What is Salesforce AppExchange: Complete Overview

Salesforce is a powerful software conglomerate and gives access to some of the world’s top CRM solutions. It’s comprehensive, and you can always adapt it to your own needs. In this post, we’re be covering one of the biggest components of Salesforce’s ecosystem – AppExchange, the software giant’s marketplace.

What is Salesforce AppExchange?

It all started in the early 2000s when Mark Benioff (Salesforce’s CEO) was inspired by speaking to Steve Jobs about creating a cloud software ecosystem. Six years later AppStore.com (started by Salesforce) was launched in 2006 as an extension of Force.com.

Salesforce owned the “AppStore” trademark until in 2008 Apple decided to launch the AppStore as we know it. Benioff gave the trademark free of charge.

But’s let’s get back to AppExchange. At first, it had a few free apps, but then as Salesforce started to grow as we’re the demand, paid apps began to appear in the store. Frankly speaking, Salesforce wanted to cover the essential add-ons to the original functionality and wanted it to be easy for the user to install (and upgrade) these add-ons. 

Nowadays, AppExchange as we know it is a store for Salesforce apps, solutions and components. Every app, component or solution has the review system and the developers’ support (and Salesforce community forums).

How Big is the AppExchange Marketplace?

In 2019 the website had 7.5 million installs, 4,000+ solutions, and 90,000 reviews.

All solutions in Salesforce AppExchange divided by types: Apps, Bolt Solutions, Flow Solutions, Lightning Data, and Components. For more straightforward navigation, solutions divided into the collections, depending on which Salesforce product you’re using:

1. Sales Cloud
2. Service Cloud
3. Marketing Cloud
4. Commerce Cloud, Platform
5. Einstein Analytics
6. Financial Services Cloud
7. Etc.

10 Most Popular Apps on AppExchange

1. Conga Composer is a great tool that delivers document generation and reporting. It’s a paid tool that helps you generate any document into a vast range of formats.
2. Mailchimp Integration App makes it easy for you to create campaigns, automate email tasks and establish campaigns via Mailchimp.
3. Rollup Helper allows you to roll up any Salesforce information without the need to code.
4. dataloader.io is a powerful data loader that helps you import, delete and export data in Salesforce with great ease.
5. ZoomInfo helps you find prospects, manage leads and connect with the right buyers.
6. CMS Content Type Creator helps you create custom CMS content tailored to your requirements.
7. Elements.cloud accelerates and supports your implementation lifecycle with powerful analysis, Org docs and much more.
8. Blackthorn Payments makes everything from credit card processing to FSL, ACH, subscriptions, mobile payments and many others.
9. Blackthorn Events makes it easy for you to perform event registration and management. Everything is happening online, and it’s straightforward to manage.
10. Survey Vista can assist you in creating and sharing surveys, quizzes and forms with your audience.

10 Most Popular Categories on AppExchange:

1. Finance
2. Human resources
3. Enterprise resource planning
4. Sales
5. Customer service
6. IT and admin
7. Marketing
8. Integration
9. Salesforce labs
10. Analytics

Why Companies and Salesforce Developers Are Making Apps for AppExchange?

Since around 95% of the Fortune 100 companies are using Salesforce AppExchange apps, it’s easy to see why it can be very appealing for developers to create this type of solutions. 

AppExchange is designed to please both developers and businesses. That is the simple answer to the question of why AppExchange is growing in popularity and demand. In addition, the marketplace is very well structured so that any business can find the tools and extensions needed regardless of its niche.

As a Salesforce AppExchange developer, you can enter the Salesforce Partner Community and access the Partner Business Org. The latter enables you to manage, upload and distribute apps. The platform also provides analytics and study other apps. Salesforce even has a weekly digest email, and it might promote your app via ads.  

Solution or Consultant: What Should You Pick?

When you try to create a new app for Salesforce AppExchange, you’re faced with two options: choose the AppExchange solution (and customise it), or you can design a tailored solution with certified consultants. 

With over 1,000 certified consultants on AppExchange, you can expect a consultant to help you with: 

• Recommending the right solution based on your requirements and business;
• Identify the design requirements;
• Assist in building a custom solution tailored for the business needs.

How to Get Published in AppExchange:

1. Join the Partner Community and Partner Business Org. It will give you access to the guidelines, recommendations, guides. Access to Partner Business Org will provide you with License Management App, Channel Order App, and Environment Hub, and much more; 
2. Design and Build The App using Salesforce’s developer tools like Environment Hub app and others;
3. Prepare and pass the Security Review for your app;
4. Design and fill your AppExchange listing page. Here’re the best practices from Salesforce;
5. Manage App Licenses: 

• Per-User License
• Site License
• Free Trial and Time Limit
• Free Solution
• Manage Customer Support:
• Customer Success Planning
• Troubleshooting
• Release Management

The Power of AppExchange Community

One of the main characteristics of the AppExchange is its culture. In the Salesforce TrailBlazer Community, join the All About AppExchange Apps group, ask real questions, and share your own insights with other app developers.

To learn more about a particular app, you can also read reviews on the app's website. Users share their experience of using the app and provide its features with valuable details.

Summary

There’s no denying that the Salesforce AppExchange platform is one of the best places for you to customise Salesforce fully. The solutions provided there can be free or paid; they cover pretty much any industry, making it easier than ever to make the most out of Salesforce. 

Regardless of what extra features you may need from Salesforce, you will most likely find them here, so give Salesforce AppExchange a try right away and start browsing it to find the ultimate tool you always needed.