3 Exciting Summer ’23 Release Updates to the Salesforce Platform

Application Architect – SSC, Derek Camp highlights three exciting Summer ’23 release features for the Salesforce Platform  

Salesforce seasonal releases always create buzz among our team here at RafterOne and the technology updates and enhancements that came with the Summer ’23 Release have been doing just that. Sometimes Salesforce apps and clouds get all the love and attention because they have target audiences, and overall Salesforce Platform functionality doesn’t get to share the spotlight. That being said, there are always some excellent, exciting, and essential features of the Platform that are worth discussing. So, let’s dig in.  

3 Exciting Summer ’23 Release Updates to the Salesforce Platform 

With so many new Salesforce Platform features that users can now leverage and benefit from as part of the Salesforce Summer ’23 Release, it was hard to choose which to highlight. Here are a few that I find most impactful.

1. Search

Search is one of the unsung heroes of the Salesforce Platform. We often need to remember the search bar is right there on every page, top center, waiting to help you. There is so much packed into this little search bar that we don’t often recognize. It’s so good out of the box that we don’t usually spend time configuring it, but there are a variety of configuration options, and they’re getting even more awesome.

• Configure Searchable Objects for Each User Profile (Beta) Before this Salesforce Platform feature was released, a search result listed everything you could see. Then Salesforce used AI to raise the “most-used” objects to the top of the list, personalized for you. That is helpful, however perhaps you want agents to have access to records without having to spend time sifting through them in search results. Now you can set up Search Configurations for your profiles, limit which objects are searchable, and streamline your searches.  

• Quickly Configure Searchable Picklists (Beta) I literally yelped, “Holy smokes!” when I saw this release note. Searching picklists is another thing you don’t realize you are missing until you trip over it, and it explodes. Before the Summer ’23 Release, picklists were not included in the search. You had to get creative with text fields and automation to populate those fields. Now, with the Search Configuration mentioned above, you can mark a picklist as searchable. A seemingly small detail, yet so significant.  

 2. Security

There has been a disturbance in the Force recently, and it’s been around security. Something significant is coming, and we all need to think about it. Salesforce plans to move object and field permissions away from Profiles and focus primarily on Permission Sets. This is a bold statement with many implications and few details, so let me drop in a “Safe Harbor” here. But we can feel this coming with features like these.  

• Set Field-Level Security for a Field on Permission Sets Instead of Profiles (Generally Available) When you add a field, Salesforce prompts you to set field-level security on Profiles. If you were leveraging Permission Sets, you had to edit those Permission Sets to update the field-level security there as well. But you toggle this switch, and it’s all folded into the mix. This is important since a Permission Set based security model is recommended best practice. So, I recommend thinking about this!  

• Automate and Migrate User Access with User Access Policies (Beta) Did you ever wonder, “How do I automatically add permission sets for new users?” Especially with a (presumed) move from Profiles to Permission Sets, the added steps will be so hard, right? Or maybe you already thought about this and have built Flows to try and automate Permission Set assignment but run into other challenges too far down the rabbit hole for us to get into here? Well, User Access Policies are the answer! “Automate your users’ assignments to managed package licenses, permission sets, and other access mechanisms based on criteria you set. Create user access policies that automatically grant or remove access whenever users are created or updated.” I think that’s going to be a game-changer for user management!  

3. Multi-Factor Authentication

Technically this is still under the Security banner, but I wanted to call it out specifically. I hope you’re considering Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) and configuring it in your organizations. This is happening in waves because Salesforce requires it and is auto-enabling it for you, and you need to be prepared! So much information is available from Salesforce, so please take a moment to plan.  

• Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) Auto-Enablement Continues with Summer ’23 Users may receive prompts or notifications to set up MFA, and they will be guided through linking their accounts to the required authentication methods. This involves setting up a mobile authenticator app, receiving verification codes via SMS or email, or using biometric authentication, depending on the options provided by Salesforce. By making MFA auto-enablement a default feature, Salesforce aims to ensure its users adopt strong security practices and protect their accounts and sensitive information. 

Bonus Tip

Finally, in the category of “maybe not important to you, but it was important to me”, News, Automated Account Fields, and Account Logos Are Being Retired. I personally wasn’t a frequent user of these features, however some of my colleagues will miss them.  

Summing Up!

All in all, I’m very happy to see the focus on efficiency and security that is being given to the Salesforce Platform. These updates now available with the Summer ’23 Release are saving time, providing new and essential functionality and ensuring your data is safe and sound. Yes, we geek out a bit on these details, but Salesforce is what we live and breath here at RafterOne, so we are proud to do it! And, if you are seeking support with optimizing your Salesforce Platform, don’t hesitate to reach out and connect with us. We’d be happy to chat.  

– Derek Camp, Application Architect, SSC