Triggers for Admins: A Five-step Framework for Creating Triggers(a play in 5 acts)Veronica Beck Ashima Saigal
@gandhilover
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Ashima SaigalDatabase Sherpa founder
Summer 2014 MVP
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Customer or
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Veronica BeckBigger Boat Consulting Senior Consultant
Setting
“We want our own custom campaign
member statuses, but it’s a pain to
have to add them every time we
create a campaign.” – Celeste, yoga
studio owner
Audience Participation
We have some suggestions:
● Breathe! You can do it.
● Replace trepidation with curiosity.
● Know this won’t happen overnight.
● Remember, you are not alone.
Triggers for Admins
Act 1: Where do I write code?
Act 2: Gather Your Resources
Act 3: Clarify Your Requirements
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 5: Finalize and Launch!
Act 1: Where do I write code?
Developer Org: https://developer.salesforce.com/gettingstarted
Act 1: Where do I write code?
Go to Setup.
Find the object where you want the trigger.
Click on Triggers.
Act 1: Where do I write code?
Act 1: Where do I write code?
Click the New button, and voila!
Act 1: Where do I write code?
Some other tools for writing code:
• Salesforce Developer Console
• Eclipse
[there are many more!]
● www.sfdc99.com
● Creator David Liu presents: “Anyone
can learn to code Apex!” On
Wednesday at 11 am
Act 2: Gather your resources
Act 2: Gather your resources
● Power of Us HUB (nonprofits)
http://www.salesforcefoundation.org/help/power-of-us-hub/
● Success Community: (Salesforce online community)
● Local User Groups (in person meetings)
● Developer User Groups (in person meetings)
● Network at Dreamforce!
Act 3: Clarify Requirements
● What problem are you trying to solve?
o Inconsistent campaign member statuses
● What needs to happen?
o Auto creation of desired member statuses
● When does it need to happen?
o When a new campaign is created
● Should it always happen for all records?
o Only for workshop type campaigns
Act 3: Clarify Requirements
Write it “In English” (aka pseudo code):
When a campaign is inserted
● Check if it’s a workshop campaign
● If it is a workshop campaign …
o Get rid of the default Campaign Statuses
o Add the following campaign statuses:
Invited (default)
Accepted (responded)
Attended (responded)
No Show
Act 4: Code and Test
● Recap
o Set up your coding environment
o Go through some tutorials
o Clarify what you’re trying to do
● Get ready, set, go!
● Search for code, copy and paste.
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Trigger.new contains all records that are being inserted or updated
Loop through the trigger.new collection
Do something with each record
Code Sample:
For (Campaign c : trigger.new){ // This is the beginning of the loop
//do something with each record
} //this is the end of the loop
Design Pattern 1: Use Trigger.New
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Design Pattern 2: Use Lists and Sets
Lists and Sets are like a
bucket to hold records for
later processing
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
Act 4: Code and Test
For (Campaign c : workshopCampaigns) { //start of the loop
CampaignMemberStatus myCMS = …..
myStuff.add(myCMS);
} // end of the loop
Insert myStuff ; Insert is happening AFTER the loop
Design Pattern 3: Inserts, Updates, Deletes Outside of Loops
Act 4: Code and Test
● Common design elements
o Loop through trigger.new (or trigger.old)
o Use collections to hold records to process
o Do inserts, updates, and deletes outside of your loops
● Other helpful Tips
o Comment your code!
o Use system.debug for troubleshooting
Act 5: Finalize and Launch
• Ask users to test with real-life scenarios
• Revise code, have users re-test
• Write test methods
– Sfdc99.com has examples and tutorial
– Force.com Apex Developer Guide
http://www.salesforce.com/us/developer/docs/apexcode/index_Left.htm
• Deploy!
– Use Salesforce change sets and deployment connections in Setup area
That’s a Wrap
Begin Your Coding Journey Today!
● Set up your FREE developer account
● Find a mentor – introduce yourself to at least three people and tell them
you’re looking for help with coding.
● Visit sfdc99.com.
● Celebrate the beginning of your journey!
Resources
Beginner Tutorial - http://www.sfdc99.com/beginner-tutorials/
Salesforce Developer Forum - https://developer.salesforce.com/forums/
Trigger Best Practices - http://www.iterativelogic.com/salesforce-apex-trigger-best-practices/
Trigger Order of Execution -
http://www.salesforce.com/us/developer/docs/apexcode/Content/apex_triggers_order_of_execu
tion.htm
Writing Bulk Triggers - http://blog.jeffdouglas.com/2009/04/20/writing-bulk-triggers-for-
salesforce/
Force.com Apex Developer Guide -
http://www.salesforce.com/us/developer/docs/apexcode/index_Left.htm
