AC Events Enterprise Latest Release: Discover Fresh New Features and Enhancements!

We’re thrilled to share with you the newest version of AC Events Enterprise, packed with new great features. This update includes several exciting enhancements that make event management within Experience Cloud site simpler and more powerful than ever.

It is strictly recommended to use permission sets from the package. If you are still using profiles or custom permission sets, you’ll need to adjust access to certain object’s fields. 

Note!

Please, find all AC Events Enterprise Release Notes, including updated permissions here.

The Future of User Management in Salesforce: Switching From a Profile-Based Access Approach to Permission Sets

Salesforce has recently announced a significant change to the data access and user permission management, bringing a new era of user management in Salesforce.The company has reported the end-of-life (EOL) of permissions on profiles, which will take effect in the Spring ’26 release.
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Major features

Full support for Nonprofit Cloud and Education Cloud

AC Events Enterprise fully supports both Nonprofit Cloud and Education Cloud! What does it mean for you? It means seamless integration and enhanced functionality tailored to your specific needs. Whether you’re managing events for an educational institution or a nonprofit organization, you can expect a more efficient and powerful event management experience.

Auto-fill registrant credentials within the “Purchase for Someone Else” functionality

In this edition, we automated the row filling with the registrant credentials, saving you time and streamlining the event registration process for a more efficient and user-friendly experience.

After clicking the “Purchase for Someone Else” button, the user’s credentials are automatically populated in the first row. Users have the ability to remove themselves from the event by using the provided “Bin” icon button if they no longer wish to attend. It’s important to note that once users have initiated the “Purchase for Someone Else” process, they are not permitted to edit their own credentials. 

event registration form

New “Upcoming Events” component

A new LWC component has been integrated into the app to showcase upcoming events. Users will now have the ability to view upcoming events, ensuring they are always well-informed and engaged with all event-related content.

This versatile component can be seamlessly placed on any page within the Experience Cloud site. It comes equipped with several configurable properties, including a “Title” field for customizing the header title label, a “Zone” picklist that allows you to choose from available zones or select “All” to display upcoming events from all zones, and an option to specify “Several Zones” by entering Event zone IDs separated by semicolons. Additionally, you can control the number of upcoming events displayed using the “Number of Upcoming Events” field, with values ranging from 1 to 10, and a default setting of 3.

Upcoming Events component

Editing capability within Chatter groups for group owners and moderators. 

Chatter group owners and moderators now have the capability to edit events created by other users within Chatter groups. This enhancement ensures greater flexibility in event management within your organization, empowering key personnel to take immediate action to maintain accurate and up-to-date data.

To enable this feature, navigate to the “Event Settings” tab and find the new toggle setting labeled “Allow Chatter Group Owners and Moderators editing of the events in the group.” By default, this setting is inactive. To grant group owners and moderators editing privileges for associated events, switch the toggle to an active state, then save your changes and click the “Synchronize Sharing Settings” button. It’s important to note that if an event is linked to multiple Chatter Groups, it can be edited in each respective group. Additionally, when a user’s role transitions from Member to Manager, editing permissions are granted, and conversely, if a Manager becomes a Member, editing rights are revoked. 

Multi-attendee registration enhancement

A new feature has been introduced, allowing users to return to the event page and register additional attendees even after purchasing a ticket for themselves. This functionality is governed by a new checkbox called “Confirmed attendees may register others” within the AC Event object, with its default value set to false. When this checkbox is set to true, participants with Confirmed status can access a registration button labeled “Register again”. This feature applies to both guest and logged-in users, bypassing cached states, and is compatible with all types of event packages, including free, free with donation, paid, and paid with donation.

Note!

This option is disabled when the event record’s checkbox “Disable third-party registrations” is set to True and for events categorized as “Free Only Event” for logged-in users. 

Minor features include:

  • The Full Event Wizard is now available for editing events directly from the Experience Cloud site.
  • The “View all events” link on the AC Group Events page now directs you to a list of events specifically related to that Chatter group. Previously, it used to display all events in a general list, regardless of group affiliation.
  • UTM parameters in the URL are retained when a user navigates to the Detail page or returns to the Event List.
  • The logic for deducting the voucher amount in the paid with donation package types has been modified.

Need assistance?

