Introducing Salesforce Industries and OmniStudio for Architects

When Salesforce acquired Vlocity in 2020, it acquired the capability to sync its core platform with industry-specific solutions & processes. This tailoring of its cloud offering addresses industry specific business needs as well as legal and regulatory needs of companies. Salesforce Industries also offers enhanced data models to serve various industries such as Financial Services, Government, Health, Government, Manufacturing, FMCG, Energy & Utilities, Communications and Media & Entertainment.

More often than not, architects find themselves working on a project with industry-specific requirements. And they need out-of-the-box capabilities from the Salesforce Platform.

What is Salesforce OmniStudio?

Salesforce OmniStudio is powerful suite of 4 core task-based components. They are:

• OmniScript
• DataRaptor
• Integration Procedure
• FlexCards

These components empower architects to consolidate applications, quickly bring up new users to productivity, and lower overall costs-to-serve. Salesforce OmniStudio is available as a complete native managed package that can add additional functionality to your existing Salesforce instance.

Data model

Salesforce Industries comes with industry-specific data models, as a layer on top of the Salesforce object model. The data model is completely additive. It is designed to enhance standard objects and fields or allow addition of new custom objects and fields. In other words, there is no duplication of any existing entity.

OmniScript

Architects across the world prefer tailored solutions to simplify maintenance and operations of systems. If you wish to deliver engaging digital experiences which can seamlessly integrate into your website, then OmniScript will help you get the best out of your engagements. With OmniScript you can easily deal with industry-specific cases.

OmniScript enhances interactions by offering tools that are user-friendly can be tailored to deliver additional value to end-users. Also, it offers a code-less environment since it comes with ready-made aspects which can be deployed easily across channels and devices.

Functionalities of OmniScript:

• It allows you to easily compose interactive processes for every use case, and allows you to branch easily.
• OmniStudio comes with a drag-and-drop OmniScript editor feature. Architects can use this feature to proof-read their work. There are also in-built troubleshooting tools to fix the processes.
• Device and channel agnostic. Users can access it from anywhere – whether mobile or web. If you are using a mobile app, you can use the OmniOut function to install Lightning Web Components (LWC) OmniScripts for these systems.
• It allows for easy prototyping of user experiences enabling reuse without any challenges by distinguishing between the JSON metadata structure, the data, and the templates.
• Allows easy generation of LWCs which can then be used in the Lightning App Builder.

DataRaptor

DataRaptor is a user friendly mapping tool. It allows architects to efficiently extract, store, and access data. DataRaptor allows easy configuration for negotiating any data. With DataRaptor, architects can easily extract, load and transform data conveniently.

There are main 3 components in DataRaptor are:

DataRaptor Extract – It allows you to retrieve data from Salesforce. With DataRaptor Turbo Extract, you can restore data from a single Salesforce source

DataRaptor Load – It allows you to save data

DataRaptor Transform – As the name suggests, it allows you to transform data

DataRaptor acts a connecting bridge between Salesforces and OmniScript/ FlexCard. It loads data from Salesforce and sends it to these sources and sends updated data from these back into Salesforce. It can auto-generate Apex REST web services to work seamlessly with external applications.

Integration Procedure

Integration Procedure is a declarative process that allows you to generate multiple actions with a single hit. It reads data from Salesforce and writes data back to it. With integration procedure, you can also do the same with external systems through REST calls. Integration procedure also allows you to execute Apex code without any user interaction.

These are the features of Integration Procedure:

• Executes functions across multiple data sources such as Salesforce, external systems.
• Can serve as a data source for OmniScript, FlexCard, REST or Apex.
• Trims data that is served to the browser from the server reducing data transfer traffic.
• Process huge amounts of data easily.
• Allows you to easily load and transform data from third-party sources without any user interaction.
• Works with clicks not code, which allows for easy integration and configuration.
• Automatically creates REST endpoints to work seamlessly with external systems.
• Works seamlessly with Declarative Platform Cache configuration that improves performance and reduces server processing at scale.

FlexCards

FlexCards is an integral part of Salesforce Industries. FlexCards allows you to create industry-specific UI components catering to specific customer needs. FlexCards uses the LWC framework and allows for easy deployment options via Community Builder and App Builder.

FlexCards acts as a data source for DataRaptor, Integration Procedure, REST, Apex etc. When using FlexCards,  only data that is relevant to the user is thrown up based on the configuration.

The features of FlexCards are:

• Displays consolidated, concise, and relevant information.
• Allows for contextual actions to improve collaboration across business operations
• Can be tailored to customer preferences across channels and devices
• Can access and assess data from Salesforce and external applications
• Has an intuitive code-less declarative editor
• Auto-creates Lightning Web Components

Advantages of Omnistudio.

• Accelerate innovation with declarative tools that empower you to go digital quickly.
• Easily deploy industry-specific processes fast to automate interactions
• Simplify integrations with drag-and-drop functionality with a modular, granular-service oriented approach
• Build tailored flexible, scalable and branded user interfaces with an intuitive code-less configuration
• Automate the customer service experience easily with just a few clicks

Make your business agile with scalable digital engagements.

Create code-less, guided user experiences

Allow your users to accomplish complex tasks effortlessly with a flexible, scalable, branded user interface. Easily help them navigate through sales and service processes with quick and personalized responses. Seamlessly integrate with your Salesforce CRM and external  systems.

Integrate with external data easily.

Use declarative data mapping and REST interfaces to manage complex data structures fast with a drag-and-drop intuitive interface. Connect with external systems to seamlessly bring in data into the tailored, branded experiences created using OmniScript and FlexCards

Empower agents with contextual information

Streamline and optimize your processes by showing only the data you need, when you need it. Construct guided user interfaces with clicks, not code. Quickly get data into FlexCards from multiple sources.

OmniStudio gives you the tools to accelerate value realization.

Interaction Console

Get easy access to dashboard components that give you a 360 degree view of the entire customer journey and offer insights to help resolve issues faster.

IDX Workbench

Easily migrate changes and manage cross organizational dependencies and simplify DevOps. Visualize and compare changes across versions in a desktop app. Easily switch components across source control, sandboxes, and production.

Omni Analytics

Visualize data to understand process performance and identify trends.  Take actions to improve core metrics and KPIs.

Project Explorer

Structure industry processes by organizing metadata into collections that can be accessed from anywhere in the org. Search and navigate easily across items.

At Girikon, a Salesforce Implementation Partner, we recognize the promise that Salesforce Industries and OmniStudio bring for architects. And with Salesforce’s commitment to continued enhancement, it promises enduring productivity and innovation for architects.  Contact us today to learn more.

About Author

Indranil Chakraborty

Indranil is a technology enthusiast with over 25 years of experience in project management, operations, technology and business development. Indranil has led project teams in egovernance, business process re-engineering, product development and worked with Government and Corporate customers. Indranil truly believes in the power of technology to drive productivity and growth for teams and businesses.