Data Cloud in Sandbox Environments Is Now in Beta

Data Cloud capabilities are now available for development and testing within sandbox environments!

This new feature empowers developers to innovate without compromising the stability of production systems, offering a unified testing ground that combines the robust features of Data Cloud with existing Salesforce data, configurations, and workflows.

The Power of Sandboxes

Salesforce sandboxes have long been an essential tool for safe development and testing. These isolated environments mirror production systems, enabling teams to work with configurations and data without any risk to actual business operations. With the integration of Data Cloud into sandboxes, developers can push innovation’s boundaries even further.

Key Capabilities to Explore

With Data Cloud now integrated into Salesforce sandboxes, a wide range of capabilities can be tested and optimized before moving to production. Here are some key areas to explore:

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Data Streams, Models, and Calculated Insights:

• Data Streams: Integrate various data sources into Data Cloud, allowing you to test the functionality of importing and modeling data. Ensure accurate data mappings and validate data transformations.
• Models: Develop and test new data models. Create strategies for federated, zero-copy access to other data lakes and warehouses. This ensures seamless data integration and management.
• Calculated Insights: Create new Calculated Insights to generate multidimensional metrics. These insights can then be surfaced across your CRM, enabling innovative ways to act on unified data without disrupting business operations.

AI and Analytics:

• AI Tools: Configure and test AI tools to ensure they deliver precise insights and accurate predictions. Use Model Builder to create new models or import models from platforms like Databricks, Google Vertex AI, and Amazon SageMaker.
• Semantic Search: Design Search Retrievers in Einstein Prompt Builder to use semantic search, unlocking insights from unstructured content. This enhances your data’s accessibility and usability.
• Reporting: Experiment with new reports on Data Cloud data. Validate these reports to ensure they meet user requirements before deploying them to end users, all within an isolated environment.

Data Cloud-Triggered Flows:

• Prototyping Automations: Prototype and test new automations triggered by changes to Data Cloud tables. This can include sending notifications or updating records based on data changes.
• Zero-Copy Integration: Utilize zero-copy integration to bring in data from existing lakes or warehouses, such as inventory data from Google BigQuery. This allows you to test how external data sources can enhance your Salesforce workflows.
• End-to-End Process Automation: Scaffold new Data Cloud-triggered automations alongside existing flows. This ensures comprehensive process automation using all critical business data.

Personalized Marketing:

• Segmentation: Use generative AI to create new customer segments and explore untapped audiences. This can include web interaction or product usage data from external sources like Google BigQuery.
• Campaign Testing: Test marketing campaigns in a controlled environment to evaluate their effectiveness before rolling them out to a broader audience.

Security and Compliance:

• Vulnerability Detection: Identify potential vulnerabilities and compliance gaps while testing in the sandbox. This allows you to address security issues without exposing live systems to risk.
• Compliance Testing: Ensure that your configurations meet regulatory requirements and organizational policies.

Training and Testing:

• Team Training: Use the sandbox environment to train new team members, ensuring they become familiar with Data Cloud capabilities quickly and effectively.
• Pre-Release Access: Provide key stakeholders with pre-release access to Data Cloud features. Gather their feedback and iterate on the functionality before wider deployment.

Streamlined Promotion to Production

Once testing and configurations are finalized, promoting changes from a sandbox to the production environment is critical. Here’s how Salesforce streamlines this process:

Tools for Deployment:

• Changesets: Use Salesforce Changesets to move customizations between different Salesforce environments. This tool allows you to bundle and deploy components together, ensuring consistency.
• Salesforce CLI: The Salesforce Command Line Interface (CLI) provides powerful commands for managing your Salesforce setup. It enables automated deployment scripts, making the promotion process more efficient.
• Metadata API: Utilize the Metadata API to deploy configurations and customizations programmatically. This API supports complex deployment scenarios, making it suitable for large-scale changes.
• DevOps Center: Salesforce’s DevOps Center, now in Beta, offers a centralized hub for managing development and deployment processes. It integrates with version control systems and provides tools for continuous integration and delivery (CI/CD).

Minimizing Deployment Risks:

• Validation: Thoroughly validate all changes in the sandbox environment to ensure they work as expected. This minimizes the risk of issues during production deployment.
• Testing: Extensive testing, including unit tests, integration tests, and user acceptance tests (UAT), is performed to catch any potential problems early.

Accelerating Business Responsiveness:

• Agile Deployment: By using these deployment tools, organizations can respond quickly to changing business needs. This agility ensures that new features and enhancements reach users faster.
• Continuous Improvement: Regularly update and improve your Salesforce environment based on feedback and new requirements, maintaining a competitive edge.

How to Opt Into the Beta

To start leveraging Data Cloud capabilities in your sandbox environments, follow these detailed steps:

Enable the Feature:

• Navigate to Data Cloud Setup: Enter “Data Cloud Setup” from your Salesforce setup menu in the Quick Find box.
• Access Feature Manager: In the setup menu, find and select “Feature Manager.”
• Enable Data Cloud in Sandbox: In the Data Cloud In Sandbox panel, click the “Enable” button. Note that once you opt into the Beta, you cannot opt-out.

Create a Sandbox:

• Follow Standard Procedures: Create a new sandbox by following the steps outlined in the Salesforce documentation. Ensure the sandbox is configured to mirror your production environment as closely as possible.
• Activate Data Cloud: Log into the newly created sandbox org. From the Data Cloud Setup, click “Get Started.” The setup process may take a few minutes.

Configure Connections:

• Replicate Connections: When you create a Data Cloud sandbox, your connections will be replicated, but the authorization data will not be copied.
• Activate Connections: You must manually activate each connection in the sandbox and provide the necessary authorization information. This step is crucial to ensure data flows correctly into the sandbox environment.

Following these steps, you can begin testing and developing with Data Cloud in a secure and isolated sandbox environment, paving the way for innovative solutions and seamless production deployments.

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Conclusion

The beta release of Data Cloud in Salesforce sandboxes marks a significant advancement in providing secure, robust, and flexible tools for developers and IT teams. By leveraging these capabilities in a sandbox environment, teams can confidently innovate, ensuring that every aspect of their Salesforce ecosystem works harmoniously before deploying to production.

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is Data Cloud in Sandbox Environments? 

A new feature allows developers to test and develop Data Cloud capabilities within Salesforce sandboxes.

2. How do I enable Data Cloud in my sandbox? 

Go to Data Cloud Setup, find Feature Manager, and click “Enable” in the Data Cloud In Sandbox panel.

3. Can I opt out of the beta once it is enabled? 

No, you cannot opt-out once you opt into the Beta.

4. What can I test in the sandbox with Data Cloud?

You can test data streams, models, AI tools, automations, personalized marketing, and security compliance.

5. How do I promote changes from sandbox to production? 

For a streamlined release process, use tools like Changesets, Salesforce CLI, metadata API, and DevOps Center.

6. Are all Data Cloud features available in the Beta? 

Most features are fully functional, but some might have limitations during the Beta.

7. Do I need to reauthorize connections in the sandbox? 

You must activate each sandbox connection and provide the necessary authorization information.