Validation Rules and Triggers

Salesforce Validation Rules

Pulsar directly supports evaluating Salesforce validation rules both online and offline.

• Supports most Salesforce formulas (see more information about formula fields)
  
• Follow the pre-processing steps on the Pulsar Settings Manager tab (NOTE: this is currently a limitation of the Salesforce platform, as we cannot directly sync validation rule metadata, but first have to pre-process it).
• Set pulsar.validation.enableSFDCValidationRules Pulsar Setting to TRUE to enable this functionality in the Pulsar mobile app
• NOTE: If a PSL BeforeSave setting exists on an object, it will be run BEFORE saving the object and BEFORE processing any Salesforce ValidationRules for that record.

PSL Validation Rules and Triggers

Pulsar originally did not support running Salesforce validation rules, and instead offered similar functionality through logic implemented in Pulsar Settings Language (PSL).  Because PSL leverages the power of raw SQL, you can create complex validation logic that exceeds what Salesforce formula validation rules can perform.  Despite (or frankly because of) the power of PSL validation rules and triggers, we recommend that you use Salesforce validation rules if possible before bringing PSL to bear on a thorny problem.

Admins can use Pulsar Settings to implement validation rules and triggers for the following execution points:

1. BeforeEdit

2. BeforeSave 

3. BeforeDelete

4. OnCreate

5. OnSave

6. OnDelete

7. onBarcodeScan

Validation Rules and Trigger execution points are composed of three "post-action" execution points, OnCreate, OnSave, and OnDelete, where the create, save, or delete action has occurred or is certain to occur, and three "pre-action" execution points, BeforeEdit, BeforeSave, and BeforeDelete, where conditions can be validated before the actions occur. The differences between Validation Rules and Triggers actually have to do with the actions taken within the setting. Validation Rules will contain Alert actions that inform the user of a failed condition. Triggers will often update the current record or other records with no user interaction. Validation Rules and Triggers can be combined in Pulsar, and all of the logic for a particular object type and execution point can be contained in a single setting. 

Usage

The Validation Rules and Triggers are defined using Pulsar Settings Language (PSL). The general format for such a setting is as follows:

Name:  Object Name – execution point
Key:     pulsar.<executionPoint>.<ObjectAPIName>
Value:  Pulsar Settings Language

One exception to this format is the OnCreate setting. See OnCreate Trigger section below for more information.

Example Validation Rule

Name:   Order - Before Edit
Key:      pulsar.beforeEdit.Order__c
Value:   See the code below. This setting executes when the user tries to edit a record, and uses a query to determine if the user attempted to update a record that is already in status "Finalized" or "Cleared". If so, it alerts the user with the appropriate message.

DEFAULT{ 
Action=SetVar; 
VarName=Order_Id; 
VarValue=Id; 
| 
Action=SqlQuery; 
QueryString=SELECT Id FROM Order__c WHERE Id = '%%Order_Id%%' AND Status__c IN ('Cleared','Finalized'); 
QueryReturnFields=@@QueryCount; 
QueryTest=%%QueryCount%%=0; 
QueryTestTrue=SUCCESS; 
| 
Action=Alert; 
Message=Update is not allowed on Orders with status finalized, or cleared.; 
} 
SUCCESS 
{ 
}

Example Trigger

Name: On Save – Order Line Item

Key: pulsar.onSave.Order_Line_Item__c
Value:   See the code below. The following example  runs the code to update the total amount (Sub_Total__c) on the Order object when a line item is updated. This update is committed to the database when this setting executes, and this change will be pushed to the server upon the next sync. Note that this Trigger setting does not include any failure states (Alert actions).

DEFAULT{
Action=SetVar;
VarName=Order_Id;
VarValue=Order__c;
|
Action=SqlQuery;
QueryString=Select SUM ( CAST( Amount__c AS REAL ) ) AS SUM_ORDER_AMOUNT FROM Order_Line_Item__c WHERE Order__c = ‘%%Order_Id%%’;
QueryReturnFields=SUM_ORDER_AMOUNT;
|
Action=SqlQuery;
QueryString=Update Order__c SET Sub_Total__c = ‘%%SUM_ORDER_AMOUNT%%’ WHERE Id = ‘%%Order_Id%%’;
}

Special File Meta Object Usage for beforeSave and onSave

There is a special "FILE" meta object concept available as of Pulsar 9.0. It encapsulates and makes available data on all 3 content objects (ContentDocument, ContentVersion, and ContentDocumentLink),  within a single PSL beforeSave Validation Rule or PSL onSave Trigger, when saving files or attachments on other objects. For example, you could define a pulsar.beforeSave.File validation rule to restrict file types being added to Account Related Files.

The Full list of data available in pulsar.beforeSave.File or pulsar.onSave.File PSL follows:

Example of data available in PSL:

Example pulsar.beforeSave.File

The pulsar.beforeSave.File validation rule can be used with custom logic to prevent an end user from saving files. The example below restricts by file extension as well as size of the file.

