What are Salesforce LMA and COA, and why are they necessary for ISVs?
Salesforce is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) platform that enables businesses to manage customer data, sales activities, marketing campaigns, and customer service interactions. Salesforce Independent Software Vendors (ISVs) develop custom apps on top of Salesforce to address specific business needs. One of the critical aspects of custom app development on Salesforce is setting up the License Management App (LMA) and the Customer Order App (COA). This blog post will explore the importance of setting up LMA and COA for Salesforce ISVs.
License Management App (LMA)
LMA is a native Salesforce app that enables ISVs to manage the licensing of their custom apps. The LMA allows ISVs to create, manage, and sell licenses to their custom apps directly from Salesforce. Besides reducing sales friction, the key benefits of setting up LMA are:
1. License Management
LMA provides ISVs with a centralized license management system that enables them to create and manage different types of licenses for their custom apps. ISVs can easily track license usage, expiration dates, and renewals. With LMA, ISVs can also control access to their custom app features, limit the number of users who can access the app, and prevent unauthorized access.
2. Trial Management
LMA also provides ISVs with the ability to create trial licenses for their custom apps. Trial licenses enable potential customers to test the app before they buy it. ISVs can set trial periods, feature limitations, and other conditions for trial licenses.
3. Integration with AppExchange
LMA is tightly integrated with Salesforce AppExchange, the marketplace for Salesforce apps. When ISVs publish their custom app on AppExchange, they can manage the licensing of their app from LMA. Customers can purchase and manage their licenses for the custom app directly from AppExchange.
4. Reporting and Analytics
LMA provides ISVs with reporting and analytics capabilities for their custom app licenses. ISVs can track usage, renewals, and other key metrics to optimize pricing and packaging strategies.
Customer Order App (COA)
COA is another native Salesforce app that enables ISVs to manage customer orders for their custom apps. COA provides a streamlined order management process that integrates with LMA. Some of the key benefits of setting up COA are:
1. Streamlined Order Management
COA provides ISVs with a simple and intuitive order management process for their custom apps. ISVs can create and manage customer orders directly from Salesforce, including pricing, discounts, and promotions.
2. Integration with LMA
COA is tightly integrated with LMA, enabling ISVs to manage the licensing of their custom apps and customer orders in a single place. ISVs can easily track license usage, renewals, and orders in one centralized location.
3. Customizable Order Forms
COA provides ISVs with customizable order forms that enable them to collect customer information, payment details, and other relevant data. ISVs can also create custom fields to capture specific customer requirements.
4. Reporting and Analytics
COA provides ISVs with reporting and analytics capabilities for their customer orders. ISVs can track order history, revenue, and other key metrics to optimize their sales and marketing strategies.
Final Thoughts
Setting up LMA and COA is essential for Salesforce ISVs to manage their custom apps’ licensing and order management. LMA and COA provide ISVs with a comprehensive solution for managing their custom app licensing and order management on Salesforce. LMA provides ISVs with a centralized license management system, trial management, integration with AppExchange, and reporting and analytics capabilities. COA provides ISVs with streamlined order management, integration with LMA, customizable order forms, and reporting and analytics capabilities.
If you would like to learn more about setting up LMA and COA, please get in touch with us at sales@agilecloudconsulting.com.
A little about Agile Cloud Consulting: Agile Cloud is a Salesforce-certified Product Development Outsourcer (PDO), which means we specialize in building apps for the AppExchange. Our team is made up of industry experts who have built ISV apps and operated ISV businesses, including a successful exit to Salesforce in 2019. Our team builds AppExchange apps from beginning to end, provides developer staff augmentation to ISVs, guides new ISV on best practices, and provides implementation services, including for LMA and COA.