Here we are going to send the meeting invites from salesforce using ICS calendar to our outlook. In general ICS is the  iCalendar/.ics/.ical file and it is used to store the calendar information. Whenever you export anything a outlook, google, etc., calendar  it will automatically save as .ics file.

New and updated meetings are sent to participants using an email notification from particular person. This requires diligent effort from all participants to update their local calendars manually.  The idea is to automatically generate an ICS file with the meeting details and attach it to the notification email whenever an meeting is scheduled or rescheduled. This would allow participants to see the appointment into their calendars.

Let’s assume we have Meeting object in our Org with the following fields

 

• Subject  – text field
• Meeting Leader – email field
• Objective of meeting – picklist field
• start – Date/Time field
• End – Date/Time field

Now we are trying to send the meeting invite after inserting or updating the record in salesforce. For that i was using the trigger whenever the record in inserted or updated.

Check the below code to send the ICS calendar invite..!!

 

[sourcecode language="java"]
 trigger meeting on Meeting__c (after Insert,after Update) {
    list<Meeting__c> meetList= new list<Meeting__c>();
    for(Meeting__c meet:trigger.new){
        meetList.add(meet);
    }
    AP_Meeting.sendInvite(meetList);
 }

[/sourcecode]

Below is the helper class..!!

 

[sourcecode language="java"]
public class AP_Meeting{
    public static void sendInvite(list<Meeting__c> meetingList) {
        list<string> UserEmailList = new list<string> ();
        string title;
        string meetingTitle;

        for(Meeting__c meet:meetingList){
            UserEmailList.add(meet.MeetingLeader__c);
            meetingTitle=meet.name+': '+meet.Subject__c;
            title=meet.Subject__c;
            Messaging.SingleEmailMessage mail = new Messaging.SingleEmailMessage();
            mail.setToAddresses(UserEmailList);
            mail.setPlainTextBody('This to inform that we have meeting related to particular problem');
            mail.setSubject(title);
            Messaging.EmailFileAttachment attach = new Messaging.EmailFileAttachment();
            attach.filename = 'meeting.ics';
            attach.ContentType = 'text/calendar; charset=utf-8; method=REQUEST'; //PUBLISH';//
            attach.inline = true;

            /***************************/
            attach.body = invite(UserEmailList, meet.MeetingLeader__c, 'Harish Lingam', meet.Subject__c, meet.start__c, meet.end__c, meet.createdDate, system.now(), meet.ObjectiveOfMeeting__c, meet.LastModifiedDate);
            mail.setFileAttachments(new Messaging.EmailFileAttachment[] {
                attach
                    });
            Messaging.SendEmailResult[] er = Messaging.sendEmail(new Messaging.Email[] {
                mail
                    });
        }
    }

    public static Blob invite(List<String> emailsList, String Organiser, string name, string subject, dateTime startDate, dateTime endDate, dateTime createdDate, string description, dateTime lastmodifiedDat) {
        String txtInvite = '';
        string startdateTime;
        string enddateTIme;
        string createdDateTime;
        string lastmodifiedDatTime;

        startdateTime = startDate.formatGMT('yyyyMMdd\'T\'HHmmss\'Z\'');
        enddateTIme = endDate.formatGMT('yyyyMMdd\'T\'HHmmss\'Z\'');
        createdDateTime = createdDate.formatGMT('yyyyMMdd\'T\'hhmmss\'Z\'');
        lastmodifiedDatTime = lastmodifiedDat.formatGMT('yyyyMMdd\'T\'hhmmss\'Z\'');

