In an era where data is the new gold, maintaining a unified customer data system is pivotal for business success. Salesforce, recognized for its robust salesforce data integration and CRM capabilities, has positioned itself as an industry leader, serving over 150,000 salesforce customers around the world. Through its suite of Salesforce services, it empowers businesses to steer their marketing data, sales data, and much more, helping them not just interact but also resonate with their clientele.
Yet, with growth and expansion, complexities emerge. Organizations branching into new territories or assimilating business partners frequently confront the intricacy of juggling multiple Salesforce orgs. Here, the significance of Salesforce to Salesforce (S2S) connection is amplified.
It’s not merely about creating a bridge but orchestrating a seamless integration between different salesforce instances. With features like published objects related list, external sharing related list, and the flexibility to customize objects and fields, this Salesforce connection strives to eradicate data silos, thereby ensuring smooth data flow.
However, achieving a flawless Salesforce integration is not without its challenges and limitations. From configuring Salesforce settings, managing the connection tab, to prioritizing data privacy under the umbrella of the general data protection regulation, businesses have a lot on their plate.
Enter Syncari, a cutting-edge solution designed to simplify data synchronization across different platforms, including Salesforce. Syncari takes the S2S concept to another level, ensuring that your customer data is not just synchronized, but also clean, reliable, and most importantly, actionable.
Join us as we delve into the nuances of integrating Salesforce platforms and how Syncari, as the vanguard of data management, is redefining the rules of Salesforce connections.
[ Related: Salesforce to Salesforce Integration: Why Syncari’s Continuous Sync is the Ideal Solution ]
Understanding Salesforce to Salesforce Connection
What is a Salesforce to Salesforce Connection?
Before we delve further into the intricate world of data management, it’s crucial to understand what Salesforce to Salesforce connection entails. At its core, Salesforce to Salesforce is a feature that allows two Salesforce organizations to share records with each other directly. This means that businesses operating different Salesforce instances can seamlessly connect their data and ensure it remains updated across all platforms in real-time. In essence, Salesforce to Salesforce breaks down the walls between different Salesforce orgs, fostering a more cohesive, collaborative, and data-driven environment.
Why is This Connection so Important?
The answer is simple—data integrity and accessibility. Salesforce to Salesforce connection brings a wealth of benefits to the table. For one, it eliminates the risk of data silos. Data silos occur when information is held by one department but not accessible by others, thereby reducing the efficiency and effectiveness of business operations. By interconnecting Salesforce instances, businesses can ensure that all necessary data is easily accessible across the board, thereby fostering informed decision-making.
Additionally, a Salesforce to Salesforce connection helps maintain data consistency. Since updates are automatically shared between connected Salesforce instances, there is less risk of data discrepancies or duplications. This results in improved data accuracy, integrity, and reliability—a must in today’s data-driven business landscape.
How does this Connection Work?
Establishing a Salesforce to Salesforce connection entails a few key steps. First, the connection needs to be enabled by both Salesforce orgs, then a connection must be sent from one org to another, which needs to be accepted to establish the connection. Once the connection is established, the two orgs can start sharing records with each other. The shared records are then mapped to corresponding fields in the receiving org, ensuring data consistency and integrity.
It’s important to remember that while Salesforce to Salesforce facilitates seamless data sharing, it also requires careful management to ensure that only relevant data is shared, and data security is not compromised.
[ Related: Salesforce Shouldn’t Be Your Single Source of Truth – Top Reasons Why ]
Importance of Effective Data Integration
In a world where data reigns supreme, the ability to properly integrate and synchronize data from various sources is not just advantageous—it’s a necessity for businesses to thrive. Effective data integration is the cornerstone of any data-driven business strategy, empowering organizations to harness their data’s full potential. By creating a unified view of data, it facilitates informed decision-making, fosters collaboration, and ultimately, drives business growth.
