AppExchange Use Case in Salesforce

Dive into the transformative world of Salesforce with our comprehensive guide on custom applications and third-party solutions from AppExchange. This blog offers a deep dive into:

• The essentials of custom application development in Salesforce, covering everything from data modeling to security.
• How to leverage the Lightning App Builder for creating dynamic, user-centric applications and features.
• Insights into integrating third-party applications from Salesforce’s AppExchange to enhance your CRM capabilities.
• Key considerations for choosing between custom and third-party applications, ensuring the best fit for your business needs.

 Let’s get started!

Custom Applications & Features

A custom application in Salesforce is an application created within the Salesforce organization that is a collection of components such as objects, tabs, workflows, approvals, and other automation. A custom app can be branded as per the company’s standards using custom logos and branding elements.

Custom app creation

• Architecting the data model.
• Defining the user interface sometimes with custom lightning components.
• Establishing business logic.
• Setting up security.
• Validating and populating data.

Lightning App Builder

Custom Applications & Features You can use the Lightning App Builder to create apps in Lightning Experience. It is a point-and-click tool that can easily create custom pages for both mobile and browsers.

Lightning App Builder Capabilities: 

• Drill down into standard pages using Single Page apps.
• Track top sales prospects or key leads for the quarter using Dashboard-style apps.
• Build “Point” apps to solve a particular task, like an Expense. 
• App to monitor expenses submitted by a user.
• Customize object record pages tailored to the needs of the users.
• Customize Home pages to include features and components that users use the most.

In addition to the above capabilities, you can update the app’s navigation, app options, app branding, and Lightning pages assigned to that app using the Lightning App Builder.

Third-Party Apps & AppExchange

A third-party application is offered by a vendor and installed from AppExchange. 

AppExchange is Salesforce’s very own marketplace from where the companies can view, download, and install third-party apps to their Salesforce instance.

Key Features

• The AppExchange offers a variety of experts and apps to select based on specific business use cases.
• In addition, you can choose from over 4,600 prebuilt apps, bolt (pre-defined experience cloud templates), flow, components and lightning data solutions.
• The solutions available on the AppExchange cut across various industries such as customer service, manufacturing, education, financial services, etc.
• Both free and paid apps are available on AppExchange.
• The available solutions are generally categorized based on how they are built and managed.

AppExchange Solution Categories

Native Apps

Native apps are the apps built and hosted inside Salesforce using the Lightning Platform. A native app resides within Salesforce, ensuring all the app data is securely stored within Salesforce. They don’t require a separate integration with Salesforce.

Non-Native Apps

Non-native built apps outside are of Salesforce and integrated using the Salesforce API. These apps are hosted outside the Salesforce platform, and the data might be stored outside the Salesforce servers.

Managed Packages 

Managed packages are full-scale installable solutions wherein the provider is responsible for customizing and upgrading the apps for optimizations. Customers just have to install the package in the org to leverage the desired business outcome without the need to edit it.

Unmanaged Packages 

Unmanaged packages are distributed as open-source solutions that developers can use as a baseline while developing functionalities. Developers can view the underlying code and modify it to achieve business requirements.

Choosing a Third Party Application

Considerations for Choosing a Solution:

• Relevance
• Support
• Updates
• Cost
• Maintenance
• Limitations
• Time
• Scalability

You can recommend companies to choose third-party applications from AppExchange if the following factors are of high importance:

Fast Go-To Market

The advantage of choosing an AppExchange solution is that wait time for the app to be designed, developed, tested and deployed is eliminated. Companies can start using the features almost immediately.

Documentation & Support

Most of the apps available on AppExchange come with proper documentation. Companies can reach out to the vendor in case of any issues and do not need to build internal support capabilities.

Quality Assurance & Security

Apps on the AppExchange are well-tested before they are released. Also, Salesforce security experts hand-check the code before granting approval.

Regular Upgrades

Most certified Salesforce ISVs strive to keep their offerings up to date. If any bugs are reported, the ISV generally solves the issue in the next upgrade. ISVs constantly keep pace with Salesforce releases to make their products better.

Choosing a Custom Application over Third Party Applications

Building a custom application is the best choice if a company is looking for an app that is tailor-made for their business use case while being highly cost-effective and customizable.

Industry Specific

• Custom Applications can be built to cater to the various industry-specific requirements. For example, financial service management of a government institution.
• Whereas third-party applications offer features that are more universal in nature. For example, building Quote documents using a third-party application in Salesforce.

Cost Effective

• Building a custom app is more cost-efficient when compared to purchasing a third-party application.
• Most third-party apps charge a monthly subscription fee, whereas custom app development involves a one-time expenditure towards the development, testing, and deployment of the application. Also, the cost is independent of the number of user licenses.

Integration

• Third-party applications or applications from the AppExchange only support integration with a limited number of applications.
• For scenarios that need specific integrations, custom Salesforce applications are Preferred.

Customization

• Opting to create a custom Salesforce app brings freedom to tailor your application in future, for instance, due to a growing number of the app’s users or a possible business process change.
• Whereas apps from the AppExchange app or other third-party apps may or may not allow modification.

Install AppExchange

There are three options on AppExchange to try a solution before you buy it:

Install AppExchange

Test Drive: A test drive lets you experience the solution in a read-only Developer Edition org configured by the provider. You receive login credentials and can explore functionality in the org using sample data.

Install in Sandbox: You can try out solutions in a pre- production or test environment first.

Install in a Trial: A free trial lets you experience the solution in a writable Developer Edition org for a limited time period. Similar to a test drive, a free trial is configured with sample data.

Use Case 1

A company is looking to add e-signature functionality to enable the key deal stakeholders to sign the quote document currently generated using Salesforce Quotes and ease the quote finalization process.

Solution: AppExchange Application

Reason: There are popular e-sign apps available on AppExchange that integrate with Salesforce and will be a cost-effective and faster go-to-market approach in this case.

Use Case 2

A company is looking to automate its hiring process by creating a repository of job openings and candidates, and tracking candidate interviews and feedback by hiring managers.

Solution: Custom Application

Reason: This is a more complex and specific use case that would require streamlining the hiring process. Therefore, building a custom app will be a more relevant, scalable and maintenance-friendly solution.

Summing Up

Navigating through the intricacies of Salesforce, whether by developing custom applications or integrating third-party solutions from AppExchange, reveals the platform’s unparalleled flexibility and power. Each approach offers unique benefits tailored to specific business needs, from bespoke customization to rapid deployment of tested solutions. Deciding between custom development and third-party apps hinges on understanding your organization’s unique requirements, budget, and timeline.

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