Salesforce Spring’25 Release: 5 Key Experience Cloud Changes

As the Salesforce Spring ’25 Release Notes are now available, we continue our tradition of sharing the latest updates on Experience Cloud through our blog. This release introduces significant changes for LWR sites, enhancing their appearance and adding new functionalities designed to optimize your workflows.

1. Upgrade to Enhanced LWR Sites 

Maximize the latest features by upgrading your existing LWR sites to enhanced LWR sites. Try out such features as partial deployment, enhanced CMS workspaces and channels, and expression-based visibility

The enhanced sites and content platform is a versatile system that integrates Salesforce CMS with LWR sites. As part of the ongoing transition to the enhanced platform, you can upgrade your existing LWR sites to benefit from features exclusive to enhanced LWR sites, such as:

  • Expression-based visibility and variations: create multiple versions of a component and set visibility rules to control who sees each version.
  • Component-specific Style tab: use the Style tab for custom CSS for more precise control over each component’s appearance.
  • Site content search: implement the Search Bar and Results Layout components to add search functionality that includes results from enhanced CMS workspaces.
  • Data Cloud integration: link enhanced LWR sites to Data Cloud for a comprehensive view of your site visitors and strategies for better engagement.
  • Enhanced CMS workspaces: benefit from role-based workflows and approvals, content variations, collections, and the ability to share workspaces.

To upgrade an LWR site, go to Experience BuilderSettingsUpdates, and click Upgrade. Once you upgrade to an enhanced LWR site, the site’s metadata will be updated.

2. Use Experience Delivery for Better LWR Site Performance

Leverage Experience Delivery – a robust new infrastructure for hosting LWR sites, to enhance the scalability and performance of sites built with the Build Your Own (LWR) template. This infrastructure offers subsecond page load times and enhances security and search engine optimization

In this Spring’25 release, you will see the following features of Experience Delivery:

  • Enhanced load-time performance for authenticated pages.
  • The ability to test in a sandbox before transitioning to production. You can now set up a custom domain in production that directs to your sandbox.
  • Access to customizable availability pages, including Too Many Requests and Down for Maintenance pages.
  • Server-Side Rendering (SSR) support for more components and various bug fixes.

Experience Delivery is available for both new and existing LWR and enhanced LWR sites that are designed with a Build Your Own (LWR) template. This functionality will be beneficial for those developers who are experienced in:

  • Creating LWR or enhanced LWR sites using Experience Builder
  • Developing custom Lightning web components that are ready for server-side use
  • Using Salesforce DX

You can activate Experience Delivery at the site level within the Settings tab of the site’s Administration workspace.

3. Usability Upgrades for Experience Builder 

This Salesforce Spring’25 release update allows you to use the Base Font Family field to simultaneously set the font family for all text on your LWR site. Track the changes made to your Aura and LWR site with each publication, and view these details in the Change History panel. 

Dock the component property panel while working on your Aura or LWR site to get a complete view of the site on the canvas. You can find all LWR components related to site headers in the new Site Headers section of the component palette.

For LWR sites, you can select a font family from the Base Font Family dropdown in the Text section of the Theme panel.

  • In LWR sites created in Spring ’25 and later, the Base Font Family property is set to Visitor’s Native System Font by default. Each text element in the Text panel defaults to Use Base Font Family in the Font Family picklist.
  • For all LWR sites, the Font Family dropdown for each text element now offers options for Use Base Font Family and Visitor’s Native System Font. With the introduction of the Base Font Family property for LWR sites, the Salesforce Sans font is no longer available for sites created in Winter ’25 and later.
salesforce spring 25 release_fonts

In Aura and LWR sites, the confirmation window for publishing now features a Publication Description field, allowing you to outline the changes you’re making with that publication. These details will be displayed in the Change History panel within Experience Builder Settings, ensuring that your site updates are tracked over time.

Salesforce spring release 25_experience cloud_publication description

On Aura and LWR sites, you can click the pushpin icon in any component property panel to dock it, allowing the entire site page to be visible on the canvas. 

salesforce spring 25 release_experience cloud_pushpin icon

Recent updates to the property panels for the Section component on Aura and LWR sites, as well as the Columns component for LWR sites, enhance the visibility of the Column Layout and Column Distribution properties. The thumbnail layout images for Column Layout now feature a darker gray, and in the Column Distribution property, deselected columns appear in gray. 

