Posted by Nik on Mar 26, 2010 in
Salesforce Today was meeting day for the Ottawa Salesforce.com User Group, and we had a wonderful presentation from Customer Success Manager Greg Curgenven who went through about 10 add-ons and shortcuts to help with the efficiency of your Salesforce. One he touched on was using custom buttons for common activities. This is a favourite of mine to do, and thought I would expand on it for this month’s time saver!
A real life example would be quickly listing the fact that you left a voice mail with a client or prospect. Out of the box, you would need to:
- Click the Log A Call button
- Find the account in the Account lookup
- Enter in a short description
- Enter in followup information
- Set a due date for the follow up
- Save the activity
That is a lot of clicks to complete an activity log for leaving a voice mail! Now, how much of a time saver would it be if you could click a button and have all that done for you…
To do so, you would need to a) create a custom button which will create the task under a contact, b) add it to the related list for Activity History.
1. Create a Custom Button
Activity custom buttons are created under Setup, Customize, Activities, Task Button and Links. The following information is the setup for the custom button:
Label: Left Voicemail
Display Type: List Button
Behaviour: Display in existing window without sidebar or header
Content Source: URL
Button URL:
/00T/e?followup=1&title=Call&retURL=%2F{!Contact.Id}&tsk2_lkid={!Contact.Id}&tsk3_lkid={!Account.Id}
&tsk5=Left+Voice+Mail&tsk6=Left+a+voicemail+for+{!Contact.Name}
&tsk5_fu=Follow+Up+On+Voice+Mail&tsk4_fu={!TODAY()+2}&save=x
More on the format of the fields a little later…
2. Add The Custom Button to the Page Layout
To have the button available, you need to add the button to the Activity History related list on the Contact page. To do so:
- Edit the Contact Button page layout
- Click the Properties icon on the Activity History list (the wrench icon on the list).
- Click the + icon on the Buttons header, and move the Left Voicemail from the Available buttons to the Selected buttons.
Adding the button to the related list.
What you have now is a custom button added to your Activity History related list on the far right. Upon clicking this button, you get a new activity history record, as well as an open activity object, as in the picture below.
The new objects in one click.
Notes on the URL Syntax
So, the URL is /00T/e?followup=1&title=Call&retURL=%2F{!Contact.Id}&tsk2_lkid={!Contact.Id}&tsk3_lkid={!Account.Id}
&tsk5=Left+Voice+Mail&tsk6=Left+a+voicemail+for+{!Contact.Name}
&tsk5_fu=Follow+Up+On+Voice+Mail&tsk4_fu={!TODAY()+2}&save=x
You might be asking, where in heck did you get tsk6 to equal the Task comments? In the salesforce help, there is a tonne of help files with these values. Each standard field within Salesforce.com has one of these values. You can click here to download a pdf of standard fields for the Lead, Campaign, Account, Contact, Opportunity, and Case object. For custom objects, you simply use the ID of the field (ie: &00N30000002U4Ut={!Contact.Status})
While this is a simple example (thanks again to Greg from Salesforce.com for giving the idea for this time server), this can be used in many different ways – populating information on a new opportunity, entering information to a new custom object based off of a contact are two other ways I can think of right off the bat!
Hope this helps!
Nik
Tweet This Post 
Delicious 
Digg This Post 
Stumble This Post
Tags: Custom Button, Time Saver
Posted by Nik on Feb 23, 2010 in
Salesforce Web to leads are a wonderful tool – right from your blog/website, you can collect information from your visitors, and begin to nurture a relationship with them. But one of the pains many people have is the fact that Country is a text field. I think of our friends from the south, and I realize why this could be such a pain. Dependant on what someone felt like typing, they could see a Country listed as:
- USA
- US of A
- U.S.A
- United States of America
- The United States
- US
And I am sure I could write about twelve more. But you get the point. There is no control of what they enter. So all those nice validation rules, assignment rules, territory management configuration which could possibly use static Country information (such as 2-letter ISO Code) are rendered useless.
