files, the tags they had created using became easy to filter, find, and were now comprehensively searchable. 

The hyper saturated libraries presented a larger issue, since ownership of a file in a Library is difficult to change. Leveraging Data Loader to create appropriate Content Document Links in combination with FirmWorks Files’ Events packet to trigger automations when the file’s Object are created, they were able to reshare everything based on org level visibility and using the security they painstakingly setup for their internal users.   

How the Dust Settled 

In just a few months, Soilworks’ files went from calamitous cascade of chaotic content to a meticulously managed mélange of methodically mapped materials.   

Uploads were deduped, original File Content, Page Layouts/Record Types preserved, data organized and optimized, and there was much rejoicing.  

If your team is operating in a similarly frustrating capacity, buried beneath a folly of files, get in touch and we will quickly help you sort it out.  

Why Do We Care Where?

In the world of interrogatory words, ‘where’ falls somewhere in the middle with respect to the order of importance. Not nearly on the level of ‘why’, but certainly well above ‘which’. But, when it comes to your data, ‘where’ leaps right up near the top of the list.

Why? … told you it was important … Geographical context informs so much of a business’s processes and operations without anyone really realizing it.

• Personalization: Companies tailor their products and/or services based specifically on the location of their client/customer base
• Targeted Marketing: This type of data helps inform marketing efforts more effectively
• Logistics & Operations: It is crucial to logistical and operational planning by helping businesses optimize delivery and sales routes, as well as providing insight on customer density for store locations and managing inventory.
• Customer Insights: It illustrates customer behavior and preferences, which can in turn help to expand into new markets or adjust current sales operations.

When it comes to YOUR business, geolocation is so much more than a client or customer’s latitude and longitude. It is like a digital treasure map that can lead you to untold riches. That may be a slight exaggeration, but it isn’t far off from the truth, which is why accessing this data can be complicated and costly.

In Salesforce, geocoding information typically isn’t displayed directly on a record in the user interface. Instead, geocoding is used behind the scenes to associate geographical coordinates with addresses stored in specific fields on records. When you input an address into certain address fields on a Salesforce record (such as Account, Contact, or Lead records), Salesforce can automatically geocode that address, meaning it calculates the corresponding coordinates for that address. These coordinates are then stored in hidden fields within the record.

While you won’t see the geocoding information directly on the record page, it’s used in various features and functionalities within Salesforce, such as mapping integrations, like Google Maps or MapQuest. Both are free … to a point. Both Google Maps and MapQuest offer free tiers of API calls, but once you breach that threshold it will cost you and, depending on your business model and usage, it can be quite a bit.

 

Salesforce + Geocode

Salesforce provides a nifty way to geocode your data, using Data Integration Rules (DIR). DIR is a tool that helps organize and connect data in a simple and efficient way. Here’s a simple explanation:

Imagine you have a big box of puzzle pieces, each representing a different part of your data, like customer information or sales records. These puzzle pieces have special rules attached to them, saying where they should fit in your overall picture.

Data Integration Rules act like a guide that helps you put these puzzle pieces together correctly. It tells Salesforce how to match up pieces of data based on specific criteria, like addresses or names. Once these rules are set up, Salesforce automatically organizes your data according to these guidelines, making it easier for you to find and use the information you need.

In short, DIR helps Salesforce users make sense of their data by setting up rules for how different pieces of information should be connected and organized. Got it?

Now, while it is great that Salesforce provides a way for some standard objects to be geocoded, it does require some custom development and a geocoding API to geocode any custom objects or fields.

So what’s the next step?

Well, now that we understand that the integration of geography and data is not merely a matter of pinpointing coordinates; it’s a strategic imperative for businesses seeking to thrive in today’s data-driven landscape. Understanding the significance of “where” unlocks a myriad of opportunities across personalization, targeted marketing, logistics, and customer insights. Geolocation can operate as a digital treasure map, which guides businesses to valuable insights and operational efficiencies.

