How to Send Outbound Message using Workflow in Salesforce

In this Salesforce tutorial, we will learn how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce.

The outbound message is defined as a type of activity that can send the data to endpoints or external services in the form of Extensible Markup Language (XML). It is an instant workflow action that transfers the data to third-party or external services in the form of a Simple object access protocol.

Recently, I was working on the outbound message using workflow after doing some research. I found that Salesforce offers an outbound message functionality. If you are a Salesforce user and you want to learn how to send an outbound message using workflow rules in Salesforce, you have to come right place.

We will demonstrate how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce Classic step by step in this article.

The following are the topics that we will cover in this Salesforce tutorial:

• What is an outbound message in Salesforce?
• How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce
• How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce lightning
• How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce Classic

What is an outbound message in Salesforce?

In Salesforce Outbound messages are used to integrate with third-party with no code at all. The way it works is that as an administrator we are going to define an outbound message that outbound message can be used in workflow approval processes.

This outbound message will be sent to a web service endpoint and this endpoint will be something that is coded by the third-party developer, not a salesforce administrator. And in return, the acknowledgment would be sent to Salesforce.

The outbound message is used to send object data to our third-party application to execute a particular task as per the need. It also take a very important part in the integration of the Salesforce application. We can send an outbound message using workflow or approval processes.

Generally, the outbound message in Salesforce is a helpful tool that sends important data to endpoints or external services in the form of Extensible Markup Language.

With this, we learned about What is an outbound message in Salesforce. Now we will move ahead and try to understand how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce.

How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce

Here we are discussing how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce. The outbound message is a workflow and approval process that can send information to endpoints and external servers.

This outbound message is one of the actions that are present in the workflow rule and that can send the data to a third-party application that is defined and selected as an external system or service.

The outbound message calls on workflow rules, entitlement processes, and approval processes.

Outbound messages will send simple object access protocol (SOAP) messages to the end-point specified.

The advantage of the outbound message in Salesforce is its point and clicks code no apex code is needed.

The message is guaranteed to be delivered within 24 hours of the window. It will keep on retrying to send the message.

Disadvantages: The destination endpoint has to be clearly set up in order for it to receive the contents of the SOAP message.

Currently, Salesforce has two user experiences Salesforce Lightning and Salesforce Classic. We will learn how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce on both of the interfaces.

Now, let us see, how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce Lightning.

How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce lightning

Here we are sending an outbound message using workflow in salesforce lightning. If you want to learn how to send an outbound message using workflow in salesforce lightning follow these steps:

1: First, login into the Salesforce Lightning account. Go to the gear icon, under the gear icon there are two options Setup and Service Setup. Here we are selecting the Setup option.

After clicking on the setup option. Now enter the workflow rule in the Quick Find box that is present on the left sidebar. After entering the workflow rule in the Quick Find box the workflow rule comes at the top. Click on that.

2: After clicking on the workflow rule, The workflow rule page is open then scroll down to the bottom and click on the checkbox and then click on the continue option.

After clicking on the continuous option All the Workflow Rules page is open, there is a new rule option click on it.

3: After clicking on the new rule option, Try it in the Flow Builder dialogue box is open. In this dialogue box, two options choose the first one which is Continue with Workflow Rules.

4: Here we are selecting the Contact object to which this workflow rule applies. After selecting the object click on next.

5: Now fill in the complete information, and enter the rule name that is the  Email Change.

 After filling the edit rule information scroll to the bottom of the page and then select evaluation criteria as created, and every time it’s edited this workflow rule will work while creating a record.

6: After evaluating the criteria, now we are putting the rule criteria. We select run this rule is the formula evaluate to true. Now enter the formula inside the formula field. Firstly choose the function, here we are choosing the ISCHANGED function then insert the field.

 After filling all the information, check the information once again for seeing that all the information that we fill in is correct then click on the save and next option.

7: After clicking on the Save and next option the edit rule EmailChange page is open. Here we adding the workflow action as New Outbound Message.

