Winter ‘15 Improvements : You Asked For It

This dialog happens all day, every day:

Us: “Yo Salesforce!  I can’t believe I can’t do [enter current configuration task]!  What the @$*!% is wrong with you?!?!  My company is going to fail without this functionality! AHHHH!!!”

Salesforce: “OK.  Please put this in IdeaExchange in the Success Community.”  

Us: “I just did... is it ready yet?!?!” OR “I just voted for this Idea and had everyone I know vote for it too!”

Salesforce: “We hear you.  It’s in the backlog.  Stay tuned.”

Salesforce wants us to know it listens.  And to prove it, in every release note, they start with the ‘You Asked For It!’ section.  They give you a list of Ideas from the Success Community and the corresponding feature in this release.  IMO, it’s quite impressive that a software delivery team is that transparent and accountable to such a massive user base.

So in this blog post, I want to focus on a few of the Ideas that should be addressed in the coming Winter ‘15 release (remember: Safe Harbor!).  

1. Convert Leads to Contacts (and Opportunities) (Beta)

1. Users will be able to convert Leads to Contacts and Opportunities directly from their Salesforce1 app on a mobile device.  

2. There is no explicit mention of being able to convert to Accounts.  Not sure if this part is missing or it’s just a documentation oversight.

3. Activation will require a minor change in Setup.

4. Release Note: http://releasenotes.docs.salesforce.com/en-us/winter15/release-notes/rn_mobile_salesforce1_newfeat_lead_convert.htm

5. Idea: https://success.salesforce.com/ideaView?id=08730000000l21iAAA

2. Let Users Select Specific Email Attachments to Add (from Salesforce for Outlook)

1. Users will be able to select the files that get added to a Salesforce record as Attachments when they are added from Salesforce for Outlook.  This should reduce data storage use and superfulous Attachements.

2. Activation will require a minor change in Setup.

3. Release Note: http://releasenotes.docs.salesforce.com/en-us/winter15/release-notes/rn_sales_salesforce_for_outlook_select_attachments.htm

4. Idea: https://success.salesforce.com/ideaView?id=08730000000g5DMAAY

3. Edit Profile Pictures in ALL VERSIONS of the Salesforce1 App (emphasis is mine)

1. Now Salesforce1 Selfies for everyone!!!  What better use for SF1 on your mobile device than to load a new Profile pic?!?!  

2. I emphasize ALL Versions because this update applies to Android and the mobile browser app.  This has been available on the iOS app since version 5.1.

3. Release Note: http://releasenotes.docs.salesforce.com/en-us/winter15/release-notes/rn_mobile_salesforce1_newfeat_other_changes.htm#s1_other_edit_profile_photo

4. Idea: https://success.salesforce.com/ideaView?id=08730000000kz5KAAQ

5. Note: As of publish date, this Idea is only 9 months old and had just 5 votes!  So you never know what will get picked up in the next release.

For a full listing, go to: http://releasenotes.docs.salesforce.com/en-us/winter15/release-notes/rn_you_asked_for_it.htm

Moral of this post: Don’t hesitate to speak up on the Salesforce Community.  Someone is listening.