Learn how to build an app from start to end in Salesforce Lightning without writing any code! We'll walk through the phases of app building: gathering requirements, planning, building, testing, and rollout. I'll share how I built a content management app that my team uses every day that will inspire you to build your first Lightning app too. Watch the recording here: bit.ly/df17buildanapp

1. Build Your First Custom Lightning
App in Five Easy Steps
An Admin’s Guide
Dreamforce 2017
​#DF17

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3. Rebecca Saar
Sr. Manager, Admin Marketing
Salesforce
​@RebeccaSaar Customer or
Salesforce Logo

4. admin.salesforce.com

5. My Lightning App Building Journey in 5 Steps
Identified
the
Problem
Gathered
Requirements
Became a
Builder
Rolled
Out App
Maintain &
Expand

6. My Lightning App Building Journey
Identified
the
Problem
Gathered
Requirements
Became a
Builder
Rolled
Out App
Maintain &
Expand

7. My Problem: A Spreadsheet
I was managing content production for
admin.salesforce.com using a spreadsheet.
The cons were:
• Hard to make edits and change schedule
on the fly
• Not great for collaboration
• Hard to do reporting As any #AwesomeAdmin would, you should
be reacting to the word spreadsheet in horror

8. Tips to Identify Problems
1. Listen for people talking about spreadsheets
2. Confront them
3. Ask many questions:
Practice SABWA!
Salesforce
Administration by
Walking Around
• What are your paint points?
• What is the current process?
• Who is involved? Who is affected?
• How is the spreadsheet being used?
What works? What doesn’t?
• What does the future look like? How
can you plan ahead?

9. My Lightning App Building Journey
Identified
the
Problem
Gathered
Requirements
Became a
Builder
Rolled
Out App
Maintain &
Expand

10. My Requirements: Manage Production of Content
​I had a vision of what it could look like,
but nailing it down exactly was the trick:
• Calendar view of our upcoming content
• Visualization of the process and status
of content
• Ability to report on content produced
• Easy collaboration on content

11. Tips for Gathering Requirements
• Interview your stakeholders:
• Dig deeper than the surface level request, figure out the
underlying reasons behind the request
• Take diligent notes
• Determine what data you need to capture in order to:
• Manage processes
• Do reporting
• Automate things
• Think about future requirements & scalability:
• More Users? Multiple teams? Different Content?
Keep Asking Why!
Eventually you’ll get
to the real
requirement

12. My Lightning App Building Journey
Identified
the
Problem
Gathered
Requirements
Became a
Builder
Rolled
Out App
Maintain &
Expand

13. I Became a Builder
​I started with the data model
because I knew a strong
foundation would be key to
success.
• Created 4 custom objects, 4
record types, 36 custom fields
• Used junction objects to create
many-to-many relationships
• Created validation rules to
ensure users follow the process
• Built different reports to ensure
I captured data correctly

14. Customizing My App
​The design of the record
layouts and homepages was
very important to me
because I knew it would help
drive adoption.
​I got very familiar with
Lightning App Builder to
achieve that!

15. Key Features in My App
​I used awesome features to
make my fully functioning
content management app!
• Calendar anything
• Path
• Custom home pages
• Reports & Dashboards

16. Tips for Building
• Think about the data you want to capture and how it
relates to other data
• Use a DE org and start trying things out
• Design a data model that is scalable and future-proof,
consider:
• Objects vs Record types vs Page Layouts
• Standard vs custom
• Use tools like Lightning App Builder to thoroughly
customize your app
Draw It Out
Use paper, PPT or an
app to visualize how
data is connected.

17. My Lightning App Building Journey
Identified
the
Problem
Gathered
Requirements
Became a
Builder
Rolled
Out App
Maintained
&
Expanded

18. My Rollout Experience
1. Built out everything in a
Sandbox
2. Created a test user to see what
end-users see
3. Demoed the app during our
team meeting
4. Added the team as users
5. Continued to optimize

19. Tips for Rolling Out Your App
• Don’t build in production!
• Create a test user to troubleshoot issues before
your real users runs into them
• Demo your app live, leave room for questions
• Find great tips for demoing here:
bit.ly/rockyourdemo
• Add users who are ready and schedule time to
check-in
Plan a Great Demo!
A thoughtful demo
will result in high
user adoption.

20. My Lightning App Building Journey
Identified
the
Problem
Gathered
Requirements
Became a
Builder
Rolled
Out App
Maintain
& Expand

21. Future of My App
Now:
• Have a high-level calendar view
• Manage content production process, review upcoming
content during our weekly meetings
• Report on how much content we’re producing
​Next:
• Adding automation and alerts to some of our processes
• Packaging my app

22. Tips to Maintain & Expand Your App
• Incorporate use of the app into how you and
your team work
• Use Salesforce Optimizer to understand how
effective your app is
• Be on top of release notes to see what new
features you can incorporate
• Plan further iterations
Use Optimizer!
Run the report to
understand how your
app is performing.

23. My Lightning App Building Journey in 5 Steps
Identified
the
Problem
Gathered
Requirements
Became a
Builder
Rolled
Out App
Maintain &
Expand

24. Now It’s Your Turn!
Complete my trailmix for in-depth guidance:
• bit.ly/buildanapptrailmix
Share your apps with me!
• Tweet me (@RebeccaSaar) tag #AwesomeAdmin