sf-industry-commoncore-flexcard: OmniStudio FlexCard Creation and Validation

Expert OmniStudio engineer specializing in FlexCard UI components for Salesforce Industries. Generate production-ready FlexCard definitions that display at-a-glance information with declarative data binding, Integration Procedure data sources, conditional rendering, and proper SLDS styling. All FlexCards are validated against a 130-point scoring rubric across 7 categories.

Core Responsibilities

FlexCard Authoring: Design and build FlexCard definitions with proper layout, states, and field mappings
Data Source Binding: Configure Integration Procedure data sources with correct field mapping and error handling
Test Generation: Validate cards against multiple data states (populated, empty, error, multi-record)
Documentation: Produce deployment-ready documentation with data source lineage and action mappings

Document Map

Need	Document	Description
Best practices	references/best-practices.md	Layout patterns, SLDS, accessibility, performance
Data binding	references/data-binding-guide.md	IP sources, field mapping, conditional rendering

CRITICAL: Orchestration Order

FlexCards sit at the presentation layer of the OmniStudio stack. Ensure upstream components exist before building a FlexCard that depends on them.

sf-industry-commoncore-omnistudio-analyze → sf-industry-commoncore-datamapper → sf-industry-commoncore-integration-procedure → sf-industry-commoncore-omniscript → sf-industry-commoncore-flexcard (you are here)

FlexCards consume data from Integration Procedures and can launch OmniScripts. Build the data layer first, then the presentation layer.

Key Insights

Insight	Detail
Configuration fields	`OmniUiCard` uses `DataSourceConfig` for data source bindings and `PropertySetConfig` for card layout, states, and actions. There is NO `Definition` field on `OmniUiCard` in Core namespace.
Data source binding	Data sources bind to Integration Procedures for live data; the IP must be active and deployed before the FlexCard can retrieve data
Child card embedding	FlexCards can embed other FlexCards as child cards, enabling composite layouts with shared or independent data sources
OmniScript launching	FlexCards can launch OmniScripts via action buttons, passing context data from the card's data source into the OmniScript's input
Designer virtual object	The FlexCard Designer uses `OmniFlexCardView` as a virtual list object (`/lightning/o/OmniFlexCardView/home`), separate from the `OmniUiCard` sObject where card records are stored. Cards created via API may not appear in "Recently Viewed" until opened in the Designer.

Workflow (5-Phase Pattern)

Phase 1: Requirements Gathering

Before building, clarify these with the stakeholder:

Question	Why It Matters
What is the card's purpose?	Determines layout type and data density
Which data sources are needed?	Identifies required Integration Procedures
What object context does it run in?	Determines record-level vs. list-level display
What actions should the card expose?	Drives button/link configuration and OmniScript integration
What layout best fits the use case?	Single card, list, tabbed, or flyout
Are there conditional display rules?	Fields or sections that appear/hide based on data values

Phase 2: Design & Layout

Card Layout Options

Layout Type	Use Case	Description
Single Card	Record summary	One card displaying fields from a single record
Card List	Related records	Repeating cards bound to an array data source
Tabbed Card	Multi-context	Multiple states displayed as tabs within one card
Flyout Card	Detail on demand	Expandable detail panel triggered from a summary card

Data Source Configuration

Each FlexCard data source connects to an Integration Procedure (or other source type) and maps response fields to display elements.

FlexCard → Data Source (type: IntegrationProcedure)
         → IP Name + Input Mapping
         → Response Field Mapping → Card Elements

Map IP response fields to card display elements using {datasource.fieldName} merge syntax
Configure input parameters to pass record context (e.g., {recordId}) to the IP
Set data source order when multiple sources feed the same card

Action Button Design

Action Type	Purpose	Configuration
Launch OmniScript	Start a guided process	OmniScript Type + SubType, pass context params
Navigate	Go to record or URL	Record ID or URL template with merge fields
Custom Action	Platform event, LWC, etc.	Custom action handler with payload mapping

Conditional Visibility

Show/hide fields based on data values using visibility conditions
Show/hide entire card states based on data source results
Display empty-state messaging when data source returns no records

Phase 3: Generation & Validation

Generate the FlexCard definition JSON
Validate all data source references resolve to active Integration Procedures
Run the 130-point scoring rubric (see Scoring section below)
Verify merge field syntax matches IP response structure
Check accessibility attributes on all interactive elements

Phase 4: Deployment

Ensure all upstream Integration Procedures are deployed and active
Deploy the FlexCard metadata (OmniUiCard)
Activate the FlexCard in the target org
Embed the FlexCard in the target Lightning page, OmniScript, or parent FlexCard

Phase 5: Testing

Test each FlexCard against multiple data scenarios:

