Rapid Salesforce Interfaces
Matthew Botos
Technical Architect
Introduction
• Develop advanced Salesforce interfaces with
clicks instead of code
– Beyond PageLayouts
– Faster than custom Visualforce
• Options
– Visual Workflow (native)
– Skuid (third-party via AppExchange)
– Form Assembly (third-party via AppExchange)
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Visual Workflow Designer
• Visual wizard configuration of multiple
screens, branches and actions:
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Visual Workflow Output
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Visual Workflow Capabilities
• Create and modify multiple data records
• Display via URL or Visualforce page/section
• Custom CSS & Apex processing blocks
• Available in Partner and Customer Portals
• Standard Salesforce support
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Visual Workflow Limits
• Some accessibility limitations
• Requires Enterprise or Unlimited license
• No capability to deal with record sets
• Only CSS for UI changes beyond field order
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Skuid Designer
• Drag and drop creation of pages and tabs:
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Override Standard Pages
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Skuid Capabilities & Limits
• Capabilities
– Wizard component
– Dynamic report page creation
– Extendable with CSS and Javascript
– Works with all Salesforce editions and portals
– Great developer support
• Limits
– No code controller for advanced logic
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Skuid Pricing
• Per user, per month:
– $10 for Salesforce.com users
– $5 for Partner Portal users
– $2 for Customer Portal users
• 10% nonprofit discount
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Form Assembly
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Form Assembly Capabilities
• Easy to change – point and click with no code
• Multi-page forms with conditional questions
– Drag and drop UI
– Custom CSS and Javascript
– Schedule availability and response quotas
• Supports multiple objects and attachments
– Template based on Salesforce object
– Prefill data from Salesforce Record
• Great developer support
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Form Assembly Limits
• Pre-filling a variable number of child records
into a form
• Complex calculations
• Complex validations
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Summary
• Visual Workflow
– Native capability included in base license
– Wizards following standard Salesforce UI
– Good for complex branching flow
• ie. Calculations determine flow, global variables
– Less UI customization than Form Assembly
– More technical to create than Form Assembly
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Summary
• Skuid
– AppExchange app entirely on platform
– Additional license of $2-10 per user
– Override a variety of Salesforce pages
– Ideal for mass updating across multiple objects
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Summary
• Form Assembly
– Separate cloud service with Salesforce connector
– Cost-effective with no per-user cost
• $39 per form admin, less non-profit discount
• May require purchase of additional Salesforce API calls
– Multi-page forms for multiple Salesforce objects
– Customize redirect on submit
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Recommended Use Cases
• New Client Wizard: Enter multiple object data in one
or more linked screens
– Visual Flow (call center or self-service portal)
• Mini-wizard for additional information on new record
– Visual Flow
• Customize Client List and Page
– Skuid
• Apply for Grant from a public website
– Form Assembly
• Maintain & update multiple public-facing forms
– Form Assembly
© 2013 Exponent Partners
www.exponentpartners.com
Appendix
Technical Comparison
Visual Workflow
Salesforce API usage
Monthly cost
N
$0
Non-profit discount
80%
N
Y
$10 per Salesforce.com $39 per form admin
user
$5 per Partner Portal
user
$2 per Customer Portal
user
10%
Y
Drag and drop UI
N
Y
Y
Setup wizard
Y
Y
Y
CSS
Y
Y
Y
Javascript
N
Y
Y
Level of support provided Standard
Great
Great
Complex logic/calculations Y
N
N
Complex data validation
Y
N
© 2013 Exponent Partners
Y
Skuid
Form Assembly
www.exponentpartners.com