Enhanced Domains in Salesforce: A Detailed Guide

Enhanced domains represent an upgraded version of Salesforce’s My Domain, tailored to meet modern web browsers’ current and stringent requirements. 

Adopting enhanced domains in Salesforce ensures that URLs within an organization conform to the latest web standards. This not only aids in smoother navigation and user experience but also adds a layer of compatibility and functionality, ensuring users face fewer disruptions and potential site errors.

What will you learn:

• • Discover how Salesforce’s Enhanced Domains simplify URLs, offering users an intuitive browsing experience across various Salesforce features.
  • Learn the importance of aligning with Salesforce’s latest domain updates, ensuring the highest security standards and seamless third-party integrations.
  • Grasp the actionable insights for smooth migrations, troubleshooting common hiccups, and ensuring stable URLs even during Salesforce instance changes.

The Evolution of My Domain to Enhanced Domains

My Domain vs Enhanced Domains

While My Domain allowed Salesforce users to set a custom domain for their URL, enhanced domains take this further. Enhanced domains replace the instance names, offering more streamlined URLs that are easier for users to recall. Moreover, when an organization’s instance is relocated within Salesforce, the URL remains constant, preventing potential confusion.

Security is paramount in today’s digital ecosystem. Enhanced domains, with their advanced format, align with the latest security protocols, providing organizations with an added layer of protection. By eliminating instance names, users are presented with more concise URLs, which are easier to remember and share. Moreover, the stability offered by these URLs ensures consistent access, reducing the chance of disruptions if there are any instance migrations in Salesforce.

Availability and Deployment of Enhanced Domains

1. Required Editions and Availability

Enhanced domains are not restricted to a specific Salesforce edition. They are available across various Salesforce versions, including Salesforce Classic (with some limitations) and Lightning Experience. Salesforce has made this feature accessible across a broad spectrum, from Group and Essentials to more advanced editions like Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer Editions.

2. Salesforce’s Deployment Strategy and Timeline

Salesforce recognizes the significance of this feature and has adopted a phased approach to its deployment. As of Summer ’23, Salesforce has already rolled out enhanced domains in all orgs. New orgs created in Summer ’22 or later will have enhanced domains as a default feature. Notably, orgs formed in the Summer of ’23 or later will need help to turn off this feature. This phased strategy highlights Salesforce’s commitment to ensuring all its users transition smoothly to the new standard.

3. Restrictions on Disabling the Feature

Salesforce’s direction towards ensuring a secure and standardized environment is clear with its restrictions on turning off enhanced domains. Organizations established in or after Summer ’23 do not have the choice to opt out of this feature. While this may seem stringent, it underscores Salesforce’s commitment to maintaining a robust, secure, and user-friendly platform for all its users.

Detailed Look at URL Formats with Enhanced Domains

1. Differences in login URLs

With the adoption of enhanced domains, there are noticeable changes in the URL structures, especially in login URLs. Traditionally, the login URL might have included instance-specific identifiers. However, with enhanced domains, the login URL is standardized to contain the unique My Domain name, making it more intuitive and consistent. For instance, the format becomes MyDomainName.my.salesforce.com.

2. Format Changes in Content Files, Experience Cloud Sites, Salesforce Sites, and More

The enhanced domains extend their influence to a variety of Salesforce services:

• Content Files: Previously, the URL structure for content files might have been generic, but with enhanced domains, they become specific, like MyDomainName.file.force.com.
• Experience Cloud Sites: Enhanced domains provide a more branded approach to these URLs, turning them into structures like MyDomainName.my.site.com.
• Salesforce Sites & Visualforce Pages: Both these services witness a shift in their URL structures to align with the My Domain branding, resulting in formats like MyDomainName.my.salesforce-sites.com and MyDomainName–PackageName.vf.force.com, respectively.

3. How Sandbox Environments are Affected

Sandbox environments are crucial for testing and development without impacting live systems. With enhanced domains, sandbox login URLs change to incorporate the sandbox name, becoming MyDomainName–SandboxName.sandbox.my.salesforce.com. This ensures a clear distinction between production and sandbox environments.

Potential Impact of Not Deploying Enhanced Domains

Delaying the deployment of enhanced domains can expose organizations to multiple risks. In particular, users might face disruptions once Salesforce rolls out the feature if it still needs to be activated. Such disruptions can manifest in the form of errors when accessing Salesforce services.

