Data Generation Recipe for Student Success Hub

As residential universities struggle to establish the level of student engagement with in-person courses that existed before the pandemic, some are looking at implementing the type of student support infrastructure that has long been in place at online universities, which typically cater to working adults juggling many priorities.

For universities looking to implement this type of technology, the Student Success Hub by Salesforce.org could be a good solution to consider. One challenge with this solution however, is that there isn’t an easy way for higher ed technologists to get hands-on with the solution without going through a series of sales conversations.

Introducing the Snowfakery Recipe Template for Student Success Hub

The Data Generation Tookit project team is a volunteer group within the Salesforce.org Community Sprints initiative contributing open source tools and resources for organizations in the nonprofit and education sectors. Over the past two community sprints, the team has been working on a data generation solution for Student Success Hub and is now ready to share publicly.

This post provides technologists in the higher ed sector an opportunity to explore and demo a holistic student lifecycle support solution and also highlights a number of useful Snowfakery features.

What is Snowfakery?

Snowfakery is an open source tool developed by Salesforce.org that creates fake data with complex relationships and can handle large data volumes. Snowfakery is unique from other data generation tools in that it was built to address Salesforce-specific problems such as managing relationships and inserting a high volume of related records seamlessly into a Salesforce org.

Prerequisites

• Install Visual Studio Code
• Install SFDX extension for VSC
• Install Git
• Install CumulusCI
• Setup DevHub

Create Scratch Org with Student Success Hub Data Model

At the time of writing this post, a full featured trial of Student Success Hub (SSH) is not available, but it is possible to create a scratch org and install the SSH data model for the purposes of working with the sample data generation recipe.

# clone the Snowfakery recipes repository
git clone https://github.com/SFDO-Community-Sprints/Snowfakery-Recipe-Templates.git

# navigate to newly created project
cd Snowfakery-Recipe-Templates

# create scratch org with EDA and Student Success Hub data model installed
cci flow run eda:trial_org --org dev
cci flow run sal:install_base --org dev

If you already have access to a development/test environment with the Student Success Hub installed, you can use the data generation script with that environment by connecting CumulusCI to your existing environment instead of creating a scratch org.

Once the scratch org is created and the packages installed, run the data generation script and open the org

# replace 'dev' in the following commands with the CCI alias of the connected org if not using a scratch org

# generate and load fake data
cci task run snowfakery --recipe snowfakery_samples/EDA/eda_student_success_hub.yml --org dev

# open the org
cci org browser dev

Snowfakery Recipe

The Data Generation Toolkit team maintains Snowfakery recipes in a dedicated GitHub project. The recipe template for the Student Success Hub is located in the snowfakery_samples/EDA directory. The recipe is displayed below for ease of access.