        txtInvite += 'BEGIN:VCALENDAR\n';
        txtInvite += 'PRODID:-//Microsoft Corporation//Outlook 16.0 MIMEDIR//EN\n';
        txtInvite += 'VERSION:2.0\n';
        txtInvite += 'CALSCALE:GREGORIAN\n';
        txtInvite += 'METHOD:REQUEST\n';
        txtInvite += 'REPLAY:ACCEPTED\n';
        txtInvite += 'BEGIN:VEVENT\n';
        txtInvite += 'ATTENDEE\n';
        txtInvite += 'CN=' + subject + '\n';
        for (String email: emailsList) {
            txtInvite += 'ATTENDEE:' + email + '\n';
        }
        txtInvite += 'X-MS-OLK-FORCEINSPECTOROPEN:TRUE\n';
        txtInvite += 'X-WR-RELCALID:{0000002E-9CDF-9CE8-AD4C-66FC0A5A25F7}\n';
        txtInvite += 'CLASS:PUBLIC\n';
        txtInvite += 'CREATED:' + createdDateTime+'\n';
        txtInvite += 'DTEND:' + enddateTIme+'\n';
        txtInvite += 'DTSTART:' + startdateTime+'\n';
        txtInvite += 'LAST-MODIFIED:' + lastmodifiedDatTime+'\n';
        txtInvite += 'ORGANIZER;CN=' + name + ':mailto:' + Organiser + '\n';
        txtInvite += 'RSVP=TRUE\n';
        txtInvite += 'ROLE=REQ-PARTICIPANT\n';
        txtInvite += 'PARTSTAT=NEEDS-ACTION\n';
        txtInvite += 'CN=' + subject + ':mailto:' + Organiser + '\n';
        txtInvite += 'LOCATION:Skype\n';
        txtInvite += 'PRIORITY:5\n';
        txtInvite += 'SEQUENCE:0\n';
        txtInvite += 'SUMMARY:\n';
        txtInvite += 'STATUS:NEEDS-ACTION\n';
        txtInvite += 'LANGUAGE=en-us:\n';
        txtInvite += 'TRANSP:OPAQUE\n';
        txtInvite += 'UID:4036587160834EA4AE7848CBD028D1D200000000000000000000000000000000\n';
        txtInvite += 'X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 3.2//EN"><HTML><HEAD><META NAME="Generator" CONTENT="MS Exchange Server version 08.00.0681.000"><TITLE></TITLE></HEAD><BODY><!-- Converted from text/plain format --></BODY></HTML>\n';
        txtInvite += 'X-MICROSOFT-CDO-BUSYSTATUS:BUSY\n';
        txtInvite += 'X-MICROSOFT-CDO-IMPORTANCE:1\n';
        txtInvite += 'BEGIN:VALARM\n';
        txtInvite += 'TRIGGER:-PT15M\n';
        txtInvite += 'ACTION:DISPLAY\n';
        txtInvite += 'STATUS:CONFIRMED\n';
        txtInvite += 'DESCRIPTION:Reminder\n';
        txtInvite += 'END:VALARM\n';
        txtInvite += 'END:VEVENT\n';
        txtInvite += 'END:VCALENDAR';
        return Blob.valueOf(txtInvite);
     }
 }
[/sourcecode]

Now lets create a record in the org.  fill the information needed…!!

Now it will directly create a meeting calendar invite in outlook with the details provided. Make sure the all the details filled whatever it is we have used in the code.

 

 

Now we can check calendar for invite.

Now if you want to reschedule the meeting, for that we need to update the record, by updating Start and End time. Now we have rescheduled the meeting to the next day and now the calendar is updated,

 

So now you will receive new email with the updated calendar info. Now check the calendar for the updated information.

 

Finally you can add the email template in what ever format you need it, you can also send to the bunch of the people by adding them to the public groups.

 

This blog post is 4th in the series of posts for Wave Analytics. In my previous blog post How to Create Dataset using Salesforce object in Wave Analytics, I have explained you the how to create Dataset using Salesforce object in Wave Analytics. In this blog post, I will explain you, How to create  Dataset using the Informatica Rev.

How to create Dataset using the Informatica Rev?

1. In the Analytics app, click on the Create button and click on the Dataset.
   
2. Analytics provided the feature to pull the data from the different sources.Select Informatica as the data source, and then click Continue.
   
3. You will be redirected to the Informatica cloud.
4. Click on the New Project
   
5. The popup will be opened, give the Project Name and click on the Continue button.
   
6. Here there are different options to import data to Wave. Here am pulling the data from the Salesforce. Click on the Salesforce icon.
   
7. Now you will be asked to give the Username, Password, Security Token of the Salesforce.
   
8. After filling the Name, Username, Password and Security Token and click on the Save button.
9. Now choose the object you want to get the data and click on the Import button.
   
10. In the left plane, you can add filters and select the fields you want.
    
11. If you want the filters Click on the Filters tab and click on the New Filter and apply filters for that and click on the Apply section and click on the Import button.
    