Require assistance or have questions? Feel free to reach out to the Advanced Communities team; we’re here to provide you with the support you need for any inquiries or assistance regarding the latest updates!

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    Salesforce Dreamforce ’23: Experience Cloud Highlights

    Last week, Salesforce enthusiasts around the world marked their calendars for a highly anticipated event – the Salesforce Dreamforce conference. Dreamforce has once again taken the streets of San Francisco by storm, transforming the city into a bustling Salesforce wonderland. Posters, banners, signs, and whimsical floating balloons adorned the landscape, creating a captivating Salesforce fairy-tale for all to enjoy. 

    For the Advanced Communities team, Dreamforce by Salesforce was a whirlwind of activity, opportunity, and sheer delight. We spent our days meeting fascinating individuals, exploring groundbreaking innovations, sharing valuable experiences, and engaging in spirited conversations with fellow Salesforce enthusiasts from every corner of the globe. Now, as we return home, we carry with us a reservoir of positive energy and inspiration to move forward.

    In this article, we’d love for you to come along with us as we share the standout moments, with special attention given to the Experience Cloud, that made these three unforgettable days in San Francisco truly remarkable.

    Salesforce Dreamforce 2023

    Salesforce and Dreamforce ‘23: key highlights

    This year, the conference primarily centered around AI topics, specifically focusing on Einstein GPT and the Einstein 1 platform.

    Separate keynotes were dedicated to Einstein GPT, Flow GPT, Einstein Trust Layer, Einstein Copilot Studio AI chatbot, Salesforce Code Analyzer plugin, and more. With all these new AI-powered integrations, Salesforce aims to revolutionize the support services they provide and transform the customer experience, offering more personalized interactions, quicker issue resolution, and tailored recommendations. These innovations are poised to drive increased customer satisfaction and foster greater customer loyalty.

    For instance, consider a scenario with an extensive knowledge base comprising numerous articles. Instead of manually searching for a specific article to address customer inquiries, you can now simply ask Einstein GPT, which promptly provides you with the precise answer you’re seeking. This innovation promises to make customer support more efficient and user-friendly.

    What’s new about Experience Cloud?

    Experience Cloud is undergoing a transformation, evolving into an external layer of the Salesforce platform, gradually becoming less of a product on its own but more of a feature of the Salesforce platform. There was no dedicated keynote speech specifically focused on Experience Cloud this year.

    Experience Cloud, strategically positioned as a DXP platform built on the Salesforce Customer 360, is now being positioned as an extension for other Salesforce products. For instance, the PRM portal serves as an extension for the Sales Cloud, while the support portal extends the capabilities of the Service Cloud. This strategic shift allows companies utilizing Sales and Service Clouds to enhance their business processes by integrating powerful Experience Cloud portals.

    Looking ahead to future plans, Salesforce is actively addressing gaps in the LWR portals. They are currently working on a behind-the-scenes upgrade set to conclude next year. 

    These upgrades will include:

    • Mobile Publisher for LWR Sites. Expected in Spring/Summer 2024. Currently, LWR sites do not support Mobile Publisher.
    • Personalization. Currently, the Audiences and Page Variations functionality available for all Experience Cloud sites cannot be utilized in LWR sites. However, Salesforce is planning to introduce this functionality in upcoming releases.
    • Standard components. Components such as Record Lists, Record Views, and many others that are currently lacking will be introduced.
    • Dynamic Forms support. Starting in 2024, Experience Cloud will offer dynamic forms support, addressing a current limitation.

    PRM integration with Slack

    PRM integration with Slack is another significant feature that has been emphasized during the Dreamforce days. Integration of PRM with Slack revolutionizes partner relationship management, offering a centralized platform for seamless collaboration, efficient processes, and increased success through unified teamwork—all accessible within the familiar Slack environment.

    Partners can now conduct their business activities directly within Slack, eliminating the need to access PRM portals separately. This includes functions such as registering deals, tracking progress, and adding comments to existing deals, all conveniently consolidated in one location.

