All Posts By

Admin

May 07
Love0

PDF-Upload

By Documentation, General Solutions, S-Docs Cookbook No Comments

Introduction

The S-Docs PDF-Upload feature allows you to upload any preexisting PDF to the S-Docs template editor. Once your PDF is uploaded, you can use the intuitive user interface to drag and drop merge fields onto your document. There's no need to copy and paste when using this feature: simply grab the merge field and place it wherever you'd like. This article will explain how to access the PDF-Upload feature, navigate the user interface, and customize your merge fields with your own styling. Before we dive in, here's a quick look at the feature in action:

Access PDF-Upload

To access the PDF-Upload feature, you'll need to add it as a Template Format value on the SDoc Template object. From the setup menu, navigate to the Object Manager and find the SDoc Template object.

Next, navigate to the Fields and Relationships tab, and click on the Template Format field.

Scroll down to the Values section and click New. Type PDF-UPLOAD into the text box, then click Save.

You've now successfully added the PDF-Upload option to the Template Format field. To create your first PDF-Upload template, simply select this option as your template format.

Using PDF-Upload

We will now go over basic usage of the PDF-Upload feature. To begin, navigate to the Template Editor for your PDF-Upload template, then click Upload PDF File under the Upload PDF tab, and choose a PDF.

Your PDF will appear on the right, and options will appear in the left menu.

PDF-Upload Settings

The two menus available to you are [1] S-Docs Fields, which is where you'll select your merge fields to drag and drop, and [2] PDF-Upload Settings, which we'll go over now.

The PDF-Upload Settings allow you to [3] apply a default style for how all of your merge field data will display. This styling box accepts CSS syntax. For example, if we want our merge field text to be 20 pixels, we'd add font-size: 20px; into the box. This styling can also be overridden for any individual merge field.

S-Docs Fields

The S-Docs Fields menu allows you to create merge fields, apply individual styling, write conditional statements for those fields, and drag and drop them onto your document. If your PDF-Upload template is S-Sign enabled, this menu is also where you'll configure your signature tags. Click Create Another Field to get started.

This is the merge field menu.

Begin by [1] selecting the type of field. In this case, we're going to select merge field. If S-Sign was enabled for this template, we could also use this picklist to choose an S-Sign field. Next, [2] click Select Merge Field to find your merge field.

This will [1] bring up a list of all available fields for your base object, which in this case is Opportunity. You can also [2] select special merge fields to insert information such as document date, document name, or the name of the user generating the document. When you [3] select your merge field, you can access fields from related objects by clicking on fields with the > symbol next to them, just like you can with any other S-Docs template. This functionality allows you to go three levels deep. In this example, we're selecting the billing address for the account related to this opportunity. When you find your desired field, [4] click Insert Field.

As you can see, [1] the merge field was added into the Merge Field text area, meaning that this field will now display data from this opportunity's account billing address.

Remember the default merge field styling we applied earlier? You can [2] override this styling by adding additional CSS in the Additional Style field. If the default font size is 20 pixels, we could add font-size: 12px; here so that this field appears smaller than the rest.

You can additionally [3] insert conditional logic in the Render If field to render this field data only under certain conditions. This field accepts the same syntax as the S-Docs Conditional Logic feature, omitting the render tags. For example, let's say we only want the account's billing address to display if the opportunity is closed. We would add {{!Opportunity.stagename}} == 'Closed' into this field.

Finally, [4] drag your field (SDOCS INPUT ID=1) and place it on your PDF. Once you do, you can reset this field by clicking the Re-Drag Merge Field button, then drag it again. If you no longer need a field, you can [5] click Delete Field to delete it. [6] Click Create Another Field to repeat this process as many times as you'd like; there's no limit to the amount of merge fields you can use!

Once you've added all of your merge fields, it's time to generate your document!

As you can see, S-Docs merged in all of our Salesforce data in the areas that we specified. That's all there is to it! The PDF-Upload feature was designed to give you maximum flexibility and ease of use while maintaining the powerful feature functionality of S-Docs.

Note that the PDF-Upload templates work with the Live Edit feature. If your PDF-Upload template is Live-Edit enabled, users will be able to edit the field data after the document is generated.

PDF-Upload Limitations

While PDF-Upload is a robust and easy-to-use feature, there are a few limitations to consider when using it.

Note: Limitations to PDF files in general also apply to the PDF-Upload feature in addition to the limitations listed here.
  • PDF is the only file type supported
  • Pre-existing templates cannot be switched to the PDF-Upload template format
  • PDF-Upload templates cannot be switched to a different template format
  • The Header, Footer, Page Settings, and Auto Create Task tabs are not available
  • PDFs must be the traditional 8.5 x 11 inch size; landscape PDFs are not supported
  • The page count upper limit is currently around 15 pages. Keep in mind that certain contents increase template size and complexity (such as images or large amounts of text), which may have an effect on the page number limitation
  • To export templates and transfer them between orgs, use the S-Docs Template Migrator instead of manually exporting and importing the template data.
  • Component templates are not supported
  • Related Lists are not supported
  • Conditional statements need to be written out (the Insert Conditional Logic button is not supported)
  • Nested renders are not supported
  • Named queries are not supported
  • SOQL queries are not supported


Apr 30
Love0

April 2020

By Release Notes

S-Docs 4.205

Major Updates:

Security 

  • At S-Docs, security is our top priority. We are constantly testing our security measures to ensure our application is as secure as possible and always in accordance with Salesforce standards. This rigorous testing has resulted in improved app functionality, and continues to differentiate S-Docs as the most secure solution for document generation & e-signature for Salesforce.  

Speed 

  • Generating documents quickly is one of our main differentiators. Over the past few months, we’ve improved our processing power and can now generate extremely large documents at the speed of a single-page generation….with just one click!   

Template Customization  

  • Ever wish you could add both Salesforce field labels and field values directly to your template? Now you can. We’ve added this feature to our template editor. This ensures that your field labels will always be accurate in your documents, even if you change them in Salesforce. It works with any base object, making it extremely versatile for a multitude of use cases. Here’s an example with the syntax for the Account object below: 
    • Syntax: {{!Label.Account.NumberOfClients}} - {{!Account.NumberOfClients}} 
    • Output: Number of Clients - 16

Using the S-Docs Named Query Feature? 

  • We’ve expanded on this feature allowing you to query for multiple records at the start of a template and reference the returned fields for any of those records as merge fields later in the template. This feature, designed for flexibility and avoiding redundancy, has become more powerful than ever before.

Minor Updates:

General

  • Support was added for collapsible Runtime Prompt options
  • Adds an option in the Document Options tab of the template editor to only create attachments when emails are sent
  • Support was added for attaching Lightning Knowledge files to emails
  • Support was added for lookup fields when using the <distinct>FieldName__c</distinct> feature for LineItemsSOQL queries
    • Example: <distinct>Lookup__r.FieldName__c</distinct>
  • An update was made to sort LineItems and LineItemsSOQL queries on the QuoteLineItem and OpportunityLineItem objects by the SortOrder field if no <orderby> tags are specified
    • This will not be applied to related lists containing <soql> tags
  • Support was added for special characters in DOCX rich-text fields
  • Support was added for sorting Mass Merge documents by a number value by adding the parameter “NUM” to the field labeled “When using this template in mass merge, sort the docs in the consolidated single doc by this field” on the Document Options tab in the template editor.
  • Adds field ObjSortVal__c to S-Doc object. This field can have base object record field data stored in it and then be sorted on when combining multiple documents into a single combined document
    • Example: SDJobTemplateController.combineSDocs('ORDER BY ObjSortVal__c ASC', 'PDF')
    • This update also adds the field ObjSortValFieldsForSDoc__c to the S-Docs Job object. This can be populated with a comma-delimited list of base object field names, which will then be used to populate the ObjSortVal__c on the generated S-Doc.
      • Usage: A user can insert an S-Docs Job with ObjSortValFieldsForSDoc__c set to something like Type,StageName and the corresponding field data values for the base object record will be stored in the S-Doc object’s ObjSortVal__c field 
  • Support was added for passing parameters into components to be used as merge fields.
    • Example:
      BASE TEMPLATE:
      <!--{{!<LineItemsSOQL>
      <component>Component_Template</component>
      <soql>SELECT Id FROM Opportunity WHERE AccountId='{{!Account.Id}}'</soql>
      </LineItemsSOQL>}}-->
      COMPONENT TEMPLATE:
      Opportunity ID: {{!Opportunity.id}}
      Opportunity Name: {{!Opportunity.name}}
      Opportunity StageName: {{!Opportunity.stagename}}
  • Support was added for disabling the “Allow Edit” option for all users regardless of template settings unless the current user's profile is whitelisted
    • Usage: To whitelist a profile, go to /apex/SDOC__SDConfig and enter the profile’s name in the "Whitelisted Profiles for Document Editing" text box. Note that separate profiles should be delimited by new lines in this text box.
  • Support was added for automatically linking a file or attachment to the parent object when a user has Auto-Create File or Auto-Create Attachment checked on line items objects.
    • This is because Salesforce does not allow you to create Files or Attachments on line items objects such as OpportunityLineItem.