12. Click on the export icon and click on the Salesforce Analytics button.
    
13. Now you will be redirected to the popup where you want to select the org and then click on the OK. If you want to export your data to the different org click on the New Connection button, there you should give the org credentials and export your data to that org.
14. After exporting the data you will get the success message as below,
    
15. Now go to the Salesforce org where you have exported and check the dataset has been created successfully.
16. By default, the dataset is stored in the My Private App.
17. Click on the dataset you will be redirected to the New Lens.
18. Slice and Dice your Dataset with the different charts.
    

You can refer how to create Lens and Dashboard in my previous blog post.

If you want to know the basics of the wave analytics you can refer to first blog post of this series Basics of wave analytics

This blog post is 3rd in the series of posts for Wave Analytics. In my previous blog post How to Create Dataset, Lens, and Dashboard in Wave Analytics, I have explained you the how to create Dataset, Lens, and Dashboard using CSV file. In this blog post, I will explain you, How to create  Dataset using the Salesforce Objects.

How to create Dataset?

1. In the Analytics app, click on the Create button and click on the Dataset.
   
2. Analytics provided the feature to pull the data from the different sources.Select Salesforce as the data source, and then click Continue.
   
3. Now the dataset builder opens in a new Analytics tab.
   
4. Select the object, that will be the root object and that root object will be the lowest level of the child object that you can add to the canvas.
5. You can add the only parent objects of that root object, you can’t add its children objects.
6. To change the root object you should refresh the page and again add the root object.
7. To add the fields of that object hover the root object and click on the  icon.Select the fields which you want to extract the data.
   
8. If you want to add the parent objects click on the RELATIONSHIPS tab and click on the JOIN to add the related objects to the canvas.
   
9. After clicking on the JOIN button, your canvas will look in this way.
   
10. You can add fields and parent object relationships to that objects.
11. To see the JSON code of the dataset on the left side of the panel click on the icon.
12. To remove the related object there are two options to delete the branch object.
    
13. To delete the branch object go to the root object and hover on the root object and you will get the delete option and click on the delete button.
    
14. The above image is the second option to delete, click on the branch object you will get the option of the Delete Branch option and click on that you will delete the object.
15. Now to click on the Create Dataset button.
    
16. Now give the Dataset Name and click on the Create button.
    
17. After clicking on the Create button
18. Now the popup button is opened click on the Yes button you will be redirected to the Data Monitor page.
    
19. In this page select the Dataflow View.
    
    
20. On the right side of the panel click on the drop down button and click on the Start button
    
21. The Dataflow has been started in the UI you will get the Dataflow as running state
    
22. Click on the + icon to check the status of the Dataflow.
    
    
23. Now navigate to the Analytics apps check the dataset has been created.
    
24. Click on the dataset you will be redirected to the New Lens.
25. Slice and Dice your Dataset with the different charts.
    

You can refer how to create Lens and Dashboard in my previous blog post.

If you want to know the basics of the wave analytics you can refer to first blog post of this series Basics of wave analytics

Stay tuned for my upcoming blog post where I will show you how to Create Dataset using Informatica in Wave Analytics.

In my previous blog post Basics of Wave Analytics, I have explained you the differences between Reports and Dashboards VS Wave Analytics, and basic capabilities, licenses, and permissions needed for Wave. Now let’s dive deeper to know the most important features of Wave Analytics. I am going to show you how to implement dataset, lens, and dashboard with data from CSV file.

How to create Dataset?

A dataset is a specific view of a data source based on how you’ve customized it.

1. In the Analytics app, click on the Create button and click on the Dataset.
   
2. Analytics provided the feature to pull the data from the different sources.Here, I am using CSV file of account records with standard fields Name, Rating, phone, Amount, Industry, and Type to upload the file.
3. Provide the Dataset Name and choose the App where you want to store the dataset and choose the CSV file to upload and click on the Create Dataset.
4. Now Analytics confirms that dataset has been successfully uploaded.
5. To verify whether the job has completed successfully, follow the below steps,

• Click on the gear icon on the header page and then click on the Data Manager to open the data monitor. It shows the status of the dataflow and the data upload jobs.
• Click on the refresh jobs icon to view the latest status of the jobs.

6. Now the Dataflow has been successfully uploaded, in case if there are any errors download the job file and make the necessary change and upload the file.

7.To download the JSON file in the action list click on the Download, your JSON file will be downloaded

8. Open the dataflow in the in a JSON of the text editor and make the necessary modifications.

9. Use a JSON validation tool, there are many tools available on the internet to verify that the JSON is valid.

10. Save and Close the dataflow file.

11. To upload the saved file in the action list click on the Upload file and select the JSON file and then run the dataflow jobs.