So, how can you save yourself time and effort in data quality coming in? A simple change in your Web to Lead form can do this. We’ll use the Country field as an example. After you generate the HTML from salesforce.com, your line which will collect information for the Country field is
<label for=”country”>Country</label><input id=”country” maxlength=”40″ name=”country” size=”20″ type=”text” />
As you see, it has a maximum size of 40 characters, and is a free form text field. Now, to set this as a picklist, you need to know the data you wish to have your visitors choose from, and then set up the Country portion to look as follows (note: we are Canadian – thus Canada, and the US are at the top. This can be easily changed to allow you whatever Countries you would like to have right at the top):
<label for="country">Country</label>select id="country" name="country" title="Country">
<option val<option value="">--None--</option>
<option value="CA" >CANADA</option>
<option value="US" >UNITED STATES</option>
<option value="">-----------------------------</option>
<option value="AF" >AFGHANISTAN</option>
<option value="AL" >ALBANIA</option>
<option value="DZ" >ALGERIA</option>
<option value="AS" >AMERICAN SAMOA</option>
<option value="AD" >ANDORRA</option>
<option value="AO" >ANGOLA</option>
<option value="AI" >ANGUILLA</option>
<option value="AQ" >ANTARCTICA</option>
<option value="AG" >ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA</option>
<option value="AR" >ARGENTINA</option>
<option value="AM" >ARMENIA</option>
<option value="AW" >ARUBA</option>
<option value="AU" >AUSTRALIA</option>
<option value="AT" >AUSTRIA</option>
<option value="AZ" >AZERBAIJAN</option>
<option value="BS" >BAHAMAS</option>
<option value="BH" >BAHRAIN</option>
<option value="BD" >BANGLADESH</option>
<option value="BB" >BARBADOS</option>
<option value="BY" >BELARUS</option>
<option value="BE" >BELGIUM</option>
<option value="BZ" >BELIZE</option>
<option value="BJ" >BENIN</option>
<option value="BM" >BERMUDA</option>
<option value="BT" >BHUTAN</option>
<option value="BO" >BOLIVIA</option>
<option value="BA" >BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA</option>
<option value="BW" >BOTSWANA</option>
<option value="BV" >BOUVET ISLAND</option>
<option value="BR" >BRAZIL</option>
<option value="IO" >BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY</option>
<option value="BN" >BRUNEI DARUSSALAM</option>
<option value="BG" >BULGARIA</option>
<option value="BF" >BURKINA FASO</option>
<option value="BI" >BURUNDI</option>
<option value="KH" >CAMBODIA</option>
<option value="CM" >CAMEROON</option>
<option value="CV" >CAPE VERDE</option>
<option value="KY" >CAYMAN ISLANDS</option>
<option value="CF" >CENTRAL AFRICAN REPUBLIC</option>
<option value="TD" >CHAD</option>
<option value="CL" >CHILE</option>
<option value="CN" >CHINA</option>
<option value="CX" >CHRISTMAS ISLAND</option>
<option value="CC" >COCOS (KEELING) ISLANDS</option>
<option value="CO" >COLOMBIA</option>
<option value="KM" >COMOROS</option>
<option value="CG" >CONGO</option>
<option value="CD" >CONGO, THE DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC OF THE</option>
<option value="CK" >COOK ISLANDS</option>
<option value="CR" >COSTA RICA</option>
<option value="CI" >COTE D'IVOIRE</option>
<option value="HR" >CROATIA</option>
<option value="CU" >CUBA</option>
<option value="CY" >CYPRUS</option>
<option value="CZ" >CZECH REPUBLIC</option>
<option value="DK" >DENMARK</option>
<option value="DJ" >DJIBOUTI</option>
<option value="DM" >DOMINICA</option>
<option value="DO" >DOMINICAN REPUBLIC</option>
<option value="EC" >ECUADOR</option>
<option value="EG" >EGYPT</option>
<option value="SV" >EL SALVADOR</option>
<option value="GQ" >EQUATORIAL GUINEA</option>
<option value="ER" >ERITREA</option>
<option value="EE" >ESTONIA</option>
<option value="ET" >ETHIOPIA</option>
<option value="FK" >FALKLAND ISLANDS (MALVINAS)</option>
<option value="FO" >FAROE ISLANDS</option>
<option value="FJ" >FIJI</option>
<option value="FI" >FINLAND</option>
<option value="FR" >FRANCE</option>
<option value="GF" >FRENCH GUIANA</option>
<option value="PF" >FRENCH POLYNESIA</option>
<option value="TF" >FRENCH SOUTHERN TERRITORIES</option>
<option value="GA" >GABON</option>
<option value="GM" >GAMBIA</option>
<option value="GE" >GEORGIA</option>
<option value="DE" >GERMANY</option>
<option value="GH" >GHANA</option>
<option value="GI" >GIBRALTAR</option>
<option value="GR" >GREECE</option>
<option value="GL" >GREENLAND</option>
<option value="GD" >GRENADA</option>
<option value="GP" >GUADELOUPE</option>
<option value="GU" >GUAM</option>
<option value="GT" >GUATEMALA</option>
<option value="GN" >GUINEA</option>
<option value="GW" >GUINEA-BISSAU</option>