	# Snowfakery recipe for the Student Success Hub (formerly known as Adivsor Link)
	# Creates data for the following objects:
	# Contact
	# Case (Advising Record)
	# Case Team Role
	# Case Team Member
	# Case Comment
	# Account (University Department)
	# Advising Pool
	# Queue Waiting Room Resource
	# Appointment Location
	# Availability
	# Availability Location
	# Availability Topic
	# User Topic Setting
	# Role Topic Setting
	# Queue Topic Setting
	# Appointment
	# Appointment Attendee
	# Success Plan Template
	# Success Plan Task Template
	# Success Plan
	# Success Plan Task
	# Task
	# Alert
	# Prediction
	# Run this to generate data in a scratch org:
	# cci task run snowfakery –recipe snowfakery_samples/EDA/eda_student_success_hub.yml –org dev
	# Run this to generate records in an output JSON file (NOTE: update the org_name to the CCI org you are using)
	# snowfakery ./snowfakery_samples/EDA/eda_student_success_hub.yml –output-format=json –output-file=snowfakery_samples/temp/output.json –plugin-option org_name dev
	# Load plugin for querying Salesforce, used to link records to internal advisor user
	– plugin: snowfakery.standard_plugins.Salesforce.SalesforceQuery
	# Create Contact', 'dependency for Case (Advising)
	– object: Contact
	fields:
	LastName:
	fake: LastName
	FirstName:
	fake: FirstName
	MailingStreet:
	fake.text:
	max_nb_chars: 100
	MailingCity:
	fake: city
	MailingState:
	fake: state
	MailingPostalCode:
	fake: postalcode
	MailingCountry: "United States"
	Phone:
	fake: phone_number
	MobilePhone:
	fake: phone_number
	HomePhone:
	fake: phone_number
	hed__PreferredPhone__c: "Mobile Phone"
	Email:
	fake: Email
	LeadSource:
	random_choice:
	– Web
	– Phone Inquiry
	– Partner Referral
	– Purchased List
	– Other
	Birthdate:
	date_between:
	start_date: -50y
	end_date: -18y
	Description:
	fake.text:
	max_nb_chars: 100
	friends:
	# Set primary department
	– object: hed__Affiliation__c
	fields:
	hed__Account__c:
	reference: SampleAcademicDepartment
	hed__Contact__c:
	reference: Contact
	hed__Primary__c: "True"
	hed__Description__c:
	fake: catch_phrase
	hed__StartDate__c:
	date_between:
	start_date: -1y
	end_date: today
	hed__EndDate__c:
	date_between:
	start_date: today
	end_date: +1y
	hed__Role__c: "Student"
	# Create Case (Advising) record', 'dependency for Appointment, Appointment Attendee, Alert, Prediction, Success Plan, Task
	– object: Case
	nickname: SampleAdvisingCase
	fields:
	ContactId:
	reference: Contact
	Subject: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=80)}}
	Description: ${{fake.Paragraph(nb_sentences=3)}}
	# sfal__IsAdviseeRecord__c: true #field is not editable by system admins
	hed__Category__c: "Other"
	sfal__AdvisingPool__c:
	reference: AdvisingPool
	sfal__Location__c: "Other"
	hed__Location__c: "Other"
	friends:
	– object: CaseTeamRole
	fields:
	AccessLevel: Edit
	# CaseTeamRoles must be unique so random number is added to allow recipe to run multiple times in same org
	Name: Advisor ${{random_number(min=5, max=20)}}
	PreferencesVisibleInCSP: true
	friends:
	– object: CaseTeamMember
	fields:
	MemberId:
	SalesforceQuery.find_record:
	from: User
	where: UserType='Standard'
	ParentId:
	reference: SampleAdvisingCase
	TeamRoleId:
	reference: CaseTeamRole
	– object: CaseComment
	count: 3
	fields:
	ParentId:
	reference: SampleAdvisingCase
	CommentBody: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=200)}}
	# Create University Department
	– object: Account
	nickname: SampleAcademicDepartment
	fields:
	name: Sample Academic Department
	RecordType: "University_Department"
	# Create Advising Pool', 'dependency for Queue Topic Setting
	– object: sfal__AdvisingPool__c
	nickname: AdvisingPool
	fields:
	sfal__Account__c:
	reference: SampleAcademicDepartment
	sfal__Description__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=200)}}
	friends:
	# Create Queue Waiting Room Resource
	– object: sfal__QueueWaitingRoomResource__c
	fields:
	sfal__AdvisingPool__c:
	reference: AdvisingPool
	sfal__SortOrder__c: 1
	sfal__User__c:
	SalesforceQuery.find_record:
	from: User
	where: UserType='Standard'
	# Objects nested with Topic
	– object: sfal__Topic__c
	nickname: SampleTopic