Apex Button Parameters

  • Support was added for parameter AFEquals
    • Usage: If AFEquals=’true’, text-based additionalFields will be evaluated based on exact match rather than using ‘LIKE’
  • Support was added for parameter generatedFields to show fields from the template detail page on the generated documents page
    • Usage: Add generatedFields=’Base_Object_Type__c,Name’ to button code to show the related list object and the template name in columns in the table on the generated document page
  • Support was added for parameter useAttNameForDocName
    • Usage: If useAttNameForDocName=’true’, the attachment name will be used instead of the document name on the generated documents page
  • Support was added for parameter AFPicklist
    • Usage: If AFPicklist=’false’ it will hide the picklist that is shown on the template selection page when using the AdditionalFields=’...’ parameter
  • Support was added for the replyToMostRecentEmail
    • Usage: If replyToMostRecentEmail=’true’ it will include the most recent email's text in the body on the S-Docs email page

Related List Column Attributes

  • Support was added for queryname and queryname2 merge fields in LineItemsSOQL prefix/postfix column attributes
  • Support was added for the related list <column…> attribute escapeXMLChars
    • This will escape characters from the cell value that will cause XML parsing errors when included in XML tags
    • Example: <column escapeXMLChars="true" allprefix="<template lastname__c='" allpostfix="'>testing</template>">name</column>
  • Support was added for single quotes in the replaceAll attribute for related list columns
    • You must use #QUOT# in replaceAll first comma delimited string
      Example:
      <lineitems>
      <class>table1</class>
      <listname>attachments</listname>
      <column>bodylength</column>
      <column replaceAll="#QUOT#,#escqt#" >name</column>
      </lineitems>
  • Support was added for rendering HTML into the document when using the <column render="..."> feature
    • Example: <column render="RECORD.StageName == 'Closed',<span style='font-color:red;'>Closed</span>,Open">
  • Support was added for RENDER1 and RENDER2 when using the <column render="..."> feature
    • Example: <column render="RECORD.Country__c == germany,[RENDER1]RECORD.City__c == berlin,north[RENDER2]RECORD.City__c == munich,south[ENDRENDER2][ENDRENDER1]">id</column>

Merge Field Attributes

  • Support was added for the merge field attribute replaceAll
    • Example: {{!Opportunity.Some_Field__c replaceAll="..."}}
  • Support was added for the merge field attribute render
    • For use when evaluating text fields that may contain rich-text-like contents in render statements
    • Example: {{!Opportunity.Rich_Text_Containing_Field__c render}}
  • Support was added for merge field attribute mspin
    • Example: {{!Opportunity.Multi_Select_Picklist__c mspin="true"}}, which converts multi-select picklists to a format that works with the SOQL IN operator
    • Usage: You can use <soql>... WHERE Order_Number__c IN {{!Opportunity.Multi_Select_Picklist__c mspin="true"}}</soql> and this will evaluate to something like <soql>... WHERE Order_Number__c IN ('1','4','5')</soql> at runtime
  • Support was added for the merge field attribute URLENCODE 
    • Example: {{!Contact.LastName URLENCODE}}

S-Sign 2.78

Major Updates:

Improved Workflows 

  • New functionality has been added to S-Sign enabling users to send an S-Sign Request to multiple potential signers at once, without requiring a signing order. This makes sending S-Sign signature requests even easier.  

Customization Features 

  • We’ve added more customizable email notification templates that are sent when certain actions are taken during the lifecycle of an S-Sign request. These new templates meet the needs of more complex use cases and ensure your branding - logo, text, colors - is consistent across all touchpoints.
    • Templates include confirmation emails, declination emails, and deferral emails.
  • S-Sign now has improved email bounce handling. If your S-Sign signature request bounces, you can now change that recipient's email and resend it without having to generate a new request. This is also useful if you need to update any signer email addresses of an active signature request beyond the first signer.
  • S-Sign now supports Global License Assignment & Removal for large organizations. This cuts down the tedious admin work required during implementation, or upon an influx of new hires or personnel changes.  

Minor Updates:

General

  • Support was added for pre-setting the Signer Name field in the signature pad when available in the Signer Profile 
  • Adds “Email is provided by previous signer if” field on Signer Profiles
    • You can set this field to a RENDER expression (e.g. {{!Opportunity.StageName}} == ‘Closed’) and then if that expression evaluates to true, the signer will be prompted after signing to provide the email address of the signer with the profile where this field is populated (rather than the email being provided by the sender of the request)
  • Adds a variety of new special merge fields for S-Sign templates
  • Adds “Disable System Emails” setting in the S-Sign Template Settings which will disable all confirmation emails, e-signature request emails, etc.
  • Support was added for preventing certain signer profiles from getting audit records
    • Use case: If borrowers don’t need to see Audit records, but lenders should see them.
  • Support was added for default text inputs for Text SSign Fields. There are three options available: 
    • If you want to write back to Salesforce and have a default value upon opening the request 
      • Write back to filled in (Merge Field required) + Text Default filled in (Merge Field or plain text)
    • If you want to write back to Salesforce but not have a default value 
      • Write back to filled in + Text Default not filled in
    • If you don’t want to write back to Salesforce but do want a default value 
      • Write back to not filled in + Text Default filled in

For more information about these fields, click here.

Apr 15
Love0

Salesforce Cybersecurity Best Practices For Healthcare

By Blog No Comments

When people hear the word “healthcare,” it usually brings to mind health clinics and hospitals, lab coats and stethoscopes, or patients being treated by doctors and nurses.

While these images are all accurate, there’s another big component to the healthcare industry that isn’t always top of mind: cybersecurity. On the back end of maintaining the health and wellbeing of our society comes protecting all the data that goes into that mission. Healthcare organizations not only have to ensure that their internal data remains secure, they also have to protect the sensitive information of their patients, which is regulated by strict laws.

What’s more, recent studies have shown that the cost of healthcare data breaches is higher than any other industry, at an average of $408 per record. Because of the lofty costs of potential data leaks (which can even include jeopardizing patient safety), along with the possibility of legal ramifications, healthcare organizations have an obligation to prioritize cybersecurity.

The good news is that cybersecurity best practices are constantly improving, and with a little planning, they’re not too hard to learn about and implement. Here are a few of our tips for maintaining optimal data security for healthcare organizations using Salesforce.

You Might Also Like: What Makes E-Signature A Good Fit For Healthcare?

Conduct A Risk Assessment

Before you can begin taking comprehensive cybersecurity measures, you have to know where your sensitive data is (both in Salesforce and out), and identify potential areas of risk. Conducting a risk assessment is the best way to do this, but it’s also required by the HIPAA Security Rule, which establishes standards for protecting electronic protected health information (ePHI). A good risk assessment should:

  • Ensure your organization is compliant with HIPAA standards
  • Identify areas of risk involving ePHI or personally identifiable information (PII)
  • Inform you of where all of your sensitive information resides

There’s no one correct way to conduct a risk assessment, but there are a number of resources available that can help guide you through the process. The Security Risk Assessment Tool, developed by the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) and the HHS Office for Civil Rights (OCR), is a downloadable risk assessment software designed to guide you through the process of conducting a risk analysis.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has also published general guidelines for conducting risk assessments that can help organizations structure their risk analysis procedures correctly.

While performing a risk assessment is an important first step to protecting your patients’ safety with optimal data security, similar assessments should be conducted regularly to ensure that your organization stays compliant and nothing falls through the cracks. It’s always best practice to remain vigilant, using things like Salesforce Security Health Check to make sure your data remains as secure as possible.

Follow A Cybersecurity Framework

After assessing your organization’s risk potential, you need a plan to make sure risk is mitigated and ePHI stays confidential. Luckily, this responsibility doesn’t have to fall entirely on your shoulders if you follow a cybersecurity framework. Cybersecurity frameworks like the HITRUST CSF or NIST CSF are essentially pre-made plans for identifying, responding to, and decreasing cybersecurity risks. These voluntary guidelines direct organizations on how to reduce cyber risks to critical infrastructure.

For example, the five functions of the NIST CSF are:

  1. Identify what cybersecurity threats are
  2. Protect your data from cybersecurity threats
  3. Detect cybersecurity threats as they happen
  4. Respond to cybersecurity threats
  5. Recover from cybersecurity threats

Following a cybersecurity framework (or even using one as the basis for your own plan) can greatly cut down on the time and resources necessary to minimize threats and maintain compliance with laws like HIPAA and HITECH.

Take Measures Against Insider Threats

Planning for external attacks is a must, but it doesn’t account for individuals with internal privileges and access to confidential information. According to Verizon’s 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report, healthcare was the only industry with more internally caused data breaches than external, with 59% of breaches happening as a result of an organization’s internal members. Data breaches that come from the inside aren’t always malicious, either -- they can also result from carelessness or ignorance of the rules.

Because of this, healthcare organizations must take careful measures to root out insider threats and prevent them from taking place, as well as ensure that they can recognize them early when they do happen. In Salesforce, you should do an audit of user profiles and permission sets to confirm that there isn’t any unnecessary access to confidential information anywhere. It’s important to always enforce restrictions and verify that users only have access to information that’s critical to getting their job done.

Make Training A Priority

One of the best defenses against insider threats is to implement a strong training program that’s mandatory for all employees. Training should be done during the initial onboarding process and on an ongoing basis. This will make certain that your organization’s data security policies and procedures are always top of mind. Look at training as a powerful tool, and not just another thing you “have to do” -- it’ll show employees how much you value security, and safeguard against negligent data breaches.

Use Salesforce Shield

Salesforce Shield, a trio of security tools, is a great way to be proactive about insider threats in your Salesforce org. The three components of Salesforce Shield are event monitoring, platform encryption, and field audit trail.

Event monitoring is probably the most important part of Shield when it comes to preventing insider threat. This feature tracks user interaction within Salesforce and makes it available to admins via APIs. You can see who is accessing your sensitive ePHI and PII, when they’re accessing it, and from where. Event monitoring makes it easy to spot abnormalities and ensure that employees are complying with data security policies.

Platform encryption is another important tool for both internal and external threats. This tool encrypts sensitive data at rest, not just when it’s being transmitted over a network. It helps you meet HIPAA’s data storage requirements for protected health information while maintaining critical functionality.

Field Audit Trail helps with internal governance because it stores up to 10 years of field data changes, allowing you to keep a record of how data has changed through time. It’s especially helpful for maintaining compliance with data retention policies.