This Spring’25 release updates for LWR sites also feature the components related to site headers, such as the Navigation Menu and Site Logo, which are now gathered in the Site Headers section of the component palette.

4. Beta: New Record List Component for LWR Sites

This Spring’25 Salesforce release allows you to elevate your LWR site’s data presentation with the Record List component which is now in beta. This powerful tool simplifies the integration of dynamic, list-view data for various objects. 

Seamlessly select your target object and corresponding list view directly within the property panel and generate live previews of records like Accounts and Cases on your page layout instantly. 

Plus, there is a robust, integrated search functionality that empowers site visitors to effortlessly explore and locate information. Enhanced styling options provide granular control over header settings, record display, and pagination. All this only adds up to a polished and professional aesthetic. 

Furthermore, in the Salesforce Spring’25 release, there is an expanded layout customization and component visibility controls that deliver unparalleled flexibility. They let you fine-tune your website’s user experience and visual appeal.

To make this work, go to Experience Builder and drag the Record List (beta) component onto the canvas. Choose your object and list view, then adjust your settings. Set up record detail pages to facilitate navigation within the objects.

5. One-Tap Login to the Experience Cloud App

The new Spring’25 Salesforce release makes it possible to leverage a Biometric Login Button component for secure log in to Mobile Publisher for Experience Cloud app with face or fingerprint recognition. 

How does it work? The component generates a button that opens the face or fingerprint login prompt. App users can tap the button to try biometric login again if they initially close the prompt or if their earlier attempt to log in using face or fingerprint recognition was unsuccessful.

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    Khoros to Salesforce Experience Cloud Migration: How AC Helped Flexera Make the Transition a Success

    Is your current Khoros experience less than ideal?  Are you tired of excessive costs, slow customer support, or the seemingly daunting task of migrating to the new Aurora version?  If so, you’re in the right place.

    This article will guide you through the process of migrating from Khoros to Salesforce.  We’ll highlight a recently completed project with Flexera, a software asset and cloud management organization, and demonstrate how Advanced Communities overcame challenges to deliver a smooth and effective migration.

    Reasons Why You Should Migrate from Khoros to Salesforce

    The benefits of migrating from Khoros to Salesforce present a compelling argument for the transition, despite the inherent challenges. While the migration process itself can be complex and demanding, requiring meticulous planning and execution, the potential rewards are substantial.

    In contrast, Khoros users have been mandated to upgrade to Aurora.  This is a process that involves the transfer of extensive volumes of data, which can potentially result in data loss. The data migration process poses a significant risk to businesses, as the loss of critical information can disrupt operations and hinder customer service.

    Furthermore, Khoros requires a considerable financial investment, including increased licensing fees, implementation costs, and ongoing maintenance expenses. This financial burden can strain finances and resources, particularly for smaller businesses or those operating on a defined budget.

    By comparison, Salesforce offers a more scalable and flexible solution, with a range of pricing options to suit businesses in all industries and of all sizes. Salesforce also boasts a robust ecosystem of platform-native applications and integrations, enabling businesses to tailor the solution to their specific business requirements.

    Typical Challenges in Khoros to Salesforce Migration: Flexera Use Case 

    Flexera turned to Advanced Communities to migrate two of its existing communities – Flexera and Revenera – from Khoros to Salesforce. The main objectives were to have a single platform, provide additional flexibility, and preserve all the historical data and functionality. Below are examples of the challenges migrating from Khoros to Salesforce you might also face based on Flexera’s use case:

    Exported Data Format

    Data exported from Khoros communities can sometimes be difficult to understand. This can make it difficult to transfer the data into Salesforce while maintaining integrity and maintaining relational data in comments and posts within the community. You may encounter inconsistencies or inaccurate information in your exported data. This can lead to additional challenges during the migration process.

    Data Structure Compatibility

    Khoros and Salesforce store data very differently. For Flexera, the Advanced Communities team migrated two community forums, involving blog posts and user data, and carefully restructured everything to align with Salesforce’s data structure. Our team managed to maintain object relationships and metadata integrity.

    Data Volume and Complexity

    Khoros communities typically host significant volumes of historical data. This data might span user interactions, content contributions, and community history. Migrating this data without loss or corruption was a major focus of the Flexera project for Advanced Communities.

    Custom Functionality

    Generally, Khoros communities are based on custom features that are not natively available in Salesforce. To migrate a community to Salesforce, it is critical to understand business goals and user objectives. This is exactly what Advanced Communities has delivered for Flexera.