	fields:
	Name:
	random_choice:
	– Transcripts
	– Grades
	– Program Questions
	sfal__SortOrder__c: 1
	sfal__Label__c: ${{SampleTopic.Name}}
	friends:
	– object: sfal__UserTopicSetting__c # create User Topic Setting associated with the Topic
	fields:
	sfal__DefaultAppointmentDuration__c: 30
	sfal__Topic__c:
	reference: sfal__Topic__c
	sfal__User__c:
	SalesforceQuery.find_record:
	from: User
	where: UserType='Standard'
	– object: sfal__RoleTopicSetting__c
	fields:
	sfal__RoleName__c:
	random_choice:
	– Course Advisor
	– Program Advisor
	– Student Services
	sfal__Topic__c:
	reference: sfal__Topic__c
	– object: sfal__QueueTopicSetting__c
	fields:
	sfal__AdvisingPool__c:
	reference: AdvisingPool
	sfal__Topic__c:
	reference: sfal__Topic__c
	# Appointment Location object is dependency for Availability Location and Appointment
	– object: sfal__AppointmentLocation__c
	nickname: SampleAppointmentLocation
	fields:
	sfal__AdditionalDetails__c: ${{fake.Paragraph(nb_sentences=5)}}
	sfal__Building__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=20)}}
	sfal__Campus__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=20)}}
	sfal__MeetingLink__c: ${{fake.SafeDomainName}}
	sfal__Phone__c: ${{fake.PhoneNumber}}
	sfal__Room__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=12)}}
	sfal__SortOrder__c: 1
	sfal__Type__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=12)}}
	# Objects nested with Availability
	– object: sfal__Availability__c
	fields:
	name: "Available Slot"
	sfal__AppointmentType__c:
	random_choice:
	– Phone
	– In-person
	– Video Call
	sfal__AttendeeLimit__c:
	random_number:
	min: 2
	max: 5
	friends:
	– object: sfal__AvailabilityLocation__c
	fields:
	sfal__Availability__c:
	reference: sfal__Availability__c
	sfal__Location__c:
	reference: SampleAppointmentLocation
	– object: sfal__AvailabilityTopic__c
	fields:
	sfal__Availability__c:
	reference: sfal__Availability__c
	sfal__Topic__c:
	reference: SampleTopic
	# Objects nested with Appointment
	– object: sfal__Appointment__c
	nickname: SampleAppointment
	fields:
	Name: ${{fake.Sentence(nb_words=5)}}
	sfal__AppointmentLocation__c:
	reference: SampleAppointmentLocation
	sfal__AdditionalConnectionInformation__c: ${{fake.Sentence(nb_words=10)}}
	sfal__AttendeeLimit__c: 3
	sfal__Description__c: ${{fake.Paragraph(nb_sentences=2)}}
	sfal__StartDateTime__c: ${{fake.date_between(start_date='-10d',end_date='today')}}T${{fake.time}}Z
	sfal__EndDateTime__c: ${{fake.date_between(start_date='today',end_date='+1w')}}T${{fake.time}}Z
	sfal__IsDiscoverable__c: true
	sfal__IsWebMeeting__c: true
	sfal__Location__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=100)}}
	sfal__RelatedCase__c:
	reference: SampleAdvisingCase
	sfal__RelatedTopic__c:
	reference: SampleTopic
	sfal__Topic__c: ${{fake.Word}}
	sfal__WebMeetingLink__c: ${{fake.Url}}
	sfal__Type__c: "Scheduled"
	friends:
	– object: sfal__AppointmentAttendee__c
	fields:
	sfal__AdviseeRecord__c:
	reference: SampleAdvisingCase
	sfal__Appointment__c:
	reference: SampleAppointment
	sfal__Comments__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=200)}}
	sfal__Role__c: "Organizer"
	sfal__Status__c:
	random_choice:
	– Attending
	– Cancelled
	– No Show
	– Checked In
	sfal__StatusComments__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=50)}}
	# Objects nested with Success Plan Template
	– object: sfal__SuccessPlanTemplate__c
	count: 3
	nickname: SuccessPlanTemplate
	fields:
	Name: ${{fake.RandomElement(elements=('Failed Assessment', 'Lack of Academic Activity', 'New Course Enrollment'))}}
	sfal__Active__c: true
	sfal__Comments__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=200)}}
	sfal__UsageCount__c: 1
	friends:
	– object: sfal__SuccessPlanTemplateTask__c
	nickname: TemplateTask1
	fields:
	Name: Call Student
	sfal__Active__c: true
	sfal__Comments__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=200)}}
	sfal__Priority__c: ${{fake.RandomElement(elements=('High', 'Medium', 'Low'))}}
	sfal__RelativeDueDate__c: 2
	sfal__SuccessPlanTemplate__c:
	reference: SuccessPlanTemplate
	sfal__Type__c: Call
	– object: sfal__SuccessPlanTemplateTask__c
	nickname: TemplateTask2
	fields:
