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As every Tuesday I arrive with a new review of subjectively the most interesting content from Salesforce world.

And now choose something for yourself :)

For everyone

1. Advanced Salesforce Formulas - Example
   https://sudipta-deb.in/2024/07/advanced-salesforce-formulas-example.html
   Formulas enable users to perform calculations, manipulate text, and automate processes, converting data into actionable insights. With these formulas, administrators and developers can create dynamic fields, validation rules, and workflows that respond to user input and data changes, streamlining operations, ensuring data integrity, and improving the user experience. Here are some of the advanced formulas which you might need to write during your implementation.

2. Top 19 Salesforce YouTube Channels
   https://www.salesforceben.com/top-salesforce-youtube-channels/
   For those seeking a new way to stay updated on Salesforce news, YouTube offers numerous channels with free tutorials, expert insights, and practical demonstrations. This article highlights the best YouTube channels for mastering Salesforce, based on community recommendations. The top 19 channels are listed below, organized by subscriber count, with details accurate as of July 2024.

3. How to Take Your Org With You When Your Company is Sold: A Complete Tutorial
   https://www.salesforceben.com/take-your-org-with-you-when-your-company-is-sold-a-step-by-step-tutorial/
   When a company sells, it can signify a fresh start, introducing new focus and vision. However, this transition often leads to significant changes in various departments. While rebuilding the Org from scratch might appeal to Salesforce Admins, it can be impractical during such pivotal times. Therefore, "migrating-in-place" is usually preferred. This post outlines the steps for "OldCo," now rebranded as "NewCo," as it transitions to a self-managed infrastructure.

4. FlowFest V5 Challenges - Challenge 1
   https://salesforcetime.com/2023/07/11/flowfest-v5-challenges-challenge-1/
   FlowFest is an online competition for creating flows in Salesforce. On July 11, 2023, Salesforce Ben and Ohanaly hosted its fifth edition, FlowFest V5. Following the established format, the top four finalists were selected after the initial two challenges and then competed in a final head-to-head challenge. The highlights and details of FlowFest V5's challenges are showcased, starting with Challenge 1's solution.

5. FlowFest V5 Challenges - Challenge 2
   https://salesforcetime.com/2023/07/11/flowfest-v5-challenges-challenge-2/
   FlowFest is an online Salesforce flow-building competition. Hosted by Salesforce Ben and Ohanaly, the fifth edition, FlowFest V5, took place on July 11, 2023. Participants completed two initial challenges, from which the top four finalists were selected. These finalists then faced off in a final head-to-head challenge. The challenges of FlowFest V5, particularly the answer to Challenge 2, showcased the participants' skills and creativity.

6. FlowFest V5 Challenges - Challenge 3
   https://salesforcetime.com/2023/07/11/flowfest-v5-challenges-challenge-3/
   FlowFest is an online competition where participants create flows in Salesforce. Hosted by Salesforce Ben and Ohanaly, the fifth edition, FlowFest V5, took place on July 11, 2023. Following the established format, the top four finalists were selected after completing the first two challenges, then engaged in a final head-to-head challenge. This text highlights the challenges of FlowFest V5, focusing particularly on the solution for Challenge 3, the final challenge.

7. How to Control the Target Behavior of Links in Flow
   https://salesforcetime.com/2023/02/12/how-to-control-the-target-behavior-of-links-in-flow/
   Using Salesforce Flow, users can create various links, such as to records or external websites, within a screen flow. When clicked, the link will open in a new tab. Although there is no parameter to control hyperlink behavior, there are alternative methods to open links in the same tab.

8. Create by Checking a Matching Record in Flow
   https://salesforcebreak.com/2024/08/21/create-matching-record-flow/
   If a matching record is found, the user can choose to update it or skip it. For multiple matches, options include updating the most recently modified record or skipping all. Contrary to assumptions about Salesforce's duplicate rules, a matching record is defined by user-specified criteria in the creation process, which can include multiple conditions combined with AND or OR. For instance, a match occurs when both the phone number and last name match the contact record being created.

9. What Is Namespaced Metadata and Why Should You Care?
   https://www.salesforceben.com/what-is-namespaced-metadata-and-why-should-you-care/
   Salesforce orgs contain diverse metadata that automates business processes, including objects, Apex code, and page layouts. This metadata can originate from various sources, such as users, teams, consulting partners, installed packages, or Salesforce itself, and can be either namespaced or non-namespaced. Understanding the sources of metadata enhances Salesforce's efficiency, uncovers hidden features, and ensures security. Curious about namespaced metadata and its significance? Read on to learn more.

10. Explore REST API With Salesforce Inspector Reloaded
    https://www.salesforceben.com/explore-rest-api-with-salesforce-inspector-reloaded/
    Among productivity-enhancing browser extensions for Salesforce, Salesforce Inspector stands out. With its original version no longer updated, Thomas Prouvot has taken the initiative to provide Salesforce professionals with more features through Inspector Reloaded. This post explores the new version, highlighting its potential as an all-in-one tool for data manipulation and Salesforce administration.

