Salesforce Summer 24 release notes are out and like previous releases, Salesforce is back with a new set of features and updates. These updates are rolled out to further improve customization, security, integration, and the overall user experience. 

As Salesforce Experience Cloud consultants we are excited to share some of the major updates through this blog. Try out these Summer ‘24 Experience Cloud updates to improve your site's functionality and user experience.

#1 New Features from Mobile Publisher 

Mobile Publisher is a tool that enables custom app creation and assists with distribution across various platforms. Below are some of the latest Salesforce Experience Cloud features and updates from Mobile Publisher:

User Opt-in Biometric Login (Beta)

Salesforce Summer 24 release notes introduced this new feature that allows users to log in using biometrics such as fingerprints or facial recognition. This adds a layer of security by leveraging the built-in biometric capabilities of user devices.

Snapshot Prevention

The Snapshot Prevention feature from Salesforce is the latest addition to Mobile Publisher. This will prevent users from taking screenshots of the app’s sensitive information, ensuring that confidential data remains secure and is not inadvertently shared or stored outside the app.

Compliance with Google’s Requirements

Previously, apps on the Play Store could be submitted with fewer details. However, due to Google’s periodic updates to Play Store policies, developers are now required to submit detailed Firebase information and permission descriptions for their apps starting with this release. This ensures compliance with Google's notification and permission guidelines and guarantees that Android apps meet the necessary requirements.

Legacy Managed Public Option for Android Apps Discontinued

Salesforce has discontinued the Legacy Managed Public option, which was previously used for the distribution of apps. From this release onwards, Android apps distributed with the Legacy Managed Public option will no longer receive updates. Users must transition those apps to newer distribution methods for continued support.

Where: These Salesforce Experience Cloud features affect applications developed using Mobile Publisher for LWR and Aura sites in Enterprise, Unlimited, Performance, and Developer editions.

#2 Design System Architecture Updates.

Salesforce is updating the internal implementation of Salesforce Lightning Design System (SLDS) styles and custom properties to support future UI enhancements. The modifications will also apply to both standard and custom Lightning components used in site templates. For most users, there won't be any immediate impact. However, if your site currently customizes Salesforce components by overriding their CSS, it's time to switch to supported techniques instead.

Where: This update affects Aura and LWR sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic within the Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions.

#3 Enhancements for LWR and Aura sites

The Summer '24 Salesforce Experience Cloud updates introduce a range of exciting features designed to elevate user experiences, streamline workflows, and empower users to be more productive. Let's dive into some of the highlights:

Integration with Data Cloud 

Admins can now link their LWR sites to Data Cloud, enabling comprehensive user data collection, profile building, analytics creation, and personalized site experiences. Once connected, admins will receive insights and recommendations and can track user events like profile and user engagement data right from their Data Cloud.

Forms and Buttons customization with New Styling Features

With the new styling features in Experience Builder, businesses can now display their brand identity by customizing forms and buttons on their LWR sites. These features allow for adjusting padding, shaping checkboxes, and changing the color of labels and input text.

Layout for Every Screen Size

This Summer 24 Salesforce release also gives users the ability to create flexible layouts. Now you can arrange columns side-by-side or stacked, and customize their appearance for various devices. By using the Minimum Height Fields in the Section and Columns components, users can adjust page spacing and layout to achieve the desired design.

Enhanced search experience.

The new Search Manager feature from Salesforce is now available. It enhances the relevancy of search results on LWR sites by allowing users to configure filters. This feature ensures that only the most valuable and relevant information shows up.

URL customization for improved SEO (Beta)

Salesforce has rolled out new URL customization features to enhance the site’s SEO. These URL configuration solutions will enable admins to customize URLs, thus enhancing SEO and driving increased organic traffic. With this feature, users can create readable slugs relevant to the account and contact pages of their sites. Previously, this level of control was limited to specific pages in LWR Commerce and enhanced LWR sites.

Note: Salesforce releases this feature in Beta Service.

Customize Einstein AI-Generated Search Answer

From the summer 24 Salesforce release, users can refine the appearance of AI-generated search answers on their site's search results page using the Results Layout component. With customizable options at their fingertips, users can seamlessly adjust the title and description of their AI-generated search answers.

Where: The above Summer ‘24 Salesforce Experience Cloud updates are available to LWR sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic across Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions.

View-Dependent Picklist Updates During Record Edits

The Record Detail component in LWR sites has been upgraded to support changes in dependent picklists. Now, when a visitor modifies the value in a "controlling" field, the options and values in dependent fields automatically update, mirroring the behavior. This enhanced functionality also applies to compound fields like Address, ensuring smooth integration of state and country/territory picklists.

Where: This update affects LWR sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic across Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions with active Experience Cloud licenses.