1. Impact on User Access and Third-party Applications

Enhanced domains are designed to streamline access and improve security. Without them:

• Users might encounter errors accessing services like Experience Cloud sites, Salesforce Sites, and Visualforce pages.
• Embedded content stored in Salesforce may not display correctly.
• Third-party applications may lose their connection to Salesforce data, and integrations, especially those relying on specific domain suffixes, could fail.

2. Recommendations for Timely Deployment and Testing in Sandbox

To prevent potential disruptions and ensure a smooth transition:

• Salesforce recommends testing the deployment of enhanced domains in a sandbox environment first. This allows organizations to catch and resolve any issues before changing the live setting.
• After testing, deploying enhanced domains in the production environment before Salesforce’s mandatory rollout is crucial to prevent unintended consequences.

Why Enhanced Domains?

The changes in URL structures have a cascading effect on application links. Most application URLs within a Salesforce organization will change when enhanced domains are deployed. This impacts public links, including those shared externally or used in marketing campaigns.

Salesforce’s push for enhanced domains isn’t arbitrary. With the digital landscape constantly evolving, staying updated with the latest standards is paramount for ensuring consistent access, improved security, and optimal user experience. Enhanced domains represent Salesforce’s commitment to these ideals.

Modern browsers have stringent requirements to ensure security and performance. Enhanced domains are Salesforce’s response to these requirements, ensuring that the platform’s URLs are user-friendly and conform to the security standards set by contemporary browsers. This alignment guarantees a safer and smoother browsing experience for users.

Enhanced Domains Timeline

1. Salesforce’s Deployment and Enforcement Dates

Salesforce has adopted a phased approach to the rollout of enhanced domains. Beginning in the Summer of ’23, the feature was universally deployed across all orgs. New organizations created during or after Summer ’22 received the enhanced domains by default, indicating a strategic move towards full adoption. Organizations formed in Summer ’23 or later need more flexibility to opt out of this feature. Furthermore, Salesforce has set Winter ’24 as the time frame to enforce enhanced domains across all orgs, solidifying its place as a core feature.

2. Important Milestones and Redirection Guidelines

With the phased approach come various milestones:

• Summer ’22: New orgs created during this period get enhanced domains by default.
• Summer ’23: Universal deployment across all Salesforce orgs. Orgs established in this timeframe and beyond cannot turn off the enhanced domains.
• Winter ’24: Salesforce enforces the adoption of enhanced domains across all its orgs.

During these milestones, Salesforce may also offer redirection services to ensure older URLs are directed to the appropriate new URLs under the enhanced domain system.

3. Actionable Insights for Salesforce Users at Each Stage

For users, understanding the timeline is vital:

• Before Summer ’23: Users should familiarise themselves with enhanced domains, perhaps setting up sandbox environments to see the effects firsthand.
• Post Summer ’23 to Pre Winter ’24: This is the critical phase where organisations should actively test and deploy enhanced domains to ensure a seamless transition. Any challenges or issues should be ironed out during this period.
• Post Winter ’24: At this point, users should be comfortably operating under the enhanced domain system. Regular checks should ensure all services and integrations are functioning correctly.

Considerations Before Deploying Enhanced Domains

Before diving into the enhanced domains, organizations need to be well-versed in the prerequisites. This includes understanding the availability of the feature in their specific Salesforce edition and the enforcement timelines to ensure they are on track with Salesforce’s rollout plan.

It’s imperative to understand the transformation in URL structures:

• Organizations should catalogue all active Salesforce URLs they use, including service links, marketing campaign links, and any embedded URLs.
• A thorough testing phase in sandbox environments will help organizations anticipate any issues.
• Internal training can ensure that all teams within the organization understand the URL changes, minimizing disruptions.

Enhanced Domain Benefits, Especially for Experience Cloud Sites

Enhanced domains offer a myriad of benefits:

• Branding and Professionalism: URLs become more branded, contributing to a professional and unified online presence.
• Stability: URL stability ensures consistent access, especially when org instances move.
• Experience Cloud Sites: One of the most impacted services, Experience Cloud Sites gain significantly from enhanced domains. With a more consistent and branded URL structure, the user experience is enriched, and the service becomes more intuitive to navigate.

Verifying and Enabling Enhanced Domains

Steps to Check if Enhanced Domains are Activated

1. Access My Domains Setup Page: Salesforce provides a dedicated setup page for users to inspect the state of their domains.
2. Verification Badge: Typically, when enhanced domains are activated, a verification badge or similar indicator might appear, providing instant confirmation.
3. URL Inspection: With the new enhanced domain format, users can inspect the structure of URLs across their Salesforce org. Enhanced domains possess distinct URL structures, especially in features like Experience Cloud sites and Salesforce Sites.