DEFAULT {
Action=SetVar;
VarName=MaxFileSizeBytes;
VarValue=1000000;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=FileSizeBase64;
VarValue=ContentVersion_Base64ContentSize;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=Extension;
VarValue=ContentVersion_FileExtension;
|
Action=Log;
Message=FileSizeBase64 [%%FileSizeBase64%%] Extension [%%Extension%%];
|
Action=__CHECKFEXT;
|
Action=__CHECKSIZE;
}
CHECKSIZE {
Action=SqlQuery;
QueryString=SELECT %%FileSizeBase64%% AS TheValue;
QueryReturnFields=TheValue;
QueryTest=%%TheValue%% > %%MaxFileSizeBytes%%;
QueryTestTrue=CANTUPLOAD;
}
CHECKFEXT {
Action=SqlQuery;
QueryString=Select (CASE WHEN UPPER('%%Extension%%') IN ('ZIP','TXT','EXE','PY','PHP','ASP','ASPX','JAR','BAT','BIN','MSI','REG','VB','VBS','WS','SCR','PL','JSP') THEN 1 ELSE 0 END) as ValidateFileTypeCheck;
QueryReturnFields=ValidateFileTypeCheck;
QueryTest=%%ValidateFileTypeCheck%%=1;
QueryTestTrue=BAD_FILE_EXTENSION;
}
BAD_FILE_EXTENSION{
Action=SetResult;
Result=Invalid File Type;
ResultValid=false;
}
CANTUPLOAD{
Action=SetResult;
Result=Max file size is 1 mb.;
ResultValid=false;
}

Example pulsar.onSave.File

The pulsar.onSave.File trigger can be used to perform custom logic after a file has been saved. The below example outputs some basic information to the log upon saving an Attachment or File on an object such as an Account or Contact object.

DEFAULT{
Action=SetVar;
VarName=ParentObjectId;
VarValue=LinkedEntityId;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=Extension;
VarValue=ContentVersion_FileExtension;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=ContentSizeMB;
VarValue=ContentVersion_ContentSizeMB;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=Base64ContentSizeMB;
VarValue=ContentVersion_Base64ContentSizeMB;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=ContentTitle;
VarValue=ContentVersion_Title;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=ContentDescription;
VarValue=ContentVersion_Description;
|
Action=Log;
Message="EXAMPLE: ParentObjectId: %%ParentObjectId%%, FileExt (%%Extension%%), SizeMB (%%ContentSizeMB%% , %%Base64ContentSizeMB%%), Title (%%ContentTitle%%), Description (%%ContentDescription%%)";
|
Action=GetObjectType;
ObjectId=%%ParentObjectId%%;
VarName=ParentObjectType;
|
Action=Log;
Message="EXAMPLE: ParentObjectType: %%ParentObjectType%%";
}

Field Triggers

Currently we only support the 'After Update' trigger type for reference fields only.  The trigger code can be any valid PSL and is executed only after a specified reference field has been updated.

After Update Field Trigger Setting (without record type)

Name:  Field AfterUpdate Trigger (<object name> : <field name>)
Key:     pulsar.<Object API Name>.<Field API Name>.afterUpdate
Value:  Pulsar Settings Language

After Update Field Trigger Setting (with record type)

Name:  Field AfterUpdate Trigger (<object name> : <record type> : <field name>)
Key:     pulsar.<Object API Name>.<Record Type Developer Name>.<Field API Name>.afterUpdate
Value:  Pulsar Settings Language

Example After Update Field Trigger

Name: Field AfterUpdate Trigger (Opportunity : AccountId)
Key: pulsar.Opportunity.AccountId.afterUpdate
Value:   See the code below. The following example runs the code to update the NextStep field to 'Create Quote' every time the Account lookup field on the Opportunity object is updated.

DEFAULT{
Action=SetFieldInMemory;
FieldType=General;
FieldName=NextStep;
FieldValue=Create Quote;
}

Sync Triggers

Pulsar currently supports running custom Pulsar Settings Language upon completion of a successful sync. This can be useful for recording the sync time, counting records, or alerting the user to new information. NOTE:  This trigger is tied to sync, and any data changes during this setting execution will be pushed to the Salesforce server, even if the user is forced offline permanently via settings.

Here is a trivial example that displays the sync date/time upon a successful sync:

Name:  After Sync Trigger 
Key:     pulsar.sync.AfterSyncTrigger
Value:  Pulsar Settings Language

DEFAULT{
Action=SetVar;
VarName=LastSync;
VarValue=@@LastSyncTime;
|
Action=Alert;
Message=Last successful sync time: %%LastSync%%;
}

Here is a bit more complicated example that displays the sync date/time upon a successful sync:

DEFAULT{
Action=SetVar;
VarName=LastSync;
VarValue=@@LastSyncTime;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=CurrentUserId;
VarValue=@@CurrentUserId;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=AppVersion;
VarValue=@@AppVersion;
|
Action=SetVar;
VarName=LastSyncSuccess;
VarValue=@@LastSyncSuccess;
|
Action=SqlQuery;
QueryString=SELECT CASE WHEN '%%LastSyncSuccess%%' = 'TRUE' THEN 1 ELSE 0 END AS SyncSuccess;
QueryReturnFields=SyncSuccess;
QueryTest=%%SyncSuccess%%=1;
QueryTestTrue=UpdateUser;
QueryTestFalse=NoAction;
}

UpdateUser{
Action=SFUpdate;
ObjectType=User;
Id=%%CurrentUserId%%;
LastSuccessfulPulsarSync__c=%%LastSync%%;
}

NoAction{
}