Draft Sales Emails Quickly

Writing sales emails has gotten much easier! Now partners can compose sales emails using Einstein generative AI directly within Experience Cloud Aura sites. 

They can even use custom sales email prompt templates built-in Prompt Builder. This powerful AI integration will streamline email creation and empower partners to close deals faster.

Where: This update is for Aura sites accessible via Lightning Experience in Unlimited editions. An active community license that supports PRM is required.

#4 Improved Site Performance

Experience Delivery (Pilot)

Experience Delivery improves the performance and scalability for LWR sites. Compared to the previous release, the updated Experience Delivery offers lightning-speed page load time, enhanced security, and improved search engine optimization (SEO), meeting the demands of modern web experiences.

Note: This feature is being piloted.

Where: This update affects LWR sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic across Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited editions. Note that Developer Edition is not supported.

Update Force.com Site URLs

Starting in September 2024, the temporary redirection of legacy Salesforce domains will end for production orgs. 

To ensure continued access, you need to update references to your old *.force.com site URLs. By updating these references before September 2024, you'll avoid any potential disruption for your users.

Where- This Update affects Visualforce, Aura, and LWR sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic across Performance, Enterprise, Unlimited, and Developer Edition.

Load Visualforce Site Pages Faster

The Salesforce Summer 24 release notes bring a major enhancement to site performance. The caching behavior for Visualforce public site pages has been significantly improved. Previously, for login-enabled sites, the cache was only stored on the proxy server when an unauthenticated user visited. Now, the user's browser also caches the page, resulting in improved load times.

Where- This Update affects Visualforce and Salesforce sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Unlimited, Enterprise, Performance, and Developer editions

#5 Enhanced Security and Sharing

Salesforce has introduced exciting new features to enhance the login experience on the Experience Cloud sites and ensure more secure interactions.

User Permission for Custom Domain Management 

Thanks to the new salesforce experience cloud features, you can now assign the new Custom Domain Management user permissions to handle custom domains and URLs for more precise permissions management, providing a branded experience with Experience Cloud sites.

Where: This update is available for Aura, LWR, and Visualforce sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Enterprise, Performance, and Unlimited editions. Additionally, it's available in Professional Edition with Marketing Cloud Account Engagement (Pardot).

Enhanced Integration Framework for Headless Identity Flows

The External Client App framework is designed to integrate third-party applications with Salesforce data. The updated framework now seamlessly supports all types of headless Authorization Codes and Credentials Flow. In off-platform apps, this upgraded framework simplifies the configuration of passwordless login, headless login, and guest user identity flows, ensuring smoother operations.

Where: This update affects Aura, LWR, and Visualforce sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Enterprise, Unlimited, and Developer editions.

Discontinuation of shared domain certificate

Salesforce is phasing out the shared domain certificate to comply with the latest security standards, after enforcing this change the shared domain will become unsecured or non-HTTPS. To avoid this, users should switch to the single domain certificate.

Note: Salesforce will implement this update in Spring ‘25.

Where: This update affects Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic in Professional, Enterprise, Unlimited, Performance, and Developer editions.

Salesforce CDN for Government Cloud Organizations

In the latest Summer '24 Salesforce Experience Cloud updates, Salesforce disabled the Content Delivery Network (CDN) by default for Government Cloud organizations due to compliance requirements. Therefore, the Salesforce CDN will be deactivated for all new sites created using  Government Cloud orgs.

Where: This update applies to Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic (availability varies by org) across Professional, Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions.

Improved Experience with Customer Identity Features

The new Customer Identity Features provide greater authority over the identity verification process. Users can now enjoy uninterrupted access across custom apps and Salesforce UIs.

Where: These Summer ‘24 Salesforce Experience Cloud updates affect Visualforce, LWR, and Aura sites accessible via Lightning Experience and Salesforce Classic across Enterprise, Performance, Unlimited, and Developer editions.

Conclusion

The Summer '24 Salesforce Experience Cloud updates introduce significant enhancements to Experience Cloud, focusing on improved customization, security, integration, and performance. Take control and test these features yourself, or let Concretio, your trusted partner, guide you through the implementation process to optimize your digital experience and enhance user engagement.

Further Reading:

1. Building Communities and Digital Experiences with Salesforce Experience Cloud

2. Comparing Experience Cloud Pricing Tiers: Which One is Right for Your Business?

3. The Ultimate Hiring Checklist: How to Hire Salesforce Experience Cloud Consultant

4. Building Strong Communities Around Your Product Via Salesforce Idea Management

References

1. Prepare Your LWR and Aura Sites for Design System Architecture Updates

2. Upgrade Your App with the Latest Features from Mobile Publisher for Experience Cloud

3. Security and Sharing

Related Reading

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