Salesforce Admin Hack Series: User Object

As Admins, we all use the User object right? So why not “hack” it up??  Michael Farrington and I return with another installment in the Salesforce Admin Hack Series. This time we hack the User object with what we believe are some very useful “hacks”. Hopefully you will find great value in them! As a quick side note, we are currently looking at our next object to “hack” so if you have any suggestions please let us know. Alright, enough talking, check out the hacks below and let us know other ways you’ve “hacked” the user object. Thanks and happy hacking!

Clone Button/Link

1. Shout out goes to Greg Hacic (@greghacic)
2. Hack Objective:  Give Admins the ability to clone users
3. Hack Setup
   1. Custom Link on User Object: /{!User.Id}/e?clone=1&retURL=%2F{!User.Id}&name_firstName=&name_lastName=&Alias=&Email=&Username=&CommunityNickname=

Welcome Email

1. Hack Objective:  Send introduction email to new users with specific information on getting started with Salesforce.

2. Hack Setup

   1. Email Template:

      1. Name: User | Welcome Email

      2. Template Type: HTML with Letterhead

      3. Template Text: Add your own custom text with helpful links to custom help docs and/or videos.

   2. Workflow Rule:

      1. Object: User

      2. Evaluation Criteria: Evaluate the rule when a record is created

      3. Rule Criteria:  User: Active EQUALS True

   3. Workflow Alert

      1. Email Template: User | Welcome Email

      2. Recipients: Email Field: E-mail

Report on Record-less Users

1. Shout out goes to Salesforce MVP Steve Molis (@SteveMoForce)

2. Hack Objective:  report on users without records.  In this example we will be using Opportunities.

3. Hack Setup

   1. Custom Report Type

      1. Primary Object: Users

      2. Object Relationship(s):  Opportunities (Opportunity Owner)

         1. A to B relationship:  “A” records may or may not have related “B” records.

   2. Custom Formula Field (Number) No Decimal Places: Opportunity Count

      1. Formula: 1

4. Hack Tip:  Sum up Opportunity Count and sort by User Full Name to see which users have zero records.

Reports on Records Created by Running User

1. Shout out goes to Salesforce MVP Steve Molis(@SteveMoForce)

2. Hack Objective:  Create one report that can be used by anyone to see the records they created.

3. Hack Setup

   1. Custom Formula Field (Number) No Decimal Places: Created by Me

   2. Formula:  IF(CreatedById = $User.Id, 1,NULL)

   3. Hack Tip: Create List View or Custom Report and filter on custom field (Created by Me = 1).  You can also do the same for Last Modified By.

Change Email without Sending Confirmation

1. Shout out goes to Salesforce MVP Scott Hemmeter (@hemmeter)

2. Hack Objective:  change a users email without sending email confirmation message.

3. Hack Tip:  Change the email AND check this box….

Automated Temporary Access

1. Shout out goes to Salesforce MVP Gorav Seth (@goravseth)

2. Hack Objective:  Set an “Access Expiration” date on a user, and have them automatically deactivated on that date

3. Hack Setup

   1. Custom Field (Date) on User Object: Access Expiration Date

   2. Workflow Rule:

      1. Object: User

      2. Evaluation Criteria: Evaluate the rule when a record is created, and any time it’s edited to subsequently meet criteria

      3. Rule Criteria:  User: Access Expiration GREATER THAN TODAY

      4. Time Dependent Workflow Actions:  0 Days After Access Expiration

   3. Workflow Field Update

      1. Field to Update: User: Active

      2. New Value: Checkbox

 
Below is the recorded webainar (there is some dead air at the beginning, but we eventually get it going).