    PRM for Slack App: Key Considerations

    The latest Salesforce Summer '23 update is here, and it's packed with fantastic features that will revolutionize how sales teams work! One of the highlights of this release is the game-changing PRM for Slack app. Read this article to learn more.
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    Nonprofit and Education Cloud innovations

    Although we’ve seen somewhat limited activities in a non profit area of Dreamforce, one of the biggest areas of innovation is non profit and high ed clouds. Salesforce introduced significant changes in both products and completely replaced NPSP and HEDA  with the new products that introduced new data models and new exciting functionality. 

    Conclusion

    So, what is Salesforce Dreamforce? It’s not just an event; it’s a grand spectacle of innovation, inspiration, and surprise moments that unites the global Salesforce community. During the designated “Salesforce Dreamforce 2023 dates” from September 14th to 16th, enthusiasts from every corner of the world gathered to exchange ideas, gain knowledge, and ignite their inspiration.

    For the Advanced Communities team, being part of this event in person was a true delight. We immersed ourselves in the brilliance of Salesforce’s innovations, absorbed valuable insights from countless training sessions, and were inspired by visionary keynote speakers.

    As we bid farewell to Dreamforce Salesforce 2023, we eagerly await the next chapter. Until next year!

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      AC Partner Marketplace Major Update

      In our relentless pursuit of excellence, the Advanced Communities team is excited to present the latest update of the AC Partner Marketplace app. Our commitment to delivering the best possible solutions to our valued customers is unwavering, and this update stands as a testament to that dedication. Packed with great new features designed with your success in mind, we are happy to showcase how these enhancements will elevate your partner relationship management on Salesforce with the AC Partner Marketplace. 

      Get ready for the upgrade

      On September 15, 2023 we upgraded the AC Partner Marketplace on every sandbox.

      If you have any issues with the latest version please reach out to support.

      [Note block: We remind you that if no major issues on sandboxes are found, we will upgrade production orgs on September 29, 2023.]

      Note!

      We remind you that if no major issues on sandboxes are found, we will upgrade production orgs on September 29, 2023.

      New features & updates

      We consider this release a major one as we’ve elevated the existing sorting and search functionalities while introducing fresh components tailored for both internal and external purposes. Additionally, we’ve dedicated efforts to refine and improve our existing features, enabling you to maximize your Salesforce PRM outcomes.

      Upload app logos internally

      A solution for admins: the ability to upload app logos seamlessly within the internal environment. We’ve developed a component that flaunts a button for a picture uploads. Once uploaded, the app logo becomes instantly visible to administrators, offering an immediate preview of their changes. A property on the component allows admins to specify the community where the logo must be shared.

      Sorting functionality enhancements

      Get unprecedented control over sorting options from the General Settings. The sorting options you define in the settings will appear on the community components, giving you the choice to select your preferred sorting method.

      • Partner sorting options

      To find this setting go to the AC Partner Marketplace settings tab – General Settings – Partner Sorting Options. A new multi-picklist empowers you to customize your view of partner listings. Choose from any fields within the Account Brand fields and select between ascending (↑) and descending (↓) values. The default selections include Name ↑, Name ↓, Level ↓, and Rating Average ↓.

      • App sorting options

      To access this setting navigate to the AC Partner Marketplace settings tab – General Settings – App Sorting Options. Similarly, the App Sorting Options multi-picklist allows you to fine-tune how you sort application listings. Select from Partner App fields, with each field offering both ascending and descending options. The default choices comprise Name ↑, Name ↓, Created Date ↑, Created Date ↓, and Rating Average ↓.

      Enhancements to the advanced search functionality with filters 

      We have improved the logic to ensure that the use of text search integrates with filter counts and allows you to navigate through your search results without disruptions. Now you have the ability to determine the fields through which the live search should perform its search. To see new settings go to the AC Partner Marketplace settings tab – General settings:

      • Partner Live Search Fieldset

      Empower your Partner search with this customizable fieldset. Designed for the Account Brand object, this fieldset includes Name and CompanyName fields by default. Add more fields if needed and select desired options.

      • App Live Search Fieldset

      Tailor your App search with this customizable fieldset. Designed for the Partner App object, this fieldset includes the Name field by default. Add more fields if needed and select desired options.

      New My Listings component

      We’ve developed the AC App Listing component for your partner portal that serves to enhance partners’ visibility and control over their app listings while contributing to a more personalized and intuitive community experience on Salesforce. Administrators can easily integrate the component into the Account Management or Account Details page.