No matter what system or application you use, it’s important to be proactive about monitoring insider threats. The best way to stop a data breach caused by internal players is to recognize the red flags and contain it before it happens.

Use Native Salesforce Apps When Possible

Salesforce is a powerful and incredibly secure tool used by healthcare organizations around the globe, but there will almost always come a time when its feature functionality needs to be extended. Adding the right applications from the AppExchange to your Salesforce stack is a smart move -- but whenever new systems are introduced, new risks are created. Your best bet for avoiding drawn-out security evaluations and keeping your data security policies intact with third-party solutions? Look for native Salesforce apps first.

Because native apps are built directly on the Salesforce platform, they’re automatically compliant with Salesforce’s strict security standards, and they conform to your org’s security settings and sharing rules out of the box. They also process data directly within Salesforce, meaning no external integrations are required -- with native apps, your data isn’t changing hands, and nobody but you can see or access it.

When you can, use native apps for your most critical functions that work with your sensitive data. This will ensure that your organization continues to run as normal without the risks associated with handing data off to third parties. It’ll also mean a much shorter implementation and training period, since native apps are designed to work exclusively with Salesforce, and mirror its look and feel.

You Might Also Like: 4 Ways Native Salesforce Apps Are Transforming The Healthcare Industry

Establish Secure Document Workflows

Healthcare organizations have to create and process thousands of documents every day, and many (if not most) of them contain confidential information. It’s critical that you establish secure workflows for creating, handling, and storing your documents in Salesforce. Using native document generation and e-signature solutions is the first step towards doing so with better document security.

Every organization will have different workflow needs, but remember to always enforce restrictions. Only certain users should be given access to create and edit document templates. Similarly, other users should only be able to create specific documents that are necessary for their jobs. Some documents should be able to be emailed, while others should be restricted from this ability.

Document generation solutions allow you to fine-tune all of these settings, ensuring that users are compliant with your policies, and minimizing the risk of data leaks. As we mentioned before, using native solutions only increases this security.

Foster A Culture of Security & Privacy

Ultimately, one of the most important things you can do is create a culture of security and privacy that permeates every level of your organization. Make cybersecurity and privacy awareness a fundamental part of your company’s mission. Unlike the risk assessment software or cybersecurity frameworks, there’s no real playbook for this one. Following the guidelines in this article are a way to get started: by following a security framework, prioritizing training, and vetting secure apps, you give the authentic impression that security is one of your top values. Here’s two more pieces of advice that will help you on your way to building this culture:

  1. Convey the notion that security belongs to everyone. Every employee should feel like they have a responsibility to uphold security and privacy no matter what level they’re at or what kind of information they interact with. Adding security to your list of values and emphasizing the topic continually will help show that security is a part of your culture.
  2. Make security engaging. Nobody will really take security seriously (or even remember the training) if it’s presented in a dull way. Think about the ways your organization talks about security and the mediums through which you provide training, and consider if there are opportunities to make it more fun or even gamified. Salesforce trailhead courses are a great example of this, and a perfect place to start if you’re stuck.

All in all, implementing responsible security protocols and building the culture to support them will cut costs, maintain legal compliance, and improve the safety of your patients.

S-Docs: A Trusted Partner For Healthcare

At S-Docs, your security is our priority. As the only 100% native document generation and e-signature solution for Salesforce, we help top healthcare organizations around the globe securely generate and e-sign the documents they need every day. When you generate a document with S-Docs, your data never leaves the Salesforce platform, meaning S-Docs is one of the most secure solutions available. From patient consent forms to billing documents to HIPAA forms, S-Docs is here to improve your efficiency without compromising on cybersecurity. Visit our healthcare page to learn more about our work with top healthcare organizations.

To learn more about S-Docs and the secure architecture of our native apps, contact our sales team at sales@sdocs.com or request a demo today. We’ll be happy to give you a customized demo that shows what S-Docs can do for your organization. 

See S-Docs In Action

Leave your Salesforce document workflow worries behind.

Request Demo

Enjoying our blog?

Subscribe now and we'll make sure to send you the latest as we publish new content!

Connect With Us!

For Salesforce news, digital document & e-signature insights, or just for fun.

        

Read More

Blog
June 12, 2024

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation You don't have to micromanage your sales executives to optimize sales operations. Instead, you’ll have more success by establishing sales…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
June 5, 2024

Are You Ready for a Document Automation Tool?

The Need for Efficiency in Today’s Businesses Business efficiency is crucial. Imagine running a marathon while juggling — sounds chaotic, right? That’s what managing documents without automation can feel like.…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
May 29, 2024

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business An organizational maturity assessment identifies where your company stands within the stages of a chosen maturity model framework so you can…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Apr 08
Love0

Upgrading Your Document Generation System? Here’s What You Need To Know

By Blog No Comments

Here’s a short quiz for you:

  • Have you spent more than 5 minutes creating a routine business document in the past month?
  • Have you recently sent out a document to a client, only to spot a glaring mistake after hitting Send?
  • Do you love manually creating documents?

If you answered yes to question 3, then this article isn’t for you. You may, however, enjoy this one.

If you answered yes to any of the other questions, though, it might be time to either upgrade your current document generation solution, or implement one if you haven’t already.

Why Use Document Generation?

Document generation solutions allow you to take a tedious yet vital business function and automate it so that your team can focus on the highest-value work. Document generation solutions have high ROI because of the efficiency, accuracy, and security that they bring to the table.

Every business has a multitude of mission-critical documents that they need to create every day -- quotes, invoices, contracts, proposals -- and these are just a few. By digitizing and automating these vital documents, businesses are able to save time and money, make their employees happier and more productive, and provide more value to their customers.

You Might Also Like: 6 Benefits of a Salesforce Document Generator

What Should You Look For In A Document Generation Solution?

Sure, document generation solutions will increase productivity and efficiency all around. Employees will be able to respond quicker to your customers’ needs, and the days of sending out typo-ridden documents will be in your rearview mirror. However, this doesn’t mean that you should just start googling away and land on the first link you see with the words “document” and “generation” in the preview snippet.

The fact of the matter is, document generation solutions can be extremely powerful tools, though they may sound simple enough at first. This means that there’s a lot to consider when shopping around for the right solution, and not all document generation tools are created equal. Luckily, we’ve compiled this list of must-have features that any business needs to look for during their document generation evaluation.

Seamless Integration Into Your Existing Business Processes

Document generation solutions work by merging your business data into pre-built templates so that you don’t have to chase down information and make sure you’ve copy-pasted correctly. Therefore, they need to be compatible with the current processes and workflows that go into collecting and storing your business data. Choosing a solution that integrates well with your current system is a must to ensure smooth setup and minimal hiccups down the road. Seamless integration also helps because the less user training required, the faster you can get your solution implemented and start seeing productivity skyrocket.

If you’re using Salesforce, look for native solutions first. Native Salesforce applications are built on the Salesforce platform, meaning that they are seamlessly integrated automatically. Native apps mirror the look and feel of Salesforce, minimizing the amount of user training required. They’re also incredibly secure and faster than non-native solutions, meaning they’re a perfect place to begin your solution evaluation.

Powerful Yet Easy-To-Use Template Editor

Document generation solutions depend on pre-built templates that are configured before end-users interact with them. Choosing a solution that employs an intuitive, powerful method for building these templates will mean that templates can be deployed for use faster and ultimately look much more sleek and professional. We recommend looking for a document generator with a built-in template editor that doesn’t require you to use an external program every time you need to make an edit, thereby providing you with optimal efficiency.

You Might Also Like: How To Design A Beautiful Document

Automation Options

Generating your documents with the click of a button instead of by hand is extremely efficient -- however, good document generators will take it a step further and allow you to employ document automation. Almost any business will have processes or stages in the sales cycle that always require certain documents to be created and sent. Automating these scenarios allows you and your team to continue to focus on what really matters, while those quotes or proposals are sent in the background with all of the information they need. In this day and age, there’s no reason repetitive tasks like routine document creation shouldn’t be automated.

Automation will be especially important when your business and your document needs grow. As your organization expands, manually creating documents won’t just be annoying and time-consuming -- it’ll be practically infeasible. You should look for a document generation solution that supports automation now to ensure you’ve covered all your bases in the future.

Dynamic Content Rendering

Let’s say your business sends out a master service agreement whenever a deal reaches a certain stage. Basic document automation would be able to get this done easily -- provided that the same master service agreement is being sent to every customer. Unfortunately, this probably isn’t actually the case.

Here’s where dynamic content rendering comes in, and why it’s an absolute necessity when it comes to document generation solutions. Dynamic content rendering allows you to include or exclude certain portions of your documents based on business rules. Depending on your requirements, it could be as simple as including different terms and conditions clauses for contracts being generated for customers in different states, or as complex as changing the entire structure of your contracts based on the customer’s company size, country, industry -- the options for customizing your documents to your specific business workflows are endless.

Document generation solutions that employ dynamic content rendering allow you to create living, breathing documents that are tailored to the needs of your customers, completely automatically. Look out for this critical feature during your evaluation.

Runtime Prompts

Runtime prompts are a way for users to provide their own input while generating a document. They work by pausing the document generation process and prompting users with questions -- they could be in the form of multiple choice options, checkboxes, blank text areas, etc. -- and then merging their input into the document directly, or using the input as a variable for dynamic content rendering.

Finding a document generation solution that supports runtime prompts is important for a number of reasons. First, it allows for maximum dynamic content rendering flexibility. There are some complex situations where predetermined business rules can’t fully rely on automated processes; user interaction would be required in these situations. Second, it ensures that compliance to company policies is upheld. Runtime prompts allow users to edit certain aspects of a document that are preconfigured for them, without giving them access to edit everything.

Batch Document Generation

Batch document generation is another requirement for any business looking for a new document generation solution. Whether you’re a large enterprise or small startup, there will be times where you’ll need to generate lots of documents at once. These situations are made easy with document generation solutions that support batch processing.

