Referring Managed Packages in Unmanaged package

Question

I have one AppExchange package, which is installed by various clients (for e.g. 100 customers).

One of these customers has a specific requirement and to complete that I need to create an unmanaged package with few reports/dashboards/process builder/Flows/Permission Set which will refer a few components (Mostly Objects, Fields) from my AppExchange managed package.

If you try to add a Managed metadata item (Object, Fields) into an Unmanaged package, it doesn't allow you directly.

But, if you try to add an Unmanaged Metadata Component (Reports, Dashboards, Report Type, Process Builder, Permission Set, etc.) which is referring a Managed metadata Component (Object, Fields, etc.), it adds Unmanaged metadata Components + Managed metadata Components (objects, fields).

With this behavior, I will be able to create an Unmanaged Package for one of the customers who have specific requirements.

But, I would like to confirm if this is a recommended way as per Salesforce 's Best Practice?

Answer 1

It is a good approach to deliver some functionality such as reports, or common Flows, Processes,Triggers that customer require when using your package.

Main benefit of these is that it unmanaged package could be a starting point or some sort of example solution that you or your customers need to slightly modify.

And if that is not in main package it is not increasing amount of functionality and features you need to support