A Note from Chris on the September Release Listen to a recap from our CEO as he details the focus of this release and provides an update on new features to look out for.… More
September 2023 Newsletter
September Release General Announcement
A note from Andrea Adcock, Chief Product Officer
In August, we celebrated the release of many long-awaited new features and introduced Blackthorn Storefront. We are now taking measures to reduce delays within our monthly release process. These measures will scale to meet the growth of our products and restore our release cadence.
Immediate Actions:
- September Release: Our September Events release shipped without Data Persistence enabled. In this way, our team can continue final testing on this critical feature without further delays in delivering the September monthly release. Once final testing is complete, an early access program will make Data Persistence available to a select customer audience.
- October Release: The October Events release is being streamlined to include only critical bug fixes and our generally available release of the Data Persistence feature. This step reduces the scope of testing for our Quality team and lets us close the gap on release cadence.
Long-term Solutions:
- Quarterly Planning: Teamwide quarterly planning will provide for more holistic resource and dependency planning.
- Continuous Integration Improvements: The Blackthorn portfolio now includes 12 different Salesforce Managed packages and 17 active webapps, services, Node packages, and mobile applications. We are experiencing a growing number of technical dependencies and other complexities with each release that impact development, quality, and release. These factors frequently roll-up to create delays during final testing. We are working on a cross-product continuous integration system that will detect and resolve issues sooner in the development cycle to prevent last minute delays.
We truly appreciate your understanding and patience as we work diligently to bring our software releases back on track. If you have any questions or would like more detailed information regarding our plan, please feel free to contact me – andrea@blackthorn.io.
Minor Update Release Notes
Blackthorn Events
- Campaign Sync Update: Users can now add Attendees from a Campaign on the Event’s Attendees tab, the Add Attendees button on the Campaign, and via the Event Auto-Sync field on the Campaign. In each scenario, the BT Event Attendee Duplicate Rule will be respected, and no duplicate records will be created. Previously, if One Unique Email Per Event = “False” and one or more campaign members were already Event Attendees, then duplicate Attendee records were created.
- Event Builder Update for Webinars: When using the Event Builder, users can now click Reuse Webinar Information from Event to copy webinar details from an Event record to a Session record. Previously, this option was present, but it was not functional. NOTE: This feature is a one-time shortcut. It does not set up an ongoing sync between the Event’s and Session’s webinar details.
- Big List Fix for Dynamic UI: A Form Big List Option will now load when registering for an Event that uses the Dynamic UI. Previously, Form Big List Options did not load. The other Event UI options were not affected. (Known Issue: 000002978)
Blackthorn Payments
Payment Gateway Object Update The following fields were added to the Payment Gateway object.
- Field Name: TouchNet uPay Site ID
- API Name:
bt_stripe__TouchNet_uPay_Site_ID__c - Data Type: Text(15)
- Field Name: TouchNet uPay Site URL
- API Name:
bt_stripe__TouchNet_uPay_Site_URL__c - Text(255)
- CVC Optional Feature for Virtual Terminal: A new custom setting called Make CVC Field Optional has been added to the Blackthorn Payments | Virtual Terminal custom settings. This setting allows users to make the CVC field optional when adding a new credit card Payment Method in the Virtual Terminal. The default setting is for the CVC field to be required.
Blackthorn Messaging
- Improvements on A2P Submission Process: The A2P submission process is crucial for businesses and organizations that send automated messages to users’ phone numbers. To enhance this process, we added a new step called Account Activation that will occur between the Account Registration and Phone Number Setup steps.
- Validating A2P Details: Validating A2P details is a crucial step that occurs when sending automated messages to users via platforms like Twilio. This step includes reviewing and verifying the information provided by the business or organization who intends to use the A2P messaging services.
- Searching Phone Numbers: During Twilio’s review and approval period, users can search for and use Phone Numbers by utilizing toll-free phone numbers. This feature ensures that businesses can continue their operations and prepare for A2P messaging without causing any interruptions.
Blackthorn Storefront (Grand Opening)
Storefront is a Salesforce-native digital eCommerce application designed to sell digital goods, services, donations, and course enrollments. It provides all the necessary tools to manage one or more customizable stores built on Salesforce, leveraging the existing security infrastructure for every transaction.
Click to learn more about this new product!
Catalog Release NotesBlackthorn Customer Support Notes
Data Persistence Testing
For customers experiencing delayed updates to event and event group sites, please reach out to your Customer Success Manager (CSM) or email the team at success@blackthorn.io for an off-cycle release that will include Data Persistence for testing. This will be available to the first dozen customers to make the request, are willing to provide feedback to the Product team, and have non-production orgs (sandboxes) available for testing.
