'Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries' (DLRS)

Salesforce has an inherent limitation - it is unable to create rollup summaries on objects linked through a simple lookup relationship, as opposed to the standard master-detail relationship. 

This is where the Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries (DLRS) tool comes into play. DLRS is a community-driven, open-source tool that enables users to create rollup summaries between objects that are related via lookup relationships. It is especially valuable for Salesforce administrators and developers who need to calculate aggregate data across these relationships without writing complex Apex code.

#### What is a Lookup Rollup Summary?

In Salesforce, a rollup summary field is a type of field that calculates the sum, minimum, maximum, or average of a numeric field on a related object, or counts the number of records related to a parent object. Rollup summaries are straightforward to implement on master-detail relationships. However, for lookup relationships, Salesforce does not natively support rollup summary fields. DLRS fills this gap by allowing users to create these summaries declaratively (without code) on lookup relationships, thereby extending the functionality of Salesforce.

#### Key Features of DLRS

- **Declarative Setup**: As the name suggests, DLRS allows users to set up rollup summaries without writing any code. This is especially useful for administrators who are not familiar with Apex but need to create complex summaries.

  

- **Flexibility**: DLRS supports a variety of operations including SUM, MIN, MAX, COUNT, and CONCAT. It also allows for advanced configurations such as filtering which child records should be included in the rollup.

- **Automation**: DLRS can be set to run in real-time, on a scheduled basis, or manually triggered, providing flexibility in how and when the rollup summaries are calculated.

- **Support for Large Data Volumes**: DLRS is optimized for handling large datasets and provides options to manage performance effectively.

### Setting Up Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries (DLRS)

Setting up DLRS involves several steps, but it is a manageable process, even for those who are not deeply technical. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to set up DLRS in Salesforce:

#### 1. **Install the DLRS Package**

The first step is to install the DLRS package in your Salesforce environment. This package can be found on the Salesforce AppExchange or directly from the project’s GitHub repository. To install:

- Navigate to the appropriate installation link for your Salesforce instance (e.g., Production or Sandbox).

- Follow the prompts to install the package. Ensure you install for all users, as this will make it easier to manage permissions later on.

- Once installed, you should see “Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries” listed under the Installed Packages section in Salesforce.

#### 2. **Grant Necessary Permissions**

After installation, you need to grant the necessary permissions to users who will create and manage DLRS records. This is done by assigning the provided permission set, "Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries," to the appropriate users:

- Go to Setup > Permission Sets.

- Find the "Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries" permission set.

- Assign this permission set to the users who will need to create and manage DLRS records.

#### 3. **Create a New Lookup Rollup Summary**

With DLRS installed and permissions set, you can now create a new Lookup Rollup Summary:

- Navigate to the "Lookup Rollup Summaries" tab, which was added to your Salesforce app upon installation.

- Click "New" to create a new DLRS record.

- Fill in the necessary details:

  - **Lookup Rollup Summary Name**: Give your rollup summary a meaningful name.

  - **Parent Object**: Select the parent object where the rollup summary field will be stored.

  - **Relationship Field**: Choose the lookup field that relates the child object to the parent object.

  - **Child Object**: Select the object from which you want to aggregate data.

  - **Aggregate Operation**: Choose the type of rollup you want to perform (SUM, COUNT, MIN, MAX, AVG).

  - **Field to Aggregate**: Select the field on the child object that will be used for the rollup operation.

#### 4. **Define the Rollup Criteria**

The next step is to define any criteria that should filter the records being rolled up:

- **Active**: Ensure this checkbox is selected to activate the DLRS.

- **Calculation Mode**: Choose how often the rollup summary should be recalculated. The options include real-time, scheduled, or manually triggered.

- **Filter Logic**: Optionally, specify any criteria to filter which child records should be included in the rollup. For example, you may want to only roll up records that meet certain conditions, such as a specific status or date range.

- **Concatenate Fields**: If you want to concatenate values from multiple child records into a single field on the parent object, you can specify the fields to concatenate here. This feature is particularly useful when you need a combined list of values from related records.

#### 5. **Schedule and Test the Rollup**

Once you’ve set up the rollup summary

important to test it to ensure it works as expected before deploying it to your production environment.

- **Schedule Calculation**: If you selected a scheduled calculation mode, you'll need to set up a scheduled job to run the rollup summary calculation. This can be done through Salesforce's Scheduled Apex functionality. Navigate to "Setup > Apex Classes > Schedule Apex," then select the DLRS Apex class and set the desired schedule.

- **Test in Sandbox**: Before deploying to production, it’s highly recommended to test your DLRS setup in a Salesforce Sandbox environment. This allows you to verify that the rollup summary is calculating correctly without affecting live data. Create a few test records that meet the criteria of your rollup summary and check if the expected values appear on the parent object.

- **Manual Recalculation**: If you need to recalculate the rollup summary on-demand, you can do this from the DLRS UI. Simply navigate to the DLRS record and click "Calculate" to manually trigger the rollup process. This is useful for initial testing or if you’ve made changes that require an immediate recalculation.

#### 6. **Deploy to Production**

After thorough testing, you can deploy your DLRS configuration to your production environment. Ensure that all necessary permission sets are applied and that users understand how the DLRS operates within the context of their workflows.

- **Monitor and Maintain**: Once deployed, monitor the DLRS summaries to ensure they continue to function as expected. Salesforce administrators should periodically review the rollup summary calculations, especially if there are changes to the related objects or fields. Maintenance may also involve updating the DLRS configuration to adapt to new business requirements.

### Benefits of Using DLRS

Using Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries in Salesforce brings several benefits:

- **No-Code Solution**

eliminates the need for custom Apex code, making it accessible to administrators and those who are not developers. This democratizes the ability to create rollup summaries, enabling quicker and more agile development of Salesforce customizations.

- **Flexibility**: DLRS offers flexibility in how and when rollup summaries are calculated, with options for real-time, scheduled, or manual calculations. This allows businesses to tailor the performance of their Salesforce instance to meet specific needs without compromising on data accuracy or timeliness.

- **Enhanced Reporting**: By enabling rollup summaries on lookup relationships, DLRS significantly enhances Salesforce’s reporting capabilities. Users can create more comprehensive reports and dashboards that reflect complex relationships and aggregated data, leading to better insights and decision-making.

- **Open-Source Community**: As an open-source tool, DLRS is continuously improved by a community of developers and users. This means that it benefits from ongoing updates, new features, and community support, ensuring it remains a robust and reliable tool.

### Conclusion

Declarative Lookup Rollup Summaries (DLRS) is an invaluable tool for Salesforce administrators and developers looking to extend the platform's functionality beyond its native capabilities. By enabling rollup summaries on lookup relationships, DLRS bridges a significant gap, allowing for more complex data aggregation and reporting without the need for custom coding. The setup process, while straightforward, should be carefully managed, especially when deploying to production environments. With proper configuration and testing, DLRS can transform how data is summarized and utilized in Salesforce, empowering organizations to gain deeper insights and make more informed decisions.