8: After clicking on the New Outbound Message option, the Email Change page is open. Now edit the outbound message, firstly fill the Name as Email Change the click on the Unique Name field the field is automatically field.

After that fill the Endpoint URL we are copying the endpoint URL from https://pipedream.com/ and paste the URL inside the endpoint field then choose the contact fields to send. First, select the fields from the available field and the field into selected fields. After filling all the information click on the save option.

9: After filling the outbound message information, now specify the workflow actions that will be triggered when the rule criteria are met and the immediate workflow actions are created, and the type of the workflow rule is the outbound message and click on the done option.

10: After clicking on the done option, EmailChange is open. Here we can see all the workflow rule detail. Now activate the EmailChange workflow rule by simply clicking on the activate button.

11: After activating the Email change workflow rule, the Outbound message workflow rule is created successfully.

This is how we can send the outbound message through the EndpointURL to the API. Further, we will learn how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce Classic.

Check out, How to Create Task using workflow Rule in Salesforce

How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce Classic

Here we are sending an outbound message using workflow in salesforce lightning. If you want to learn how to send an outbound message using workflow in salesforce lightning follow these steps:

Step-1: Click on the setup option. Now enter the workflow rule in the Quick Find box that is present on the left sidebar. After entering the workflow rule in the Quick Find box the workflow rule comes at the top. Click on that.

Step-2: After clicking on the workflow rule, The workflow rule page is open then scroll down to the bottom and click on the checkbox and then click on the continue option.

After clicking on the continuous option All the Workflow Rules page is open, there is a new rule option click on it.

Step-3:  After clicking on the new rule option, Try it in the Flow Builder dialogue box is open. In this dialogue box, two options choose the first one which is Continue with Workflow Rules.

Step-4: Here we are selecting the Account object to which this workflow rule applies. After selecting the object click on next.

Step-5: Now fill in the complete information, and enter the rule name that is the Account Outbound.

 After filling the edit rule information scroll to the bottom of the page and then select evaluation criteria as created this workflow rule will work while creating a record.

Step-6: After evaluating the criteria, now we are putting the rule criteria. Firstly choose the field Account: Account Namethen chooses the operator not equal to and after that fill the value field as Null.

 After filling all the information, check the information once again for seeing that all the information that we fill in is correct then click on the save and next option.

Step-7: After clicking on the Save and Next option the edit rule Account Outbound page is open. Here we adding the workflow action as New Outbound Message.

Step-8: After clicking on the New Outbound Message option, the Email Change page is open. Now edit the outbound message, firstly fill the Name as Account Message the click on the Unique Name field the field is automatically field.

After that fill the Endpoint URL field we are copying the endpoint URL from https://pipedream.com/ and paste the URL inside the endpoint field then choose the contact fields to send. First, select the fields from the available field and the field into selected fields. After filling all the information click on the save option.

Step-9: After filling the outbound message information, now specify the workflow actions that will be triggered when the rule criteria are met and the immediate workflow actions are created, and the type of workflow rule is the outbound message, and click on the done option.

Step-10: After clicking on the done option, Account Outbound is open. Here we can see all the workflow rule detail. Now activate the Account Outbound workflow rule by simply clicking on the activate button.

Step-11: After activating the Account Outbound workflow rule, the Outbound message workflow rule is created successfully.

So, with this, we have learned how to send an outbound message using the workflow rule in salesforce classic and we can send the outbound message through the EndpointURL to the API.

Conclusion

Overall, the outbound message in Salesforce is a helpful tool that sends important data to endpoints or external services in the form of Extensible Markup Language. We have learned what is an outbound message in Salesforce. We have also discussed how to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce Lightning as well as Salesforce Classic.

And we have also covered these topics in this Salesforce tutorial:

• What is an outbound message in Salesforce?
• How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce
• How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce lightning
• How to send an outbound message using workflow in Salesforce Classic

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