Support For Multiple Document Output Formats

Your business isn’t exclusive to one single document output file type, so you need to find a document generation solution that supplies the formats you need to keep your business functions running. There are lots of common document output formats that are being used every day. From PDF to XLSX, it’s important that your document generation solution supports the varied file types that your business relies on.

Email Support

What’s the point of automating your digital documents if you have to download them and then attach them to an email in an external program?! Email support is crucial for any document generation solution because it allows for an uninterrupted workflow from start to finish. You should look for a document generation solution that supports sending your documents and logging those emails in your current system so that you can easily refer back to them.

However, a great document generation solution doesn’t stop at just emailing your documents -- it provides a canvas for customization. You should be able to create email templates to go along with those documents as well. Email templates are valuable because they can be pre-configured just like regular documents can -- including dynamic data and content rendering -- and also be automatically populated with correct recipient information. Creating great-looking emails with the same software you use to create sophisticated documents is more efficient and easier than using separate systems.

E-Signature Integration

E-signatures aren’t going anywhere, and if you’re using a document generation solution, it’s crucial that you use e-signature alongside it. Choosing a solution that allows for painless e-signature integration will help you close deals much faster today and save you a headache down the road.

If you can, go one step further and choose a document generator with a proprietary e-signature solution that’s already integrated by default. Evaluating, implementing, and training users on two different systems is a huge commitment from both a time and financial standpoint. Since document generation and e-signature go hand in hand, it doesn’t make sense to use two different systems. Many of the documents that you generate will likely require signatures from one or more parties; find a solution that has e-signature built in so that you can create and sign your documents in one fluid motion.

Even if you’re not leveraging electronic signatures now, it’s probable that you will be in the future, and you should make sure your document generation solution supports it.

Mobile Compatibility

For many companies, a lot of business gets done outside of the office. It’s important to choose a document generation solution that empowers those working in the field to be able to create the documents they need to get their job done. Document generation solutions with mobile capabilities are powerful because they increase efficiency and productivity anywhere. Even if most of your business is done in the office or over email, the ability to create documents right from your phone is still an important thing to consider -- you never know when this functionality might be able to help you out of a pinch.

Start Improving Your Document Workflow Today

Whether you’re looking to upgrade your current system or implement one for the first time, you now have the tools you need to find the document generation application that’s right for your business. Choose a solution that’s easy to use without compromising on functionality -- one that integrates seamlessly into your current workflows, and is able to scale to your growing business needs.

S-Docs is a 100% native document generation and e-signature solution for Salesforce. From extensive automation options to mobile compatibility, S-Docs supports the unique needs of any business. S-Docs is a powerful tool with robust functionality, and it comes with the added benefit of being built on the Salesforce platform. Being native to Salesforce means being automatically compliant with Salesforce’s most stringent security requirements, as well as being incredibly fast, since S-Docs doesn’t rely on external servers or platforms. Native Salesforce apps also mirror the look and feel of Salesforce, meaning they’re easier to learn, faster to implement, and more intuitive than their non-native counterparts.

To learn more about our solution, contact our sales team by requesting a demo or emailing sales@sdocs.com.

See S-Docs In Action

Leave your Salesforce document workflow worries behind.

Request Demo

Enjoying our blog?

Subscribe now and we'll make sure to send you the latest as we publish new content!

Connect With Us!

For Salesforce news, digital document & e-signature insights, or just for fun.

        

Read More

Blog
June 12, 2024

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation You don't have to micromanage your sales executives to optimize sales operations. Instead, you’ll have more success by establishing sales…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
June 5, 2024

Are You Ready for a Document Automation Tool?

The Need for Efficiency in Today’s Businesses Business efficiency is crucial. Imagine running a marathon while juggling — sounds chaotic, right? That’s what managing documents without automation can feel like.…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
May 29, 2024

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business An organizational maturity assessment identifies where your company stands within the stages of a chosen maturity model framework so you can…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Apr 02
Love0

Digital Solutions For A Changing World

By Blog No Comments

There’s no denying that it’s a strange time for business right now. Largely unknown when 2020 began, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought about massive changes for companies around the globe. As we adjust to the ever-changing situation, the biggest observable shift so far has been towards a culture of social distancing: staying physically far apart.

Many businesses that depend on in-person patronage have had to temporarily close their doors, while those that rely less on physical presence have begun redesigning their processes to accommodate partially or fully remote teams. Salesforce and Twitter were among the first big companies to close their physical offices entirely, and since then more and more have followed suit.

For many, this means a lot of adaptation, reconfiguration, and realization. Suddenly, it’s apparent which meetings could’ve been emails all along. Many are discovering that when left to their own devices at home, they’re just as productive (or even more productive) as they are at the office. At the same time, others are struggling because no solid digital infrastructure existed for their business before.

Although it’s not immediately clear how long this disruption will last, it is clear that it’s generating big discussions about topics that will far outlive the coronavirus pandemic.

A Changing World

Even before today’s situation was in full swing, many companies were already on a trajectory towards more remote work, more digitization, and less reliance on legacy systems.

The benefits of having a remote team have been measured time and again. Depending on the situation, employees are healthier and more productive, and employers are able to reduce costs and hire from a wider pool of candidates.

Similarly, the benefits of digitization have been praised by companies who’ve taken digital initiatives, and sought by companies that plan to do so. Digitizing various business processes can improve the customer experience, increase productivity, and facilitate better communication. As we’re now seeing, it also allows businesses to be more adaptable, able to respond much faster when unforeseen circumstances arise.

Although the changes created by COVID-19 are temporary, they’ve produced a permanent validation for businesses that have taken digitization initiatives. Transitioning into the new remote landscape has been much smoother for them. It’s obvious that enabling your team with digital solutions is not only a step towards increasing productivity -- it’s also a form of insurance against the unknown.

These realizations have not gone unnoticed by businesses that have been slower to digitize. As they struggle to adapt to the rapid shifts of the last few months, it’s become apparent that digitization can no longer be viewed as a luxury -- it needs to be viewed as a business necessity going forward. In trying times like these, it not only impacts productivity and the bottom line, but also the wellbeing of employees.

Digitizing For The Future

Taking digital initiatives now is the way forward both through the coronavirus pandemic and the future that lies beyond it. According to a 2016 study of more than 700 digital decision makers, 59% of companies were worried that it was too late to undergo a digital transformation. We don’t think that was the case back then, or even now -- but when the dust settles in a few months time, this might be a reality.

Luckily, today’s world makes it easier than ever to get started on a digital transformation journey -- and if you’re experiencing downtime as a result of the pandemic, it’s a perfect time to make a plan. Here are a few of the basic need-to-have digital solutions that will keep your business moving forward in the best and worst of times.

Customer Relationship Management

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solutions might’ve been seen as a luxury ten years ago, but they’re now essential for nearly every type of business. Not only do they supercharge sales, marketing, service, and more -- they also serve as a framework upon which other essential digital solutions can be built. CRMs are the backbone of any company. They can be accessed from anywhere: in the office, at home, or in the field. In difficult times, they help businesses stay afloat with powerful analytics and their ability to improve customer retention -- and they also save money in the long run. In crunchtime, CRM solutions are essential.

Payroll / HR Solutions

Digitizing payroll and other HR processes is another essential maneuver in this day and age. These are critical business functions that can’t be ignored. Today’s shift towards remote work means that relying on physical documents -- or even a mixture of physical and digital documents -- won’t cut it for much longer. Digital HR solutions are key to keeping things “business as usual” today and going forward. When things go back to normal, they also show potential new talent that your business is adapted to the modern world.

Communication & Collaboration Tools

Whether it’s mandated or voluntary, remote work isn’t going away -- it’s only becoming more common. Because of this, it’s essential that your teams are supplied with the right communication and collaboration tools. From instant messaging channels to video conferencing to document collaboration tools, these digital solutions are important because they allow remote teams to seamlessly interact and get work done as if they were in person.

Good communication channels aren’t just essential for work, either. According to a 2015 study, more than half of remote workers felt less connected to in-office employees. Adopting communication solutions means empowering employees to connect with their colleagues and build a sense of community that wouldn’t be possible without them. This results in happier and healthier employees, better retention, and more productivity overall.

Document Generation & E-Signature

The success of any business is dependent on its ability to adapt to different situations while maintaining critical functions. Fundamental processes would grind to a screeching halt if a business was unable to create documents and get them signed. Document generation and e-signature solutions ensure that businesses can continue to function normally no matter what’s thrown at them.

In turbulent times like these, businesses need to have all hands on deck working on the highest value work. Spending time manually creating documents or waiting for signatures simply doesn’t take priority, and this is what makes document automation and e-signature so important. They can be embedded into existing workflows to generate and send documents automatically, without disrupting other critical work being done. They also have the added benefit of being much more secure and efficient than paper processes.

Marketing Automation

Like we said before: business success means business as usual no matter which way the wind is blowing. Marketing is another business function that would cause serious disruption if it were to go away or severely diminish. Having a steady stream of leads flowing into the pipeline is an absolute necessity during hard times, and key to staying afloat during good times.

More Connected, More Productive - Just Farther Apart

The need for social distance won’t last forever. However, after it’s all over, what it’s taught us about the impact of digitization and the benefits of remote work won’t go away. We were already easing into a changing business landscape, and the conversations sparked by the pandemic are only going to accelerate this process.

“Digitization” may be a buzzword, but its impact on how we do business from here on out will be immense. The solutions that you choose now will define how your business moves forward. The technology exists to bring teams together more than ever, even if they’re reporting from several different countries at once. Making use of it now rather than later is vital to future business success.