While platforms like Salesforce offer tools for geocoding data, unlocking its full potential may require additional customization and investment…or does it? What if I told you that we’ve developed a FREE application that can help you continue to explore the synergy between geography and data and an opportunity for continued innovation and growth?

Stay tuned for our next post where we will show you just how we can that is possible with FirmWorks Geo.

Want to give it a try? Let us know at info@getfirmworks.com and we’ll get the power of geography in your hands today!

While many companies use Salesforce as a source of data, there are times when the customer-facing side of the company also needs to be sourced by that data. There are many headless solutions that can separate your Salesforce data source from the web development team, but some orgs need an interface for customers to view, interact with, and create data in.

This interface could save an internal team time and energy spent on monotonous clicking, calling to validate data, or routing a customer and allow them to focus on higher priority tasks instead. Which brings us to Salesforce Experience.

Now, the when, why, and how for implementing and using an Experience has been widely discussed (see our good friends over at Salesforce Ben), but there is still nuance to that discussion that deserves our attention.

1. Data Collection:

From personal details to information for internal processes, an Experience can easily facilitate individuals to populate your Salesforce data with relevant information straight from the source … them, the customers!

2. Facilitating Collaboration:

For example, applying for a home loan, coaching someone for a job or a new life event, where there are frequent touch points with clients, with an Experience you can easily have someone log into a portal and provide a quick update.

3. External Requests:

Things like transcripts, construction documents, or safety data sheets can all be provided on an Experience via an automation and keep internal users from being bombarded with superfluous requests.

So where do Files fit into the idea of using an Experience?

Files are typically the main reason businesses want to create an Experience in the first place, to facilitate the document heavy aspects of doing business with external parties—data-heavy processes, uploads, downloads, and more.

If you’ve worked with Salesforce Files before you make have noticed they are not ideal for most use cases, whether sharing them externally or simply knowing what documents you have or don’t have in the system as part of a process. 

Many businesses and teams on Salesforce use an external file storage system recreating architecture that mimics their Salesforce architecture, and have designated personnel manually manage those systems in attempt to maintain synchronicity, right?

But, How’s THAT going?! Not great, I’d venture.

This is the part where FirmWorks Files (FWF) comes to your aid, making your Experience file management a breeze.

If you already have a concrete understanding of Salesforce Experiences, please take the next 60-seconds to consider how your interactions with the base systems have gone and then jump to the next section. If you have not, read on!

Here are the Salesforce Experience basics—

First, decide if you are building an experience for partners or customers. This will guide you through the license type you need and determine what objects and functions the Experience users have access to. Next, build your site. Salesforce’s Experience builder allows you to use custom org content and a WISIWYG build to allow easy and functional front-end building  Finally, set up security and provision users. This process is nice and simple and results in a stylish website branded with your content and backed by the data architecture and security that is at the core of Salesforce. Easy, right? Now on to the good stuff—

If your Experience is set up to allow clients to enter data about themselves or their organization then you will likely be asking constituents for both basic information and various kinds of files—certifications, organization documentation, bank statements, etc.

This type of information is most commonly derived from a loan, grant, or support program application portal. Guiding individuals through an application process in an Experience is exactly what it was built to do, but there are quite a few pain points throughout the process, including requesting documents. 

Out of the box, once a file is uploaded into the system there is no easy way to tell what its contents are anymore. It could be a pdf of a certification or Grandma’s Thumbprint cookie recipe; you just don’t know. From an organizational and efficiency standpoint, it is an untenable situation that requires a seemingly unnecessary and elaborate process or an alternative solution.

This is where FirmWorks Files comes in. With FWF, you can set up automated naming conventions and tagging for files, which allow you to easily see, search, and sort all of your uploads once in the system. By using the FWF configurable upload button, you can predetermine which files clients upload from your experience and add metadata to them at the same time!

Beyond making document content visible so you can see which files you DO have, it is also useful in many cases to understand which documents you DON’T have. With the base package, it’s difficult for an applicant within the system to see when a document(s) is missing from a process without needing to contact a member of your team.