    In the screenshot, you can see the Flexera community homepage designed by the Advanced Communities team.

    Flexera homepage done by AC

    As seen in the screenshot, there is the Revenera community home page which was fully designed and implemented by Advanced Communities. It contains a custom Announcement component that is easily configurable by an Admin and displays up to three important announcements with the ability to add links.

    User Authentication and Single Sign-On (SSO)

    Another challenge was to ensure security for users. To achieve this, Advanced Communities implemented Single Sign-On capabilities for a seamless login experience to allow access to different Salesforce communities.

    Salesforce Platform Limitations

    Salesforce is a powerful and robust platform with a wide range of functionalities. However it does have some limitations.  As an example, Chatter posts are strict in terms of allowed HTML tags for post formatting and with a limit of 10,000 characters. These limitations required careful planning to ensure they were accounted for, without disrupting user engagement.

    Navigating the Khoros to Salesforce Migration: Insights from Our Own Experience

    To give you a headstart in your migration from Khoros to Salesforce, there are a few steps to take away from the Flexera project – you may want to consider them as you plan for your migration process:

    Assessments Before Migration

    Initially, Advanced Communities conducted deep dive discovery sessions on the existing Khoros setup, and we determined how all of the data, features, and customizations would need to be migrated to the new Salesforce environment.

    Data Transformation 

    The Advanced Communities team used scripts and automated tools to transform Khoros data into a format that would be compatible with Salesforce. This process involved making sure the data was accurate and all relationships were maintained.

    Using the Flexera project as an example, Advanced Communities leveraged a set of native Salesforce Experience Cloud features for migrating Khoros communities:

    • Salesforce Chatter – feed with questions & best answers, etc;
    • Chatter Groups;
    • Knowledge articles;
    • Data Categories;
    • Topics for knowledge base articles;
    • Gamification – Badges, Missions, Levels, Points, and Leaderboard;

    Flexera and Revenera both have knowledge bases: Advanced Communities migrated all of the articles, categorizations, and related data (working in collaboration with the Flexera team):

    Flexera knowledge base
    Revenera knowledge base

    Feature Migration 

    Essential features from Khoros needed to be implemented and configured in Salesforce, including tailored components for announcements, user badges, and knowledge base topic management. For example, we delivered a point recalculation process for community users after migration (see the second screenshot below), did a cleansing of HTML tags, and rethought the posts & comments hierarchy. 

    User Authentication

    We implemented a Single Sign-On process to make logging into two communities – Flexera and Revenera – easy and intuitive for users.

    Staging and Testing

    We tested the migration in a staging environment to find and repair any data or functionality issues before going live.

    What Results Were Achieved in Khoros to Salesforce Migration?

    Take a look at the results Advanced Communities delivered, migrating two complex communities from Khoros to Salesforce Experience Cloud:  

    • Seamless data integration: all historical data from Khoros was successfully migrated without loss.
    • Improved user experience: the new communities feature modern interfaces and intuitive navigation which makes it easier for users to engage.
    • Enhanced scalability: built on Salesforce, the communities are now ready to grow and scale with the client’s business objectives.

    Streamlined access: a unified login via SSO simplifies user access across both communities.

    Let’s talk about how to successfully migrate from Khoros to Salesforce Experience Cloud!

    Advanced Communities specializes in Salesforce migration services and we offer Salesforce-native apps that help us deliver engaging communities. Contact us for additional details, and our team will be able to help make the migration from Khoros to Salesforce Experience Cloud easy, so you can achieve your business goals and drive bottom line results.

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      7 Go-to Salesforce Agentforce and AI Use Cases for Members & Membership Managers 

      Over the past couple of months, Agentforce – a Salesforce breakthrough tech – has made the headlines. 

      On the one hand, everyone already knows the potential Agentforce has for businesses in general. Yes, it is a great customer support and self service lifesaver. Yes, it can provide recommendations for your sales people. And yes, it doesn’t get tired at all. On the contrary: the world will see Agentforce 2.0 with even more specs later this year. 

      On the other hand, however, membership businesses and associations might not fully see how Agentforce can help them. I am talking about both members and association staff. The question is as follows: How can membership organizations and associations leverage Agentforce and AI in general efficiently, bringing value both to members and association staff?