However, just like any process, data integration has its fair share of challenges. Incorrect or inadequate data synchronization can lead to an array of pitfalls, including data inconsistencies, redundancies, and inaccuracies. In a business context, these discrepancies can result in operational inefficiencies, misguided decision-making, and potential losses. Imagine basing a critical business decision on outdated data or struggling to reach a customer due to incorrect contact information—these scenarios underline the significance of proper data synchronization.
Moreover, with data spread across multiple platforms, maintaining data accuracy and consistency can become an uphill task. The complexity is further heightened when it comes to syncing data across multiple Salesforce instances, where data schemas might differ, and data silos may exist.
That’s where Syncari comes into the picture. Syncari is designed to streamline the data integration process, making it easier for businesses to sync and manage data across various platforms, including multiple Salesforce orgs. This cutting-edge platform not only ensures seamless data synchronization but also automatically cleans and standardizes data, ensuring its reliability.
By using Syncari, businesses can mitigate the risk of data discrepancies, save time and resources spent on manual data cleaning and management, and focus more on using their data to drive strategic decisions and business growth. With Syncari, data integration becomes less of a daunting task and more of a strategic asset.
[ Related: The Difference Between Integration and Sync ]
Setting up Salesforce to Salesforce Connection
Setting up a Salesforce to Salesforce (S2S) connection can seem daunting, but with a step-by-step guide, the process becomes more manageable. Here are the steps you need to follow:
- Enabling Salesforce to Salesforce Connections: To enable Salesforce to Salesforce, simply navigate to the Salesforce to Salesforce Settings in Setup. Once enabled, it cannot be disabled. However, you have control over the data you share and the recipients of that data.
- Configuring Salesforce to Salesforce: After enabling Salesforce to Salesforce, you can create and assign permission sets to manage connections and sharing. You can also add the External Sharing related list to page layouts and create communication templates for seamless communication with connected organizations.
- Connecting with Business Partners using Salesforce to Salesforce: Discover which business partners are using Salesforce with the Connection Finder feature. Invite them to connect and share data using Salesforce to Salesforce. Manage your connections and connection templates from the Connections tab.
- Publishing Objects with Salesforce to Salesforce: To share records with another Salesforce organization, you need to publish the specific objects you want to share.
- Publishing Fields in Salesforce to Salesforce: Once an object is published, you can select individual fields on that object to be published. For standard objects, a default set of fields is automatically published.
- Subscribing to Objects with Salesforce to Salesforce: When connected to a business partner, you can subscribe to the objects they have published. Mapping these objects to corresponding objects in your organization allows for seamless integration. Standard objects must map to other standard objects, while custom objects can be mapped to any custom object.
- Subscribing to Fields in Salesforce to Salesforce
- Automating Updates with Workflow Rules in Salesforce to Salesforce: Workflow rules can be used to automate updates to records and connections in Salesforce to Salesforce. These rules can include processes such as updating picklist values when a field is edited by a connection. Workflow rules are triggered by any subscribed field in organizations with automatic record acceptance enabled.
While these steps can guide you through the setup process, it’s not uncommon to encounter challenges. These can range from differences in data schemas between the orgs, managing data access and privacy, to dealing with data discrepancies and duplicates, or even lack of technical expertise. However, these challenges can be effectively managed with meticulous planning, continuous monitoring, and proper data management practices.
But what if you could simplify this process even further? That’s where Syncari steps in. Syncari offers a unified data management solution that not only simplifies the S2S setup process but also takes it a step further by allowing data synchronization beyond Salesforce to Salesforce.
With Syncari, you can seamlessly integrate data across various platforms, not just Salesforce, creating a unified data ecosystem. It manages data schemas, cleans and standardizes data, and ensures data integrity and consistency. Moreover, Syncari’s powerful automation features make data management more efficient, allowing businesses to focus on leveraging their data instead of getting tangled in the intricacies of data integration.
By using Syncari, businesses can overcome the challenges of S2S connection setup, enhance their data integration capabilities, and ultimately drive more value from their data.