Missing documents can lead to delays in the application process and potentially frustrated customers. By using FirmWorks Files you can combine file uploads and associated record updates and related information for both the Experience members and internal users. The ability to trigger a process automation like this at file upload is a huge boon for the data gathering process.

Some Experiences exist to allow your internal support members, coaches, or consultants to actively interact with your customers. These collaborative processes may require customers to upload a variety of file types—video of reproduction steps, weekly result excel sheets, current process framework diagrams—not just pdfs or word documents, but ANY file type. Unlike the standard Salesforce File, FWF not only allows you to upload whatever file type you require, but also a multitude of files simultaneously, with metadata, and without having to upload duplicates that will inevitably and unnecessarily consume excessive amounts of storage. 

Collaborative processes can cause further frustration when a client doesn’t upload the required data for a meeting prior to that meeting. This is another box ticked by FWF, which can leverage its file reporting software to trigger events based on missing documents, sending those individuals emails and reminders about upcoming meetings, any missing documentation needed for discussion, as well as updating them on their overall status within the process.

These kinds of updates keep everyone involved with the process on task, on time, and abreast of any potential snags before they escalate to problems.

Another situation that could potentially arise with an Experience is when a client needs information from you and your company. These requests can eat away at the time and brain space of internal employees as they can consist of time sensitive materials—statement of benefits, transcripts, company product white papers, data sheets—that could potentially prolong or delay the process. Yes, in some cases these documents could be hosted on the company website, but, contingent on the content, others may require authentication to access the information.

FWF can support this in a couple of different ways:

• By automatically creating and limiting document sharing, this way individuals can only download what they need from the portal.

• If the documents cannot be made readily available in the portal, you can set up a request action to allow that user to request that information, which can subsequently be sent to them via email.

• The best practice, and our preferred method, is using public links with passwords, which allows you complete control of that information, maintains security, and avoids pesky email attachment size restrictions.

Experiences and Files go hand-in-hand. Acknowledging that one comes with the other and planning for it will make your users and clients happier. Combining that mindset with FirmWorks Files can help you make a seamless Experience for your users regardless of your business vertical.

Whether you have an existing experience or are considering building a new one, don’t overlook how you approach Files. If you don’t want to spend the brain power considering  how to handle files, let us do it for you! You can also try FirmWorks Files yourself and see how our native solution can provide you a better Experience with Salesforce. visit the AppExchange to start a free trial today.

With so much happening in your Salesforce environment, many users fail to realize the number of clicks performed daily. Salesforce makes a heroic effort to provide their users with tools to make their workday easier. 

From Apps and Page Layouts to Flows and Apex, nearly every tool is Salesforce is there to streamline or automate a manual process. 

So, why are Flows one of the best options for enhancing a user’s daily workflow?

Not only do flows guide a user through the data points and important aspects of interacting with Salesforce records, but they also ensure data integrity is maintained. 

Flows are a tool provided to Salesforce administrators and developers that allows a declarative UI for building automations with no code. There are a few different types of flows used every day.

Screen flows are a great way to present users with an interface for guided interaction through data. A screen flow uses screen elements to allow an administrator to display data to a user as part of their interaction with a record. Before and after, the admin has access to all the normal flow tools that allow them to interact with data outside of the user.

One individual may build a flow to allow a user to create a new record from a parent record and create all the associated connections to other unrelated records at the same time, all in a single click. 

Alternatively, someone may use a flow to pull in documentation from a few different objects to attach to an email and allow the user to select to whom they send it. 

There are also flows that fire without any user interaction. Record Triggered Flows happen when a change in the system meets criteria set up by the administrator, then sets values, creates records, enforces sharing, or any number of other actions. This all takes place as the user updates or creates new records.

