Use Custom Metadata Types for a Better App Builder Experience

Christian CarterConsultant

@cdcarterBigger Boat Consulting

Beth BreisnesConsultant

@bethbrainsBigger Boat Consulting

ExperientialExperimentalUnexpected

Back to our story...

Let’s review!

Data vs. MetadataData

Your recordsWhat End Users seeCustom Settings recordsPerm Set Assignments

Metadata

Setup menuFieldsWorkflow RulesProfiles/Perm SetsPage LayoutsAll the stuff you can add to Change Sets...

Deployable?DataNot Deployable

MetadataDeployable!

Pop Quiz! Will it refresh?A Contact named Harry PotterA custom field for a Contact’s first pet’s nameHarry’s pet’s name, “Hedwig”A Custom Object to store Country CodesThe country code “UK” stored in a Custom ObjectA List Custom Setting to store Country CodesThe country code “UK” stored in a Custom Setting TRICK QUESTION! Refresh yes! Deploy no!

The ChallengeApps need their own configuration settingsOlden days options: List Custom Settings or Custom Object

CMDTs to the Rescue!

Custom Metadata is...METADATA!And thus DEPLOYABLE!

Faster to implement!Cached by the Platform!Have their own limits!

Welcome to the future!

After the rewrite...

WeathervaneGet the climate of your constituents quickly

WeathervaneCMDT records define:• Order• Color• Display Text• Field• Criteria

Demo Time!

WeathervanePro tip: Formula checkbox field!

How’d we do it?

Don’t just take our word for it...

Declarative Lookup Rollup SummariesAndy Fawcett’s fantastic tool for building Rollup Summaries (and more) based on Lookup relationships (and more!)

Read about DLRS’s transition from a custom object TO custom metadata types on his blog.

Financial Force“Custom metadata types have certainly caused a stir within FinancialForce R&D. We continue to find new and innovative ways to leverage them to create wildly successful customer experiences.”

Read more

THEN: 150+ lines of code w/ manual dev upkeep

NOW: 13 lines of code w/ admin upkeep

Big Thanks!Aaron SlettehoughProduct Manager@slettehough

Avrom Roy-FadermanLead Developer@aroyfaderman

Thank you!

Q&A

Learn more…bigthinks.cloudTry Weathervane!Other CMDT-driven apps coming soon...Success Community CMDTs group