      The Published indicator was added to the partner apps

      This feature provides Partners with a clear and convenient way to identify the publication status of their apps. The Published status Indicator is visible to Owners of the app.

      New Ratings and Reviews component

      The component provides an overview of user feedback and ratings, enriching both the app detail and brand detail pages. Stay informed about the level of engagement by seeing the total number of reviews received and the 1 to 5 star rating breakdown. 

      PRM with AC Partner Marketplace: Enhancing Partner Relations and Lead Generation

      Read our article to learn how the AC Partner Marketplace, a robust solution for partner portals in Salesforce Experience Cloud, can help you enhance your partner relations management and drive lead generation for your business.
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      Minor enhancements

      1. User data autofill for contact forms. When a registered user opens a contact form to get in touch with a partner, their relevant data will be seamlessly populated into the form fields.
      2. Character count for enhanced review submissions. Now, when you share your thoughts and feedback, you’ll have a clear view of how many characters remain, enhancing your ability to craft detailed and impactful comments.
      3. Minor design improvements. We’ve fine-tuned certain elements of the user flow to optimize the way you interact with the product. 

      Summary

      As you explore these new features and software updates, we invite you to consider how they can impact your PRM and elevate interactions within the AC Partner Marketplace. Your feedback and insights are invaluable as we continue to refine and improve our product.

      Thank you for choosing Advanced Communities as your partner in creating exceptional communities. Stay tuned for more innovations and useful information about Salesforce Experience Cloud.

      Discover 5 Exciting Experience Cloud Features in the Salesforce Winter ’24 Release

      The Salesforce Winter 2024 Release is on the horizon, and it brings a host of exciting updates and features that promise to elevate the Salesforce Experience Cloud to new heights. In this article, we’ll explore the most significant enhancements and additions that are set to reshape how organizations utilize the Experience Cloud.

      Salesforce Winter ’24 Release

      Prepare for the Salesforce Winter ’24 Release!

      All these new enhancements promise to make the Experience Cloud even more dynamic and user-centric. You can discover the full list of what’s in store for your organization by checking the Salesforce Experience Cloud release notes. If your organization hasn’t received the latest release yet, no worries! Here are the upcoming Salesforce release 2024 weekend dates and other useful information to help you prepare for the upgrade:

      Salesforce Winter '24 Release: Key Dates to Keep in Mind

      Three times annually, Salesforce unveils fresh features and functionalities, empowering users worldwide to harness the most cutting-edge and exceptional offerings of the Salesforce platform! Within this blog, we'll provide you with the most important dates you’ll want to mark in your calendar for Salesforce Winter Release 2024, so that your organization is prepared for the upgrade.
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      New Salesforce Experience Cloud features and key updates:

      1. Enhanced flexibility with expression-based visibility rules

      Visibility rules have been upgraded for enhanced LWR sites, now offering greater flexibility. You can now employ two operators within the same rule, a significant improvement from the previous limitation of using only AND or OR operators in a single rule. This enhancement allows you to make your enhanced LWR sites more dynamic and tailored to your users’ needs. 

      Expression-Based Visibility, now generally available, enables you to display or hide individual components based on rules that encompass a set of conditions. Within the new Visibility tab on the component property panel, you can construct rules based on User object and Profile fields, creating conditions that apply to single components. Additionally, you can access fields on the User and Product objects to ensure your components are presented to the right users at the right time.

      2. Easily find components in Experience Builder

      Experience Builder has introduced synchronized interactions between the canvas and the Page Structure panel, simplifying the process of locating and selecting individual components. This enhancement ensures smoother and easier site editing across all LWR sites.

      Clicking a component within the Page Structure panel of any LWR site prompts Experience Builder to scroll the canvas, revealing the component and opening its property panel. Conversely, clicking a component on the canvas causes Experience Builder to scroll the Page Structure panel, displaying the selected component there.

      Furthermore, on the Experience Builder canvas, the label for any selected component now displays in full, even for narrow components, greatly enhancing component identification. This improvement streamlines your site editing experience.

      3. Creating component variations in enhanced LWR sites (beta)

      The Winter ’24 release brings the introduction of Component Variations to enhanced LWR sites. This feature allows you to create multiple versions of the same component and then utilize visibility rules to determine which version is visible to specific users. 

