Defining a Whitespace Template

Introduction

This article will document key terminology as well as outline the steps required for defining a new Whitespace Template.

Terminology

Understanding Template Configuration Options

Creating a Whitespace Template

Salesforce Products Template Configuration

Understanding Whitespace Analysis Opportunity Indicators

Understanding Whitespace Analysis Current Revenue Calculation

Custom Template Configuration

If helpful to reference example templates and what their resulting Whitespace Analysis would look like, see Example Whitespace Templates & Resulting Output.

Terminology

Field	Definition
Name	The name should be something that will help users know which template to select.
Active	Determines if Whitespace Template is available for selection by the end user when creating a Whitespace Summary.
Template Configuration	Select Salesforce Products if you are using the Product object and want the available Product Offering values to reflect your Product catalog. Selecting this configuration requires a Product picklist field, ie Family, to create the Product Offering groupings. Selecting Custom allows you to define the Product Offering values at the Template level. Certain functionality (current Opportunity indicators, calculating current revenue) is only available if Template Configuration is Salesforce Products.
Timeframe	Specifying a relative date range will auto populate the Start and End Date when a Whitespace Summary is created. Selecting 'User Defined' will prompt User to enter values manually.
Product Offering Group By Field	The API Name of the picklist field on the Salesforce Product (Product2) Object that will be used for grouping Products. When a Whitespace Summary is created, this fields values will drive the Product Offerings available across the horizontal axis of the Whitespace Analysis. For example, if you want to group by Product Family you would put 'Family' (the API Name) in this field.
Product Offering Values	A comma separated list of values that will drive the Product Offering values shown across the horizontal axis of the Whitespace Analysis.
Include Customer Buying Centers	Set to true if you wish to have Customer Buying Center values populated down the vertical axis of the Whitespace Analysis.
Customer Buying Center Values	A comma separated list of values that will drive the Customer Buying Center values shown down the vertical axis of the Whitespace Analysis.
Show Current Period Opp Indicators	Offer end users a real time visual indication of current deals as they're evaluating potential whitespace. If true, the Whitespace Analysis UI will include icons for existing Opportunities for each Product Offering value across the horizontal axis.
Current Period Opp Filter Criteria	By default, an indicator will appear if the Account has a related Opportunity that has a line item for an available Product Offering value AND the Close Date is within the current period. Use this field if you wish to include additional filter criteria. The query object is OpportunityLineItem so you must include 'Opportunity.' before field API Name if filtering on an Opportunity field. Example, if you wish to only show open Opportunities: Opportunity.IsClosed = False
Current Revenue Calculation Object	Provide end users with valuable insight into the current revenue attributed to a given Account and from which Product Offerings. This can be calculated by looking at Opportunity Line Items or Assets depending on your Salesforce processes.
Current Revenue Calculation Field	If the Calculation Object is Opportunity Line Item, the default field that will be aggregated is TotalPrice. If Assets, the default field is Price. If you are using a different field, specify the API Name here.
Current Revenue Filter Criteria	By default, all Assets/Opportunity Line Items (via the parent Opportunity) for a given Account will be included in the calculation. You will likely want to specify additional filter criteria. For example, if Calculation Object is Opportunity Line Item: Opportunity.IsWon = True AND CloseDate = LAST_YEAR. If Calculation Object is Asset: Status != 'Obsolete'

Indicates that option is only available if Template Configuration = Salesforce Products

Template Configuration Options

Before creating a new Whitespace Template, it's important to understand the two primary configuration options that are supported. Selecting the Template Configuration will be your first step when creating a new Whitespace Template. 

Salesforce Products

Selecting Salesforce Products as the Template Configuration provides the richest functionality. If you are using Salesforce Products (the Product2 object) consider selecting this configuration option. You will then be asked to provide the name of a picklist field that will be used for grouping your product offerings.

Custom

Not using Salesforce Products or need the ability to manually define your product offerings? Select Custom as the Template Configuration. You will then be asked to provide a comma separated list of Product Offering Values.

Creating a Whitespace Template 

Salesforce Products Template Configuration

1. Navigate to the Whitespace Templates tab and click New
2. Provide a Name that will help users select the correct template when creating a new Whitespace Analysis
3. Select Salesforce Products as the Template Configuration
4. Select a Timeframe value
   • If User Defined, the user will be required to enter a Start and End Date when creating a new Whitespace Summary
   • The Timeframe becomes especially relevant if you opt into showing current period opportunity indicators as the current period will be defined as the time between the Start and End Dates
5. Set a Product Offering Group By Field value - this must be a Product picklist field
   • Example: to group by Product Family enter the field API Name which is Family
6. Optionally, add a comma separated list of values to Product Offering Exclude Values
   
   • Example: if you have obsolete Product Family values that you are not actively selling add them as Product Offering Exclude Values so that they don't appear when creating a Whitespace Analysis
7. Optionally, set Include Customer Buying Centers to true if the Whitespace Analysis should include buying centers (ie, division, department, etc) down the vertical axis
   • If true, provide a comma separated list of values to Customer Buying Center Values
8. Optionally, set Show Current Period Opp Indicators to true if you want to provide a visual indication for open/closed Opportunities to end users on the Whitespace Analysis
   • By default, a visual indicator will appear for Opportunities that have a Close Date within the defined period for the Whitespace Analysis
   • You can provide Current Period Opp Filter Criteria if you wish to only show indicators for specific Opportunities (ie, open Opportunities only
   • See Whitespace Analysis Opportunity Indicators for additional information
9. Optionally, select a Current Revenue Calculation Object value if you want current revenue to be calculated when a Whitespace Analysis is created
   • Opportunity Line Items
     • Calculate current revenue via the Opportunity Line Items of each related Opportunity
     • By default, TotalPrice will be used to calculate revenue but this can be overridden by populating the Current Revenue Calculation Field with the API Name of an OpportunityLineItem currency field
   • Assets
     • Calculate current revenue via related Assets
     • By default, Price will be used to calculate revenue but this can be overridden by populating the Current Revenue Calculation Field with the API Name of an Asset currency field
   • You can provide Current Revenue Filter Criteria to specify criteria for which records are included in the current revenue calculation
   • See Whitespace Analysis Current Revenue Calculation for additional information