Scenario	What to Verify
Populated data	All fields render correctly, merge fields resolve
Empty data	Empty-state message displays, no broken merge fields
Error state	Graceful handling when IP returns an error or times out
Multi-record	Card list renders correct number of items, pagination works
Action buttons	OmniScript launches with correct pre-populated data
Conditional fields	Visibility rules toggle correctly based on data values
Mobile	Card layout adapts to smaller viewport widths

Generation Guardrails

Avoid these patterns when generating FlexCard definitions:

Anti-Pattern	Why It's Wrong	Correct Approach
Referencing non-existent IP data sources	Card fails to load data at runtime	Verify IP exists and is active before binding
Hardcoded colors in styles	Breaks SLDS theming and dark mode	Use SLDS design tokens and CSS custom properties
Missing accessibility attributes	Fails WCAG compliance	Add `aria-label`, `role`, and keyboard handlers
Excessive nested child cards	Performance degrades with deep nesting	Limit to 2 levels of nesting; flatten where possible
Ignoring empty states	Broken UI when data source returns no records	Configure explicit empty-state messaging
Hardcoded record IDs	Card breaks across environments	Use merge fields and context-driven parameters

Scoring Rubric (130 Points)

All FlexCards are validated against 7 categories. Thresholds: ✅ 90+ (Deploy) | ⚠️ 67-89 (Review) | ❌ <67 (Block - fix required)

Category	Points	Criteria
Design & Layout	25	Appropriate layout type, logical field grouping, responsive design, consistent spacing, clear visual hierarchy
Data Binding	20	Correct IP references, proper merge field syntax, input parameter mapping, multi-source coordination
Actions & Navigation	20	Action buttons configured correctly, OmniScript launch params mapped, navigation targets valid, action labels descriptive
Styling	20	SLDS tokens used (no hardcoded colors), consistent typography, proper use of card/tile patterns, dark mode compatible
Accessibility	15	`aria-label` on interactive elements, keyboard navigable actions, sufficient color contrast, screen reader friendly field labels
Testing	15	Verified with populated data, empty state, error state, multi-record scenario, and mobile viewport
Performance	15	Data source calls minimized, child card nesting limited (max 2 levels), no redundant IP calls, lazy loading for non-visible states

Scoring Breakdown Detail

Design & Layout (25 points)

Criterion	Points	Description
Layout type matches use case	5	Single, list, tabbed, or flyout chosen appropriately
Field grouping is logical	5	Related fields are visually grouped together
Responsive behavior	5	Card adapts to different viewport widths
Consistent spacing	5	Margins and padding follow SLDS spacing scale
Visual hierarchy	5	Primary information is prominent, secondary is de-emphasized

Data Binding (20 points)

Criterion	Points	Description
IP references are valid	5	All referenced IPs exist and are active
Merge field syntax correct	5	`{datasource.field}` paths resolve to actual IP response fields
Input parameters mapped	5	Record context passed correctly to IP inputs
Multi-source coordination	5	Multiple data sources load in correct order without conflicts

Actions & Navigation (20 points)

Criterion	Points	Description
Action buttons functional	5	All buttons trigger their configured actions
OmniScript params mapped	5	Context data flows correctly into launched OmniScripts
Navigation targets valid	5	Record and URL navigation resolves correctly
Labels are descriptive	5	Action labels clearly communicate what the action does

Styling (20 points)

Criterion	Points	Description
SLDS tokens used	5	Colors, fonts, spacing via design tokens
Consistent typography	5	Text sizes follow SLDS type scale
Card pattern compliance	5	Uses standard SLDS card or tile patterns
Dark mode compatible	5	No hardcoded colors; works with SLDS dark theme

Accessibility (15 points)

Criterion	Points	Description
ARIA labels on interactive elements	5	Buttons, links, and inputs have accessible names
Keyboard navigable	5	All actions reachable via Tab, activated via Enter/Space
Color contrast sufficient	5	Meets WCAG 2.1 AA contrast ratio (4.5:1 for text)

Testing (15 points)

Criterion	Points	Description
Populated data verified	3	Card renders correctly with full data
Empty state verified	3	Empty-state message displays properly
Error state verified	3	Graceful handling of IP errors
Multi-record verified	3	Card list renders correct items
Mobile viewport verified	3	Layout adapts to small screens

Performance (15 points)

Criterion	Points	Description
Data source calls minimized	5	No redundant or duplicate IP invocations
Child card nesting limited	5	Maximum 2 levels of nested child cards
Lazy loading for hidden states	5	Non-visible tabs/flyouts load on demand

CLI Commands

# Query active FlexCards in the org
sf data query -q "SELECT Id,Name,DataSourceConfig,PropertySetConfig,IsActive FROM OmniUiCard WHERE IsActive=true" -o <org>

# Retrieve a specific FlexCard by name
sf project retrieve start -m OmniUiCard:<Name> -o <org>

# Deploy a FlexCard to the target org
sf project deploy start -m OmniUiCard:<Name> -o <org>

# Retrieve all FlexCards
sf project retrieve start -m OmniUiCard -o <org>

# Deploy all OmniStudio metadata (FlexCards + dependencies)
sf project deploy start -m OmniUiCard -m OmniIntegrationProcedure -m OmniScript -o <org>

Data Source Binding

FlexCard Data Source Configuration

The DataSourceConfig field on OmniUiCard contains the data source bindings as JSON. The PropertySetConfig field contains the card layout, states, and field definitions.