      To craft variations, access your component, pick the Component Variations dropdown, and opt for New Component Variation.

      Note!

      Component Variations are part of a Beta Service, offering customers the option to explore this feature at their discretion. Any use of the Beta Service is subject to the applicable Beta Services Terms provided at Agreements and Terms.

      4. Add custom CSS using the new Style tab

      In the Winter ’24 release, the new CSS Class property is available on all Lightning web components within your LWR site. This empowers site builders with CSS expertise to have more precise control over the styling of individual components. You can define CSS classes within your site’s head markup and effortlessly apply them to any component, including custom Lightning web components created for your site. 

      The CSS Class property is now conveniently located within the Style tab in the component property panel. Enter the CSS class within the component property panel. If you need to include or modify the CSS markup, simply access the Head Markup editor. This class is applied to the component’s host element.

      5. Boosting functionality with the Actions Bar component

      Users of your LWR site can now create and update Salesforce records directly from the site itself. The Actions Bar component facilitates the addition of a customized set of actions to an object detail page, with the added benefit of allowing you to style the bar to align with your site’s branding settings. 

      The Actions Bar component is now present by default in the Components palette on more object detail pages. To implement this functionality, simply drag the Actions Bar component to any location on an object detail page, and then proceed to add your desired actions to the bar. 

      The Actions Bar component supports various actions, including the Edit standard action, Create a Record, Update a Record quick actions, and headless Lightning web component quick actions. This feature opens up new possibilities for engaging and interacting with site visitors directly within your LWR site.

      Salesforce Summer '23 Release: Most Exciting Features for Experience Cloud​

      In this blog post, the Advanced Communities team covers the Salesforce Summer '23 Release and what new features are introduced for Experience Cloud​. Read our blog to find out what’s new in Salesforce Summer Updates 2023.
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      Wrapping up

      The Salesforce Winter ‘24 Release is packed with enhancements and new features that will undoubtedly transform how organizations harness the power of the Salesforce Cloud experience. From increased flexibility in visibility rules to simplified component management and the introduction of Component Variations, this release offers the tools to create dynamic, user-centric experiences. 

      As businesses strive to provide personalized and engaging digital experiences, staying up-to-date with the latest Salesforce updates, releases and innovations is crucial. The Winter ’24 release reaffirms Salesforce’s commitment to empowering organizations to connect with their audiences in more meaningful ways, setting the stage for a future where user experiences reign supreme.

      Managing a Member-Based Organization with AC MemberSmart: Best Practices

      Running a member organization comes with its own set of challenges. From handling member data and engagement to organizing events and managing finances, the administrative workload can become overwhelming. Thankfully, modern technology has provided solutions to streamline these operations. In this article, we introduce you to AC MemberSmart – a comprehensive technology accelerator for the Salesforce Experience Cloud sites designed to simplify the member management of membership organizations and associations using Salesforce.

      Also, at the bottom of this blog you’ll find helpful recommendations on how to improve member management in your organization using AC MemberSmart.

      Understanding membership organizations

      Member-based organizations encompass a wide range of entities, including clubs, associations, and professional societies. These organizations thrive on the participation and engagement of their members. However, managing a growing member base and ensuring seamless communication and interaction can be daunting. This is where Salesforce for associations empowered by AC MemberSmart steps in, leveraging technology to address these challenges.

      AC MemberSmart: an overview of the app for Experience Cloud

      AC MemberSmart is a comprehensive and flexible Salesforce-native solution that offers a suite of features tailored to the needs of member organizations. Using this association management software, you can make your Experience Cloud member portal serve as a centralized hub for managing and organizing members’ data, communication, events, and finances. With AC MemberSmart, administrative tasks that once consumed valuable time can now be automated, allowing organizations to focus on their core mission and significantly improve the membership experience.