<option value="GY" >GUYANA</option>
<option value="HT" >HAITI</option>
<option value="HM" >HEARD ISLAND AND MCDONALD ISLANDS</option>
<option value="VA" >HOLY SEE (VATICAN CITY STATE)</option>
<option value="HN" >HONDURAS</option>
<option value="HK" >HONG KONG</option>
<option value="HU" >HUNGARY</option>
<option value="IS" >ICELAND</option>
<option value="IN" >INDIA</option>
<option value="ID" >INDONESIA</option>
<option value="IR" >IRAN, ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF</option>
<option value="IQ" >IRAQ</option>
<option value="IE" >IRELAND</option>
<option value="IL" >ISRAEL</option>
<option value="IT" >ITALY</option>
<option value="JM" >JAMAICA</option>
<option value="JP" >JAPAN</option>
<option value="JO" >JORDAN</option>
<option value="KZ" >KAZAKHSTAN</option>
<option value="KE" >KENYA</option>
<option value="KI" >KIRIBATI</option>
<option value="KP" >KOREA, DEMOCRATIC PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF</option>
<option value="KR" >KOREA, REPUBLIC OF</option>
<option value="KW" >KUWAIT</option>
<option value="KG" >KYRGYZSTAN</option>
<option value="LA" >LAO PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC</option>
<option value="LV" >LATVIA</option>
<option value="LB" >LEBANON</option>
<option value="LS" >LESOTHO</option>
<option value="LR" >LIBERIA</option>
<option value="LY" >LIBYAN ARAB JAMAHIRIYA</option>
<option value="LI" >LIECHTENSTEIN</option>
<option value="LT" >LITHUANIA</option>
<option value="LU" >LUXEMBOURG</option>
<option value="MO" >MACAO</option>
<option value="MK" >MACEDONIA, THE FORMER YUGOSLAV REPUBLIC OF</option>
<option value="MG" >MADAGASCAR</option>
<option value="MW" >MALAWI</option>
<option value="MY" >MALAYSIA</option>
<option value="MV" >MALDIVES</option>
<option value="ML" >MALI</option>
<option value="MT" >MALTA</option>
<option value="MH" >MARSHALL ISLANDS</option>
<option value="MQ" >MARTINIQUE</option>
<option value="MR" >MAURITANIA</option>
<option value="MU" >MAURITIUS</option>
<option value="YT" >MAYOTTE</option>
<option value="MX" >MEXICO</option>
<option value="FM" >MICRONESIA, FEDERATED STATES OF</option>
<option value="MD" >MOLDOVA, REPUBLIC OF</option>
<option value="MC" >MONACO</option>
<option value="MN" >MONGOLIA</option>
<option value="MS" >MONTSERRAT</option>
<option value="MA" >MOROCCO</option>
<option value="MZ" >MOZAMBIQUE</option>
<option value="MM" >MYANMAR</option>
<option value="NA" >NAMIBIA</option>
<option value="NR" >NAURU</option>
<option value="NP" >NEPAL</option>
<option value="NL" >NETHERLANDS</option>
<option value="AN" >NETHERLANDS ANTILLES</option>
<option value="NC" >NEW CALEDONIA</option>
<option value="NZ" >NEW ZEALAND</option>
<option value="NI" >NICARAGUA</option>
<option value="NE" >NIGER</option>
<option value="NG" >NIGERIA</option>
<option value="NU" >NIUE</option>
<option value="NF" >NORFOLK ISLAND</option>
<option value="MP" >NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS</option>
<option value="NO" >NORWAY</option>
<option value="OM" >OMAN</option>
<option value="PK" >PAKISTAN</option>
<option value="PW" >PALAU</option>
<option value="PS" >PALESTINIAN TERRITORY, OCCUPIED</option>
<option value="PA" >PANAMA</option>
<option value="PG" >PAPUA NEW GUINEA</option>
<option value="PY" >PARAGUAY</option>
<option value="PE" >PERU</option>
<option value="PH" >PHILIPPINES</option>
<option value="PN" >PITCAIRN</option>
<option value="PL" >POLAND</option>
<option value="PT" >PORTUGAL</option>
<option value="PR" >PUERTO RICO</option>
<option value="QA" >QATAR</option>
<option value="RE" >REUNION</option>
<option value="RO" >ROMANIA</option>
<option value="RU" >RUSSIAN FEDERATION</option>
<option value="RW" >RWANDA</option>
<option value="SH" >SAINT HELENA</option>
<option value="KN" >SAINT KITTS AND NEVIS</option>
<option value="LC" >SAINT LUCIA</option>
<option value="PM" >SAINT PIERRE AND MIQUELON</option>
<option value="VC" >SAINT VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES</option>
<option value="WS" >SAMOA</option>
<option value="SM" >SAN MARINO</option>
<option value="ST" >SAO TOME AND PRINCIPE</option>
<option value="SA" >SAUDI ARABIA</option>
<option value="SN" >SENEGAL</option>
<option value="CS" >SERBIA AND MONTENEGRO</option>
<option value="SC" >SEYCHELLES</option>
<option value="SL" >SIERRA LEONE</option>
<option value="SG" >SINGAPORE</option>
<option value="SK" >SLOVAKIA</option>
<option value="SI" >SLOVENIA</option>
<option value="SB" >SOLOMON ISLANDS</option>
<option value="SO" >SOMALIA</option>
<option value="ZA" >SOUTH AFRICA</option>
<option value="GS" >SOUTH GEORGIA AND THE SOUTH SANDWICH ISLANDS</option>
<option value="ES" >SPAIN</option>
<option value="LK" >SRI LANKA</option>
<option value="SD" >SUDAN</option>
