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Inline editing

You can now edit values in a Force.com detail page without having to go to the edit page – simply click on the field to edit the field. The feature includes indicators to signal if a field is editable and to roll back any edits, as well as page messages to remind user that data has been changed. The buttons at the top of the page change to reflect the need to save or discard edits once user has edited the data.

Use case

A user is on the phone with a customer, who tells him some of his contact details are changing. The user can change the information immediately, without having to navigate to a new page.

Availability

General availability in Personal Edition, Group Edition, Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.

Relational business rules

Also known as cross-object rules, this feature allows you to use parent fields in formula rules. The parent field can come from a parent in either a lookup or master-detail relationship. You can use parent fields in validation rules, workflow rules or field updates, approval process entry or step criteria, or case and lead assignment rules. Note that parent merge fields are not supported in formula fields in this release.

Use case

A user could block changes in Opportunity Line Items, based on the stage of the opportunity, with a validation rule that referenced the opportunity stage.

Availability

General availability in Personal Edition, Group Edition, Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.

Report enhancements

Winter '08 includes several enhancements for reports.

Floating report headers

The headers for a report remain at the top of the report as the user scrolls through data. This feature makes it easier for users to identify the columns as they read through reports which stretch across more than one screen. Users can also sort data by clicking on the column headers without having to return to the top of the report.

Use case: A report features multiple dates, including a date for the planned end of a project and the required finish date. The user will not have to return to the top of the report if they get confused as to which date is which.

Availability: General availability for Personal Edition, Group Edition, Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.

Reports on reports and dashboards

Gives users the ability to see which reports are used in which dashboards. You can also use this functionality to discover when reports have been run, which can help to clean up unused reports.

Use case: A user wants to delete a report, but has to remove it from all dashboards that use the report first. This report will identify which dashboards need modification.

Availability: General availability for Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.

Other reporting features

Winter ’08 also includes the ability to report on Territories and the ability to clone a custom report type. The cloning functionality went from a user suggestion to implementation in a month.

Use case:A user wants to create a custom report type with all the functionality defined for an existing type, but then wants to modify it slightly. The user can simply clone the custom report type.

Availability (for cloning custom report types): General availability for Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.

Workflow debugger

Provides detailed debugging of workflow and approval processes, assignment rules and other automated business procedures.

Use case

A system administrator can trace the operation of a workflow process to see where a problem may lie.

Availability

General availability for Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.

Tasks for multiple users

Allows a user to create a task for multiple users, based on individual users or groups of users, such as Roles, Public Groups, Personal Groups or Territories. The same task is assigned to each user named or each user in the groups. Each user gets their own task – the task is not shared between the multiple users.

Use case

A manager wants to get a status report from all the people who work for him. He can create a task and assign it to everyone beneath him in the role hierarchy.

Availability

General availability for Personal Edition, Group Edition, Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.

Printable lists

Gives users the ability to print any list views for an object, making it easy to create printed information without creating a report.

Use case

A sales rep can print a list view of all leads for which she would like to arrange meetings, or the leads with the latest activities, with two clicks.

Availability

General availability for Personal Edition, Group Edition, Professional Edition, Enterprise Edition, Unlimited Edition, Developer Edition.