“The first rule of FilmClub is: You MUST talk about films!”
FilmClub is a custom Salesforce Lightning application built to manage a personal movie library. It evolves from a manual data-entry tool into an automated, API-integrated cinema hub that fetches real-time movie data.
This project marks my first deep dive into Salesforce development, covering object modeling, UI customization, advanced Flow Builder logic, and REST API integration.
- Developer: [Suhas Kadhane]
- Platform: Salesforce Developer Edition with Agentforce and Data Cloud
- Goal: To transform a manual cinema tracking tool into an automated, API-driven library using Salesforce Flow and OMDb.
FilmClub allows users to:
- Discover and store movies in Salesforce
- Automatically fetch movie details using the OMDb API
- Review, rate, and discuss films using Chatter
- Visualize IMDb ratings with a precision star-rating system
The app demonstrates how Salesforce can be transformed beyond CRM into a personalized, automated content platform.
New UI/UX Update [Jan 22 Build]
Second Build with UI/UX Enhancement
First Basic Build
- Custom Object:
Movie Titleto store cinema data - Dynamic UI: Lightning Record Pages displaying movie posters via formula fields
- Social Cinema: Salesforce Chatter enabled for movie discussions
- Reviews & Scores:
- Rich-text reviews
- Custom numeric and calculated rating fields
The heart of the app is a Lightning Screen Flow automates movie creation:
-
Secure Integration
- External Services: Connected Salesforce to the OMDb API using Named Credentials and External Credentials & Principals for secure authentication.
-
Duplicate Protection
- Built a "Search the Library" step uses a Decision Element to check whether a movie already exists before calling the API, ensuring there are no duplicates in the library.
-
Automated Data Mapping
- The flow automatically maps API responses directly into Salesforce fields for Director, Cast, Plot, Release Date, and Poster URL etc.
A high-accuracy Formula Field based on star rating system that converts numerical scores into a visual 10-point star system:
- Converts IMDb numeric scores into a 10-point visual star scale
- Enforces strict threshold logic
- Supports half-stars (example: ⭐⭐⭐✫)
- Built using advanced nested Salesforce formulas
| Area | Technology |
|---|---|
| Platform | Salesforce Developer Edition |
| Automation | Lightning Flow Builder (Screen Flows) |
| Integration | REST API (OMDb), OpenAPI 3.0 Schema |
| Security | Named Credentials, External Credentials |
| User Interface | Lightning App Builder, Dynamic Forms |
| Logic | Advanced Salesforce Formula Fields |
- Salesforce Developer Edition org
- OMDb API key (https://www.omdbapi.com/)
- System Administrator access
- Create a custom object:
Movie_Title__c - Add fields for:
- Movie Name
- IMDb Rating
- Director
- Genre
- Cast
- Runtime
- Plot/Synopsis
- Release Date
- Poster URL
- Review (Rich Text)
- Create External Credential
- Create Named Credential linked to OMDb
- Assign Permission Set to allow:
- External Credential Principal access
- Verify API key activation
- Input: Movie Name
- Decision Element: Check for duplicates
- HTTP Callout to OMDb API
- Map API response fields to Salesforce fields
- Create new Movie record
- Configure Lightning Record Page
- Display movie posters using formula image URLs
- Enable Chatter on Movie records
- Optimize layout for desktop and mobile
- Built the FilmClub Lightning App.
- Defined core schema: Names, Ratings, and Poster URLs.
- Customized the Home Tab for a personalized user experience.
- Manually created initial records like Soap to test data integrity and layout.
- Registered and activated OMDb API keys.
- Configured Permission Sets to allow the System Administrator to access External Credentials & Principals.
- Debugged API callouts and variable mapping.
- Resolved "Unhandled Fault",
401 Unauthorizedand Flow faults by debugging API callouts and mapping variables correctly.
- Added Duplicate Detection logic to prevent redundant records.
- Implemented Star Rating visual system to replace raw numbers.
- Optimized UI & Record Pages for mobile and desktop viewing performance and usability.
- API Security: Learned the importance of Permission Sets and Principals when working with External Credentials.
- Flow Debugging: Mastered the Flow Debugger to trace "401 Unauthorized" errors back to API key activation and callout failures.
- Data Integrity: Unerstanding that a "small decimal change can impact logic outcomes" leading to the implementation of strict decimal-based formulas.
- Salesforce Flexibility: Learned that CRM can be adapted for creative, non-traditional use cases.
This project was built as a deeper journey into the Salesforce development ecosystem, proving that the right logic and a bit of "FilmClub" spirit, you can turn a CRM into a powerful, automated entertainment hub.