I use screen flows fired from button Actions on top-level objects like Contact, Account, and Campaign, to help my users create properly formed related records (mostly Opportunities). This works great as I have complete control over each field's value in the newly created record, including asking the user questions in a step by step wizard. I like this approach better than using quick actions when lookup fields are involved, as quick actions don't allow preset values for lookup fields.
But when the starting Account, Contact, or Campaign doesn't exist, then the user's workiflow to create the record is quite un-flow-like: After the global search fails, click the New link on the appropriate tab, fill in some fields among an ocean of fields, save, and only then choose one of my button Actions from the new Contact, Account, or Campaign.
I can't see an obvious "flow-like" way to create new top-level object records after searching and not finding an existing starting record. Global actions don't cut it as they use a different and in-obvious UI. Overriding the New link on a tab requires (I think) writing VF code to call a flow. I could put a "master flow" on the Home page with a radio button group to choose which type of top-level record to create, that fires a subflow for each different object...or one flow on the home page per object. I could even have a flow on the Home page for each different type of Opp that I want to create, and then search for the Contact, Account, or Campaign could happen inside the flow...but that doesn't take advantage of the global search bar's advanced features (although the new "Search for an Individual" screen component angles toward global search). None of these Home page options feel right, as a flow component on the home page takes up a lot of space compared to a button Action on a record page.
Anybody have ideas for a best practice here?
I have never looked into weather Einstein Search (a Major product area and the intelligence behind the amazingly productive global search bar, the many things you can do by hovering and clicking) have any API or flow exposed features. It would be quite nice to simulate a global search in flow. Would make a nice idea exchange if it's not already out there.
Search in both ways: give me a list of returned objects or IDs or something if you type only in the right side of the global search bar. Same but allow me to restrict using the left side of the bar.
Anyway... this is a good discussion.
I do want to point out that SOSL can be brought into flow. SOSL is more the generalized search. Maybe you want to check into that. I haven't. My users usually know what they are searching for by the job to be done.
Our full training at a very high level is:
Figure out the job to be done and switch to that App.
use either global search or object tab search to find the hoem record.
Use the page and tabs to finish. We don't intend for you to need to leave the page.
When you get interrupted with other small taks, use global search and hover over things that can be done to do them without leaving your page.
When you need to add new clinets, donors, suppoerts, volutneers, events or other jobs to be done use the global action bar is the page doesn't give you a better options.
I want to add a couple of other benefits that I forgot about this general sub-flow per record to be created (but it's more upsert and search/identify) approach that I embarked on long ago. I'm using two of them in upgrades today. I'll illustrate by user storys:
Team member has contact with someone virtually. They aren't new. As they select the contact we run it through upsert_client subflow in quite mote just to check if all "necessary" data is present. If anything is missing, the sub-flow doesn't just return but pops a screen with highlighted fields (red conditional text above each field) so the user can enter what they know or ask. It's not required since they may not be able to add anything. But this helps a great deal.
Team member is logging someone they had contact with. They believe they are new. So they pick that option. They are prompted to search first (by our sub-flow). Since SF has really nice features on reactivity now, we're going to put key charactersistics and photo fo the selected client on the screen in case they want to chagne their mind or select another. And we're going to add more than one filter term (previously they could only search for matches on a field we created for that purpose) and when you're checkin on John it's a really long list. We'll allow additional filters on the same page for age, ethnicity, gender, and city. With reactivity, a datatable can show the options. And with reactivity a display text field can display more characteristics and the image of the selected client all on the same screen before finalizaing the choice.
These two changes will be made in the sub-flow. Admittedly they are complex but they will then be exposed in a dozen or more places and (corss fingers) should all just work. The one place they may not work is the global action bar BECAUSE (darnit!). When will be get lighting in the global action bar!
Somebody should tag this post for flownatics and Einstein Search and more.
--Terry
