Have you ever noticed how important customization is every time you create a new app? You might need to create some components that will make your app easier and flexible to use. And to do this, you may incorporate a custom console component to your developing app.
Console components are important elements when customizing a certain console in Salesforce. They may seem a bit overwhelming at first because of the many possibilities you can make with them. But you will see that it works in quite a simple manner.
What Are Custom Console Components?
Custom console components lets you add different kinds of data features in your apps or page layouts. Think of it as a blank slate where you can create useful components for your internal agents under the Service Cloud Console.
Console components are actually Visualforce pages or canvas apps embedded inside a console. Here are examples of some components:
- Widgets and related applications in your footer
- Account data displayed beside certain records in a page layout
Custom Console Component Types
There are two types of console components:
- Page Layout Components – Use this when you need to display some data next to records.
- Footer Components – Use this when you need to display some data across all pages of your console.
Creating and Running Custom Console Components
Keep in mind that you’ll need a console where you can test your console component. So, before starting off, check your User Record under Setup, then see if the “Service Cloud User” is checked. If it is, you’re good to go. If not, go to Setup > Create > Apps, click the New button, and select Console.
Next, follow these steps to create and run custom components in your Service Cloud console:
- Create your desired Visualforce page or canvas app first.
- Go to Setup > Customize > Console > Custom Console Components.
- Fill up the required fields. You don’t need to fill up all, as most of them are optional.
- You can actually configure here if you want to use the component on the page layout or on the footer.
- Select the Visualforce page you want to add, and click Save.
Now, you’re going to add that newly-created component to the console:
- Navigate to Build > Create Apps.
- Locate and click on the Edit link next to your console app.
- Scroll down near the bottom of the page until you see Choose Console Components.
- Add your new component by clicking the arrow buttons corresponding to Add and Remove.
- Save your work once done.
The new component should be visible and running on the console part where you willed it to appear.
Summing It Up
Custom console components let you add new Visualforce pages to an existing console. This feature makes data management easier for your support agents. It may seem tricky to create and run a new component at first, but it actually has a simple concept that will be easy for you to follow.