If you use Salesforce, you already know that it’s more than just a CRM. It’s the most flexible business platform on the market. And yes, while Salesforce is definitely one of the most reliable business tools out there, sometimes, you may need just that little bit extra to customize the platform to your unique project management needs and processes. This “extra” is often a native Salesforce Project Management App.
We explain more about what native Salesforce applications are, where to find them, and the benefits they can bring to your business.
What is a Native Salesforce Application?
There’s a bit of confusion in the Salesforce marketplace about what makes an application native. The confusion often comes about because many apps only have a ‘native connector.’ A native connector means that the application wasn’t built on the Salesforce platform but can integrate with the Salesforce platform.
Salesforce native apps like Mission Control, on the other hand, have the following distinct characteristics:
- Built on Salesforce technology: Native apps are developed using the Salesforce Lightning Platform. The apps are coded in Visualforce, Apex, or Lightning components only.
- Secure data: All the data contained in your native apps is stored within your Salesforce platform.
- Uses 100% Salesforce objects only: Native apps work with standard and custom Salesforce objects to interact with other applications on the platform.
- No additional proprietary APIs are needed: Salesforce applications transfer data and initiate processes via APIs. If an app is using proprietary API, it won’t be able to utilize all of the development tools from Salesforce, and its ability to integrate is restricted.
6 Benefits of Using Native Salesforce Project Management Apps
Salesforce-native apps follow the best practices established by Salesforce, making them the preferables choice for any project manager looking for better reliability, seamless integration, and higher data security. Further benefits of making use of native Salesforce apps include:
1. Reliability of Salesforce
A project management app built on Salesforce shares the Salesforce Application Programming Interface (API). This API allows the apps to communicate quickly and safely with each other. This API also gives these applications access to Salesforce’s development tools.
Additionally, the user experience of native apps typically resembles the Salesforce platform interface. The apps use a similar UI style, list views, labels, and more. So if your team is already using Salesforce, they won’t have to take time to learn how to navigate the native app.
2. Enhanced security
Salesforce takes data security seriously. Therefore, you can rest assured that any Salesforce native app supports the highest level of security and best practices in the industry. The apps pass a rigorous security review, which lasts about 4-6 weeks before they’re published for use.
3. Better project management
Integrating Salesforce Project Management native apps into your Salesforce CRM enables smoother data flow, enhanced collaboration, and reduced manual work of feeding data into your platform.
This means that your teams can function more efficiently. Teams can share data more reliably and don’t have to waste time hunting down the correct information. Team members also don’t need to retrieve and render information from one app to another.
4. Flexible solutions
Since native apps are built on the Salesforce platform, they are easy to customize to match your project management needs. If you need to add additional capabilities such as workflow rules, or triggers in your native Salesforce project management app, you can do so seamlessly through basic Salesforce configuration.
5. Real-time data visibility
Salesforce-native solutions update data in real-time. Accurate and up-to-date data is very crucial in project management. Native apps make it easy to generate results as all information is perfectly synced with Salesforce and is accessible anytime, anywhere.
Additionally, the shared connection between native apps makes it easier for all project stakeholders to have visibility over the entire project. This also makes collaboration easier across teams.
6. No need for integration
Integrating a new software into an existing platform tends to be time-consuming and expensive. This can discourage many project managers from adopting new solutions. Fortunately, Salesforce native apps integrate seamlessly with your platform without much effort from you.
This seamless integration means you can easily access your information from one platform, thus saving you time and money. You also don’t incur any additional costs because you won’t need outside software that needs integration, middleware, and integration maintenance.
Where to Find Salesforce Native Apps
The best place to find native Salesforce apps is Salesforce’s own AppExchange. This is also where you will find Salesforce native app and leading project management solution, Mission Control.
AppExchange has over 5,000 native apps that suit Salesforce customers’ needs for every industry and budget. If you’re not quite sure what’s best for you, you can try out different solutions on the platform before actually purchasing them.
Before you start looking for apps on AppExchange, know why you need an app. Have a clear understanding of the business challenge you are trying to solve. Then create a list of must-have and nice-to-have features that you’re looking for in an app.
To find the right application, follow these five steps:
Step 1: Log in to Salesforce AppExchange using your Salesforce credentials. This will personalize your experience on the platform based on your needs.
Step 2: Check out the “Recommended For You” page. AppExchange tracks your business challenges, search history, similar searches and then uses this data to recommend top picks suitable for your needs. The more you use AppExchange, the better these recommendations get.
Step 3: Look up industry or solution specific products or consultants that suit your needs.
Step 4: If you know what you’re trying to find, you can use the search tile to search for apps using different keywords. You’ll get a list of the first ten apps based on your keyword search. Click on the ‘View All’ button to see more suggestions.
Step 5: Whenever you come across an app you think is the right choice for you, save it as your Favorite to quickly find it later.
Integrating a Salesforce native app to your CRM allows data to move fluidly and without disruption. This becomes vital when considering a tool as critical as project management software. Native applications provide you with flexibility, security, and reliability delivered by Salesforce. With this in mind, it’s no wonder apps native to Salesforce can be a are better option for your business.
If you’re looking to manage your projects more effectively, Mission Control’s Salesforce Native Project Management Software has a variety of features that will help you organise, run and automate many of your project tasks. Chat with our experts today.