User Event Script Best Practices: Avoiding Recursion and Performance Issues

Best Practices to Avoid Recursion

Check the Execution Context

• Use context.executionContext to determine the source of the script trigger. This allows you to skip execution in unwanted contexts like scheduled scripts or CSV imports.

Use Flag Fields to Prevent Re-entry

• Implement a custom checkbox or hidden field that acts as a flag to indicate that certain logic has already run. This can prevent the same logic from executing again on the same record.

Avoid Unnecessary Record Saves Inside UES

• Avoid calling record.save() within a User Event script unless absolutely necessary, especially in afterSubmit. Instead, use submitFields() for lightweight updates.

Delegate Complex Logic to Scheduled Scripts

• If the script logic involves creating or updating other records, consider offloading that logic to a scheduled or Map/Reduce script to decouple processing from the transaction flow.

Use Clear Conditional Logic

• Write explicit conditions to control when parts of your script should execute, based on the event type (create, edit, delete) or field values

 Best Practices for Performance Optimization

Avoid Full Record Loads When Possible

• Use submitFields() or getValue() to read or update only specific fields. Full record loads (record.load()) are costly in terms of performance and governance.

Minimize Search Operations Inside Scripts

• Avoid executing searches inside User Event scripts unless absolutely required. Use efficient search filters and pagination methods (runPaged) to handle large datasets.

Avoid Long Processing Times

• Time-intensive logic should be moved to deferred processes like scheduled or Map/Reduce scripts to avoid timeout issues.

Split Logic into Functions for Clarity and Reuse

• Modularizing your logic into smaller functions improves maintainability and performance tracking.