Skip to main content

Salesforce: Process Builder/Flows - Advanced Survey Sending

Jomar
  • Updated

Introduction

AskNicely integrates with Salesforce’s Process Builder/Flows to send surveys based on nearly any event in your Salesforce instance. Whether you're closing a case, onboarding a new client, or logging an interaction, this method gives you powerful flexibility for event-triggered survey sends.

This guide walks you through how to:

  • Use Email to Survey as a trigger

  • Set up Flows or Process Builder in Salesforce

  • Test and troubleshoot your setup

  • Optionally create follow-up tasks for low NPS scores

🔧 This process is ideal for complex use cases beyond basic Report-based integrations and should be built in partnership with your Salesforce Admin.

Step-by-Step Instructions

✅ Step 1: Generate Your AskNicely Email to Survey Address

  1. In AskNicely, go to the App Store

  2. Search for “Email to Survey”

  3. Open the app and click Generate Email Address

  4. Save this unique alphanumeric email address—you’ll use it as the destination in Salesforce

📝 Step 2: Build the Salesforce Email Template

  1. In Salesforce Setup, navigate to:

    • Email > Email Templates

  2. Create a New Template

    • Set the type to Text

    • Tick the box for Available for Use

    • Name Template something descriptive

  3. Set the subject to: "N/A"

  4. In the Email Body, paste your Email to Survey format (see AskNicely’s Email to Survey Guide)

Required Fields (must be lowercase):

  • email

  • name

  • firstname

  • lastname

  • sfcontactid

  • sfaccountid

  • sfleadid

  • txn_sfcaseid

🧠 Include any other custom fields you want—just make sure they’re consistently named.

📩 To send responses back to the correct Salesforce record, the ContactID field must be included.

✉️ Step 3: Create the Email Alert in Salesforce

  1. In Salesforce Setup, go to:

    • Process Automation > Flows > Workflow Actions > Email Alerts

  2. Create a new Email Alert:

    • Give it a descriptive name

    • Select Case as the Object

    • Choose the Email Template created above

  3. Skip Recipient Type & Recipients

  4. In the Additional Emails section, paste your AskNicely Email to Survey address

🔄 Step 4: Build the Process in Salesforce Flow or Process Builder

⚠️ This step must be completed by a Salesforce Admin

  1. Go to Process Builder or Flows

  2. Click New to create a flow that starts when a record is created or edited

  3. Select Case as the Object

  4. Add criteria:

    • Name: Case Closed

    • Condition: Case.Status Equals Closed

    • Type: Picklist

    • Logic: All conditions must be met

  5. Action:

    • Type: Email Alert

    • Use the Email Alert created in the previous step

  6. Activate your Flow or Process

🧪 Testing & Troubleshooting

✔️ Test the Flow

  1. Add your own email to the Additional Emails field in the Email Alert

  2. Create or identify a test Contact using your email address

  3. Create a test Case and associate it with your test Contact

  4. Change the Case Status to Closed

  5. Confirm:

    • You receive an email from Salesforce

    • The fields in the email match your expectations

    • (Optional) You receive an AskNicely survey if triggeremail: true was used

⚠️ Important for Testing:

  • triggeremail: true will send the survey immediately (bypasses Global Contact Rules)

  • Remove this argument when you go live

    triggeremail: false is not valid and may still send a survey

📋 Check AskNicely

  1. Go to the Contacts page in AskNicely

  2. Search for your test contact

  3. Confirm:

    • The contact appears with correct custom fields

    • Data was passed as expected

  4. Adjust the Email Body in Salesforce if fields are missing or incorrect

🧹 Before going live, delete all test data and remove your email from the Additional Emails list.

🔁 Optional: Create Follow-Up Tasks for Detractors

You can use Process Builder to trigger internal tasks when low NPS scores are received.

Steps:

  1. Go to Process Builder > New Process

  2. Set the trigger: When a Contact record is created or edited

  3. Criteria:

    • NPS Last Responded is changed = True

    • NPS Score less than or equal to 6

  4. Action: Create a Task

    • Relate the Task to the Contact

    • Use the Contact ID in the "Related To" field

FAQs & Common Issues

  • Q: Can I use other Salesforce objects like Leads or Opportunities?
    A: Yes—just adjust the object type in your Process setup and modify field names accordingly.

  • Q: What if nothing appears in AskNicely after triggering the Flow?
    A: Check:

    • The AskNicely email address is correct

    • Required fields are included

    • Test contact is not blocked by Global Contact Rules

  • Q: Can I sync data back from AskNicely to Salesforce?
    A: Yes—with proper setup, responses can be synced using ContactID fields and mapped accordingly.

In-Depth Examples with Video

Need Help?

Have a tricky flow or an advanced use case? Our team is happy to collaborate. Reach out via the chat icon in AskNicely or email us at support@asknice.ly.

Related articles