Salesforce is a CRM- Customer Relationship Management tool. It not only holds the customer data but also does a lot of automation. Automation in Salesforce helps in automating processes based on predefined conditions and processes.
Businesses use Salesforce because it automates the mundane tasks of sales executives and managers. It helps the business get more work in less time without errors. It provides four types of automation tools that help automate business requirements. If you are more interested in knowing more about the Salesforce CRM automation process, you can ask for guidance for Salesforce consultants. This strategic approach streamlines tasks, enhances productivity, and paves the way for elevated customer experiences. We will delve into the world of CRM automation, exploring its benefits and components, and highlighting its power to reshape how businesses interact with and serve their customers.
Workflow
Workflow is a simple automation tool provided by Salesforce that works on ‘If this, then that’ logic. It has limited functionality compared to other automation tools. But it is the most popular Salesforce automation tool because of its simplicity and ease of use.
Workflows are of two types- Immediate and time-dependent. This allows you to execute the actions as soon as the criteria are met or set a time in the future.
With workflow, you can automate four actions- Create a task, update fields of the record, send an email, and send an outbound message.
Process Builder
Process Builder is an automation tool provided by Salesforce that can automate complex business processes with just a few point-and-click actions. It provides a visual representation of the entire automation process that is easy to build and understand. Without using a single line of code, a process builder can automate both simple and complex business requirements in a jiffy.
With process builder, you can automate actions like- calling an Apex code, creating a record, sending an email alert, calling a Flow, Post to chatter, calling another Process, sending custom notifications, submitting records for approval, and updating records.
Approval Process
An approval process is an automation tool that helps businesses automate how records are approved in Salesforce. It is a combination of predefined steps that decide how records are submitted and approved by approvers in Salesforce. In the approval process, you can also automate the set of actions that need to be performed once a record is approved or rejected.
Flow
Flow is an automation tool provided by Salesforce that helps in automating complex business requirements without writing a single line of code. It can automate a lot of things in Salesforce. Though flow is a bit complex to understand and implement, once you get handy with it, you can get a lot of things done with the flow.
Flow can automate tasks like-
- Create, edit, and delete records of objects that are not related to each other.
- Take input from business users before automation.
- Schedule to run actions at a set interval, say once a week or once in 10 days, etc.
Automation tools or code?
All the automation tools provided by Salesforce are pick-and-drop tools. They can help automate business requirements without writing a single line of code. Apex code in Salesforce is highly powerful and can do wonders. However, Salesforce recommends using the pick-and-drop automation tools against apex coding.
Using code and automating business processes is easy and feasible and is not technically wrong. But, coding is high maintenance when compared to pick-and-drop tools. If not maintained properly, code may break. Hence, coding must be used to extend salesforce functionality only when the standard tools and automation cannot do it.
Let us discuss a business requirement and how Salesforce automation tools help in fulfilling the requirement.
Business automation example
A business generates leads from various sources and different cities in the USA. It has the following requirements.
Whenever a lead is created or updated and has its city as New York-
- A task must be created and assigned to the testing user.
- The field Lead Source must be updated to Purchased Lead.
- An email alert must be sent to the manager.
- An outbound message must be sent to the ERP system with the lead details.
Conclusion
The Salesforce CRM automation process has emerged as a pivotal force in modernizing customer relationship management. By harnessing the power of technology to streamline processes, enhance accuracy, and facilitate personalized interactions, businesses can navigate the complexities of today’s market with finesse. As the business landscape continues to evolve, embracing CRM automation isn’t just a strategic choice—it’s a necessity to deliver seamless customer experiences, cultivate lasting relationships, and stay ahead in a competitive world. With automation driving efficiency, organizations can focus their efforts on what truly matters: nurturing connections and fostering growth.
