Details
Setup
http://www.davehelgerson.com/?page_id=602&utm_source=appexchange&utm_medium=instructions
Good Things
- You can choose which related lists to clone - eg, if you are cloning a closed case, you don't want to clone all the emails and tasks associated with that old case.
- This is a really nicely coded app - lots of thought has gone into it.
- It also does copying of related list items. Nice if you want to say copy a list of tasks.
- Plus you can use it to edit multiple items on a related list - all fabulous for a free app.
Not so great things
- You can't set default values to the result of a formula - apart from Prefix or Suffix. Workaround:
- Create an IsCloned field and set that to true.
- Create a workflow to update the new fields if isCloned is true and some other condition.
- The users can choose which related records to Clone - this is not good, it may not be a true clone of the record.
- Attachments don't clone
Things I want the app to be able to do
- Clone a related list but not allow the users to see it or edit anything on the related list.
- Be able to create a link back to the record this was cloned from.
- Filter related lists to only bring over specific records
- Have an option that disallows the user from choosing which related list records to clone.
- Filter the list of fields based on what is being cloned or cleared.
- Filter the Related To drop down box on the Copy Page to be only the same object. (eg, I copying a list related to Cases, and it is showing me Campaigns, Contracts, Dupe Blocker rules and many other objects in that drop down. This is confusing to the users).
Issues
- It doesn't seem to work with Queues - you can't set the name of the queue on the cloned record.
Things to Ask
This is technically an easy and powerful app, but there are huge business ramifications to using it. Especially if you have a very specific business process that needs to be followed. Take Cases for example - see my scenario on Building a "Simple" Case Management Process. Here are some questions you need to ask.
- What is the business purpose for cloning?
- What stage can the Case be at to allow it to be cloned? If the Case is already at the Closed Status cloning it may allow that Case to slip through the process cracks.
- Exactly which related lists should be cloned - cloning communications or activities on a Case is probably not a good idea.
- Exactly what fields on the Case should be cloned? Eg
- Should the Status be set back to New
- Should any fields related to the process on the base case be set to Blank
- Who should the owner be on the new Case?
- What fields on the Case or the Related Lists should be editable before the Case is cloned?
- And really do you want to be doing this?
- I would say be very cautious of this - make sure that you can't inadvertently change something that makes the case fall through the cracks.
- I would change the Case to have a Status of New and set all fields to the exact values that a newly created Case would have.
- I would think that there is not much on a related list that should need to be edited.
Other Options
- Create a Publisher Action that creates a new case with the defaults - but this doesn't clone the related lists, and this is why you will want the Super Clone app
Setting Up
- Go to Super Clone Configuration, and click Create
- This configuration allows related list to be selected to display on the pages.
- Fields can be shown, editable or left as display only (generally formula fields).
- First giving it a configuration name relating it to object you want to clone.
- leave the check box empty for skip confirmation page so that users can see before cloning the page what will be included.
- In configuration first select what related list to be shown on the page then fields of all related list.
- This process is time consuming and needs detailed thought.
Create a Button
- Label: Clone
- Name: Clone
- Description: Button to clone Accounts
- Display Type: Detail Page Button
- Behaviour: Display in existing window without sidebar or header
- Content Source: URL
- Link: /{!Account.Id}/e?clone=1
Tips
- When you clone any object make sure you have the data in related list otherwise it wont display on the confirmation page.
- Another use with this app is after cloning an object you can also copy related list from the object you cloned. Before copying create a button saying copy from on cloned object.
Limitations
- Super Clone only clones two levels of records a parent and child.
- File attachments are not cloned.
- Pages may encounter error if the data is too long - reduce the number of fields being displayed.
Notes
See Cloning Child Records in Salesforce - Super Clone App for an article about Super Clone