Salesforce constantly innovates and improves its products to enhance customer experience and boost productivity. The Summer ’23 Release of Salesforce Service Cloud in Lightning brings several exciting new features that empower organizations to deliver exceptional service and support. Let us explore these innovations.
1. Allow Updates to Email Message Related Records to Meet Business Rules
In the past, making updates to certain related records on incoming or outgoing email messages was restricted. However, with the Summer ’23 Release, you can now modify related records on email messages to meet specific business rules. In addition, you can now assign a user permission so that the automated case user for a process can adjust an address field or add an attachment link and more. This feature provides greater flexibility and automation in managing email messages within Service Cloud.
How to Use: Assign the Update Email Messages user permission to a user, such as the automated case user, for a process. The process can then insert an Email Message Relation object that updates the To, From, Cc, or Bcc address fields or a Content Document Link in the email message.
2. Save Time by Linking Contacts to Cases in Email-to-Case
You can now add a flow that puts customer information at your agents’ fingertips. The flow lets agents link contacts to cases created in Email-to-Case.
How to Use: Use the individual-object linking flow template called Find Contact for Associated Case from Email-to-Case. Add it to the Actions & Recommendations component. If you customize and save it as a screen flow, you can use it elsewhere. This lets agents quickly access customer information and select the appropriate contact to associate with a case.
The flow finds all contacts with email addresses that match the inbound email address that resulted in the case. Your agent then selects the right contact to link to the case.
Where Applicable: This change applies to Lightning Experience in Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions.
By integrating email interactions with case management, agents can provide customers with more personalized and efficient support.
3. Find Email Messages Faster with Improved Searches
Searching for specific email messages is now easier than ever before. The Summer ’23 Release enhances search functionality by including email messages in the search results when agents start typing a search string. Previously, typeahead didn’t consider email messages, but agents can quickly find relevant ones based on subjects. In addition, administrators can configure the search layout for Email Message records to define which fields appear in the search results.
Where Applicable: This change applies to Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Essentials, Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions.
How to Use:
To make sure that email messages are included in search results, follow these steps:
- In Salesforce Setup, navigate to the “Objects to Always Search” settings.
- Add the Email Message object to the profiles of your agents. This ensures that they have access to search email messages.
- Next, access the Object Manager and configure the search layout for Email Message records.
- Customize the search layout to include the necessary email message fields that you want to appear in the search results.
- Save the changes.
4. Use a Default No-Reply Address as the System Address for Case Email Notifications
To ensure consistent and customizable email notifications for case-related activities, the Summer ’23 Release allows you to configure a default No-Reply address. By setting up a default No-Reply address from the Organization-Wide Addresses page in Setup, you can avoid email notifications sent from noreply@salesforce.com. This feature is essential for maintaining professional and branded customer communication throughout the case lifecycle.
To configure a default No-Reply address and enable the necessary updates, follow these steps:
- Access the Organization-Wide Addresses page in Setup.
- Add an email address to the Special Purpose Organization-Wide Email Addresses section.
- Follow the instructions in the verification email sent to the newly added default No-Reply address to complete the verification process.
- Once you have successfully verified the default No-Reply address, set up and initiate the Test Run in the Release Update.
Note: The enforcement of this update was initially scheduled for Spring ’23 but has been postponed to the Summer ’23 release.
When: It is essential to implement this update in the Summer ’23 release. To determine your instance’s specific major release upgrade date, access the Trust Status, search for your instance, and navigate to the maintenance tab.
How to Use: Configure a default No-Reply address to enable this update. Without a configured default No-Reply address, when you activate the “Send Case Notifications from System Address” feature, email notifications related to incoming emails on existing cases, Case Comment, Case Escalation, and Case Assignment will be sent from noreply@salesforce.com. Unfortunately, these notifications lack important information and are not customizable, eventually ceasing to send.