New Tips & Tricks for Managing Your Cases in our Customer Community
- We have gotten a bit of feedback that it’s hard to view case comments when logged into our Community. We have a quick fix for that. When logged into our customer community, when viewing one of your cases, you can actually click into the Case Comments Related List and Wrap Text on the Comment Tab. Here is a video on how to do this!
- Previously customers were only able to reopen cases via email to case. We have added a new feature where Community Users can reopen a case right from our customer community. Please note if case was closed more than 7 days ago, a new case should be submitted using our support request form found here.
New Self Service Subscription! Increase your licenses in the Blackthorn Community, even if you require a PO.
Need to add a few more licenses to your existing subscription quickly, but require a PO for every purchase? You can now add and pay for them via the Blackthorn Community. Simply log into community.blackthorn.io and look for the subscriptions tab.
News & Events
Midwest Higher Ed Trailblazer Forum 10/12
This free in-person event will take place October 12th in the brand new Salesforce Chicago Tower. We can’t wait to reconnect and share more stories of innovation. The day will start with a breakfast keynote, followed by a full day of breakout sessions led by your peer institutions. We will wrap up the day with a toast to you and celebration on the Tower’s newly opened Ohana Floor.
Salesforce Tower Chicago
Chicago, IL 60654
2023 Advancement Forum 10/16-18
Huron, Salesforce, Blackthorn, UC Innovation, Affinaquest, FormAssembly, and Nintex are bringing together leaders from their respective development and alumni relations teams to provide you with an opportunity to engage and network with your peers. There will be institutions attending at all different stages in their journey. We are looking to build upon the success of past Advancement forums as solution offerings continue to mature and prove successful for advancement operations.
The forum provides you the opportunity to meet a team of experts and sponsors to discuss technology, strategy, and governance, and experience cutting-edge demos to support your digital transformation. If you’re interested in attending please contact Matt Frank at mattfrank@blackthorn.io for more information.
The St. Julien Hotel & Spa
900 Walnut St, Boulder, CO 80302
Salesforce Community College Day 10/17
You’re invited to an exclusive Salesforce event designed for Community Colleges in Illinois and surrounding states. Join us to network with your peers, learn more about Salesforce reporting & analytics and share experience at topical round table discussions.
Get a ticket or email Courtney Williams at courtneywilliams@salesforce.com to RSVP.
Florida Dreamin’ Event 10/22-24
We’re bringing the Engagement Suite to the Beach for the 2023 edition of Florida Dreamin’ at a newer, bigger location in Clearwater Beach, FL! The registration may look a little familiar to our Events users because Blackthorn is the Registration sponsor again this year. This community-led Salesforce conference is designed to bring you the latest Salesforce content, training, and opportunities to the Florida Ohana, and we can’t wait to see you there!
Sheraton Sand Key Resort
1160 Gulf Blvd.
Clearwater Beach, Florida, 33767
Dreamforce VIPs We'd Love Your Feedback
Blackthorn Engagement Suite VIP Survey
Please take a minute to let us know about your experience at our VIP Suite.
Customer Survey
Partner Survey
A G2 Review Can Get You $25 on Amazon!
We’d Love Your Kind Review
Want to get that special Halloween outfit? Or, get ahead on your holiday shopping? Just go to G2 and give us your glowing review, even if you’re in it for the money 😉
September 2024 Newsletter
Join us! Major Release Webinar Fall 2024
Don’t miss our next major release party
10/03/24, 11:00 AM to 11:45 AM ET
- Demos of our major new Events features
- Advanced Visibility
- Table Manager
- Restrict Overlapping Sessions Selection
- Sales tax / GST for Events checkout
- Biometric authentication for Mobile Check-in Login
- Recap of caching & capacity enhancements
- Live Q&A with the Product team
Submit your questions for the Live Q&A in advance to experiences@blackthorn.io - Blackthorn trivia contest
September Release Notes
Note: If you ever need past release notes, bookmark this community link for quick access. >>> https://community.blackthorn.io/s/package-updates
Blackthorn Events
Advanced Visibility (Early Access)
Advanced Visibility allows Event Organizers to leverage Contact or Person Account data to control visibility and eligibility within the Experience Cloud or an authenticated iframe. Please open a case with Blackthorn Support to enable Advanced Visibility.
The feature uses rules with specific criteria to determine who can see and register for Events, Event Items, and Sessions. In tandem with Express Registration, Advanced Visibility helps Attendees find and register for relevant Events faster. Discover some of Advanced Visibilities’ benefits.
- Flexible Rule Creation: Creates different rules for each Event, a single rule for multiple Events, or any combination.
- Customizable Eligibility: Tailor your Attendees’ visibility experiences with options like Extend Visibility to Account and Extend Eligibility to Account.
- Compatibility with Visibility Controls: Seamlessly integrate Advanced Visibility with existing Visibility Controls, allowing for flexible configurations.