      This is what we are talking about today. Read this article to explore some Agentforce use cases that members and managers can leverage to their benefit. 

      TL;DR

      What Agentforce is not is just yet another chatbot, generating answers based on some knowledge articles but it allows the implementation and execution of appropriate actions bringing more efficiency to business. 

      With the help of natural language prompts for autonomous AI Agents and by specifying various roles for your Agentforce, you can develop well-oiled, intuitive, and practical scenarios for both your staff and members who access and engage through the member portal. Here, we provide you with 10 Agentforce and AI use cases, including example queries, for any situation. They are up for grabs! 

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      Agentforce Scenarios for Membership Managers’ Internal Use

      Before we cut to the chase, we’d like to show what Agentforce might look like in your Salesforce org. To locate it, you just find the Agentforce icon on the top right corner, click it, and the chat dashboard opens.

      Agentforce for internal use

      1. Member Engagement Summary

      What’s the most important thing membership managers usually look out for? Member engagement, sure thing. Agentforce can become a reliable ally in this endeavor. 

      Suppose you manage a crowded membership organization and want to find insights and statistics on a member’s engagement activity. All you have to do is to ask an Agent — and do that the right way:

      Query 1: Provide me with a full summary of member engagement [member’s ID, name] and everything you can pull from the Salesforce org.

      Agent’s answer: Here’s the data points on the member you are looking for: 

      • The status of membership with the start and renewal dates – Jan 6, 2024 – Jan 6, 2025 
      • Engagement score – 86%
      • Number of events attended and missed – 3 community-wide events attended, 1 missed 
      • Donations – no 
      • Materials downloaded – 1 ebook download

        Summary: this member engagement level is high, the churn probability is low

      Query 2: Please provide assistance or suggestions for improving [member’s name] experience and tell me the likelihood of retention.

      Agent’s answer: I’ve analyzed this member’s experience with our association and here are some pieces of advice you can follow to boost it: 

      • Check-in with this member monthly to find out if there is anything to better in their journey;
      • Implement a referral program for existing members – they can earn points for referring their families and acquaintances, which enhances community growth and makes them feel special;
      • Add a recognition program for active members (the given member is 78% engaged for now).

      We at Advanced Communities have already tried Agentforce for member summary and here is what it looks like:

      member summary_Agentforce

      Plus, we’ve asked our Agentforce to provide some recommendations for member engagement for Katie Johnson, based on her activity in the community, and here’s how Agentforce answered us:

      member engagement recommendations with Agentforce

      Sounds quite powerful, doesn’t it? Additionally, Agentforce can analyze engagement patterns across various community platforms. For instance, if members take part in a dedicated forum or any other company’s social media, the Agent identifies trending topics and potential areas of member interest. 

      What does this approach give? By using Agentforce wisely, you can alter retention rates in your association and take measures in no time to prevent churn. 

      2. Member Education Progress

      The rule of thumb is that member managers are guides in the membership journey. What is the member’s progress on an online course? How active are they on webinars, etc? What educational resources might be the best for them at this point in their membership? With Agentforce, your members will always stay in the loop of their progress in your association.

      By using this powerful tool, you can enhance member education progress, expand their membership opportunities, and show them the ropes of your association. Be sure to take notes! These are some Agentforce queries and use cases you as a membership manager can follow:

      • Scenario 1 – Progress tracking: a member is enrolled in a series of online courses. Your task is to know the completion status.

        Query 1: Please provide me with the current completion status of [member’s name] in the [course name]?
      • Scenario 2 – Engagement metrics: with Agentforce, you can analyze how actively members are participating in educational webinars.

        Query 2: How many webinars has [member’s name] registered for and attended in the past six months?
      • Scenario 3 – Completion feedback: harvesting feedback is one of the most vital parts of shaping a thriving association. Make it a routine with Agentforce.

        Query 3: What feedback did [member’s name] provide on the recently completed [course]/service/project?
      • Scenario 4 – Learning pathways: you can assist members in navigating a structured learning path in your membership association. The key is to ask an Agent properly and then communicate the info to your member.

        Query 4: What is the next recommended step for [member’s name] in their journey with our association?

      5 Specific Agentforce Use Cases for Members

      We’ve successfully discovered how Agentforce assists membership managers in their operations, making them easier and more efficient. However, this is only one side of the coin.

      In this paragraph, we are going to uncover some useful scenarios and queries members of associations can take advantage of while accessing Agentforce through an Experience Cloud site. 