Managing Salesforce to Salesforce Connection
Limitations of a Native S2S Integration
Before plunging deeper into the benefits of Syncari, it’s essential to understand the inherent challenges posed by a native Salesforce to Salesforce (S2S) connection:
Syncing with Other Systems
A native S2S connection can often struggle when it comes to integrating Salesforce data with other systems. This lack of seamless integration can lead to fragmented data models, making it challenging to achieve a unified view of customer data.
Deduplication and Merge Flows
With multiple Salesforce orgs and other connected systems in the mix, the risk of data duplication is high. Running deduplication and merge flows across both Salesforce instances, let alone other systems, can be intricate and time-consuming. In contrast, Syncari offers a bonus here – it efficiently handles these tasks across all connected platforms.
Downtime Sync Issues
If one or both Salesforce instances face downtime, the native S2S connection can lead to significant sync problems. This can disrupt the sales data, marketing data, and other business processes dependent on real-time data flow. There’s also the potential for loss of key metrics during these downtimes, negatively impacting strategic decision-making.
Syncari’s Juxtaposition
Syncari not only addresses these inherent S2S problems but also amplifies the benefits of Salesforce integration. Whether you’re managing records private or public, transferring data between two Salesforce orgs, or ensuring compliance with the general data protection regulation, Syncari provides a robust platform that outshines the native S2S feature.
When you consider the challenges in managing connections tab, publishing objects, configuring Salesforce settings, and maintaining data sharing permissions, the advantages of Syncari become even more evident.
While Salesforce Connect and other Salesforce services provide tools for salesforce data integration, Syncari elevates the entire process, ensuring that integrating Salesforce is not just about connecting two systems but truly optimizing data consolidation, sharing, and business growth.
Tips to Manage S2S Connections
Successfully setting up a Salesforce to Salesforce (S2S) connection is only half the battle won. The real challenge lies in effectively managing this connection to ensure seamless data flow and maintain data integrity. Here are some tips to help you effectively manage your S2S connections:
Continual Monitoring
Regularly monitor your S2S connections to detect any discrepancies or issues early. This could include checking for data mismatches or ensuring data sync is happening as planned.
Maintain Data Privacy and Security
Always keep data privacy and security at the forefront. Be selective about the data you share and ensure it complies with all relevant privacy laws and regulations.
Periodic Data Cleaning
Implement regular data cleaning routines to keep your data accurate and up-to-date. This could include removing duplicates, fixing errors, and updating outdated information.
Streamline Access Control
Control who has access to shared data. Implement appropriate access controls to ensure that only authorized personnel can view and edit shared data.
Despite your best efforts, problems may arise if S2S connections are mismanaged. These could range from data inconsistencies due to unaddressed errors or duplicates, breaches in data security, and even legal repercussions if data privacy regulations are not adhered to. Not to mention, mismanagement can also lead to inefficient business operations and misguided decision-making.
Here again, Syncari proves to be an invaluable ally. Syncari can help manage these connections by providing real-time visibility into your data, allowing you to detect and address issues promptly. Its automated data cleaning capabilities ensure that your data is always reliable, while its robust security features maintain the highest level of data privacy and protection.
Syncari also allows for the implementation of data policies, ensuring that all data complies with your business rules and regulations. And with its unified data management solution, you can manage your data across various platforms in a centralized location, further simplifying the management process.
[ Related: Salesforce Deduplication: How to Dedupe Data in Salesforce]
Case Study: Successful Salesforce to Salesforce Connection with Syncari – Conga
Real-life use cases offer valuable insights into a solution’s capabilities and the transformative power it can bring to a business. Let’s take a closer look at Conga, a leader in digital document transformation, which successfully harnessed the capabilities of Syncari for their Salesforce to Salesforce (S2S) connections.
In May 2020, Conga and Apttus, a leading quote-to-cash solution provider, merged to create a holistic digital transformation solution for commercial operations. However, this merger came with a set of challenges. The primary task was to unify siloed data, processes, and technology from both entities within 12 months. With disparate technology stacks, disjointed data, and leads getting dropped while transitioning from the marketing stack to the CRM, the challenge was indeed daunting.