These flows are incredibly useful when you need to make sure certain teams are assigned work when records change. For example, when a User on the sales team changes an opportunity’s stage from qualifying to quote generation, this might mean the Legal team needs to check the quote terms and prepare an MSA or other legal document. With a record-triggered flow, users can simply automate the creation of a task for the appropriate persons when the sales stage is updated.

A scheduled flow is one that is triggered by a specified date and frequency, usually daily, weekly, or monthly.

For example, a scheduled flow can delete or deactivate sales inquiries after a certain date has passed by changing the status of a lead or case to “closed”. You can set up a scheduled flow to run daily that looks at the last interaction date and if it is ten days in the past, the flow can close the case and send a case-closed email.

Platform Events are a more advanced feature, but incredibly powerful little objects that trigger just like a normal object, but they run asynchronously with the process that created them. 

At a high level, Platform Events allow you to create a process that can run outside of the constraints around flow limits but with their own context. For a deeper dive into what platform events are check out this article from Salesforce Ben.  

For example, use Platform Events to get around mixed DML Errors. Mixed DML is when you try to interact with an Object, like a Contact, Account, or custom object, during the same process as interacting with an Administration Object (Permission Set or Managed Package Licenses). 

Let’s say you have a record-triggered flow that creates a new user when a new employee has been moved from Interview to Hired status. In this case, you can create a new user but need to separate the assignment of permission sets or licenses needed to a separate process. You can pass information on the new user into a platform event and have that assign the permissions sets and licenses to separate the DML.

Flows are a powerful tool that allow admins to simplify their users’ lift. 

But how do Flows interact with Salesforce Files and what are the limitations?

You may not have realized it, but Salesforce Files are objects just like any other in salesforce, or pretty darn close anyway.

Files have fields we can create on them to add additional information. They can be obtained with Salesforce Object Query Language (SOQL) and displayed on a page layout. Each of these things makes it seem like they would behave just like any other object in most scenarios but unfortunately, that is not the case.

Unlike most Objects, Files are not reportable in any of the Dashboards or Report UI that allow many other objects to be easily tracked. They also don’t get shared the same way other objects do. File sharing is purely based on what object they are linked to and how those objects are owned.

Like most of the implementation around files, the way they Interact with Flows feels unfinished.

While you can interact with Files using Get, Create, and Update elements, you can only do this with certain file objects in certain cases. Additionally, you can’t fire a Record-Triggered flow when a file is created or updated, which poses a huge problem for folks using files to drive their processes.

Enter FirmWorks Files.

Our tool was built specifically to provide users with a way to easily discover files and organize them with tags.

In addition, another key feature allows an admin to hook into Files getting created and updated called File Events.

FirmWorks Files File Events allow you to create Platform Event-Triggered flows based on a file creation, update, or deletion. This is a powerful feature for automating document-driven processes.

Once configured, a File Event will be published (created) and users can hook into those using Platform Event-Triggered Flows to see information like who uploaded the file, enforce naming conventions based on how the file tags upon upload, connect files to other objects, and more.

A common use of these features is when a sales user uploads a signed NDA to a new opportunity as part of the prospecting or closing process. This File may also be used for future opportunities the sales rep opened with the Account. Using File Events, we can make sure any NDA uploaded to an opportunity that is not a renewal, will also get attached to the account. In the future, the user can use a Record-Triggered flow to attach the Existing NDA to any new opportunities created for that Account.

Another interesting use case for Files Events is updating record values when a certain file is uploaded. Since you can’t report traditionally on Files, you need fields on another object to represent those files in a report. Using File Events, you can trigger an update on parent records to reflect what documents were previously uploaded. 

This is helpful in real estate closing processes where there are hundreds of documents involved in real estate deals, but a specific subset of those are needed to ensure closing runs smoothly. 

When a document is uploaded with a tag specific to closing, we can mark that on the Property object to show that we have the Construction inspection, Buyer’s financials, et cetera. Then realtors can report on which Properties are ready to close and which ones are missing information.

File Events is a feature of FirmWorks Files and there is no additional cost to using it. Our goal with this application is truly to make files more functional and allow them to be used like any other object in a flow.