IMPORTANT: There is NO Definition field on OmniUiCard in Core namespace. Use DataSourceConfig for data sources and PropertySetConfig for layout.

{
  "dataSource": {
    "type": "IntegrationProcedures",
    "value": {
      "ipMethod": "Type_SubType",
      "vlocityAsync": false,
      "inputMap": {
        "recordId": "{recordId}"
      },
      "resultVar": ""
    },
    "orderBy": {
      "name": "",
      "isReverse": ""
    },
    "contextVariables": []
  }
}

Data Source Types

Type	`dataSource.type`	When to Use
Integration Procedure	`IntegrationProcedures` (plural, capital P)	Primary pattern; calls an IP for live data
SOQL	`SOQL`	Direct query (use sparingly; prefer IP for abstraction)
Apex Remote	`ApexRemote`	Custom Apex class invocation
REST	`REST`	External API call via Named Credential
Custom	`Custom`	Custom data provider (pass JSON body directly)

Field Mapping from IP Response

Map IP response fields to card display elements using merge field syntax:

IP Response:                    FlexCard Merge Field:
─────────────                   ─────────────────────
{ "Name": "Acme Corp" }   →    {Name}
{ "Account": {            →    {Account.Name}
    "Name": "Acme Corp"
  }
}
{ "records": [             →    {records[0].Name}  (single)
    { "Name": "Acme" }          or iterate with Card List layout
  ]
}

Input Parameter Mapping

Pass context from the hosting page into the IP data source:

Context Variable	Source	Example
`{recordId}`	Current record page	Pass to IP to query related data
`{userId}`	Running user	Filter data by current user
`{param.customKey}`	URL parameter or parent card	Pass from parent FlexCard or URL

Cross-Skill Integration

Skill	Relationship to sf-industry-commoncore-flexcard
sf-industry-commoncore-integration-procedure	Build the IP data sources that FlexCards consume
sf-industry-commoncore-omniscript	Build the OmniScripts that FlexCard action buttons launch
sf-industry-commoncore-datamapper	Build DataRaptors/DataMappers that IPs use under the hood
sf-industry-commoncore-omnistudio-analyze	Analyze dependency chains across FlexCards, IPs, and OmniScripts
sf-deploy	Deploy FlexCard metadata along with upstream dependencies
sf-lwc	Build custom LWC components embedded within FlexCards

Edge Cases

Scenario	Handling
Empty data	Configure an explicit empty-state with a user-friendly message; do not show raw "No data" or blank card
Error states	Display a meaningful error message when the IP data source fails; log the error for debugging
Mobile responsiveness	Use single-column layout for mobile; avoid horizontal scrolling; test at 320px viewport width
Long text values	Truncate with ellipsis and provide a flyout or tooltip for full text
Large record sets	Use card list with pagination; limit initial load to 10-25 records
Null field values	Use conditional visibility to hide fields with null values rather than showing empty labels
Mixed data freshness	When multiple data sources have different refresh rates, display a "last updated" indicator

FlexCard vs LWC Decision Guide

Factor	FlexCard	LWC
Build method	Declarative (drag-and-drop)	Code (JS, HTML, CSS)
Data binding	Integration Procedure merge fields	Wire service, Apex, GraphQL
Best for	At-a-glance information display	Complex interactive UIs
Testing	Manual + data state verification	Jest unit tests + manual
Customization	Limited to OmniStudio framework	Full platform flexibility
Reuse	Embed as child cards	Import as child components
When to choose	Standard card layouts with IP data	Custom behavior, animations, complex state

Dependencies

Required: Target org with OmniStudio (Industries Cloud) license, sf CLI authenticated For Data Sources: Active Integration Procedures deployed to the target org For Actions: Active OmniScripts deployed (if action buttons launch OmniScripts) Scoring: Block deployment if score < 67

Creating FlexCards programmatically: Use REST API (sf api request rest --method POST --body @file.json). Required fields: Name, VersionNumber, OmniUiCardType (e.g., Child). Set DataSourceConfig (JSON string) for data source bindings and PropertySetConfig (JSON string) for card layout. The sf data create record --values flag cannot handle JSON in textarea fields. Activate by updating IsActive=true after creation.

External References

OmniStudio FlexCards Trailhead - Official learning module
OmniStudio Developer Guide - Technical reference
Salesforce Industries Documentation - FlexCard configuration guide

sf-industry-commoncore-flexcard