12. Click on the refresh icon to view the latest status of the dataflow job.

13. You can view the dataset after the dataflow job completes successfully.

Note: Not only the CSV files, we can pull the data from Salesforce objects and Informatica.

How to create the Lens?

A lens is a particular view into a dataset’s data. It’s where you do exploratory analysis and visualizations.

1. Now you can Create lens from the generated dataset.
2. Click on the dataset that you have generated recently you will be redirected to Lens.
3. In the left panel, there are three important things to be noticed

• Measure: A measure is a quantitative value, like revenue and exchange rate. You can do math on measures, such as count, sum, Maximum of the revenue, Minimum of the revenue, etc.,
• Group By: You can group by with different elements based on the criteria.
• Filter By: You can filter the field based on the different conditions same as the report filter in Salesforce.

4. In the right side of the plane, there are different modules like undo, redo, you can view the history, Clip, Share the lens, save, Chart mode, Table mode, SAQL mode.

• Different types of the charts available in the Lens are

5. By default, you will get the bar chart to change the type of the chart click on the chart mode to change the type of the chart.Here am using the Donut Chart.

6. In the above chart, I have done the measure with Sum of Amount, group by using the Industry and filter by Rating fields.

7. Do necessary modifications of the chart and click on the save button.

8. To use this lens in the Dashboard click on the scissor icon, give any name and click the Clip to Designer button, this clip can be used in the dashboard.

9. Your lens has been saved successfully.

10. Similarly, clip the different lens and use them in the dashboard.

How to create the dashboard?

A dashboard is an interactive collection of widgets showing different snapshots from one or more lenses to tell a story from different angles.

1. Navigate to the Home page and click on the Create button and click on the Dashboard.
   
2. In the Dashboard, there are different options with high end and user-friendly UI.
3. Now click on the Create Step.
   
4. You can choose your dataset that you have recently created or you can use the clipped lens in the dashboard
5. Drag and drop the lens to Dashboard plane.                                       
6. In the above plane, i have clipped some lenses and am using in the dashboard.
7. In the left side of the panel you can add different charts apart from that we can add links, Images, Text and much more.
8. Here is the final Dashboard in all it’s glory, after adding different charts, images, and Text to the dashboard. This is the beauty of Wave, The charts, and Dashboards used in Wave are dynamic and responsive in nature. Something which you won’t get in Reports and Dashboards.

In the next blog post, I will show how to create the dataset using the Salesforce objects.

 

Introduction to Salesforce Wave Analytics Cloud:

The Analytics Cloud is a Salesforce product, which is similar like the sales and service cloud, you can buy this product and it is much dynamic in real time. However, Wave is a platform that the Analytics Cloud is built on it and much similarly same as Salesforce.com and Force.com. Salesforce Wave Analytics is a cloud-based platform for connecting data from multiple sources, creating interactive views of that data, and sharing those views in dashboards.

The basic Wave and Analytics cloud represents:

Wave (Platform)

–Search based technology
–Key-value pairs
–Inverted Index

Analytics Cloud (Product)

–Cloud based
–Mobile first
–Self-service

What’s the difference between Reports & Dashboards and Analytics Cloud

You might be thinking to yourself, “Why should I need Analytics Cloud? Reports & Dashboards provide good views on it?”. Depending on the type of business you work for,you can opt for need of the Analytics Cloud. However, for the ones that do, it will be down to limitations of Salesforce Reports & Dashboards.Speed and processing power becomes even more apparent in Analytics cloud. It can grab data from external systems like CSV,informatica and even from Salesforce CRM.

                  Salesforce Reporting                                                   Analytics Cloud

---

1. Salesforce data only 2. Analyse with reports & dashboards 3. Real-time data

1. Explore with lenses & dashboards 2. Data updated on schedule 3. Salesforce & external data

What Can You Do with Wave Analytics?

• Wave Analytics is a self-service analytics application that enables you to make sense of large amounts of data.
• You can also create dashboards to continually monitor key business metrics based on the latest data.

How does it work?

• žSave your data, share them with others, and start discussions about them in Chatter.

Try Wave Analytics with a Developer Edition org:

• žFor this trail, you can’t use an old Developer Edition org. You must sign up for this special Developer Edition because it comes with a limited Analytics Cloud Wave Platform license and contains sample data required for this Wave trail.
• Go to https://developer.salesforce.com/promotions/orgs/wave-de and sign up here.

