Maintain the App
Learning Objectives
- Explain why a branded app might require updating.
- Create a new version of a branded app.
Change Is Inevitable
Here at Salesforce, we’re always making improvements to our products, and we’re sure your organization experiences change, as well. So it’s inevitable that your branded apps require updates and maintenance over time.
In this unit, we discuss the different types of maintenance you can encounter in the future. And we show you how to make changes to your apps after they’re live in Google Play and the App Store.
Types of Maintenance
When it comes to Mobile Publisher, there are two types of maintenance: updates that Salesforce initiates and updates that your organization initiates. Let’s go over both kinds so you understand why they can be necessary.
Salesforce-Initiated Updates- Salesforce releases a new version of the Salesforce mobile app or the Experience Cloud Sites app.
- Apple or Google makes a change to their app submission form. If this happens, Salesforce updates the Mobile Publisher form to reflect that change and then rolls out a release.
Managed Package Maintenance
- Salesforce makes an improvement to a component included in the managed package, like push notifications.
- You update the connected app name or connected app icon of your branded app, which are part of the managed package. Check out the Connected App Overview help article to learn more about connected apps.
In either case, Salesforce automatically creates a new managed package and sends you an email notifying you to upgrade. Be sure to install the new package in each org where the app needs to run—for example, in both sandbox and production.
Create a New Version of an App
Let’s return to DreamHouse Realty one last time. The DreamHouse iOS app has been available in the App Store for about 6 months, and the CEO decides to update the app icon so it aligns with the company’s new brand guidelines. The designer is done creating the new icon, so let’s help D’Angelo create a new version of the iOS app in Salesforce.
- From Setup, enter Mobile Publisher in the Quick Find box, then select Mobile Publisher.
- Click Continue next to the listing for the iOS app.
- Click Create New Version.Salesforce creates a new draft of the app and copies over the existing information and assets to the new draft version.
- Update the necessary fields or upload revised branded assets.
- Click Submit.
D’Angelo follows the same process as before. He requests a beta of the app and makes sure the DreamHouse beta tester thoroughly reviews the updates. Then he approves the app and waits for Salesforce to notify him that Apple published it.
The Path to Mobile Transformation
Developing enterprise mobile apps can be tricky, but Mobile Publisher is the secret ingredient in your organization’s mobile strategy. With a little help from Salesforce, you released your very own app in Google Play and the App Store. And now that you can put a branded app into the hands of every single employee and partner, your organization is well on its way to unlocking the transformative power of mobility.
Resources
- Salesforce Help: Maintain the App
- Salesforce Help: Connected App Overview
- Developer Guide: Manage a Connected App