Overlapping Sessions
Event Organizers can now prevent Attendees from registering for overlapping Sessions. This functionality allows for a more organized and manageable registration experience and ensures that Event resources like Session seats and Event spaces are used effectively.
Matching and Duplication
Attendees can now register for multiple Events with identical names. The BT Events Attendee Matching Rule was updated to use an Event_ID instead of the Event Name to distinguish between Events. The registration process will also be successful if the BT Event Attendee Duplicate Rule’s Action on Create is set to “Block.” Previously, when Attendees registered for multiple Events with identical names, duplicate Attendee records were created. And if the BT Event Attendee Duplicate Rule’s Action on Create was set to “Block,” no Attendee records were created. NOTE: To use this new matching rule immediately, please make sure it is selected. (Known Issue: 000003791)
Potential Change in Default Behavior
If you have an Event that no longer shows expired Tickets/event-ended banners, but the expired Tickets/event-ended banners were previously visible, check the Show Expired Tickets field on the Event Settings record.
Previously, the Show Expired Tickets field’s default behavior was not respected, causing Tickets with a Sales End Date in the past to appear in the list of available Tickets, even though Show Expired Tickets was set to “False” (unchecked).
When the Event Settings Show Expired Tickets setting is set to “False” (unchecked), Event Items with a Sales End Date in the past will not appear in the list of purchasable Tickets. If Show Expired Tickets is set to “True,” and the Event Item’s Sales End Date is in the past, the Ticket will be visible but will have a label stating that it is not for sale. (Known Issue: 000003154)
For more information on these enhancements and a full list of bug fixes, please click the Events Release Notes button.
Blackthorn Payments
- SALESFORCE KNOWN ISSUE | Enable Secure Static Resources for Lightning Components: This Salesforce release update has been postponed indefinitely. Test Run on this Release Update should remain disabled in order to use our Virtual Terminal components. This is due to a Salesforce Known Issue.
- Permission Sets: The new permission set, Blackthorn | Payments (Lite User), was created. Users with this permission set have read-only access to all BT Payments objects and standard Salesforce functionality, such as reports and dashboards. Note: Users with this permission set cannot use packaged actions such as capturing Transactions, processing Refunds, etc.
- Virtual Terminal: When the Virtual Terminal is in Lite Mode, input parameters will be correctly mapped when embedding the LWC Virtual Terminal in a screen flow. Previously, the input parameters were not mapped to the Virtual Terminal fields. (Known Issue: 000003009)
For more information on these enhancements and a full list of bug fixes, please click the Payments Release Notes button.
News & Events
Florida Dreamin' - Clearwater Beach! - Oct. 2-4
Join Blackthorn, a Gold Sponsor at Florida Dreamin’, this year in Clearwater Beach, Florida. If you couldn’t make it to Dreamforce, this is the perfect place to get together and get the same great content, training, and opportunities. The best part – it’s at the beach!
EDUCAUSE 2024 - Happy Hour & Networking Reception - San Antonio, TX - Oct. 22
Join us at the Carahsoft Networking Reception, co-sponsored by Blackthorn, at EDUCAUSE 2024. This exclusive event on October 22, 2024, from 7:30-10 PM at The Espee in San Antonio, TX, promises enriching interactions. As our only appearance at EDUCAUSE this year, it’s not to be missed. Secure your spot now!
AASP Summit 2024 - New Orleans, LA - Nov. 12-15
Want to get a jump on the Holiday season? Blackthorn is exhibiting as a Silver Sponsor at AASP Summit 2024 in NOLA this November! Mark your calendar and come visit us at Booth #309.
Blackthorn VIP Blast at Dreamforce!
If you plan to attend Dreamforce in 2025, don’t miss the Blackthorn Impact Hub experience. This year, Blackthorn launched the VIP Impact Hub along with our partners, Apsona, DonorDrive, and GoMeddo. Dreamforce was live-streamed, daily coffee and breakfast were served, lunch and learns were presented, and yes, karaoke was ‘sung’, if you call it that. Check out our time-lapse video of traffic showing the many who enjoyed the space, just steps from the Moscone Center.
Blackthorn Bits: Create a Check-In Alert
Do you ever wish you could be alerted in real-time when an attendee checks into your event? You can with Blackthorn, either via Slack, text, or email. Visit our blog article to see what the mobile experience is like for your team and how to build out the flow in Salesforce. >>> BLOG: Attendee Check-In Alert
Here’s a quick demo of an alert received by a team member…
Mobile Phone Experience |
Prerequisites & Documentation
- Please note that an Admin is required to enable Salesforce for Slack Integrations.
>>> Enable Salesforce for Slack Integrations - Slack users must also connect Salesforce for Slack.
>>> Connect Salesforce for Slack to a Salesforce Org - Follow this documentation for more instructions.