Become An Admin Hero By Automating The Follow-Up Task

Automate Follow-Up Tasks

Automate follow-up tasks using custom Log a Call actions and you will become an Admin Hero overnight.  Almost every customer I work with loves this Action and I'm going to show you how to build it.

So what is it? Let's say I'm logging a call on an Opportunity.  I'm using the standard out-of-the-box Log A Call action and it works great.  However, I don't want to leave my deal without some next action step so, inevitably, I will ask for a follow-up date.  To document that follow-up, I would have to save my Log a Call and then create a new follow-up Task.  That's a lot of clicks and frankly, I sometimes forget to ask about the follow-up.  

With this custom Action gem, we're going to add follow-up Task fields to a Log a Call action.  As I'm documenting my call, I will see those follow-up task fields.  That will remember to ask for a follow-up date.  The best part is when I save my Log a Call, Salesforce will create my call note and create my follow-up Task, at the same time. 

This little gem is ingeniously simple to set up, making you an Admin Hero.  Here's the step by step how-to guide:

How To Automate Follow-Up Tasks:

Step 1: Create the Follow-Up Task Fields

We need to create two custom fields on the Activity object.  These will be used to allow the user to enter when and why they wish to follow up.

• Follow-Up Date
  • Type = Date
• Follow-Up Subject
  • Type = Text (80).  You can increase the length up to 255 characters if needed

Step 2: Create an After Record Trigger Flow to Create the Follow-Up Task Record

Now here is where all the magic happens.  I know, you might still think Flow is intimidating but I'm going to make this one super simple for you. Flow is what will automate the creation of our Follow-Up Task.

• From within Setup, search for and select Flow
• Press the New Flow button in the top right 
• Select the Record-Triggered Flow option then press Next
• I recommend you click the Auto-Layout even though it's still in Beta as of this writing
• The Flow canvas will open and a Start element will appear.  Within the Start element, do the following:
  • Click on the Edit link
    • Confirm the Trigger the Flow When is set to A record is created
    • Confirm the Run the Flow is set to After the record is saved
    • Press the Done button to return to the Start element

• • Click the Choose Object link
    • In the Object lookup, type Task and select it
    • The Condition Requirements section will appear and you'll set it as follow.  Use the screenshot for help:
      • Follow Up Date Is Null False
      • Follow Up Subject Is Null False
    • Press the Done button to return to the Start element

• • Between the Start element and the End element is a plus symbol; click on it and select the Create Records element
    • All elements need a name so in the Label field, type Create  FollowUpTask. The API Name will auto-populate.
    • Confirm that One is selected for How Many Record to Create
    • Select Use separate resources, and literal values for How to Set the Record Fields
    • In the Object field, type Task and select it. 
    • A new section called Set Field Values for the Task will open.  A couple of things to note about entering Fields and Values:
      • Use the Add Field button to open up additional Fields and Value lines.
      • When typing in Values, you can type $Record, but then you need to select it so you can see the Task fields.
      • Sometimes the actual Field Name is not the same as its Label.  Don't let that throw you off.
      • Add the following Field and Value lines: 
        • ActivityDate = $Record.Follow Up Date
        • OwnerId = $Record.OwnerId
        • Priority = $Record.Priority
        • Status = Not Started
        • Subject = $Record.Follow Up Subject
        • TaskSubType = $Record.Task Sub Type
        • WhatId = $Record.Related To ID
        • WhoId = $Record.Name ID
    • Press the Done button
  • Between the Create Records element and the End element is a plus symbol; click on it and select the Update Records element
    • Type Update ClearFollowUpFields in the Label field
    • Select Specify conditions to identify records, and set fields individually for the options under How to Find Records to Update and Set Their Values.  That's a mouthful.
    • In the Object field, type and select Task
    • The Filter Task Records section will appear and you'll add the following Condition:
      • Id Equals $Record.Activity ID
    • Type the following into the Set Field Values for the Task Records section:
      • Follow Up Date = nothing at all, leave it blank
        • NOTE:  Use the Add Field button to create an additional line
      • Follow Up Subject = Empty String (Not Null)
    • Press the Done button
  • Press the Save button in the top right
    • Give the flow a name like Task After: Create Follow Up Task
    • Be a good admin and give it a Description
    • Press the Save button
  • Press the Activate button

Step 3: Create a Custom Log a Call Action and Add our Follow-Up Task Fields

Now we need a custom Action so we can add our new follow-up task fields and also eliminate a lot of extra noise that comes with the standard Log a Call Global Action. 

• In Setup, go to the Object Manager
• Search or Scroll down to the Opportunity object
  • I recommend using custom Log a Call Actions on the Account and Contact objects but you can build those out following this same technique.
• In the left navigation, select Buttons, Links, and Actions
• Press the New Action button in the top right
  • Set the Action Type to Log a Call
  • Set the Label to Log a Call
  • Press the Save button

• On the new Action page layout, do the following:
  • Remove fields that we can predefine like Related To
  • Add the two new Follow-Up fields we created in Step 1
  • Align your fields to be in a single column.  Your mobile users will appreciate that.
  • Press the Save button

• In the Predefined Field Values, add the following:
  • Assigned to = $User.Id
  • Due Date = TODAY()
  • Priority = Normal
  • Related To = Opportunity.Id
  • Status = Completed
  • Task SubType = Call
  • Type = Call

Step 4: Add the New Action to the Page Layout

• If you're not still there, navigate to the Opportunity in Setup's Object Manager
• In the left navigation, select Page Layouts
• Open the Page Layout you wish to add the new Action to
  • In the selection panel, choose Mobile & Lightning Actions
  • Find the Log a Call action we just created and drag it to the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section of the page layout
    • HINT:  It will be the one where the Name begins with Opportunity.
  • Removed the global Log a Call action button from the Salesforce Mobile and Lightning Experience Actions section by dragging it out 
  • Press the Save button

Step 5: Test the Automation of Follow-Up Tasks

• Test out your new automation by opening an Opportunity record and try logging a call with your new custom Action.  Add values to the Follow-Up Task fields and save the record.  If everything was done correctly, you should end up with a Past Activity record for the current call and an Upcoming Activity for the future follow up.
• Pat yourself on the back and show it off to your users.

Conclusion

Hope you like this little Flow automation.  I've never had a client tell me they didn't like this one. 

You can see this in action by clicking the button below to view this on my YouTube channel.  Please remember to subscribe as that is the best way to let me know you like my content. Now go be an Admin Hero!