The parity is an important part of making sure all your orgs process works together and make your users successful.

If you want to try FirmWorks Files with File Events, install a free trial of our product from the AppExchange and email use about your interest in File Events.

FirmWorks recently launched our System Integrators (SIs) Partnership program in which we offer 10 FREE FirmWorks Files licenses to Consulting Partners to resource them with a simple yet powerful tool to solve their clients’ file-related pain points, streamline Salesforce implementations, and get projects to market faster. After countless conversations with Salesforce Consultants, we found that a comprehensive tool that solves most of their file-related problems just does not exist. Across the board, our consulting partners have struggled to find a solution that could:

• Locate and organize files that have been uploaded via numerous client processes
• Report on Files that are part of compliance and other processes
• Share files internally and externally without use of an off-platform storage solution

Working with files in one capacity or another is just a part of the job for many Salesforce users and business types. With the many limitations to Salesforce Files out-of-the-box, we created a solution that makes document management, file sharing, tagging, reporting, and more a breeze with the addition of FirmWorks Files. Not convinced that this partnership makes sense for you? Read on to learn about eight times SI’s used FirmWorks Files to solve a client issue and improve an implementation.

TO LOCATE A MISSING CLAIM—

Have you ever had a client tell you they added a file to Salesforce but could not tell you exactly where or when they uploaded it? Or they couldn’t remember what the file was named? Yeah, we have too. Recently, a consultant mentioned that their client in the insurance industry was struggling with file location. After the client added a customer’s insurance claim to a case, then went back to locate it at a later date, the claim was nowhere to be found. We discussed FirmWorks File’s search function and how easily it allows users to sift through thousands of documents using tags, relevant dates, and even searching the document’s content to find needed files. We provided our customer with a simple fix to their client’s frustrating issue, saving countless hours of monotonous searching, and positioning the consultant as the expert they are!

WHEN FILE SHARING IS CARING—

For many Salesforce users, File Access is hard to understand. I’ve lost hours trying to determine why one user could see a file while another user on the same record could not. On separate (panic-inducing) occasions, I’ve run into access issues of the opposite kind where users in our Experience could view private documents they were certainly not supposed to. Preventing access issues is a big deal in many industries and organizations and one that FirmWorks Files addresses in a big way. With default sharing, users never have to worry about the sharing settings on important documents or who has access to what. Users set default values for the processes that allow end users to upload files without worrying about anything else! This can be especially helpful in compliance, human resources, finance, and other scenarios where clients need a surefire way to safeguard file sharing and access.

WHEN EXTERNAL FILE STORAGE ISN’T THE BEST SOLUTION—

Many of our clients use external file storage solutions like Google Drive and One Drive for storing files in bulk, like product specs, marketing documents, photo galleries, and more. Not only does this convolute processes and create the need for users to go off platform to locate and download documents they need, but it also increases room for errors like unapproved file versions, accessibility issues, and difficulty relating files to specific accounts and records. With FirmWorks Files, users can just as easily and securely share public links to their documents stored on-platform, keeping everything and everyone in one place. In a recent demo, we shared a document link with a customer using the Public Links feature to allow us both to walk through the same document without traveling off platform or downloading versions locally. In addition, using a flow, we helped another client send out a set of public links for numerous other products the client requested— all secured with passwords, allowing the client to control who could access the documents externally!

MAKE CONNECTIONS FOR SUCCESS—

File Sharing isn’t just about allowing users direct access to documents. It’s also about ensuring they show up when and where needed. Our org, for example, requires a Master level NDA to be in place for our sales teams to move forward with the sales process. We also require our implementation team to have an SOW before they can log time to tasks for a customer. Historically, both cases required our team to upload documents multiple times in various places, wasting time on excess clicks and leaving room for potential errors. With FirmWorks Files, users can set up automation to create document links between their most important files and the records they need to be viewed on. Additionally, with the Entity Sharing feature, users can easily control how their files are utilized without losing time to multiple uploads or hundreds of clicks!

