Collaboration Connect: Customize Flow

The Collaboration Connect feature allows unlicensed TaskRay users to mark designated tasks as complete and leave comments. The feature leverages a screen flow, which allows external users to make such updates to assigned tasks.

While the out-of-the-box TaskRay Collaboration Connect Flow only includes those options, it is possible to customize it to incorporate additional task fields to update or to automate relevant actions.

Sample Customization Use Cases

When it comes to customizing this flow, there are many different options and the specifics will depend on your business requirements. Below are a couple of common customizations that you can use for inspiration as you think through the customizations that you would like to incorporate.

Example 1: Request for Additional Assistance

In some cases, it might be necessary for the external task owners to request additional assistance from the internal team before marking the assigned task as complete. For this purpose, the approach would incorporate creating a custom Assistance Needed field on the TaskRay Task object, then incorporating that field within the screen flow to allow the external owners to update it when necessary.

Example 2: Auto-Complete the Task

Another example of a customization is to automatically fully complete the task whenever the external owner completes assigned work. For some additional context: out of the box, whenever the external user is assigned a task, they are able to update the External Owner Complete field. This field is separate from the task List status and overall task completion. However, it is possible to incorporate an automated update that would make the fields work in sync and automatically complete the task whenever the external owner updates the External Owner Complete field.

Flow Override

To customize the External Owner Completion Flow, it is necessary to create an override to the packaged version.

Create the Override

1. From Setup, navigate to: Platform Tools | Process Automations | Flows.
2. Select the TaskRay Collaboration Connect Flow.
3. Use the Flow Builder to modify the flow. See the Modifying the Flow section for additional tips.
4. Click Save As. This will open a modal to Save as flow override.
5. Enter a Flow Label (e.g. "Customized Collaboration Connect Flow").
6. The Flow API Name should automatically generate based on the label that you enter.
7. [Optional] Enter a Flow Description.
8. Click Save.
9. On the Flow Builder, click Activate.
   

Set Up Access to the Override

Once the override flow version is created, you will need to set up access, so that it can be used for the External Task Owner feature. 

1. Return to the Flows page in Setup. If you are within the Flow Builder, you can click on the Back Arrow in the top left corner.
2. Within the list of Flows, locate the customized flow override version and click on the Down Arrow on the right to access the options menu.
3. From the dropdown, select the Edit Access option.
4. On the following page, select the Override default behavior and restrict access to enabled profiles or permission sets checkbox.
5. Save.

Grant Permission to the Flow Override for the Site Guest User

The Collaboration Connect feature utilizes Salesforce Sites. As such, it is necessary to grant access to the flow override version for the associated Site Guest User. This can be done either through the Site Guest User profile or by assigning a custom permission set to the Site Guest User.

Below are the steps to grant access via the profile:

1. From Setup, navigate to: User Interface | Sites and Domains | Sites.
2. Click into the site that is used for Collaboration Connect.
3. On the site detail page, click on Public Access Settings.
4. On the Site Guest User Profile page, scroll to the Enabled Flow Access section and click Edit.
5. From the list of Available Flows, locate the flow override version and move it over to Enabled Flows.
6. Save.

Modifying the Flow

While the specifics will depend on your use case and the additional updates that you are looking to make, here are some general pointers to keep in mind as you incorporate customizations into the flow.

Fields to Update [Assignment Element]

This element sets up a collection variable that stores the API names of the TaskRay Task fields that are incorporated in the flow. Out of the box, there will be two fields: TASKRAY__trExtOwnerComments__c and TASKRAY__trExtOwnerComplete__c. If you would like to incorporate additional TaskRay Task fields to be used as part of this flow, you will need to add those here:

1. Within the Edit Assignment element, click on + Add Assignment button.
2. In the new row that appears, set the following:
   • Variable = Task_Fields_To_Update (collection variable)
   • Operator = Add
   • Value = enter the API name of the TaskRay Task field that you want to add
3. Click Done

Complete Task [Screen Element]

This is the screen that is visible to the external owner whenever they open a task to complete. If you are incorporating additional fields for the external owner to update (such as for the use case where the external owner needs to request additional assistance), you can modify the screen to display those fields. 

Assign Values To Task [Assignment Element]

The purpose of this element is to define how to update the TaskRay Task when the flow executes. This can be used to map the inputs made by the external owner to the actual updates that need to be made to the externally assigned task, as well as for other updates to the record.

For example, if you incorporated additional fields for the external owner to update or if you would like to make other "behind the scenes" updates to the task, those will need to be added here as well. 

1. Within the Edit Assignment element, click on + Add Assignment button.
2. In the new row that appears, set the following:
   • Variable = Task_To_Update > field from TaskRay Task to update
   • Operator = Equals
   • Value = the update to be made to the task (this can be either a mapping to a custom field value from the flow or some value that needs to be set on a field on the task)
3. Click Done

That's it!

Once the Flow is activated, your changes are live - your external owners will see your new screen flow the next time they complete a task.