Enabling Digitization For Over Ten Years

Here at S-Docs, we’re proud to develop document generation and e-signature solutions for Salesforce. For over ten years, we’ve been helping companies digitize, automate, and e-sign their documents, modernizing key business tasks with little to no configuration. Our products not only allow companies to automate their tedious, but critical, business functions -- they help them embrace the changing world, where manual document creation and wet ink signatures are quickly being phased out.

Along with facilitating online, remote work, S-Docs comes with the added benefit of being native to Salesforce, which means it’s incredibly efficient, extremely secure, and seamlessly integrated. Users don’t feel like they’re using a separate product when they’re using S-Docs; it’s a smooth link that enables one critical solution to interoperate with another.

S-Docs helps businesses continue to function as remote work spreads across the world -- and after the current situation is resolved, we’re here to continue helping companies on their journey towards digitizing and modernizing their businesses. If you want to learn more about how document generation and e-signature solutions can provide real value to your business, shoot us an email at sales@sdocs.com -- we’d be happy to hop on a call for a customized demo. You can also request a demo on our website.

Stay safe out there!

See S-Docs In Action

Leave your Salesforce document workflow worries behind.

Request Demo

Enjoying our blog?

Subscribe now and we'll make sure to send you the latest as we publish new content!

Connect With Us!

For Salesforce news, digital document & e-signature insights, or just for fun.

        

Read More

Blog
June 12, 2024

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation You don't have to micromanage your sales executives to optimize sales operations. Instead, you’ll have more success by establishing sales…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
June 5, 2024

Are You Ready for a Document Automation Tool?

The Need for Efficiency in Today’s Businesses Business efficiency is crucial. Imagine running a marathon while juggling — sounds chaotic, right? That’s what managing documents without automation can feel like.…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
May 29, 2024

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business An organizational maturity assessment identifies where your company stands within the stages of a chosen maturity model framework so you can…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Mar 30
Love0

Generate A Component Template For Each Record In A List Of Records

By Documentation, General Solutions, S-Docs Cookbook No Comments

Introduction

This article will teach you how to build an S-Docs template that will generate an entire component template within it for each record in a list of Salesforce records.

Let's say you wanted to create a single summary document of each opportunity related to an account, but you don't want to use the standard related list table formatting. You could remove the table CSS styling by using <class>none</class>, but this will only output your data as a comma-delimited list.

Using this feature, you could create a component template for your related opportunity data and format the data in any way you'd like. Then, when you generate a parent template that references the component template, you'll have a single document with your custom-formatted component template repeating itself for each opportunity record in your account's related list.

This feature works with any list of Salesforce records.

If you need to generate a separate document for each record in a list of records, click here.

This feature involves two templates:

  1. The parent template: This template will end up being the final document where all of the record data is displayed. It is the template that the end user will select and generate.
  2. The component template: S-Docs component templates are templates that are built to be displayed within other templates, and are not generated as stand-alone documents. This template will be used to configure how data from each record is displayed in the parent template. It won't be seen or selected by the end user. Although it's only one template, it will repeat itself in the parent template for each record in the list that you specify.

Create The Parent Template

To begin, we'll create the parent template. Let's say we want to generate a document from the Account object that has data merged in from each opportunity record in the Opportunity related list. Create a new S-Docs template, and ensure that the Related To Type field is set to Account (or whichever base object you're working with).

Navigate to the template editor and click on the Source button. There are two different ways to write the component query.

Method 1:

This method will run 1 SOQL query for each component merged. It's ideal for shorter lists of records. Paste something like the following into the source of the template editor.

[code lang="html"]<!--{{!<LineItemsSOQL>
<component>Component_Template</component>
<soql>SELECT Id FROM Opportunity WHERE AccountId='{{!Account.Id}}'</soql>
</LineItemsSOQL>}}-->[/code]

This LineItemsSOQL statement will be where our component template appears for each record in the related list. Let's dig a little deeper into what's going on here.

After opening the LineItemsSOQL statement, we've specified the name of our component template, Component_Template, within the <component> tags.

After this, we've written a SOQL query that will allow the component template to pull field data from opportunities related to our account. This feature isn't limited to related lists, however - you can query any object in your org with any filter conditions.

Because this method runs a SOQL query for each component merged, it may not be scalable for large lists of records. In that case, you can use method 2.

Method 2

Note: Method 2 is available in S-Docs 4.447+

This method will run 1 SOQL query in total, no matter how many components are merged. It's ideal for longer lists of records. Paste something like the following into the source of the template editor:

[code lang="html"]<!--{{!<lineitemsSOQL>
<class>none</class>
<soql>SELECT id, name, stagename from opportunity WHERE AccountId='{{!Account.Id}}'</soql>
<component columnFields="true" mergeFieldPrefix="prefix">Component_Template</component>
<column componentMergeField="true">id</column>
<column componentMergeField="true">name</column>
<column componentMergeField="true">stagename</column>
</lineitemsSOQL>}}-->[/code]

This method requires adding the columnFields="true" attribute to your <component> tag to specify that your component template uses the fields that you define below in <column> tags. You must also define a merge field prefix within your <component> tags by using the mergeFieldPrefix="prefix" attribute. This prefix must be used in the merge fields in your component template. Each merge field used in your component must also be defined in a <column> tag with the componentMergeField="true" attribute in the parent template component query.

Refer to the section below to see a syntax example of how your merge fields should look in your component template when using method 2.

Create The Component Template

Now that we've written our LineItemsSOQL statement in the parent template, it's time to create the component template that will appear there when the parent template is generated.

Create a new S-Docs template, and ensure that the Related To Type field is set to the object that your SOQL query is pulling data from (in this case, Opportunity). Change the Template Format field to Component. This will automatically uncheck the Available For Use and Initially Visible checkboxes when you save the template, ensuring that users won't be able to select and generate this template on its own.

Navigate to the template editor. All you have to do now is build out how you want the data from each record to appear in the parent template.

For Method 1, you can simply use merge fields like you always would. We'll make a simple list of data that looks something like this:

[code lang="html"]Opportunity ID: {{!Opportunity.id}}
Opportunity Name: {{!Opportunity.name}}
Opportunity StageName: {{!Opportunity.stagename}}[/code]

For method 2, be sure to use the merge field prefix specified in the parent template, and only reference fields defined in the parent template component query <column> tags.

[code lang="html"]Opportunity ID: {{!prefix.id}}
Opportunity Name: {{!prefix.name}}
Opportunity StageName: {{!prefix.stagename}}[/code]

Once you click Save, you're ready to generate your document!

Note: For method 1, you can also reference the merge field {{!RowNum}} in your component template. This will correspond to the row number of the record returned by the LineItemsSOQL statement in the parent template.
For method 2, add a column in your parent template component query like <column componentMergeField="true">rownum</column> and then use {{!MergeFieldPrefix.rownum}} (Replacing MergeFieldPrefix with your chosen prefix)
Note 2: If you're using Named Queries in your parent template, you can reference these merge fields in your component template as well.
Note 3: Component templates support <nullprefix>, <nullpostfix>, <allprefix>, and <allpostfix> tags.

Generate Your Document

It's time to put our work into action. Navigate to a base object record (in this case, we'll be navigating to an Account record) and click the S-Docs button. Choose your parent template and click Next Step.

Once your document has generated, click the PDF icon to view it. The component template will have generated for each record in your list. Since our account had two opportunities attached to it, the component template generated twice in our parent template.

Although this is only a very simple example, you can use the full power of the S-Docs template editor to style both the component and parent template in any way that you want.


Mar 24
Love0

How To Evaluate The Security Of AppExchange Apps

By Blog No Comments

There are many things that go into building great customer relationships -- personalization, communication, consistency -- but few are as foundational as trust. Consumers don’t want to give their business to companies they don’t trust with their information. Since doing business and sharing personal information are two entwined activities in the modern world, trust has become more important than ever.

While new laws have started regulating how businesses use and store personal information (such as GDPR and CCPA), companies who proactively improve their security practices have big opportunities to continue building successful customer relationships and winning over the trust of new prospects.

If you’re using Salesforce, the good news is you’re already ahead of the curve. Salesforce incorporates a large array of security services out of the box, and there are countless options available to fine-tune your security preferences to your business and industry standards.

The thing is, most companies that use Salesforce don’t use it by itself -- over 71% of Salesforce customers use applications downloaded from the Salesforce AppExchange, and that number is only growing as more solutions are added to the marketplace every day. While you can rest assured that Salesforce will keep your data safe (it's trusted by top government and healthcare organizations around the world), the same can’t always be said for the applications that you use with the platform.

The S-Docs team compiled this guide to help you evaluate the security of Salesforce AppExchange apps, drawing from over ten years of experience as a trusted document generation and e-signature solution for Salesforce. Here are a few of our biggest recommendations for choosing the most secure solutions.

1. Check Out The App’s AppExchange Listing Page

Our first piece of advice for evaluating the security of AppExchange apps is simple: head over to the app’s listing detail page to get a first impression of the app. It’s true that you can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge an app’s security by its AppExchange listing page -- but there are a few things on that page that can give you a head-start into your app analysis. Here are a couple things to look for as you glance through the page:

How Old Is The Latest Release?

The top of every AppExchange listing will include a star rating, the date the app was first listed, and the date that the most recent version of the app was added to the AppExchange. This is the date you need to look out for.

You’ll likely come across many apps with latest releases ranging from a couple months ago to a couple years ago -- but sometimes you’ll find apps with “Latest Release” dates that are closer to the birth of the AppExchange itself than they are to the present.

It’s possible that installing an old application might pose a security risk simply by the nature of the app’s age. Since Salesforce’s security infrastructure and data security best practices are constantly updating, older applications may not incorporate the latest security advancements.

However, an old “Latest Release” date doesn’t always mean that the app hasn’t been updated in a while; it could also mean that a newer version of the app exists that just isn’t on the AppExchange. If you’ve found an older app that you think your business might really benefit from, contact the app vendor for information about a more up to date version.

