AlertFlow: Build a Configurable Notification Banner System for Salesforce

Posted by Vinay Vernekar 5th January 2026

A step-by-step guide to installing and configuring AlertFlow — a no-code, Custom Metadata-driven notification banner system for Salesforce that surfaces critical alerts on record pages, supports hierarchical notifications, scheduling, and dismissible banners.

Introduction

Salesforce stores important flags and statuses in fields, but busy users often miss them. AlertFlow solves this by surfacing configurable, SLDS-styled notification banners on record pages — without writing code. Use AlertFlow to highlight sanctions, credit holds, scheduled maintenance, or any context-specific message that admins want users to see immediately.

How AlertFlow Works

The solution is composed of three parts:

  • Custom Metadata Types — Notification Rule (defines messages and when to show them) and Object Config (defines parent-child relationships).
  • Apex service layer — NotificationService fetches active rules, evaluates conditions, resolves parent lookups, and merges fields.
  • Lightning Web Component — notificationBanner lives in the Utility Bar, injects banners into the page DOM, supports icons, links, and dismiss actions.

Key Features

  • Configurable rules using Custom Metadata (no deployments required)
  • Hierarchical notifications that appear on child records when enabled
  • Severity-based styling (Error, Warning, Info, Success)
  • Date-based scheduling (Start Date / End Date)
  • Dismissible banners for single-session hiding
  • Merge fields for dynamic messages and optional action links

Install the Package (Under 5 minutes)

  1. Click the install link
    • Production / Developer Edition: https://login.salesforce.com/packaging/installPackage.apexp?p0=04tJ4000000Pce6
    • Sandbox: https://test.salesforce.com/packaging/installPackage.apexp?p0=04tJ4000000Pce6
  2. Select install options
    • Choose Install for All Users (recommended)
    • Click Install and wait for confirmation email
  3. Add the component to the Utility Bar
    1. Setup → App Manager → Edit your Lightning App (e.g., Sales)
    2. Choose Utility Items (Desktop Only) → Add Utility Item → Select Notification Banner
    3. Set Panel Height = 1, check Start automatically, then Save

Create Your First Rule (Example: Sanctioned Account Alert)

Steps to create a rule using Custom Metadata > Notification Rule:

  • Label: Sanctioned Account Alert
  • Message Title: ⚠️ Sanctioned Account
  • Message Body: {!Account.Name} is under sanctions. Contact Compliance Team.
  • Severity: Error (renders a red banner)
  • Notification Type: Hierarchical
  • Target Object: Account
  • Condition Field: IsSanctioned__c Operator: equals Value: true
  • Show On Children: ✓ Dismissible: ✓ Active: ✓

Testing the Rule

  • Open an Account record where IsSanctioned__c = true — you should see a red banner at the bottom of the page.
  • Open a related Contact or Opportunity — the same banner should appear if Show On Children is enabled.

Advanced Configuration

Target a Specific Record

To target a single record rather than using a field condition, set the Target Record ID to the specific 18-character Id (for example 001xx00001234ABC), and leave condition fields blank.

Merge Fields

Use merge fields to create dynamic messages. Example syntaxes:

  • {!Account.Name} — Account name
  • {!Account.Owner.Name} — Account owner
  • {!Opportunity.Amount} — Opportunity amount

Action Links & Icons

Add clickable action links (Link URL + Link Label) and use SLDS icons (format: category:name, e.g., utility:ban).

Object Configuration for Hierarchical Notifications

The package includes pre-configured mappings (Contact → Account, Opportunity → Account, Case → Account). For custom objects, add a Notification Object Config record and provide the Parent Lookup Field so Account-level alerts appear on the custom object.

Custom Metadata Field Reference (Summary)

Notification Rule fields include Message_Title__c, Message_Body__c, Severity__c, Icon__c, Notification_Type__c, Target_Object__c, Target_Record_Id__c, Condition_Field__c, Condition_Operator__c, Condition_Value__c, Show_On_Children__c, Link_URL__c, Link_Label__c, Priority__c, Dismissible__c, Start_Date__c, End_Date__c, Active__c.

Troubleshooting

  • If notification doesn’t show: confirm rule is Active, the current date is within start/end, condition values match, and the Utility Bar component is added.
  • If icon not displaying: use SLDS format (e.g., utility:warning), not emoji.
  • If not showing on child records: ensure Show On Children is enabled and Object Config exists.

Why This Matters

AlertFlow empowers admins to deliver timely, contextual warnings across Salesforce without developer cycles. That reduces compliance risk, prevents costly mistakes (like engaging sanctioned accounts), and keeps users informed with minimal friction.

Quick Admin Checklist

  • Install package and add Notification Banner to Utility Bar
  • Create Notification Rule(s) using Custom Metadata
  • Configure Object Config records for child objects
  • Test rules on sample records and verify merge fields and links

Sample Apex Snippet (NotificationService Evaluation)

public with sharing class NotificationService {
    public static List getActiveRules() {
        // Pseudocode: Query active Custom Metadata rules within date range
        // Evaluate conditions and return applicable rules for the current record
    }
}

Install now: Get AlertFlow on Gumroad

Author: Arun Kumar — Salesforce Platform Developer I

Excerpt: Create and manage contextual notifications in Salesforce using Custom Metadata and a light-weight LWC utility — no developer changes required.