Custom Template Configuration

1. Navigate to the Whitespace Templates tab and click New
2. Provide a Name that will help users select the correct template when creating a new Whitespace Analysis
3. Select Custom as the Template Configuration
4. Select a Timeframe value
   • If User Defined, the user will be required to enter a Start and End Date when creating a new Whitespace Summary
5. Optionally, Set Include Customer Buying Centers to true if the Whitespace Analysis should include buying centers (ie, division, department, etc) down the vertical axis
   • If true, provide a comma separated list of values to Customer Buying Center Values
6. Save

Whitespace Analysis Opportunity Indicators

Available if Template Configuration is Salesforce Products

What are Opportunity Indicators?

A visual representation on the Whitespace Analysis component that shows the end user where Opportunities exist for the defined Product Offerings.

Possible States

	A gray crown indicates there are no Opportunities for the Product Offering
	A yellow crown indicates there are open Opportunities for the Product Offering
	A green crown indicates there are Closed Won Opportunities for the Product Offering
	A red crown indicates there are Closed Lost Opportunities for the Product Offering

 

Which Opportunities qualify to be represented as an Opportunity Indicator?

By default, and without specifying additional filter criteria, Opportunities that meet the below conditions will be represented:

1. The Opportunity is a child of the Account that the Whitespace Analysis has been created for
2. The Opportunity Close Date falls within the Current Period for the Whitespace Analysis
   • When creating a Whitespace Analysis, a Start Date and End Date must be provided. This is either set by the user when creating or defined at the Whitespace Template level (Timeframe)
3. The Opportunity has at least one Opportunity Line Item for a Product that aligns with one of the Product Offerings represented on the Whitespace Analysis

You can define additional filter criteria in the Current Period Opp Filter Criteria field on the Whitespace Template.

• A basic understanding of SOQL syntax is helpful when adding a filter. This Trailhead module is a great reference.
• Important Note: The query that drives the Opportunity Indicator functionality uses OpportunityLineItem as the 'From' object. As such, if you want to filter on an Opportunity field you must prefix it with 'Opportunity.'

Current Period Opp Filter Examples

You want to show...	Current Period Opp Filter Input
Opportunities that are open	Opportunity.IsClosed=False
Opportunities that have Amount>=$10,000 and Probability>50%	Opportunity.Amount>=50 AND Opportunity.Probability>50
Opportunities that are Closed or are in Stage of Proposal/Price Quote	Opportunity.IsClosed=True OR Opportunity.StageName='Proposal/Price Quote'

 

Whitespace Analysis Current Revenue Calculation

Available if Template Configuration is Salesforce Products

Is Current Revenue Calculation Right for Me?

If you have made it to this section of the article it means that you are using Salesforce Products and are building a Whitespace Template that leverages them. The next question to ask yourself is: can I calculate the current revenue for a customer Account via either an Opportunity or Asset report? If yes, the current revenue calculation functionality should work great for you and your team!

How is Current Revenue Calculated?

Products and, specifically, the Product Offering Group By Field that you defined is the key. Put simply, we aggregate the currency value from records (OpportunityLineItems or Assets) that relate to Products aligning to one of the Product Offerings represented on the Whitespace Analysis. You can select either Opportunity Line Items or Assets for the Current Revenue Calculation Object.

Opportunity Line Items

By default, and without specifying additional filter criteria, Opportunity Line Items that meet the below conditions will be included in the calculation:

1. The Opportunity Line Item's parent Opportunity is a child of the Account that the Whitespace Analysis has been created for
2. The Opportunity Line Item's Product aligns with one of the Product Offerings represented on the Whitespace Analysis

TotalPrice is aggregated as part of the revenue calculation. To use another field, populate the Current Revenue Calculation Field with the API Name of the OpportunityLineItem field you wish to use

Assets

By default, and without specifying additional filter criteria, Assets that meet the below conditions will be included in the calculation:

1. The Asset is a child of the Account that the Whitespace Analysis has been created for
2. The Asset's Product aligns with one of the Product Offerings represented on the Whitespace Analysis

Price is aggregated as part of the revenue calculation. To use another field, populate the Current Revenue Calculation Field with the API Name of the Asset field you wish to use

Add Current Revenue Filter Criteria 

In all likelihood, in order to calculate an accurate revenue number you will need to provide filter criteria. 

• A basic understanding of SOQL syntax is helpful when adding a filter. This Trailhead module is a great reference.
• Important Note if using Opportunity Line Items: The query that drives the Opportunity Indicator functionality uses OpportunityLineItem as the 'From' object. As such, if you want to filter on an Opportunity field you must prefix it with 'Opportunity.'

Current Revenue Filter Criteria Examples

Calculation Object	You want to calculate...	Current Revenue Filter Criteria Input
Opportunity Line Item	Opportunities ClosedWon in the last 180 Days	Opportunity.IsWon = True AND Opportunity.CloseDate = LAST_N_DAYS:180
Asset	Assets that are not Obsolete	Status != 'Obsolete'