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Let's be clear: For nonprofits Salesforce is "free."
It's free like a puppy. Not free like a beer.
If you work for a Nonprofit or Educational Organization you've come to the place to learn how to use Salesforce wisely, effectively, and cheaply.
Thing I Learned: NPSP Contact Role Triggers
The NPSP triggers that automate opportunity contact roles are built on the assumption that nobody will ever manually update those roles.
Michael Kolodner
3 days ago5 min read
Reading Salesforce URLs
A guide to Salesforce URLs, including what's in them and how to reconfigure them to go to other records.
Michael Kolodner
Nov 27, 20244 min read
Thing I Learned: Enabling Files Upload in Mobile
Enabling users to upload files to records in the Salesforce mobile app works...differently than you might expect. Here's how to do it.
Michael Kolodner
Oct 16, 20244 min read
Cooler Than Validation Rules
Before save Flows can show a custom error component to serve as validation. A powerful feature, but validation rules still have their place.
Michael Kolodner
Aug 21, 20242 min read
Design for User Success: Think About Text
Text is an important part of your Salesforce page design. Think about placement and balance in field labels, types, and even help text.
Michael Kolodner
Aug 7, 20245 min read
Design for User Success: Button Order
How to apply design sensibility to the placement and order of buttons on your Salesforce pages.
Michael Kolodner
Jul 24, 20246 min read
Design for User Success: Screen Flows
Screen flows can be elements you use to design your record pages, adding options beyond the standard layout controls.
Michael Kolodner
Jul 10, 20243 min read
Design for User Success: Eye Movement
When designing your Salesforce page layouts, think about the ways people's eyes move around the page and use that to guide users.
Michael Kolodner
Jun 26, 20244 min read
🌈 Design For User Success: Add Interest through Color
Suggested tools and ideas to add visual interest to your Salesforce pages by taking color into consideration.
Michael Kolodner
Jun 5, 20243 min read
Design for User Success: Field Placement
Key principles of field placement and page design to enhance user experience and efficiency in Salesforce.
Michael Kolodner
May 22, 20246 min read
Extension Objects: There’s Nothing to Like
Extension Objects are the "on core" place to put fields that really belong on objects like accounts and contacts. They are a problem.
Michael Kolodner
Apr 24, 202410 min read
These Are Not The Components You're Looking For
Salesforce's "Industries" solutions come with access to many new components. I wish they worked better.
Michael Kolodner
Apr 10, 20247 min read
Deeply Skeptical About Person Accounts
Despite being the official solution for dealing with individuals on Salesforce, Person Accounts are difficult to use.
Michael Kolodner
Mar 27, 20246 min read
![Email to someone not [yet] in Salesforce](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/77ee92_2f0868da58db485ea0f16730deba9a89~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_1332,h_1000,fp_0.50_0.50,q_30,blur_30,enc_avif,quality_auto/77ee92_2f0868da58db485ea0f16730deba9a89~mv2.jpeg)
![Email to someone not [yet] in Salesforce](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/77ee92_2f0868da58db485ea0f16730deba9a89~mv2.jpeg/v1/fill/w_2056,h_1544,fp_0.50_0.50,q_90,enc_avif,quality_auto/77ee92_2f0868da58db485ea0f16730deba9a89~mv2.jpeg)
Email to someone not [yet] in Salesforce
How I solved the challenge of emailing someone that might not be in Salesforce and still relating that message to the right record.
Michael Kolodner
Jan 31, 20247 min read
In Praise of "Clicks not Code"
The fact that Salesforce is easy to build and automate without code is a gift that has built community and careers.
Michael Kolodner
Nov 21, 20233 min read
Smiley Faces Form
A cool javascript update to a FormAssembly that my son helped figure out. Rate something 1 to 5 using emoji faces!
Michael Kolodner
Sep 13, 20231 min read
Free Things I Always Install: Mopsy
Another free thing I always install: Mopsy. It improves upon the Today's Tasks component so your users see their To Do items.
Michael Kolodner
Aug 2, 20232 min read
Free Things I Always Install: Lightning Messaging Utility
Lightning Messaging Utility from Salesforce Labs is a handy tool for displaying messages that fit the Salesforce design pattern.
Michael Kolodner
Jul 19, 20233 min read
Apsona: The Golden App for Bulk Data Operations
Apsona for Salesforce is my favorite app. I consider it so important that I require my clients to install it.
Michael Kolodner
Jun 27, 20234 min read
Rollup to Relationship: A Cool DLRS Trick
A rollup summary trick to create a direct relationship to the last child record.
Michael Kolodner
Jun 14, 20233 min read
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