Government agencies today embrace technology to serve their customers, but the apps they implement must also meet specific security and regulatory requirements. That’s why many governments are turning to native apps that offer benefits like enhanced security, robust functionality, and user-friendly interfaces.
Native apps can streamline your government operations, improve citizen engagement, and ensure data privacy. Read on to learn what native apps are, how they work with Salesforce, and why they are the go-to solution for government agencies using Salesforce.
What are Native Apps?
In software development, a native app is an application specifically designed and developed using programming languages and tools native to the platform they are intended to run on, such as iOS or Android.
What is a Native Salesforce App?
A native Salesforce app is a platform-specific application built on top of Salesforce, a widely used customer relationship management (CRM) platform that provides organizations with tools and features to manage their customer data and interactions. Salesforce native apps process all of your data within Salesforce without transferring it to an external server.
10 Reasons Native Apps are the Only Choice for Government Organizations Using Salesforce
Salesforce native apps work seamlessly within the Salesforce ecosystem, using the platform's features and capabilities. This allows agencies to extend the functionality of their Salesforce instance and customize it to meet their specific needs, resulting in a smoother and more optimized user experience.
Let’s go over the 10 reasons these unique apps are the only choice for government organizations using Salesforce.
1. Data Security
Government organizations constantly handle sensitive and confidential data, and keeping that data secure is essential. Salesforce native apps are some of the safest ways for public sector organizations to deliver custom functionality on Salesforce.
Why are native apps so safe? Because they’re built into the very fabric of the Salesforce platform, whose stringent security measures make it one of the most trusted CRMs in the world. They leverage the mobile app security features built into the Salesforce platform to provide an added layer of security, including robust data encryption, access controls, and audit trails. Native apps operate entirely within your secure, partitioned instance of Salesforce, keeping your data inside the platform, protecting sensitive information from unauthorized access, and ensuring compliance with data protection regulations.
2. Regulatory Compliance
Your government organization is subject to strict regulatory requirements and compliance standards, so naturally, you need technology that meets government security best practices. Salesforce security features are backed up by audits and certifications that ensure they meet government standards, including:
- Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) High Provisional Authority to Operate
- DoD Impact Level 4 and 5 (IL4 and IL5)
- IRS 1075
- And many more
Native apps use Salesforce's infrastructure and inherit many of its IT security controls, making compliance evaluations much simpler for your teams.
Now, Salesforce doesn’t cover every requirement for native apps, so some apps work with third-party organizations to assess compliance with non-covered security controls. For instance, S-Docs, a 100% native Salesforce app and a leading document solution for government organizations, worked with a third-party assessment organization and successfully completed a product evaluation for FedRAMP Moderate, DoD IL2, and DoD IL4 compliance.
3. Time to Value
Implementing new software solutions can be time-consuming and costly for government organizations on strict project timelines. Salesforce native apps are easily integrated with existing Salesforce instances, minimizing the implementation time and effort required, giving your organization:
- Easier security vetting: Native apps only run and process data on Salesforce, a platform you’ve already approved.
- Familiar Architecture: Composed entirely of Salesforce’s core building blocks, native apps are easier for implementation teams to deploy and customize.
- Faster user adoption: Native apps blend with the look and feel of your Salesforce instance, making it easier for teams to learn and adopt them.
Native apps provide your organization with fast value to realize the benefits of the app and deliver value to constituents right away.
4. Flexibility
Salesforce Government Cloud is designed to meet the needs of federal, state, local, and defense organizations. Native Salesforce apps provide a high degree of flexibility, so you can customize and extend the functionality of your Salesforce instance to meet your specific needs. Since they’re built from the same tools as Salesforce, fitting them into custom workflows — including look, feel, and functionality — is much easier than with non-native alternatives.
An example of this is S-Docs, which can be easily plugged into any custom process or Salesforce-powered platform to automatically create pixel-perfect government forms, applications, and other documents. Even away from the office, S-Docs and the Salesforce mobile app offer security and flexibility that enable you to adapt and evolve your processes as your needs change over time, ensuring that your software solution remains aligned with their business objectives.
5. Performance
When you are dealing with large amounts of data and complex workflows, app performance is critical. Salesforce native apps run on the Salesforce platform with no server latency to external systems, ensuring your organization can process and analyze data fast so you can make informed decisions and provide timely services to your constituents.
6. Reliability
Your company can’t afford software outages or disruptions when customers need help. Salesforce native apps rely on Salesforce servers so they're always up when Salesforce is up — which is almost always. This makes native apps more reliable than externally hosted apps that may experience unexpected downtime. This kind of reliability allows you to deliver consistent and uninterrupted services to your constituents, fostering trust and confidence in your ability to fulfill your responsibilities.
7. User Experience
An application that provides a good user experience makes it easier for employees to learn how to use it and complete their work more efficiently and intuitively. The advantage of native Salesforce apps is that they are designed with a focus on delivering a seamless user experience that mirrors the look and feel of Salesforce and fits into existing processes, so they don't feel like an external app. With a shorter learning curve, employees have enhanced productivity and greater user satisfaction, enabling your company to maximize the value of its software solution.
8. Salesforce Expertise
Salesforce is a complex platform, and fully leveraging its capabilities requires specialized knowledge and expertise. Native apps are developed by Salesforce experts who have in-depth knowledge of the Salesforce platform and its features. You'll be supported by a team that understands your use cases, and you’ll have access to a community of Salesforce experts who can provide support and guidance, further enhancing the value of the app. The S-Docs team is led by a former Salesforce Director and Technical architect and supported by former Salesforce employees and technical architects.
9. Simplicity/Scalability
Native Salesforce apps are designed to be simple and easy to use, even for non-technical users. They offer a user-friendly interface that blends with the existing Salesforce user interface and intuitive workflows that minimize the learning curve. These apps are built to be scalable because they leverage Salesforce's enterprise servers/resources to function, ensuring they can accommodate increasing volumes of data and users without sacrificing performance or user experience.
10. Future-Proof
Technology evolves constantly, and your government organization needs software solutions that can keep up with the pace of change. Since native Salesforce apps are built on a platform that is continuously updated and enhanced, the apps must update when Salesforce does to ensure they work with the platform’s latest functionality. Non-native apps that are focused on other platforms may fall behind because they don’t face the same urgency.
These future-proof native Salesforce apps mean that your software remains up-to-date with new features and functionalities as they are released.
S-Docs: 100% Native Document Automation built on Salesforce
As a leading provider of document generation solutions for government agencies, S-Docs is a 100% native Salesforce app built directly on top of Salesforce to leverage its features and capabilities. S-Docs provides government organizations with the ability to easily generate and distribute documents like agreements, contracts, reports, and invoices directly from within Salesforce, eliminating the need for manual document creation and reducing the risk of errors or inconsistencies.
With S-Docs and its native integration with Salesforce, all generated documents are automatically linked to the relevant Salesforce records, providing a complete and auditable document history. S-Docs offers additional features such as template management, electronic signatures, and document automation and offers on-the-go mobile app security when integrated with Salesforce mobile.
Ready to learn more about how S-Docs can benefit your government organization?
Request a free demo today!