How Do The Reviews Look?

While it’s true that an app’s reviews aren’t necessarily a good indication of that app’s security infrastructure, it doesn’t hurt to glance through them and see what others have said about the app in the past. It’s possible that a reviewer has pointed something out about the app that you didn’t notice during your initial evaluation.

Pay attention to the dates on the reviews, too -- older reviews might not be a good representation of the app in its current state.

You Might Also Like: 5 Best Salesforce Apps You Should Install Now

2. Find Out If The App Uses External Services Or Platforms

After you’re done looking through an app’s listing detail page, it’s time to dive in a little deeper. The next thing to look for during your app security review is whether or not the application requires external services or platforms to work, as well as whether or not it stores data on those external platforms.

There are a few ways to figure this out. The easiest way is to click the “Get It Now” button on the app’s listing detail page to begin the installation process (but you don’t actually have to complete it at this time). If during this process the app prompts you to authorize access to third-party websites, then you can be sure that it uses external services or platforms.

It’s also possible to figure this out by visiting the application’s website and poking around in their documentation, if it’s available; they’ll likely have information there about the external platforms or services that their app utilizes.

Why Do External Services Or Platforms Matter?

We’ve established that Salesforce itself is a secure solution with multiple data security measures in place -- after all, your team already trusts it with your sensitive business data. However, an application that uses external services or platforms is only as secure as its weakest link.

Although Salesforce isn’t the only secure platform available, whenever a new platform or service that handles your data is added, another security risk is introduced. Applications that rely on external platforms by nature require your data to be transferred away from Salesforce for processing. Each time your data changes possession, another vulnerability is created.

If an AppExchange application also stores data on a platform other than Salesforce, this could be a problem for your organization for a number of reasons. Like we said before, introducing another platform introduces another opportunity for a data breach. Your IT department probably spent a great deal of time and resources vetting Salesforce as a secure platform to trust with your company’s data; the same process would likely need to be repeated for the additional platforms that an app is using to store data. Additionally, it's hard to know who really has access to your data when it's being stored (even temporarily) on other platforms. The more platforms with access to your data, the less secure it is.

3. Choose Native Apps Whenever Possible

We get it -- evaluating the security of any new Salesforce application is going to take some time; data security is of the utmost importance, and it shouldn’t be taken lightly. However, it doesn’t have to take too much time. There is one thing you can do that will significantly cut down on your evaluation timeline: choose native Salesforce applications first.

Native Salesforce applications are built on the Salesforce platform, meaning that they are hosted and operated entirely within the Salesforce cloud. When you choose a native app, you don’t have to worry about whether or not that application uses or stores data on third-party platforms or services. Native apps live completely within Salesforce, and the data they process does too. Native apps allow your security team to rest assured that no additional platform vetting will be required, since all of your organization’s data will remain in your already-approved Salesforce environment.

The Security Benefits Of Native Apps

Native Salesforce applications have more out-of-box security benefits than any other type of application on the AppExchange. While native solutions are not a universal answer to every Salesforce need, we recommend looking to them first before seeking out non-native alternatives. Here are just a few of the security benefits that come with native apps:

  • Salesforce Servers - All of your client data stays within Salesforce (unless you download, export, or email it). It is not sent nor stored on external servers nor does data enter from external servers, which may be the case with non-native applications.
  • Security Settings Consistency - A native Salesforce application conforms with the same security settings and sharing rules that you have already created within Salesforce. These rules and settings may not be applied with a non-native app, and data could be vulnerable as a result.
  • Secure Integrations - Native app integrations are more secure. API interactions with any native app services require authentication with Salesforce. This ensures the highest level of security and minimizes the need for specially built integrations. For example, a single-sign-on (SSO) integration requires no additional consideration to work with a native app.
  • Data Residency Compliance - Since all data used by native apps continues to be stored exclusively on existing Salesforce servers, native apps inherently meet the strictest government data residency requirements – just like Salesforce.
  • Reliable Uptime & Connectivity - Since native apps reside 100% within Salesforce, they will always be up and running when Salesforce is running. Non-native and hybrid apps depend on outside servers and network connectivity, which may or may not have the same enterprise-class infrastructure as Salesforce. Downtime may not only cause loss to a business, but could also pose security risks if the application is being used for mission-critical processes.

You Might Also Like: How 2009 Changed The Salesforce AppExchange Forever

How Can You Tell If An App Is Truly Native?

Seeking out native applications first is a significant step towards finding and implementing the most secure solutions for your Salesforce org. However, discerning which apps are truly native can be surprisingly difficult. Some apps that aren’t 100% native try to capitalize on the marketing advantage that being native comes with, using phrases in their listings like “native integration,” “on-platform,” and “without ever leaving Salesforce.” Apps that include some native aspects, but still require you to connect your Salesforce org to external URLs, are not truly native, and do not come with all of the security features that 100% native apps do.

To figure out whether or not an AppExchange app is truly native, head back to the AppExchange listing detail page, and look under the highlights table on the left. Only 100% native applications will be designated as native in this table.

If you’re still not convinced, click the Get It Now button, and initiate the installation process again. If you’re prompted to grant access to any 3rd party sites, then the app is not native. If not, you can rest assured that the application is truly native.

4. Ask Your Vendor The Right Questions

When in doubt, asking the right questions can help give you a better understanding of an app’s security infrastructure. Here are some additional key questions to ask your vendor during your evaluation of an AppExchange application:

  1. Does your app require that I whitelist any IP addresses in Salesforce to use any feature of your app?
  2. Does your company use any web services that are required to use any feature of the app?
  3. Where are those services hosted? Are they regional and do they meet data residency requirements?
  4. How are services encrypted?
  5. How are networks separated between corporate domain and services?
  6. What are your SLAs for service and performance regarding uptime, bandwidth, and latency?
  7. What is the communication process for downtime and breaches? Can you provide a history of those for the previous 24 months?
  8. When was the last time you implemented your emergency management procedures?
  9. What audits and certifications do you have?

Keep Your Data Secure With S-Docs

S-Docs is the only 100% native document generation and e-signature solution available on the Salesforce AppExchange, and it’s free with up to 2 templates. S-Docs holds all of the security benefits that come with native applications -- documents are designed, generated, emailed, and signed within Salesforce, and your data doesn’t leave your org.

The native benefits don’t stop at security -- S-Docs is faster, more reliable, and easier to use. Top government, healthcare, and financial service firms around the world trust S-Docs with all of their Salesforce document generation and e-signature needs. Being native allows it to work great with any Salesforce product, from Service Cloud, to Shield, to Government and Healthcare Clouds.

Get started today by contacting us to request a customized demo, or reach out directly to sales@sdocs.com.

See S-Docs In Action

Leave your Salesforce document workflow worries behind.

Request Demo

Enjoying our blog?

Subscribe now and we'll make sure to send you the latest as we publish new content!

Connect With Us!

For Salesforce news, digital document & e-signature insights, or just for fun.

        

Read More

Blog
June 12, 2024

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation You don't have to micromanage your sales executives to optimize sales operations. Instead, you’ll have more success by establishing sales…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
June 5, 2024

Are You Ready for a Document Automation Tool?

The Need for Efficiency in Today’s Businesses Business efficiency is crucial. Imagine running a marathon while juggling — sounds chaotic, right? That’s what managing documents without automation can feel like.…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
May 29, 2024

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business An organizational maturity assessment identifies where your company stands within the stages of a chosen maturity model framework so you can…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Mar 18
Love0

Business As Usual: Tips For Working Remotely

By Blog No Comments

This is a historic time for both our country and the world as we try to navigate the best way through this COVID-19 pandemic. At S-Docs, we think it’s important to come together, albeit virtually, to support one another and share best practices about the changing tides in business. We’re doing everything we can to keep our employees safe and our customers happy. We’re working behind the scenes to keep everything business as usual.

Since the outbreak started, a lot of companies have migrated to have employees work from home, which has been a big adjustment for some. Luckily for S-Docs, some of our team is already used to working remotely. We have employees and contractors who live in San Francisco, Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, New York, and Ann Arbor. In light of the situation facing us today, we thought we'd draw from our years of experience accommodating remote employees and share some of our favorite tips for getting the job done at home. Whether they're stress relieving tips, funny GIFs, real-world solutions, or advice for adjusting to remote work, here are a few things we use on the daily when we're working remotely. They help keep us sane in times like these, but also keep things (dare I say it) business as usual.

Tip #1: Video Calls

At S-Docs we use Go-to-Meeting for our voice and video calls, but Zoom and Google Hangouts are also good options. If you’re in a pinch, UberConference has a reliable free version that can be used globally. Video & conference calls are a necessity to make remote work feel like business as usual. We have daily syncs in the morning to kick-start our days. This helps us stay connected with everyone, regardless of where they’re located. It provides a view into how everyone is doing on a personal level, and allows us to adjust our focus based on what's a priority for that day, week, or month.

Pro tip: If your conference line is slow to launch, try joining just a few minutes earlier to avoid the rush when everyone is logging on for a meeting at the top of the hour.  

Tip #2: Instant Messaging // Workplace Communication

Slack is a powerhouse in our stream of work. Forget email. Instant messaging your colleagues is another great way to stay in the know about all the various projects that are going on. For example, we have a different slack channel for our dev team priorities, strategic POCs that are ongoing, and product feature updates/requests to name a few. Don’t forget a big piece of staying sane while being remote is being able to have fun with your colleagues. We have a few channels dedicated to non-work topics, and are also huge fans of the /giphy function that randomly creates funny GIFS for you.