But with Syncari, Conga’s operations team found a solution. Syncari, a no-code platform, was quickly implemented without straining time-constrained IT resources. The result? A whopping 4x faster first response time, elimination of over 50 custom integrations, and projected Year 1 cost savings of $625k.
Conga employed Syncari to unify, clean, and manage cross-system data, centralize multi-vendor enrichment, and append missing lead activity data to opportunity records. The platform also helped automate interconnected workflows and reporting, routing leads to the appropriate rep, and distributing trusted cross-functional data and insights. The ease-of-use, completeness, and extremely fast ROI from Syncari proved to be game-changers.
As a next step, Conga plans to unify more of their tech stack, merge redundant CRMs, and enforce data consistency with Syncari. This case study clearly illustrates how Syncari can streamline S2S connections, overcome data integration challenges, and deliver tangible business results. By simplifying data management, Syncari empowers businesses to focus on what matters most – growth and transformation.
[WATCH: Coffee With Customers: Data Unification with Conga’s Scott Merselis ]
The Role of Syncari in Salesforce to Salesforce Connection
For many organizations, the Salesforce to Salesforce (S2S) connection represents a significant step toward a seamless data integration environment. Syncari plays a pivotal role in simplifying this process, providing powerful features that support effective data integration and synchronization.
One of Syncari’s standout features is its no-code interface. This allows non-technical users to manage data and build workflows easily, thereby democratizing data management. Syncari’s unified data management solution ensures that data is consistent and reliable across all platforms, eliminating data silos and discrepancies.
Moreover, Syncari offers advanced automation capabilities, which streamline data management processes, saving businesses time and resources. It also ensures high-level data privacy and protection, enabling businesses to share data securely.
Using Syncari for Salesforce integration has numerous benefits. Not only does it simplify the S2S setup and management process, but it also allows for data synchronization beyond Salesforce, creating a truly unified data ecosystem. The ability to integrate data from various platforms gives businesses the flexibility to have any component at the center of their data universe, not just Salesforce.
But perhaps the most powerful testament to Syncari’s capabilities are the endorsements from its users. Scott Merselis, Sr Operations Manager, praises Syncari’s impact, stating, “Syncari is helping us simplify and democratize data management as we scale. It allows my team to automate workflows and build new processes at the pace we require and puts us back in control of our operations roadmap.”
Similarly, Chris Thompson, Head of Marketing Operations, values the flexibility that Syncari brings, saying, “Syncari has given us the option to not have Salesforce as the center of our data universe. Now, any component can be at the center. And to me, that alone is worth its weight in gold.”
Clearly, Syncari offers the tools and capabilities businesses need to make the most of their S2S connections, demonstrating its role as a vital ally in the journey towards efficient data management.
Conclusion
Salesforce to Salesforce (S2S) connections have undeniably become a significant facet of effective data management for businesses. These connections allow businesses to seamlessly share and sync data between different Salesforce orgs, unlocking new levels of efficiency, collaboration, and data-driven decision-making.
However, managing these connections and ensuring data integrity across various platforms can be complex and challenging. That’s where Syncari steps in. As we’ve discussed, Syncari’s unified data management solution simplifies the S2S setup and management process and allows for data synchronization beyond Salesforce. Its no-code interface, advanced automation capabilities, and commitment to data privacy and protection make it a powerful ally for any business looking to enhance its data integration capabilities.
Real-life use cases, like that of Conga, and the glowing testimonials from users, further reinforce the transformative impact that Syncari can have on a business’s data management practices. So, if you’re looking to simplify your data integration processes, increase operational efficiency, and drive more value from your data, Syncari could be the solution you’re looking for.
Interested in learning more about how Syncari can revolutionize your data management practices? Visit our website to get more information or better yet, start a free trial today. Empower your business with Syncari and harness the full potential of your data.