How to Enable and Deploy for Updated URL Standards

1. Navigate to Domain Management: Users can head to domain management options through the Salesforce setup.
2. Choose ‘Enhanced Domains’: Upon selection, users might be prompted with some pre-conditions or warnings. Thoroughly reading these can prevent potential future issues.
3. Activation: Once satisfied with the pre-conditions, users can activate enhanced domains. It’s advisable to initially conduct this in a sandbox environment to anticipate any hitches.
4. Deployment: After successful testing, the enhanced domains can be deployed across the Salesforce org.

Stabilising URLs during Salesforce Instance Migrations

1. Consistency with Enhanced Domains: One of the primary advantages of enhanced domains is their consistent URL structure. This consistency holds even when an organization’s Salesforce instance is shifted.
2. Educating Internal Teams: To make migrations smoother, it’s essential to inform all stakeholders about the stability provided by enhanced domains. This ensures no panic or misinformation during transitions.
3. Utilizing Salesforce Support: For large or complex migrations, Salesforce offers robust support to ensure URLs remain stable and operational.

Troubleshooting Common Errors

Understanding How Enhanced Domains Modify URLs

1. Distinctive Domain Suffixes: Enhanced domains introduce changes in domain suffixes (part after the My Domain name) to align with contemporary security standards.
2. URL Format Documentation: Salesforce provides comprehensive documentation detailing the URL format changes. Familiarising oneself with these can preempt potential issues.

Identifying and Resolving Typical Issues During Testing

1. Access Errors: Users may face errors when accessing particular features or services, indicating an issue with the enhanced domain setup.
2. Content Display Issues: Issues like embedded content not displaying can arise. This often ties back to the domain changes and needs adjustments in the embedded URLs.
3. Integration Errors: Enhanced domains can sometimes disrupt third-party integrations, especially if they rely on older URL structures.
4. Utilizing Salesforce’s Troubleshooting Guides: Salesforce offers detailed troubleshooting guides, pinpointing common issues and their resolutions. Regularly consulting these during the testing phase can streamline the transition.

Conclusion

While change can sometimes be daunting, it often harbours growth. Organizations are urged to take proactive measures – from educating internal teams and testing in sandbox environments to deploying with precision. With the right approach, transitioning to enhanced domains can be a smooth and beneficial journey.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Enhanced Domains in Salesforce?

Enhanced Domains in Salesforce is an advanced version of the Salesforce My Domain feature, designed to align with modern web standards and security protocols. This feature streamlines Salesforce URLs, making them more consistent and easier to remember. Unlike traditional My Domain URLs, which include instance-specific identifiers, Enhanced Domains provide a unified URL structure that remains stable even if the Salesforce instance changes. This aids in smoother navigation better user experience, and adds a layer of functionality, ensuring fewer disruptions and site errors.

2. How to Test Enhanced Domains in Salesforce?

To test Enhanced Domains Salesforce, follow these steps:

• Prepare for Testing: Before enabling Enhanced Domains in your production environment, it’s advisable to test them in a sandbox or a developer environment first.
• Enable Enhanced Domains: In your sandbox environment, navigate to the Domain Management section in Salesforce Setup and enable Enhanced Domains.
• Verify URL Structure: After activation, check the format of the Salesforce URLs to ensure they align with the Enhanced Domains structure.
• Check Access and Functionality: Ensure that all Salesforce services, such as Experience Cloud sites, Salesforce Sites, and Visualforce pages, are accessible and functioning correctly with the new domain format.
• Test Third-party Integrations: Verify if any third-party integrations are working correctly with the Enhanced Domains, as changes in domain structure might affect these integrations.
• Document and Resolve Issues: If you encounter any issues or errors, document them and consult Salesforce’s troubleshooting guides or support for resolution.

3. Can I Turn Off Enhanced Domains in Salesforce?

To disable Enhanced Domains in Salesforce and revert to previous URL settings, you can navigate to the Enhanced Domains settings within Salesforce Setup, and deselect the ‘Use enhanced domains’ option. This action initiates a process to restore your former My Domain configurations. After making these changes, you will need to wait for Salesforce to provision the update. Once this process is complete, you can deploy your updated My Domain settings, effectively stabilizing your URLs to their previous state. Keep in mind, however, that Salesforce recommends using Enhanced Domains for improved security and alignment with modern web standards.