TO STREAMLINE COMLIANCE—

For many industries, there are rules that necessitate certain documents be in place for processes to happen. From construction permits to IRS documents, most organizations operate under the thumb of compliance on some level. I recently worked with a client org that was missing many tax documents on their deal records in Salesforce—not a great position to find yourself in when held accountable by the government! Fortunately, FirmWorks Files saved the day by implementing an automation that alerts their team when tax documents are missing. We began by using File Reports to generate a list of deals that were out of compliance due to missing tax documents. Then, we created a Salesforce Flow to send emails to the owners, notifying them of the closed deals without the appropriate compliance paperwork. Additionally, we added notifications to deal pages that notify their team when the record is missing important documents— saving them from negative feedback when the finance team internally audits them!

WHEN YOU NEED TO SEE IT—

Our Customer Success (CS) team sifts through many files every week. Customers send images, videos, gifs, and more when they are trying to help us figure out the root cause of the case they submitted, and sorting through all these docs can become a management migraine. FirmWorks File’s Content Viewer component allows our CS team to easily navigate through page previews of customers’ files, showing them the names of the files on tabs for easy identification. This isn’t your traditional preview either— the team can easily view and click through files in a slideshow and delete unnecessary files (like email signature headers) on the fly. With File Configurations, we can filter our file settings to show the CS team’s specific files as needed instead of all the files at once. For example, users can select a view that shows only videos and gifs from customers to quickly identify cases they could close easily after watching a reproduction step video.

TO AUTOMATE—

Let’s face it— sometimes, people get caught up in the rush of getting things done and checking boxes and forget to follow processes. And that, my friends, is why automating even the small things makes a big impact. We want our users to give as much information on the files they upload as possible, but overwhelming them with options is a surefire way to get them to provide no context at all. File Configurations allow users to set up default tags for specific documents and different file upload buttons for each use case. For example, our guest users uploaded resumes and files to open positions in our portal. Using File Configurations, we were able to pair down the questions we ask them on upload to get the most meaningful information and set specific tags labeling the document type the user uploaded (resume, proof of citizenship, identification, etc.) based on which button they clicked, instead of relying on them to tell us.

TO SIMPLIFY FILE EXTRACTION—

When working with our audit team, we often need data extracted from a document. Without leveraging Optical Character Recognition technology, or scanning a document for keywords, our org relies on the contract team to look through documents to extract essential data. Previously, this was done on a custom Salesforce record. But, not having records associated with the file meant that we had to clone the record anytime it needed to be associated with a different parent. FirmWorks Files’ tagging feature allows us to make sure all of the fields we need to extract from MSAs and NDAs exist in our Salesforce system for use in File Reporting and to notify the appropriate person of upcoming contract expirations, contracts with termination clauses or when we need to change terms bilaterally. If file use and management are a headache in your business or something you’d appreciate simplifying, automating, or otherwise improving, FirmWorks Files may be the solution for you. Contact us at sales@getfirmworks.com and allow us the privilege of helping you maximize the functionality of your Salesforce Files.

Salesforce and file storage have always had a rocky relationship.

Historically, adding new files to your org was an extremely limited functionality in Salesforce. Documents are an integral part of storing information in a CRM, so stunting the CRM content by not fully supporting the addition of documents was not ideal. But darkness always comes before dawn, and files are the light of the future!

WHICH IS “BETTER”— SALESFORCE FILES OR ATTACHMENTS?

Many industry experts and gurus have argued that Salesforce Files is superior and more functional to Notes and Attachments, and I think our friends over at Salesforce Ben said it best, “Don’t get stuck in the past; Files are the future, and the future is here.” If you’re just hearing about Salesforce Files for the first time— welcome to the future! Files allow us to version documents, share them with groups, and facilitate external links with expiration dates and more. They can be referenced in chatter to facilitate easier communication references between records in the system. And despite their heavy crossover with Salesforce Lightening, Files can also be used in Salesforce Classic, though with lesser functionality.

