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Step 6. How to view and manage exceptions within Salesforce

Simon Walsh
  • Updated

This unit is part of the Salesforce Quick Start path.

If you haven't already done so, we recommend starting with Introduction: Salesforce quick start first before you go any further.

In this unit, we'll take a closer look at what is synced back to Salesforce and how to view and manage any inbound messages or exceptions.

Generally speaking, an outbound or inbound message should sync to Salesforce in a matter of seconds. However if no messages have been synced recently, this may take up to 5 minutes to complete.

Quick links:

Viewing your messages within Salesforce

What happens when you receive an invalid or unexpected response?

How to view and respond to an inbox record

What's next?

 

Viewing your messages within Salesforce

    1. Login to your Salesforce environment

    2. Navigate to the Pendula app via the Salesforce app launcher

    3. Click on the Messages tab in the top navigation bar of the Pendula app

    4. If it doesn't load by default, change the list view to All (rather than Recently viewed)

      Messages_tab.gif

    5. You should see at least three message records eg. M-000001, one for each outbound and inbound message sent within your flow earlier

    6. Click on one of the Outbound SMS records. You will be able to view information such as the flow it was sent regarding, who it was sent to and the contents of the SMS

      Screen_Shot_2021-06-29_at_10.56.28_am.png

What happens when you receive an inbound SMS?

You'll notice your inbound SMS has also been synced to Salesforce. You can filter the Messages tab to display inbound SMS only by changing the list view to Inbound SMS.

 

Message_list_views.gif

If an inbound SMS contains an expected response defined within an inbound sms node within a flow, it will be synced with the flow name populated on the message record.

Occasionally, a recipient will respond with either something a flow isn't expecting, or with an additional question or comment after their experience within a flow is complete.

Pendula categories these responses as either invalid, or unexpected responses.

See Message records within Salesforce for more information

You can view any of these by changing the list view to Invalid/Unexpected Responses.

Each time one of these inbound SMS is synced to Salesforce, it will trigger the creation of an inbox record.

You use inbox records to easily keep track of and manage any exceptions which occur that a flow can't automate for you.

If you haven't already done so, respond back to the mobile number your Pendula messages have been sent from again, this time with an invalid or unexpected response.

Once this message has synced to Salesforce, let's take a look at how to view the subsequent inbox record which has been created.

How to view and respond to an inbox record

  1. Login to your Salesforce environment

  2. Navigate to the Pendula app via the Salesforce app launcher

  3. Click on the Inbox tab in the top navigation bar of the Pendula app

  4. If it doesn't load by default, change the list view to All (rather than Recently viewed)

  5. You should see at least one inbox records eg. IID-000001 related to the new inbound SMS you sent earlier

  6. Click on one of the inbox records. You will be able to view information such as the flow it was sent regarding, who it was sent to and the contents of the SMS

    Screen_Shot_2021-06-29_at_11.52.45_am.png

  7. You will be able to view information such as the contents of the SMS, the category it falls under and which recipient record it matched to in Salesforce

  8. The inbox object allows you to use the console to manually respond back to any invalid or unexpected response where needed. You can access the console via the Console tab on the right-hand side of the inbox record layout

  9. Enter your message contents into the Text Message box and click Send

  10. You should very shortly receive this message to the mobile number against your test contact record, from the same mobile number as the messages sent via your Pendula flow

What's next?

Congratulations, you have completed the Salesforce Quick Start path!

Let's reflect on what you have done so far:

  • You accessed your Pendula tenant, and connected it back to your data source

  • You were able to point Pendula to the correct recipient object within your data source, in this the contact object

  • You created an SMS template to use in your flow

  • You configured a simple two-way SMS flow, and activated it

  • You responded to your two-way flow to see it in action, and viewed the results within your Pendula tenant

  • You were then able to view how this was recorded within Salesforce, and view and respond to an inbound SMS which wasn't handled by your flow

There's lot more you can do with Pendula from here.

If you're looking for inspiration for how to apply what you've learnt to your own flow or customer experience, have a look at our flow templates for common Pendula flows across different industries and use cases.

For further information on Pendula and our Salesforce integration, head back to our Help Centre here.

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