Salesforce has a Lightning for Gmail plugin that can be used to integrate Gmail with your Salesforce org. We have made some changes to make sure our Connexys Resource Manager app is compatible with this plugin. This article describes the configuration that is needed to use Lightning for Gmail with our app and what you can do with it.
Please be aware that this plugin is only available in Google Chrome. Furthermore, since our app is not yet available in Lightning Experience, you org needs to remain in the Classic version. Lightning for Gmail is compatible with Salesforce Classic.
Content
1. Configuration
1.1 Salesforce configuration
1.2 Browser configuration
2. Functionalities
2.1 Create candidate
2.2 Create job application
2.3 Create contact
2.4 Create account
2.5 Create task
2.6 Save email
2.7 Create job
2.8 Google calendar
1. Configuration
1.1 Salesforce configuration
To enable Lightning for Gmail in you Salesforce org, the following steps need to be taken:
1.1.1 Enable Lightning for Gmail in your Salesforce org: Setup > Email > Lightning for Gmail or Gmail Integration And Lightning Sync > Settings > Enable the preferred settings.
1.1.2 Create a new page of the type Email Application Pane in the Lightning App Builder: Setup > Lightning App Builder > New > Email Application Pane > Next > Label = Gmail > Finish.
1.1.3 Add the Lightning for Gmail - Person component to the page by dragging it to Add Component(s) Here and Activate and Save the page. If desired you can customize this page by (de)selecting the options on the right side of the page. There you can determine which buttons are shown. Below that it's also possible to specify which workflow status the job applications should have.
1.1.4 Make sure the users who will be using Lightning for Gmail have edit access to the Email Checksum field (a custom Activity field), this will prevent duplicate task emails.
1.2 Browser configuration
1.2.1 Install the Salesforce Lightning for Gmail chrome extension (every user who wants to use Lightning for Gmail, needs to install the Chrome extension).
1.2.2 Go to your Gmail page and you will see a new panel on the right, from where you can log into your Salesforce org > Grant the requested permissions to proceed. To use Lightning for Gmail, make sure to open an email, since it uses the content/information in emails.
2. Functionalities
The following functionalities we have developed for Lightning for Gmail are listed below.
2.1 Create candidate
When opening an email in Gmail, the email address is used to find candidates in Salesforce. When multiple candidates are found, the ones whose name matches closest to the name from the email is shown first. If no match is found you can create a new candidate by clicking on the Create candidate button. The fields that are displayed can be determined with the Candidate fieldset EasyCreateCandidate.
2.2 Create job application
When an existing candidate is recognized from the email message, it will show the Create Job application button. The fields that are shown are determined by the Job application wizard: page layout application setting, that is also used for the standard Job application wizard.
If you create a new candidate from Gmail, you will then have the option to save the candidate and go straight to the Create Job application page.
2.3 Create contact & 2.4 Create account
When opening an email in Gmail, the email address is used to find contacts in Salesforce. When multiple contacts are found, the ones whose name matches closest to the name from the email is shown first. If no match is found you can create a new contact by clicking on the Create Contact button. The fields that are displayed after that can be determined with the Contact fieldset EasyCreateContact.
You can create a new contact and link that to an existing account or simultaneously create a new account. After clicking Create Contact, you will see the option to create a new account. To determine which Account fields are shown when creating a new account, you can use the EasyCreateCustomer fieldset.
When the account is recognized based on the email address of the contact and there is only one account with that name in your Salesforce org, the account is prefilled. If another account is found, it will leave the lookup field empty and you can search for the correct account yourself.
2.5 Create task
Tasks can be created from Gmail for existing candidates and contacts. The fields that are available when creating a new task from Gmail are determined by the Task fieldset EasyCreateFields. Information that can be retrieved from the email will be prefilled in the corresponding fields (for example the name of the contact/candidate).
2.6 Save email
Emails can be saved as a task in Salesforce. There are three possible scenarios:
- User saves an email to a candidate record, after receiving an email from an existing candidate
- User saves an email to a contact record, after receiving an email from an existing contact
- User saves an email to a candidate and a contact record, after receiving an email from a person that is both an existing candidate and an existing contact (the system will only save ONE activity that is linked to both the candidate and the contact)
When the email is saved, the button will be disabled to avoid duplicates.
2.7 Create job
You can also create jobs directly from Gmail. For example, when a customer sends you a job via email for which they need you to find candidates, you can immediately create this job from Gmail. The fields that are shown depend on the configuration of the Lightning for Gmail job wizard. A new application setting has been created where this can be determined: Job wizard setup in Lightning for Gmail.
2.8 Google Calendar
The Lightning for Gmail extension can also be used in your Google Calendar. The panel is only shown when you open a saved event in your Google calendar. If the persons who are attending the event are not recognized, the Create Candidate and Create Contact buttons are shown. When a person is recognized as a candidate you are able to create a job application and/or a task. When a person is recognized as a contact you can create a job and/or a task.