Tip #3: Calendar Blocks

Use your calendar to schedule your day, otherwise you might end up either working way longer than anticipated (whoops, is it really 6pm already?) or the opposite can happen (accidently have a spotless kitchen at 3pm?). It’s crucial to block out personal time in addition to ‘in-the-zone’ times for when you need to really crank something out. The remainder of your available time throughout the day will easily be filled with recurring meetings or last-minute phone calls with clients. This is the bullet-proof way to stay on schedule for yourself and provide transparency to what you’re working on throughout the day.

Tip #4: Use Team Collaboration & Document Centralization Tools

There are a ton of tools out there to help facilitate group collaboration. Internally, we use Google Docs and Trello to help manage multiple projects and to-do lists. Both tools help us work together on various projects all at once. Having a centralized place where all of our marketing, sales, and development content exists makes it much easier to find the pertinent information to keep things running.

Pro Tip: Try adding a label standardization to your foldering system, and cleaning up old files. A little organization goes a long way!  

Tip #5: Automate Business Processes

This might sound trivial, but when you’re not used to working remotely it can be a lifesaver to have automation in place. Since swinging by John’s desk to check the status of that pricing approval isn’t feasible when everyone is remote, you can set up an automated workflow that sends out an alert via Salesforce when John updates a field approving (or denying) the pricing request. It’s these little workflows that we take for granted when we’re in an office full of people. At S-Docs, we, along with hundreds of our customers, use our native document generation and e-signature solutions for Salesforce to build out these automated workflows. It saves us time and keeps us on track regardless of whether we’re on the go, or designated to our living rooms for the time being.

.Tip #6: Don’t Forget to Unwind & Destress

Exercising with repetitive activities, like walking or running, is great for relieving stress, especially in hard times like these when a global pandemic is in full swing. Now, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, if your city or country has mandated all citizens to stay inside, then please stay inside. There are tons of on-demand workouts like yoga sequences, breathing exercises, and bodyweight workouts you can do at home to get your mind off of work and any craziness that’s surrounding you. Try planning a virtual trivia night with your colleagues in lieu of the traditional happy hour. Let the team bonding & virtual fun begin! 

See S-Docs In Action

Leave your Salesforce document workflow worries behind.

Request Demo

Enjoying our blog?

Subscribe now and we'll make sure to send you the latest as we publish new content!

Connect With Us!

For Salesforce news, digital document & e-signature insights, or just for fun.

        

Read More

Blog
June 12, 2024

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation You don't have to micromanage your sales executives to optimize sales operations. Instead, you’ll have more success by establishing sales…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
June 5, 2024

Are You Ready for a Document Automation Tool?

The Need for Efficiency in Today’s Businesses Business efficiency is crucial. Imagine running a marathon while juggling — sounds chaotic, right? That’s what managing documents without automation can feel like.…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
May 29, 2024

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business An organizational maturity assessment identifies where your company stands within the stages of a chosen maturity model framework so you can…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Mar 10
Love0

How US Government Entities Are Using Salesforce In 2022

By Blog No Comments

Although it begins with the word “Sales,” Salesforce is about as far from being a solution exclusively for sales teams as S-Docs is from advocating for manual workflows (automation is where it’s at!). As a customer relationship management platform, Salesforce absolutely helps businesses crush it at sales -- but it also breaks down frustrating data silos, manages and automates marketing efforts, streamlines customer service, and provides valuable AI-based insights that aid every organizational layer from the bottom to the top.

Because of this, it’s no surprise that government agencies around the globe have started leveraging Salesforce’s eclectic capabilities to transform their citizen engagement and everyday workflows. The public sector has historically been slow to adopt new technologies like cloud-based CRM solutions, even if they've been established for some time. Salesforce and its partners have been vital to remedying this reputation and transforming the way government entities do business and serve their constituents.

How Are US Government Organizations Using Salesforce In 2022?

In a modern era that’s more connected and faster-moving than ever, government organizations face three big challenges:

  • Managing legacy, on-premises systems
  • Meeting ever-rising citizen expectations
  • Maintaining compliance with regulatory requirements that are constantly growing

Legacy data systems aren’t built on the cloud and don’t allow for efficient communication between databases. These data silos can hurt productivity and communication, leading to everyday tasks being carried out slower than they could be, and ultimately hindering innovation.

Modern-day consumers expect proactive service, connected experiences, and personalization when they interact with companies in 2022. These new, ever-growing expectations don’t magically turn off when it comes to the government -- citizens now expect a much faster, cleaner experience that’s available to them from any device.

Additionally, government organizations are restricted by inflexible regulatory policies that are always growing, making it difficult to upgrade outdated systems and introduce innovative new strategies.

Salesforce and its ecosystem of partners, consultants, and independent software vendors diminish these challenges by reinventing the government’s relationship with technology. Because it’s so easy to set up, maintain, and customize, Salesforce is suited to improve the way any government organization works, from the United States federal government to government contractors and federally funded research and development centers (FFRDCs).

You Might Also Like: Safeguarding Your Salesforce Data: Best Practices For Government Entities

How The US Federal Government Uses Salesforce

The US federal government is made up of hundreds of different agencies that all have their own unique business requirements. Salesforce is valuable to the federal government because of its infinite customization capabilities that make it a viable option for virtually any project imaginable. Little to no coding knowledge is necessary to build custom applications using the lightning app builder, and a host of ready-to-deploy applications built exclusively for government organizations are just a few clicks away on the AppExchange.

The power of using one platform for thousands of different projects cannot be overstated. Ordinarily, different branches of the federal government would need to develop or purchase hundreds of different solutions that don’t integrate well with each other and aren’t backed up in the cloud. Salesforce allows these many different branches to satisfy their needs with a singular platform that facilitates connectivity between each agency.

The United States Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) is just one federal government agency that leverages the power of Salesforce for a number of different projects. Most notably, Salesforce is being used to improve the caregiver program, which was originally approved to provide healthcare services to veterans injured on or after September 11, 2001, and give benefits to veteran caregiver households. Several attempts were made to develop an in-house IT system for the program, but when the MISSION Act passed, stipulating that caregiver program benefits eventually be extended to all veterans, it became clear that a new, scalable solution was necessary. The VA turned to Salesforce to better maintain the program’s data, track its progress, and ensure a smooth transition to covering more veterans and caregivers.

The VA recognized the importance of using one cloud-based solution for many different projects, and extended this philosophy to the applications that they use in conjunction with Salesforce. They leverage S-Docs and S-Sign for their document automation and e-signature needs, benefiting from our on-platform advantages like increased speed, security, and ease of use. Since they’re native to Salesforce, S-Docs and S-Sign mirror its look and feel, maintain compliance with all of its security requirements, and have the same server uptime. This makes them easy to implement, customize, and scale -- just like Salesforce.

You Might Also Like: Always Choose The Native App On The AppExchange: Here’s Why

How State & Local Governments Use Salesforce

State and local governments also take advantage of Salesforce as one versatile platform. Most local government organizations have multiple departments that all offer different solutions for their citizens. A big responsibility of most of these agencies is direct citizen interaction, from answering questions to processing applications. Salesforce is a way to unify these different citizen touchpoints.

The District of Columbia’s Office of Unified Communications (OUC) implemented Salesforce for this very reason. As an agency responsible for both the city’s emergency 9-11 and city service 3-11 calls, it was already interacting with citizens 24/7. Several other government call centers were added to the OUC’s jurisdiction as well, including the Department of Transportation and the Department of Motor Vehicles. In addition, the agency’s twitter was responsible for answering questions and even processing service requests.

Salesforce Service Cloud was instrumental in unifying these different points of contact, giving citizens a consistent experience across multiple channels and providing service agents with insights into individual service requests and overall trends. Chatbots and automated call responses for the highest-volume call topics were introduced to increase productivity. Salesforce also alleviated additional costs incurred from legacy systems like maintenance required for updates and storage space. In addition, it’s extremely scalable, allowing the OUC to be the adaptive, proactive government entity that citizens and employees are looking for.

How Government Contractors Use Salesforce

Agencies directly connected with the government aren’t the only ones who use Salesforce to improve their processes. Government contractors also leverage its wide-ranging abilities to better serve their government customers and indirectly make an impact on the citizens that those governments serve.

Government contractors need to get in contact with government entities and maintain those relationships, which is why in this case, Salesforce really is about sales. Business development is a big responsibility for government contracting agencies -- they first need to find customers in order for their great solutions to make an impact.

Atlantic Diving Supply used Salesforce to grow from a small company to a top 50 Federal Government Contractor that supplies tactical diving gear and similar products to the United States Department of Defense and other government agencies. Using Sales Cloud and FedRAMP-authorized Salesforce Government Cloud, they were able to utilize data that previously slipped through the cracks to increase their sales and provide their products to more and more agencies. They also expanded their Salesforce usage to include Service Cloud, Event Monitoring, Identity Connect, and more.

Salesforce also improves the day-to-day lives of government contractor employees, allowing them to access mission-critical information from responsive, customizable mobile apps. The increase in productivity that this brings allows them to deliver the exact solutions that government entities need, right when they need them.

Salesforce Helps Government Agencies Do What Matters

There are thousands of different government entities throughout the United States and around the world, and we could go on and on about how many of them are using Salesforce to improve. Though their business needs are different, they all have one thing in common: using a secure, centralized platform lets them focus on what really matters. Salesforce gives them a 360 degree view into their constituents, their service requests, their project data -- whatever it may be, it’s easier to work with, customize, and scale using the power of Salesforce as a single platform across any number of different projects.

Applications that enhance Salesforce’s functionality should be the same way. That’s why S-Docs Document Generation and E-Signature is built 100% on the Salesforce platform,  exclusively for Salesforce users. S-Docs uses powerful document generation technology to create sophisticated documents and send them for e-signature in seconds -- yet because it’s native to Salesforce, users don’t feel like they’re interacting with an external app at all. S-Docs is pre-integrated, meaning that users who already know Salesforce will know how to use S-Docs out of the box.

