Definition
Custom Notifications is a Setup page where administrators create notification types that can be sent to users through Flows, Apex, or REST API. Custom notifications appear in the Salesforce notification bell, as desktop push notifications, and in the Salesforce mobile app, providing a flexible way to alert users about important events.
Real-World Example
The admin at Forge Dynamics creates a Custom Notification type called "High-Priority Case Alert." She configures a Flow that triggers this notification whenever a Case is escalated to Severity 1. The assigned agent and their manager both receive a real-time push notification on their desktop and mobile devices with the Case number and customer name.
Why Custom Notifications Matters
Custom Notifications is a Salesforce Setup feature that allows administrators to create notification types which can be delivered to users through Flows, Apex code, or the REST API. These notifications appear in the Salesforce notification bell (the bell icon in the header), as desktop push notifications, and in the Salesforce mobile app. Unlike standard Salesforce notifications which are triggered by predefined events like Chatter mentions or task assignments, Custom Notifications give organizations the flexibility to alert users about any business event they define. This is important because timely alerts for critical business events — like a high-value deal being marked at risk or a VIP customer submitting a case — can mean the difference between proactive response and missed opportunities.
As organizations automate more of their business processes with Flows and Apex, Custom Notifications become the communication layer that keeps humans in the loop at critical decision points. Without them, automated processes run silently, and users must actively check dashboards or reports to discover that something requires their attention. Custom Notifications support targeted delivery to specific users, permission set groups, or queue members, ensuring the right people are alerted without creating notification fatigue for everyone else. Organizations that overuse notifications risk creating alert fatigue where users start ignoring all alerts, so it is essential to reserve Custom Notifications for genuinely important events and provide clear, actionable information in the notification body.
How Organizations Use Custom Notifications
- Forge Dynamics — Forge Dynamics created a Custom Notification type called 'High-Priority Case Alert' that fires when a Case is escalated to Severity 1. A Flow triggers the notification to both the assigned agent and their manager with the Case number, customer name, and SLA deadline. Response time to Severity 1 cases improved from an average of 45 minutes to 8 minutes because the right people are immediately alerted on both desktop and mobile.
- Summit Sales Group — Summit Sales Group sends Custom Notifications when an Opportunity with an amount above $500,000 moves to a stage below 50% probability. The notification goes to the VP of Sales and the account executive's manager with the deal name, amount, and the reason for the stage change. This early warning system enabled leadership to intervene in three at-risk enterprise deals in Q4, recovering $2.1M in pipeline that would have been lost without timely attention.
- BlueWave Shipping — BlueWave Shipping uses Custom Notifications triggered by a platform event when a shipment tracking system detects a delivery exception. The notification alerts the assigned logistics coordinator with the shipment number, customer name, and exception type. Coordinators can proactively contact customers about delays before the customer even notices, transforming a potential complaint into a demonstration of proactive service.