11. Announcing 25% Faster Lightning Experience
    https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2024/09/announcing-25-faster-lightning-experience.html
    This post highlights recent large-scale efforts to enhance Lightning Experience performance for all Salesforce customers. Earlier this year, the initial results of these initiatives were shared, and now the latest production achievements are presented. The post outlines what users can expect later this year.

12. Salesforce: Query all Objects
    https://www.simplysfdc.com/2023/04/salesforce-query-all-objects.html
    As an admin/developer, one can easily view all objects in an organization, but obtaining a list of these objects can be cumbersome if done manually via the Object Manager. Instead, Salesforce offers a more efficient method through the Tooling API, available from version 32.0 onward. By utilizing the EntityDefinition, users can access metadata about both standard and custom objects in a row-based format, streamlining the process.

For devs

1. Capture Engagement Events from Experience Cloud Using Data Cloud
   https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2024/08/capture-engagement-events-from-experience-cloud-using-data-cloud.html
   This blog post explores setting up an integration between Experience Cloud and Data Cloud to track engagement on custom Lightning web components. In a prior post, the features of Data Cloud's Web SDK were discussed, highlighting its ability to capture user engagement on external sites. For Experience Cloud websites, much of the setup is automated thanks to the built-in integration. This article will outline how to establish this integration and utilize its features for tracking engagement effectively.

2. Convert Between Unix Time and DateTime in Salesforce
   https://neilhohmann.com/convert-between-unix-time-and-datetime-in-salesforce/
   While integrating Salesforce with Stripe, the developer came across a Unix timestamp for the charge date/time. This numerical representation indicates the seconds since January 1, 1970, at 00:00:00 UTC, known as the Unix epoch. Unix time is a quick and efficient way to represent date and time.

3. Replace special characters in Salesforce Apex
   https://www.infallibletechie.com/2024/07/replace-special-characters-in-salesforce-apex.html
   In Salesforce Apex, the replaceAll() String method utilizes Regular Expressions to remove all special characters from a string. The provided sample Apex code demonstrates how to eliminate these characters. Additionally, if needed, a replacement character can be used instead of simply removing the special characters.

4. How to create Files using Salesforce Apex and store it in a specific Library Folder?
   https://www.infallibletechie.com/2024/08/how-to-create-files-using-salesforce-apex-and-store-it-in-a-specific-library-folder.html
   The ContentVersion entity in Salesforce Apex allows for file creation. To store a file in a specific library folder, one must create a ContentDocumentLink record using the Content Version's Content Document Id and the Content Workspace Id (Library Id). Afterwards, the ParentContentFolderId of the ContentFolderMember should be updated with the Folder Id (ContentFolder record Id).

5. Salesforce Fact #862 | POC with FormulaEvalInApex
   https://sfactsabhishek.blogspot.com/2024/07/salesforce-fact-862-poc-with.html
   The FormulaEvalInApex feature is currently in developer preview, allowing developers to create dynamic formulas in Apex. In this example, a formula has been constructed to return the day of the week for a given input date.

For architects

1. Understanding Private Connect
   https://unofficialsf.com/understanding-private-connect/
   Private Connect provides a fully-managed, bi-directional private connection between Salesforce and Amazon Web Services (AWS) accounts. Leveraging Amazon's PrivateLink, it ensures secure API integrations without exposing traffic to the public internet. By establishing a private connection, Private Connect removes the need for complex workarounds to maintain data privacy.

2. Connecting Microsoft Azure Blob Storage with Data Cloud
   https://developer.salesforce.com/blogs/2024/07/connecting-microsoft-azure-blob-storage-with-data-cloud.html
   To ingest enterprise data from Microsoft Azure Blob Storage using Salesforce Data Cloud, users can utilize pre-built connectors for seamless integration. The Microsoft Azure Blob Storage Connector allows data to flow into Data Cloud effortlessly. This blog post outlines the steps required to establish the connection and begin ingesting data from Azure Blob Storage into Data Cloud.

3. Dreamforce '24 for Architects
   https://medium.com/salesforce-architects/dreamforce-24-for-architects-4bac7a771a57?source=rss----a91ecea76700---4
   At Dreamforce '24, attendees will explore cutting-edge AI innovations that promise to enhance human potential and transform work practices. From September 17-19, participants, whether in-person or online via Salesforce+, will experience inspiring keynotes, demonstrations, and insights from leading innovators. Architects will delve into using the latest technologies alongside Well-Architected best practices to create effective solutions, with hands-on workshops on Data, AI, and CRM. The event will feature expert-led technical sessions and a keynote focused on shaping a Well-Architected future.

Grzegorz Skaruz https://skaruz.com

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