THE LIMITED FUNCTIONALITY OF SALESFORCE ATTACHMENTS

There are very few reasons to choose Salesforce Attachments over Salesforce Files— Salesforce Attachments have less storage than Files, with 25 MB compared to 2 GB, respectively, and Attachments do not support versioning and can only be downloaded and viewed. Additional comparisons between the two can be seen in the Salesforce Documentation here, but suffice it to say, if your organization does not regularly use documents or need the additional support of Salesforce Files, attachments may be easier to just pick up and go.

DO MORE WITH SALESFORCE FILES

Unfortunately, Notes and Attachments is being, “superseded and replaced” by Salesforce Files, and any new org will start with the new architecture. But fret not, our friends, Salesforce Files can be used with many distinct functions that make it easier than before to ensure everything you need is in one place. Do you have files located in OneDrive or Google Drive? Then Files Connect may be a wise choice for you. This tool allows you to upload and preview files from external systems as part of the file upload process. In addition, these files are represented by data in your system, so they behave like real files.

USE YOUR FILES AS EMAIL ATTACHMENTS

Files appear as attachments accessible from the email front end in Chatter. They are also accessible from APT and Flows to allow admins and developers to set up Content Document-based attachment lists for users to choose from before they send or automate, as part of the normal business processes.

FILE SHARING WITH SALESFORCE FILES

Are you concerned about who can see your files? Worry not! Salesforce Files allows you to share a multitude of ways. Internally, you can use Salesforce out-of-box object sharing via profiles, roles, and rules like normal. When a file is uploaded, Content Document Links are created to allow you to have a single file referenced in multiple places, saving storage space in your org. If you need to share a file externally, look no further than Public Links. Public Links allow you to share files with anyone anywhere, set passwords for secure access, and even set expiration dates if you want to make the files terminable based on date. Are the attachments related list, page layout, general settings, or reporting for documents getting you down? Unfortunately, the buck stops there for out-of-box Salesforce Files functionality, but The Appexchange has your back! There are tons of great tools, both free and paid, that you can install to make file management a more bespoke experience. Let’s delve into one right now!

DO THE MOST WITH FIRMWORKS FILES!

FirmWorks Files is our Salesforce native tool, available in The Appexchange, that allows users to customize the upload files experience and facilitate the organization and visibility of those files.

TAGGING

Our tagging LWCs (lightning web components) utilize custom fields, or tags, created by you to help provide context to the files you upload. No more set it and forget it. Allowing your users to click a button to unlock a fully curated file upload experience allows for fewer instances of human error. In addition, the tags are automatically set, so the attached files have context immediately.

VISIBILITY

Our visibility LWC’s enable customization of the interface where users interact with files. From discovery to taxonomy, these components give your end users the perfect way to interact with and view all files important to you and your company.

REPORTING

Our reporting LWC’s make auditing your org’s files a breeze. Have you ever wondered if you were missing essential files? How would you identify missing files using the salesforce front end as is? Usually, it would require extensive SOQL or Apex code knowledge. File reporting is a declarative feature that allows you to choose an object type you want to identify files for and select file types, file size, and any number of other tags to determine if files exist or, more importantly, if they are missing.

AUTOMATION

Furthermore, FirmWorks Files’ automation tools allow you to schedule your file reports to ensure issues are identified long before they result in costly downtime, fines, or lawsuits. Read more about compliance reporting with FirmWorks Files, here. It is important to remember all this functionality is only available because Salesforce Files allows for a more complex and interactive Salesforce docs experience. So, if you are still debating between Salesforce Attachments or Salesforce Files for your organization’s needs, remember that you cannot achieve the same level of complexity in your document management with Attachments. For a free 30-day trial of FirmWorks Files, visit us on The Appexchange. If you have questions about specific features or how you could leverage FirmWorks Files in your org, get in touch with us here.