Enable Wave Analytics

• From Setup, enter Wave Analytics in the Quick Find box, then select Getting Started.
• Click Enable Analytics.
• Can you access Wave Analytics now? Not yet. Although it’s enabled, users—including the administrator—can’t access it until they’ve been assigned the right user permissions.

Platform License

Enabling Analytics Cloud

Max 400 users, 50 concurrent queries and 250 million registered rows per platform licenses. Buy multiple platform licenses to increase limits.

Give Users Permission to surf the Wave

• žGo to Manage Users –> Users –> Click  your Username.
• žIn the Permission Set License Assignments related list, click Edit Assignments.
• žSelect the Analytics Cloud Builder or Analytics Cloud – Wave Analytics Platform permission set license—whichever is available in your org—and then click Save.

Create and Assign Permission Sets

• žGo to Permission Sets –> Click New –> Fill the label and keep the User License default value to –None–. –>Click Save.
• žScroll to the bottom of the permission set details page, and click System Permissions. –> Click Edit –> select the  “Manage Wave Analytics ” user permission. –> Click SAVE.
• žTo assign this permission set to your user account, click Manage Assignments –> Click Add Assignments  –> Select your user account, and then click Assign  –> Click Done.

Enable Preview Thumbnails for All Lenses and Dashboards

• žBy default, preview thumbnails aren’t shown for lenses and dashboards based on datasets with row-level security.
• žWhy does Wave hide the thumbnails? Because they can expose sensitive data to users who don’t have access to certain rows in the dataset.
• žFrom setup enter Wave Analytics –> select settings –> Select Show preview thumbnails for lenses and dashboards with row level-security enabled –> Click Save.
• žNow you are ready to use wave analytics app.

Get to Know the Wave Analytics Interface

• žThe home page of the app shows all assets: apps, dashboards, lenses, and datasets. When you enable Wave, you get the two default apps, with no datasets, lenses, or dashboards.
• žApps- A fancy word for folder. An app contains a group of datasets, lenses, and dashboards that you can share with your colleagues.
• žMy Private App -This app is visible to you and only you. You can’t share My Private App with anyone.
• žShared App -This app is the opposite of My Private App. The Shared App is accessible by anyone who has access to Wave. Although it’s accessible by everyone, you can still ensure stricter security on datasets through row-level security.

How Much Does Salesforce Analytics Cloud Cost?

To experience Salesforce Wave Cloud Analytics, users are required to acquire the Wave Platform license. Pricing information for the Wave Platform is available by request.

User License for sales cloud- €75/user/month (billed annually)

User License for service cloud- €75/user/month (billed annually)

User License for both sales cloud and service cloud- €150/user/month (billed annually)

How it works

Analytics Cloud Components

Dataset:

A dataset is a specific view into a data source based on how you’ve customized it. It could be based on a data pipeline or from an ETL vendor.

A dataset is simply a set of data. For example, it could be a list of opportunities or a list of users. You also might have an augmented dataset, which basically combines two datasets into one (e.g. opportunity line items and opportunity information).

The data used in these datasets can enter Analytics Cloud through any of three channels:

• A built-in standard Salesforce connector, which makes for a really nice GUI
• A manually uploaded CSV file
• Custom integrations through a middleware layer such as Informatica

LENS:

A lens is a particular view into a dataset’s data. It’s where you do exploratory analysis and visualizations. This is basically a single report based on a dataset.

Exploring a dataset involves four fundamental operations.

1.Measure:

A measure is a quantitative value, like revenue and exchange rate. You can do math on measures, such as calculating the total revenue and minimum exchange rate.

2.Group:

You can group by owner and stages etc.,

3.Filter:

You can filter like closing this month,year etc.,

4.View:

 

 

 

 

You can view charts as you want like  bar chart,stacked bar chart,Donut chart etc.,

DASHBOARD:

A dashboard is an interactive collection of widgets showing different snapshots from one or more lenses to tell a story from different angles.A dashboard is a collection set of charts, metrics, and tables based on the data in one or more lenses.

This is how the dashboard looks like:

Available charts in salesforce Dashboard and wave analytics Dashboard are

In this blog the data is not fully explanatory of Dataset,Lens and Dashboard .In the next blog i will explain how to create Dataset,Lens and Dashboard.

 

Please post your comments or inputs if you feel this blog is helpful.