Since it’s built on the platform, S-Docs also enjoys the same uptime and security compliances as Salesforce. As the trusted partner to hundreds of government organizations around the world, S-Docs generates thousands of secure documents every day, automating manual tasks and pushing government productivity to the next level.

To see how your organization can benefit from native document generation and e-signature, contact us for a customized demo. Request a demo or reach out directly to sales@sdocs.com.

See S-Docs In Action

Leave your Salesforce document workflow worries behind.

Request Demo

Enjoying our blog?

Subscribe now and we'll make sure to send you the latest as we publish new content!

Connect With Us!

For Salesforce news, digital document & e-signature insights, or just for fun.

        

Read More

Blog
June 12, 2024

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation You don't have to micromanage your sales executives to optimize sales operations. Instead, you’ll have more success by establishing sales…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
June 5, 2024

Are You Ready for a Document Automation Tool?

The Need for Efficiency in Today’s Businesses Business efficiency is crucial. Imagine running a marathon while juggling — sounds chaotic, right? That’s what managing documents without automation can feel like.…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
May 29, 2024

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business An organizational maturity assessment identifies where your company stands within the stages of a chosen maturity model framework so you can…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Mar 03
Love0

What Makes E-Signature A Good Fit For Healthcare?

By Blog No Comments

For as long as they’ve existed, corporations from every industry have endeavored to paint themselves in a noble light. They minimize talk about the money and maximize talk about the greater mission. Sometimes it feels disingenuous, sometimes it feels sincere -- but with most businesses, the only real way to tell is to look at their track record and assess whether their values align with their actions.

The healthcare industry, however, is usually a different story. No matter which company you look at, the industry as a whole boasts arguably the noblest mission any business can have: contribute to the health and wellbeing of our society. This mission aligns well with their business needs: keeping patients healthy and happy creates loyal customers.

Of course, virtuous as their philosophies may be, healthcare companies are still businesses, meaning that they have all of the operational requirements that traditional businesses do. Operations, marketing, purchasing, hiring, maintaining patient paperwork -- depending on the industry sector, there’s so much going on behind the scenes that patient care is just the tip of the iceberg. It’s easy for these administrative tasks to pile up and slow down the care cycle, but they can have a profoundly negative effect on the patient experience. And if patients feel they’ve been relegated to the sidelines, they’ll start searching for new healthcare practitioners that are able to deliver better, more personalized experiences.

To be quite honest, healthcare patients don’t want to feel like they’re dealing with a business at all -- and in our opinion, they shouldn’t have to. Administrative tasks like paperwork and signature collection should blend seamlessly into the patient experience, not interfere with it.

Ironically, by focusing more on streamlining current healthcare business processes now, healthcare professionals can focus less on the business aspect of their job in the long run and more on the foundational values of their industry: keeping patients happy and healthy. Fortunately, we live in an era where the technology required to elevate patient care to the next level not only exists, but is easily accessible. Enter Salesforce and e-signature.

You Might Also Like: Document Automation In Healthcare: 3 Patient Data Benefits You'll Love

Salesforce and E-Signature: A Perfect Match For Healthcare

Salesforce is an exceptional tool for both healthcare providers and patients. Their Health Cloud gives healthcare providers a detailed view into their patients’ health, valuable analytics and insights, and data management and storage solutions. On the other side, patients can connect to their health profile at any time, from any device, to track and manage their health goals in a way that fits their schedule. By using Salesforce, healthcare professionals spend more time on personalized care, and patients feel more like valued members of their healthcare organization.

Electronic signature solutions are the next step on the way to seamless patient experiences. While collecting signatures may seem like a trivial part of the business cycle, it’s actually one of the most important aspects of the healthcare journey in particular. Healthcare companies of all kinds need to process hundreds of forms that require signatures every day; they’re an unavoidable part of the patient experience and the day to day lives of healthcare professionals.

Although Salesforce can greatly improve other aspects of the care cycle, it doesn’t take much to throw everything off track: small snags in the system can have a big impact. If outdated signature procedures slow down any part of the patient journey, this roadblock will be remembered, no matter how fast and modern the rest of the experience was. It doesn’t make sense to be a forward thinker for most of your patient care, yet remain a laggard when it comes to this critical business process. Patients expect a seamless experience; there’s little room for error.

Because of strict regulations, healthcare companies also need signatures to be securely obtained and stored more so than other industries. Growing patient expectations, higher data security needs, and a faster-moving business world all make one thing clear: wet ink just doesn’t cut it anymore.

Salesforce E-Signature Solutions Create Seamless Patient Experiences

Like we mentioned before, patients expect a seamless experience across the entire care journey, and small hiccups along the way can derail the whole effect. Think about it: if you’ve had several great interactions with an organization, and one not-so-great interaction, which of those is more likely to stick in your mind? The unfavorable occurrence, of course, because it stands out -- and we’re more likely to remember negative events than positive ones.

We’re not saying that signing a form with a pen is itself a horrible experience -- but pen-and-paper signatures slow down the entire care cycle because they take longer to collect and process, which can compound other issues and frustrate healthcare professionals and patients alike. What’s worse, they represent an outdated way of doing business; an unfortunate blip in an otherwise modern experience.

Implementing an e-signature solution on top of Salesforce for healthcare fills in the gaps in the patient journey, creating truly seamless experiences. Patients can initiate a relationship with their healthcare provider, receive top-notch care, review their progress online, and sign forms on an as-needed basis without missing a beat. E-signature is the missing link that allows the entire journey to progress in a smooth, intuitive, modern way. In a time where the patient experience is everything, the gaps can’t be ignored. Salesforce e-signature for healthcare helps to ensure that you have all of your bases covered.

Salesforce E-Signature Solutions Keep Patient Data Secure

The healthcare industry is regulated by some of the strictest data security laws in the United States -- most notably the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) and the Health Information Technology for Economic and Clinical Health Act (HITECH). As more and more healthcare data is transitioned into electronic health records (EHRs), the need for robust data security policies continues to rise.

Wet ink signatures are not exactly champions of data security. They’re subject to physical limitations like being misplaced or damaged. They take longer to collect and store, which makes these events more likely to happen. Additionally, since they don’t capture information like intent to sign or verifiable time and date, they’re easier to falsify.

Electronic signatures fill in all of the gaps that wet ink signatures leave open. They’ve had the same legal validity as wet ink signatures since the ESIGN Act was passed in 2000, and they’ve only grown more reliable and secure since then. Today, they’re among the safest methods for signature collection in existence, which makes them a great fit for the security-conscious healthcare industry.

E-signature applications require signers to express intent to sign and can use two-factor authentication to add an extra layer of security. E-signature solutions also record every event from document creation to signature, making it easy to get the full picture should a dispute occur. Finally, they can be automatically tracked and stored in Salesforce (if you’re using the right application). Although HIPAA does impose certain regulations on the usage of e-signatures, you can rest assured that the best solutions satisfy them all.

You Might Also Like: E-Signature For Salesforce: 3 Reasons Native Apps Are Better

Salesforce E-Signature Solutions Make The Day-To-Day Easier

E-Signature solutions for Salesforce create better patient experiences and are far more secure than paper signatures -- but they also make healthcare professionals’ daily lives much easier. They streamline otherwise slow paper workflows, potentially accelerating document processing time from days to just seconds. They speed up the purchasing cycle for medical equipment, getting professionals the tools they need when they need them. They keep patients happy by contributing to a seamless experience, which keeps professionals happy in turn. Finally, they allow professionals to be confident in their company and brand, knowing that it employs modern solutions and is serious about delivering great patient experiences.

Here’s the bottom line: the healthcare industry’s mission is honorable, but it’s no small task. In the modern world, the right tools are required to uphold the values that the industry was founded on. Treating healthcare like a business and focusing on finding the right solutions to optimize for efficiency is the way forward towards better patient care. Electronic signatures might seem like a small part of the healthcare world at first, but when you look a bit closer, it’s easy to see that they’re actually vital components of the modern day industry, and play their part in the greater mission as a whole.

It’s clear that e-signatures are the way to go, but choosing the right solution can be tricky. Searching for “e-signature” on the Salesforce AppExchange will yield around 40 results. Which solutions are HIPAA-compliant? Which solutions are easiest to use?

Look no further than native apps like our e-signature solution S-Sign. Native Salesforce applications are built on the Salesforce platform, meaning they are compliant with the same  security regulations as Salesforce out of the box. They also mirror the look and feel of Salesforce, meaning they’re easier to use and take the meaning of seamless to a whole new level. Without much configuration at all, they can also do things like write critical patient data back to Salesforce and run Salesforce validation rules. They can also be easily automated, allowing professionals to spend even more time on what really matters.

Ready to start closing the gaps in the patient experience with a secure solution that’s purpose-built for Salesforce? Contact us to schedule a personalized S-Sign demo today -- request a demo today or email sales@sdocs.com. We’ll be happy to hear from you!

See S-Docs In Action

Leave your Salesforce document workflow worries behind.

Request Demo

Enjoying our blog?

Subscribe now and we'll make sure to send you the latest as we publish new content!

Connect With Us!

For Salesforce news, digital document & e-signature insights, or just for fun.

        

Read More

Blog
June 12, 2024

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation

Optimizing Sales Ops KPIs with Effective Reporting and Document Automation You don't have to micromanage your sales executives to optimize sales operations. Instead, you’ll have more success by establishing sales…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
June 5, 2024

Are You Ready for a Document Automation Tool?

The Need for Efficiency in Today’s Businesses Business efficiency is crucial. Imagine running a marathon while juggling — sounds chaotic, right? That’s what managing documents without automation can feel like.…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Blog
May 29, 2024

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business

Understanding and Advancing Organization Maturity Levels in Your Business An organizational maturity assessment identifies where your company stands within the stages of a chosen maturity model framework so you can…
Ashlee Dinsmore 0
Love0
Top