      1. Personalized Member Onboarding Experience 

      One of the Agentforce’s superpowers is creating tailored onboarding paths based on member interests and goals.

      So, let’s assume a newly sign-up member logs into an Experience Cloud site and wants to receive the next onboarding steps based on their interests. 

      Query: What resources are available for my specific membership tier?

      This way, the member receives a personalized onboarding cheat sheet (or experience, if you will), a guide that walks them through relevant resources, tutorials, and introductory events. As a result, they feel welcomed and engaged from day one.

      2. Learning Journey Progress Tracking

      Many professional membership organizations and associations lack proper member learning progress. This often keeps members in the dark about how they can proceed in the association, how they can achieve their career goals (depending on the membership and niche), and whether there are any educational resources available. 

      To avoid such a situation, members can leverage Agentforce and ask it questions connected to their engagement activities, professional development opportunities, networking chances, access to a knowledge base, and any others. 

      • Query 1: Please provide me with a list of [industry-specific] events planned for the next [period of time] in New York? – Here, Agentforce lists the events this member has attended, dates, and any extra, on-demand resources they might have needed afterward. 

      In fact, we at Advanced Communities have already played around with this Agentforce use case and planning to implement this functionality into our events. In the screenshot below, you can see a member asking an Agent to show them the list of upcoming events for a medical community. Look at how it rolled out: 

      upcoming events_Agentforce use case
      • Query 2: What professional development resources are available based on my membership type? – This is your perfect chance to promote workshops, webinars, and training programs that are tailored for this member. Plus, if your Experience Cloud site has job boards, you can show them up as well.
      • Query 3: Are there any networking events coming up? Please provide registration details. – Agentforce sends a schedule of upcoming gatherings with details.
      • Query 4: What knowledge base articles should I read about [the topic, related to your association]? – An Agent shares articles, whitepapers, and best practices available.

      3. Advanced Event Support 

      It’s overwhelming to register for an event with no link in the vicinity or search for event details till dawn. Besides, it’s always a good idea to come to the session prepared (depends on the session, though). 

      If you cherish your members’ time and nerves, have Agentforce answer their event-related questions on the fly. Here is how members can ask the Agent and get the necessary information in no time:

      • Query 1: How do I register for the event? – Agentforce provides a registration link for the event along with registration process steps or just registers a member right in the chat. 

      Here is how we at Advanced Communities taught an Agent to assist a member with registering for a community event. The Agent specifies all the event packages available, the member chooses one, and the Agent automatically registers them for a preferred event: 

      event packages_Agentforce
      member is registered for the event with Agentforce
      • Query 2: Where can I find event details?
      • Query 3: What should I prepare for the upcoming workshop and are there any last-minute changes?

      But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you program your Agentforce the right way, it can also send automated event reminders to members (which might improve attendance rate), analyze member profiles, their past interactions, and suggest networking sessions during events. Just create an action for your Agent (“send event reminder”, etc.), specify the right role, and it will do it the way you want. 

      4. Membership Renewal Process 

      Membership renewal might seem a bit painstaking. Let alone a member should actually remember the renewal date, their membership terms, and special policies. 

      Agentforce takes the guesswork out of this process. See how a member can interrogate an Agent and feel confident about their renewal deadlines:

      Query 1: When is my membership up for renewal?

      Query 2: What are the benefits of continuing my membership?

      Query 3: Are there any penalties for canceling my membership? 

      Query 4: What is my current membership status and when does it expire?

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      5. Community Engagement 

      No one wants to be an underdog when they join a professional community of like-minded people. To help members be in their element, consider Agentforce for guiding them through your member portal and enhancing community spirit. 

      Query 1: How can I connect with other members who share my interests?

      Query 2: Are there any ongoing discussions I can participate in?

      Query 3: What community groups can I join to share my expertise and gain experience from others?

      The Agent’s answers will be based on the member’s profile data. That is why its suggestions are precise and as relative as possible, which only adds up to the overall member engagement. 

      Closing Remarks

      In capable hands, Agentforce can become a strong tool for membership organizations and associations, helping members and their managers build connections, develop communities, and share skills – all without jumping between the tabs and based on Salesforce data. 

      Explore other things Salesforce can provide for your association with Advanced Communities. Reach out to us and we’ll show you how to get the most out of the Salesforce CRM for your member association.

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