Use Macros to Save Time
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Explain what a macro is.
- Understand how macros save time and effort when handling cases.
- Learn how to run, create, and share your own macros.
What Is a Macro… and How Is It Helpful?
If you’re checking out this module, it’s likely that your Salesforce admin has enabled macros for you to use as part of your case management process. If your admin hasn’t enabled macros, consider asking them to—we explain why here.
Macros follow a set of instructions to complete a system task. When you run a macro from an app’s utility bar, the system automatically performs each instruction on the open record.
With macros, you can tackle repetitive tasks, like selecting an email template or updating a case’s status, with a single click. Macros give you more time to focus on tasks that require extra attention and analysis.
So if you find yourself spending a lot of time typing, clicking, logging, and updating, watch this short video to learn all the ways macros can boost your case management productivity.
Now you know how macros can save you time when handling cases. Next, learn how to use them!
Run a Macro
- Open the appropriate app and record, such as Case, that you want to run the macro on.
- In the utility bar, click Macros.
- Select the macro to run.
- Review the macro’s description and instructions to make sure that this macro does what you expect.
Important: Some macros perform actions that are irreversible, such as sending outbound emails to customers or updating a case status. Other macros run actions on multiple records at a time.
- Click Run Macro.
Tip: If you don’t see the button to run the macro, make sure you’re on a record that supports macros. A message displays indicating whether the macro ran successfully.- A green dot appears next to each instruction that ran successfully.
- A red dot and an error message appear next to each instruction that could not be performed, so you can troubleshoot the issue.
- After the macro completes, click Done.
Create a Macro
You can create, edit, and delete your own macros (or some combination of the three) if your admin gives you those permissions. Depending on other settings, you can also share macros with your team and organize macros into folders.
- From the Service Console app, open a case.
- Click Macros in the utility bar to launch it, and click Create Macro to get started.
- Give the macro a name and description.
- Select the object the macro applies to, such as Case, and save your updates.
The Apply To value defaults to the object that you’re viewing. If you have Share and organize macros in folders enabled, then you can also select the folder here.
- Click Edit Instructions to open the Macro Builder page and follow the steps in Create Macros and Quick Text to Reduce Clicks to further customize your macro.
Did you know there are other great tools, like Quick text, that help you save time when handling cases? Quick Text lets you insert predefined messages and notes into emails, chats, and tasks, and it reduces grammar and spelling mistakes. What’s more, it can be used within a macro so the text can be inserted automatically. When you ask your admin to set up macros or give you permission to do so yourself, also ask them to set up Quick Text for you.