How to Enable Record Alerts in Salesforce?

Updated:

December 10, 2024

⏱️ 4 minutes

Record Alerts notify users about important events or conditions in Salesforce records. These notifications can appear for standard or custom objects and can include actionable insights for immediate response.

For example, a Record Alert might notify a sales rep about an upcoming contract renewal or a potential issue flagged on a client account. This ensures that no critical information slips through the cracks.

Why Use Record Alerts?

Timely Notifications: Helps teams stay proactive by surfacing important updates directly on record pages.
Customizability: Tailor alerts based on business needs, severity, or priorities.
Integrated Insights: Display notifications from both Salesforce and external systems.

Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Record Alerts

Step 1: Assign Permissions for Record Alerts

Grant OmniStudio Permissions:
Provide your Salesforce users access to OmniStudio FlexCards and Integration Procedures so they can manage Record Alerts.
Access the Record Alert Object:
Ensure users have read access to the Record Alert object and related records to view alerts.
Turn on Record Alert Access:
Navigate to Setup, search for “Record Alert Access,” and enable this setting. This allows users with access to a What Record (e.g., Account, Case) to view its associated alerts.

Step 2: Configure the Record Alerts Framework

Use the Data Consumption Framework to display alerts from external systems in Salesforce. This framework integrates with MuleSoft or third-party middleware, enabling asynchronous communication between Salesforce and external data sources.

Step 3: Customize Record Alerts

Using OmniStudio FlexCards

FlexCards are the visual components that display Record Alerts. Customize these to include clickable actions, dynamic fields, and contextual information that changes based on the record.

Setting Up Integration Procedures

Configure OmniStudio’s integration procedures to control how data is retrieved and displayed on Record Alert FlexCards. For example, pull customer risk scores from an external system to include in the alert.

Custom Severity Levels

Create custom severity levels that match your business needs. Salesforce provides default values like Info, Warning, and Error, but you can add values such as Critical or Low Priority for more granularity.

Organizing Alerts into Categories

Group alerts by priority, type, or severity using categories. For example:

Risk Alerts
Service Notifications
Payment Reminders

Step 4: Create Record Alerts Using Business Rules Engine

Navigate to the Business Rules Engine in Salesforce.
Create a new Expression Set using the Record Alert Custom Element.
Define conditions under which the alert is triggered. For instance:
- If an account balance drops below $500.
- If a service ticket remains unresolved for 48 hours.
Add a Record Alert Template to manage the appearance of the alert.
Use the Get User Data custom element to limit alerts to specific users or roles.

Step 5: Localize Record Alerts

For global organizations, localize alert subject lines, descriptions, and categories so users see them in their preferred language. This ensures consistency and improves usability across regions.

Step 6: Configure Alerts in Lightning Experience

Add the FlexCard component to the desired record page layout in Lightning Experience.
Adjust the placement for optimal visibility, such as at the top of the record page.

Step 7: Monitor and Take Action on Alerts

Snooze Alerts: Users can snooze alerts for 24 hours if they need more time to act.
Dismiss Alerts: Once resolved, alerts can be dismissed to declutter the workspace.
Track Notifications: Use Salesforce analytics to monitor the frequency, resolution time, and effectiveness of alerts.

Best Practices for Record Alerts

Avoid Alert Fatigue
Overloading users with too many notifications can lead to desensitization. Use targeted criteria to ensure only relevant alerts are sent.
Regularly Review Alert Criteria
Business needs evolve, and so should your alert conditions. Regular updates ensure alerts remain aligned with current priorities.
Train Your Team
Educate users on how to interpret and act on alerts. Provide training on customizing and managing alerts to maximize their effectiveness.

Also Read – Salesforce Record IDs: Your Key to Effective CRM Navigation

Benefits of Record Alerts

Improved Proactivity

Record Alerts empower teams to act on critical updates promptly, avoiding missed opportunities or risks.

Enhanced Collaboration

By surfacing key information to relevant users, alerts ensure everyone is aligned and informed.

Streamlined Operations

Integrated insights from Salesforce and external systems reduce the need to switch between platforms, saving time and effort.

Common Challenges and Solutions

1. Misconfigured Alerts

Solution: Test alerts in a sandbox environment to ensure they trigger as expected.

2. Overwhelming Users with Notifications

Solution: Categorize alerts and limit notifications to high-priority events.

3. Ensuring Adoption

Solution: Showcase the value of alerts through use cases and provide ongoing support for users.

Conclusion

Record Alerts in Salesforce are a powerful feature that keeps teams informed, efficient, and proactive. By configuring alerts with OmniStudio FlexCards, Business Rules Engine, and Data Consumption Framework, you can tailor notifications to fit your unique business requirements.

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