If you’re a Salesforce Admin who wants to become a Developer, you’re in the right place. You already know objects, fields, and automation — now let’s add one more tool: Apex triggers.

⚡ This tutorial will guide you through writing your first Apex Trigger inside the Salesforce Developer Console — no prior coding required!

Why Learn Apex Triggers?

• They allow you to go beyond what Flows and Process Builder can do
• You gain more control over logic and bulk updates
• It’s the first step to becoming a full Salesforce Developer

Step 1: Open Developer Console

Log into your Salesforce Org (Dev Org or Sandbox).

1. Click on your avatar (top-right corner)
2. Select Developer Console

Step 2: Create a New Trigger

1. Go to File > New > Apex Trigger
2. Enter the name SetAccountType
3. Select sObject: Account
4. Click Submit
   

Step 3: Write Your Trigger Code

Replace the default code with:

trigger SetAccountType on Account (before insert) {
    for (Account acc : Trigger.new) {
        if (acc.AnnualRevenue > 1000000) {
            acc.Type = 'Enterprise';
        }
    }
}

Step 4: Save and Test

Click File > Save or use Ctrl + S.

Now create a new Account record from the UI with an Annual Revenue over 1 million — it will auto-tag the Account Type as “Enterprise”!

Explanation

• before insert: The trigger runs before the record is saved
• Trigger.new: Refers to the list of new records being inserted
• acc.Type = 'Enterprise';: Sets the field value directly in Apex

How ChatGPT Can Help You Learn Apex

As a beginner, writing code can be intimidating. But with ChatGPT, you have a 24/7 assistant to guide you. Here’s how:

• 🧠 Explain code line-by-line
  Ask: Explain what Trigger.new means in Apex
• 🛠 Fix your errors
  Paste the error and ask: Why is my trigger failing with 'null pointer exception'?
• 🔄 Convert Flows to Apex
  Ask: Can you convert this flow logic into Apex?
• 📚 Practice and exercises
  Ask: Give me 3 beginner Apex trigger challenges

Think of ChatGPT as your personal Salesforce coding buddy — it won’t replace practice, but it will definitely accelerate your journey.

Why This Small Trigger Is a Big Deal

This tiny trigger teaches you how to:

• Write real Apex code
• Understand logic and looping
• Build something more flexible than Flow

It’s your first step toward becoming a true Developer!

Next Steps

• Try the same logic on Opportunities or Contacts
• Use after insert to trigger external logic
• Explore writing Apex classes and test methods
• Use ChatGPT to explain things whenever you’re stuck

Final Thoughts

Don’t wait to become a Developer. Start small. Experiment. Break and fix things.

The more you try, the more confident you’ll get. And now with ChatGPT in your toolbox — you’re never truly stuck.

💬 Follow me for more simple Apex tips, Admin-to-Dev learning guides, and practical ChatGPT use cases in Salesforce!

#Salesforce #AdminToDev #Apex #ChatGPT #SalesforceDeveloper #Trailblazer #LearnToCode