Finally, ensure that you configure a default No-Reply address, verify its validity, set up Case Escalation and Inbound Email for Existing Cases, and proceed to enable the Test Run and run tests to test and activate the release update thoroughly.
5. Set Knowledge Article Review Dates with the Next Review Date Field
With the introduction of the new Next Review Date field, reviewing knowledge articles becomes simpler and ensures that article content remains current and relevant. This field is also compatible with out-of-the-box CRM Analytics reporting packs, providing valuable insights. Previously, Salesforce administrators had to rely on a custom Next Review Date field and a flow to manage article reviews and maintenance.
Where Applicable: This enhancement applies to Lightning Experience in Enterprise, Unlimited, Developer, Essentials, and Professional editions.
How to Use: The Next Review Date field is now available on the KnowledgeArticleVersion object and the standard object Knowledge_kav. You can populate this field manually or use your flow or Apex class to automate the process.
6. Customize Knowledge Articles with the Knowledge Article Component
In the Summer ’23 Release, administrators can now provide site visitors with an enhanced knowledge article viewing experience in Lightning Web Runtime (LWR). The Knowledge Article Component, previously available only in Aura, is now accessible in LWR. Administrators can toggle between field labels and field sections, adjust the style of the knowledge article title, and hide unnecessary mandatory field labels for site visitors. Additionally, employees can customize knowledge articles in an unauthenticated help center and via an authenticated portal.
Where Applicable: The availability of this change extends to LWR sites accessed through Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Enterprise, Professional, Unlimited, and Developer editions.
How to Use: Add the Knowledge Article Component to your LWR site to incorporate this change. This component enables you to display knowledge articles seamlessly within your Lightning Web Runtime site, enhancing the accessibility and usability of your knowledge base for site visitors.
7. Switch to Standard Omni-Channel for Chat and Standard Messaging
For organizations created in Summer ’23 or later, Salesforce has updated the Omni-Channel routing engine to improve scalability. If you want to use standard Messaging or Chat in a new organization, switching to standard Omni-Channel routing is necessary. Both versions offer the same routing capabilities, ensuring seamless customer interactions and efficient agent workflows.
Where Applicable: This change applies to Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions.
How: To transition to standard Omni-Channel routing, follow these steps:
- Access Setup in Salesforce.
- Navigate to Omni-Channel Settings.
- Disable the enhanced routing feature by turning it off.
Note: If you do not see a toggle for enhanced routing, it indicates that you are already using standard routing, and no changes are required.
Please be aware that it cannot be turned back on once you turn off enhanced routing. However, rest assured that enhanced routing will be reintroduced in a future release. After disabling enhanced routing, your agents must go offline and select a status again in the Omni-Channel utility. Additionally, supervisors should refresh the page to ensure the changes take effect.
8. Schedule a Knowledge Article to Publish at a Specific Time
Timing is crucial when it comes to sharing important information with customers. With the Summer ’23 Release, knowledge article authors and managers can schedule article publication at specific times. This feature allows organizations to align the release of knowledge articles with product updates, events, or other time-sensitive communications. By selecting a publishing time in 15-minute intervals, you can ensure that your knowledge articles reach customers precisely when they are most relevant.
Where Applicable: This change applies to Lightning Experience in Enterprise, Unlimited, Developer, Essentials, and Professional editions.
How to Use: Select a publication time for a knowledge article.
These new features in the Summer ’23 Release of Salesforce Service Cloud in Lightning demonstrate Salesforce’s commitment to empowering organizations with innovative solutions for delivering exceptional customer service. By leveraging these features, businesses can streamline sales processes, enhance agent productivity, and provide personalized customer support, ultimately driving customer satisfaction and loyalty.
To learn more about these features and how to implement them, refer to the official Salesforce Summer ’23 Release Notes and the provided links. Alternatively, contact us if you need help understanding and implementing these updates for your Salesforce engine.
Embrace the power of Service Cloud in Lightning and take your customer service to new heights!