	Name: Meet with Student
	sfal__Active__c: true
	sfal__Comments__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=200)}}
	sfal__Priority__c: ${{fake.RandomElement(elements=('High', 'Medium', 'Low'))}}
	sfal__RelativeDueDate__c: 5
	sfal__SuccessPlanTemplate__c:
	reference: SuccessPlanTemplate
	sfal__Type__c: Meeting
	– object: sfal__SuccessPlan__c
	fields:
	Name: ${{SuccessPlanTemplate.Name}}
	sfal__AdviseeRecord__c:
	reference: SampleAdvisingCase
	sfal__Advisee__c:
	reference: Contact
	sfal__AutoApply__c: true
	sfal__Comments__c: ${{SuccessPlanTemplate.sfal__Comments__c}}
	sfal__FromTemplate__c:
	reference: SuccessPlanTemplate
	sfal__IsCancelled__c: false
	sfal__IsPublished__c: true
	sfal__Status__c:
	random_choice: ${{fake.RandomElement(elements=('Open', 'Completed'))}}
	sfal__NumberOfTasks__c: 2
	sfal__NumberOfOpenTasks__c: 2
	sfal__NumberOfOverdueTasks__c: 0
	friends:
	– object: Task
	nickname: Task1
	fields:
	WhatId:
	reference: sfal__SuccessPlan__c
	OwnerId:
	SalesforceQuery.find_record:
	from: User
	where: UserType='Standard'
	Subject: ${{TemplateTask1.Name}}
	ActivityDate:
	date_between:
	start_date: today
	end_date: +2d
	Description: ${{TemplateTask1.sfal__Comments__c}}
	# Uncomment the type field if using a build flow or persistent org that grants running user access to this field
	#Type: ${{TemplateTask1.sfal__Type__c}}
	Priority: ${{TemplateTask1.sfal__Priority__c}}
	– object: Task
	nickname: Task2
	fields:
	WhatId:
	reference: sfal__SuccessPlan__c
	OwnerId:
	SalesforceQuery.find_record:
	from: User
	where: UserType='Standard'
	Subject: ${{TemplateTask2.Name}}
	ActivityDate:
	date_between:
	start_date: today
	end_date: +5d
	Description: ${{TemplateTask2.sfal__Comments__c}}
	# Uncomment the type field if using a build flow or persistent org that grants running user access to this field
	#Type: ${{TemplateTask2.sfal__Type__c}}
	Priority: ${{TemplateTask2.sfal__Priority__c}}
	# Alert and Prediction objects
	– object: sfal__Alert__c
	count: 3
	fields:
	sfal__AdviseeRecord__c:
	reference: SampleAdvisingCase
	sfal__Advisee__c:
	reference: Contact
	sfal__AssignUsingRules__c: true
	sfal__Comments__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=200)}}
	sfal__Priority__c: ${{fake.RandomElement(elements=('Urgent', 'Normal', 'Low'))}}
	sfal__Reason__c: ${{fake.RandomElement(elements=('Grade Concern', 'Failure Concern', 'Missing/Late Assignment', 'Attendance Concern', 'Participation Concern', 'Preparedness Concern', 'Academic Integrity', 'Recognition', 'Missing/Late Application', 'Qualification Not Met', 'General Health', 'Room Change'))}}
	sfal__Status__c:
	random_choice:
	– New
	– "Acknowledged: In Progress"
	– "Acknowledged: Redirected"
	friends:
	– object: sfal__Prediction__c
	fields:
	sfal__Alert__c:
	reference: sfal__Alert__c
	sfal__Appointment__c:
	reference: SampleAppointment
	sfal__Case__c:
	reference: SampleAdvisingCase
	sfal__Model__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=20)}}
	sfal__Type__c: ${{fake.Text(max_nb_chars=20)}}

view raw eda_student_success_hub.yml hosted with ❤ by GitHub

Recipe Highlights

This recipe template highlights several of Snowfakery’s many useful features and capabilities:

• Data model with complex relationships: use of the “friends” and “reference” features to create records for 24 related objects in one recipe
• Reference data from connected Salesforce org: use of SalesforceQuery plugin to get Id of active user in the connected org and relate several records to this user
• Fake data: use features from fakery library to generate unique and fake data of various types, including text, paragraph, phone number, URL, names, addresses, dates
• Random values: automatically populate picklists and number fields randomly from a predefined set of values, with optional weighting on value selection
• Formulas: create task records and populate fields based on related task template records, using formulas to reference the value of generated data from task template records

Resources

• Salesforce Documentation: Student Success Hub
• Student Success Hub ERD for Higher Ed
• Student Success Hub Data Dictionary for Higher Ed
• Snowfakery Documentation