<option value="SR" >SURINAME</option>
<option value="SJ" >SVALBARD AND JAN MAYEN</option>
<option value="SZ" >SWAZILAND</option>
<option value="SE" >SWEDEN</option>
<option value="CH" >SWITZERLAND</option>
<option value="SY" >SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC</option>
<option value="TW" >TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA</option>
<option value="TJ" >TAJIKISTAN</option>
<option value="TZ" >TANZANIA, UNITED REPUBLIC OF</option>
<option value="TH" >THAILAND</option>
<option value="TL" >TIMOR-LESTE</option>
<option value="TG" >TOGO</option>
<option value="TK" >TOKELAU</option>
<option value="TO" >TONGA</option>
<option value="TT" >TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO</option>
<option value="TN" >TUNISIA</option>
<option value="TR" >TURKEY</option>
<option value="TM" >TURKMENISTAN</option>
<option value="TC" >TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS</option>
<option value="TV" >TUVALU</option>
<option value="UG" >UGANDA</option>
<option value="UA" >UKRAINE</option>
<option value="AE" >UNITED ARAB EMIRATES</option>
<option value="GB" >UNITED KINGDOM</option>
<option value="UM" >UNITED STATES MINOR OUTLYING ISLANDS</option>
<option value="UY" >URUGUAY</option>
<option value="UZ" >UZBEKISTAN</option>
<option value="VU" >VANUATU</option>
<option value="VE" >VENEZUELA</option>
<option value="VN" >VIET NAM</option>
<option value="VG" >VIRGIN ISLANDS, BRITISH</option>
<option value="VI" >VIRGIN ISLANDS, U.S.</option>
<option value="WF" >WALLIS AND FUTUNA</option>
<option value="EH" >WESTERN SAHARA</option>
<option value="YE" >YEMEN</option>
<option value="ZM" >ZAMBIA</option>
<option value="ZW" >ZIMBABWE</option>
</select></td>
Now, the above uses Countries (which seems to be a large area of possible difference) – however, this could be used for many fields which are not set as picklists natively through salesforce.com, such as Number of Employees, Annual Revenue or State/Province.
Hope this helps!
Nik
Tweet This Post Delicious Digg This Post Stumble This Post
Tags: Salesforce, Time Saver
Posted by Nik on Jan 26, 2010 in
Salesforce That old adage – “it’s the little things that kill” can be oh so true. I’ve decided that a blog entry each month will be based around a time saver that some people may know, but it is one that can be a time saver, and be one of those little Salesforce.com customizations that can be a killer for the end user. The first one is a time saver I create for the highland dance association here in Ottawa – how to make an email link on a record so that it uses a template.
Previously, they were using the Send An Email button, choosing the template that had been created, and then completing any further personalization before pressing the send button. The email was a confirmation registration for dance competitors in an upcoming dance. This is a very easy process, but to send the email it was 4 mouse clicks. Not too many, however when you receive a dozen entries a day, it can get tedious.
To speed up the process, I created a custom page link, which would in one click open the Send An Email page, fill out the Contact detail (the who), the Association to the custom object (the what), and use the template for registration confirmation. How? Quite simple, actually…
The syntax for the link is as follows -
/_ui/core/email/author/EmailAuthor?p2_lkid={WHO_ID}&p3_lkid={WHAT_ID}&template_id=TEMPLATE_ID&rtype=003&retURL=%2F{RECORD_ID}
The WHO_ID is the ID of the contact you wish to send it to, while the WHAT_ID is the object you wish to associate the email to. The Template ID is likely the hardest ID to find, as you have to go to the URL of the template in the admin side to find it. You can find the template ID by clicking Setup, Admin Setup, Communication Templates, Email Templates, then clicking on the template itself. In the image below, the template ID is highlighted.
Once you have all this information, you can use the ID’s you have to create the link on the object. Below the image shows the setup for the email link I created on a custom object:
Other uses for this type of link? A follow up email to a main contact for an account you haven’t spoken to in a month or two. A reply you typically send at the onset of an opportunity. A thank you email for your prospects time after a lead qualification call. Any email you send out, and have a template for you could use a link to – and the more you send it the more help the link could be. I know with the highland dance association, the link cut the time spent in sending confirmation emails out by over 50 percent!
Hope this simple time saver helps!
Nik
Tweet This Post Delicious Digg This Post Stumble This Post
Tags: Salesforce, Time Saver