      Key features of AC MemberSmart member management tool for Salesforce include:

      • Membership database management. Easily manage member profiles, track membership status, and facilitate registration and renewals.
      • Communication and engagement tools. Send personalized communications, newsletters, and updates to members, fostering a sense of community.
      • Event and activity planning. Plan, promote, and manage events, conferences, and activities of any size, all within the platform.
      • Subscription management. Automate membership processes, ensure secure payments, and offer a customizable experience for both admins and members. 
      • Member & Organization directory. Establish a network of members and member organizations on your site, enabling easy searches based on customizable filters, and showcasing Google Maps locations.
      • Job Board. Connect your members with open positions and volunteer opportunities. 
      • e-Commerce. Organize an online shop to allow your members to purchase products, services, merchandise, event tickets, or courses directly from your member portal. 
      • Financial tracking and reporting. Keep a close eye on your organization’s financial health with built-in tools for tracking donations, expenses, event and job board data, as well as membership subscriptions and shop order data.
      • Data security and privacy measures. AC MemberSmart prioritizes the security and privacy of member data, ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.

      AC MemberSmart

      see product details

      Benefits of using AC MemberSmart nonprofit membership management solution:

      AC MemberSmart membership database software offers a range of benefits that set it apart from other member management applications for Experience Cloud. 

      Here are some of the standout advantages:

      • Centralized information. AC MemberSmart provides a centralized hub for all member data eliminating the need to juggle multiple platforms and databases.
      • Member self-service. With AC MemberSmart integrated into your Experience Cloud member portal, you enable your members to update their own profiles, renew memberships, register for events, and access resources, reducing administrative workload.
      • Automated communications. Stay connected with your members effortlessly through automated communication tools, including email updates and event notifications.
      • Easy Salesforce event management and organization. AC MemberSmart, a Salesforce membership management app, supports both free and paid events, whether they’re simple or complex, one-day or multi-session, virtual or in-person… 
      • Personalized member experience. Tailor your interactions with members based on their preferences, interests, and engagement history.
      • Engagement scoring. Leverage the Engagement Scores metric to measure how engaged your members are and brainstorm the ways to improve the community members motivation.

      How to improve community management with AC MemberSmart: best practices for member organizations

      Here is a compilation of recommendations to elevate community engagement and member management within your organization through our comprehensive member management solution, AC MemberSmart:

      Seamless onboarding

      Simplify the registration process using AC MemberSmart’s user-friendly interface. Customize registration forms to collect relevant member information. 

      Establish open communication channels

      Provide multiple channels for communication, such as forums and groups. Encourage open dialogue, active participation, and respectful interactions among members. Recognize and appreciate members’ contributions and achievements within the community.

      Case Study

      See how we automated the process of adding users to relevant groups based on their interests

      read now

      Encourage member participation

      Organize regular events, webinars, workshops, and discussions to keep members engaged. Utilize AC MemberSmart’s event planning features for efficient event creation and promotion. Allow members to register for events, track attendance, and receive event-related notifications.

      events management salesforce

      Resources sharing & education

      Share relevant and valuable content, including articles, videos, and resources using AC MemberSmart’s Blog feature. Ensure content aligns with the interests and needs of your community members.

      blog feature in salesforce

      Provide opportunities for networking and collaboration

      Set up a comprehensive member directory on your Experience Cloud site using AC MemberSmart. Allow members to connect and network with each other, fostering collaboration and relationships.

      member directory experience cloud

      Share job & volunteer opportunities

      Enable your members to take on volunteer roles or open positions to contribute to meaningful projects and initiatives within your organization, driving positive change and progress.

      Boost your fundraising with an easy donation setup

      Collect online donations right from your Experience Cloud member portal to establish a direct connection with your donors and support your fundraising efforts. AC MemberSmart makes it simple for your supporters to give money in various currencies using their bank cards. Plus, you can keep track of all the money you collect and where it comes from, all in one place.

      donations experience cloud

      Adapt and evolve

      Stay agile and responsive to changing member preferences and needs. Continuously enhance your community management strategies based on feedback and outcomes.  You may want to additionally implement our AC Salesforce ideas management app – AC Ideas Ultimate to gather feedback and ideas from your members right on your Experience Cloud site.  

      AC Ideas Ultimate

      see product details

      Data-driven decision making

      Generate accurate financial reports and analyze member engagement and participation data provided by AC MemberSmart’s analytics features. Tailor your community initiatives based on insights gained from data analysis.

      Wrapping up

      Empower your Salesforce Experience Cloud site with our impactful solution for membership management AC MemberSmart to get the most out of this powerful platform!

      If you require assistance with the Experience Cloud communities implementation, Advanced Communities is here to provide support. Feel free to reach out without hesitation.