What Are the Things to Consider Before a Salesforce Integration Project?
Integration is a procedure of connecting two or more applications that are running on either common or multiple platforms. By integration, you provide a helping hand to two systems to share data and interact with each other. Sharing of data is one of the benefits which is to be reckoned with concerning Salesforce.
Are you seriously considering integrating your system with Salesforce? Then start only after considering some important facts. You must accept that data is the new business currency and is your most essential asset which is going to leverage.
Why we are emphasizing more on it? It is because the preparation for such a task is crucial for the stability and success of your project and at times could become a challenge for you.
Needless to say, any type of integration whether one or bi-directional; makes sense only when integration of your system with Salesforce or vice-versa helps in enhancing efficiency and reduce data duplication. That’s it!
Yes, integrating two systems can often cause a headache if some important aspects are not pursued before the occurrence of integration. In the end, you are attempting to persuading two systems coming from different backgrounds to sync with each other perfectly.
Here we are presenting some of the most ignored after sought questions which you should ponder before opting for Salesforce integration services.
Let’s go and venture out of your comfort zone to improve your business fortune!
A. Which integration type you want to associate with: Real-time or batch?
Real-time integration is the procedure of recording the data immediately as soon as it is created or updated. On the other hand, batch integration is the process of collecting data at a regular interval and not instantly.
Every integration project must identify which integration type will be beneficial for their project to get the best possible outcomes. You should ask some crucial question to yourself:
- Do you need data and apps in real-time or batch?
- Did any limiters and bandwidth constraints affect your efficient utilization?
- Do you want to opt for a hybrid approach to both integrations?
Although you should think about these considerations for your project, yet successful integration relies on various factors concerning integration objectives.
B. Do you consider reviewing API limits?
Not only Salesforce, but various external systems have strict API limits for transferring their data in 24 hours. If you are thinking about Salesforce, then it should not exceed a maximum of up to 15000 API calls/day.
Why it is necessary for reviewing? It is vital because it helps in maintaining the optimal performance of your project and makes sure that API, Lightning Platform in the given case; remains available to the customers.
In the case of Salesforce, two types are limits are imposed:
- Total API Request Allocations
- Concurrent API Request Limits
So, it is up to you to be prepared for such restrictions for all the systems which have participated in the integration process.
C. Which information needs to be moved between the system and how frequently?
There is no doubt that your system, as well as your Salesforce system, contains lots of customers’ data. Therefore, it becomes important for you to take some time out from your hectic schedule and find out your needs to move from one system to another.
Afterward, when you have identified the data required for sync, establish which direction you want your data to move and how often. Still in perplexed mode; then go through the following example of integrating Salesforce with your financial system.
It is recommended to create a spreadsheet on MS-Excel to track all the movement of data. It shall have the following columns:
- Field’s name in Salesforce and another system
- Field types such as date, text, etc.
- Description of Field-direction for synchronization
- Frequency of data movement either in a few hours or in a single day
If you go through the given procedure before the commencement of the project, it will be beneficial to prepare a strategic roadmap to meet all the requirements associated with the integration.
D. Remembering that Apex is not Present everywhere to solve middleware issues
In Salesforce, code-based integration occurs using Apex which is Java-like run-time programming language. It comes with a powerful set of features that allows the organization to create custom APIs and 3rd party API’s for some additional data.
With such additional features, many organizations are tempted to stretch their exploitation past the official limit to use it as a middleware rather than an integration tool.
It is a serious issue as Apex is not designed for handling complex middleware applications. You are required to think about changing your design if you are using Apex because it will be unable to solve problems such as:
- Translation of data between Salesforce and 3rd party system
- Provision of message queuing capabilities among the given applications
- Applying complex automation on services present across multiple systems
E. When is the time to move data to Salesforce?
There is another aspect that you must ponder regarding Salesforce integration and is the movement of data from the source app to the Salesforce. Many facts affect the given movement and it ranges from regulatory services to data currency.
Besides this, there is a certain recommendation which you should take note:
- Allocation of data capacity comes with several licenses and it is strongly recommended to get access to capacity planning and archival strategy
- Utilize best practices for deployments for use cases compromising the large volume of Salesforce records
- Take special care to use Einstein Analytics to use external data within Salesforce for dashboards and reporting
F. Know about your Configuration Options
It is to be noted that Salesforce comes with out-of-box options for integrating with no requirement of code. Yes, that’s true! There is the availability of great options for meeting simply as well as complex integration needs and save time, cost and effort appropriately.
It is possible by sharing the records by copying them form on the side to others via a configured link. It is useful in those cases where the other system is also utilizing the services of the Salesforce.
Wrapping Up
After going through the given article, one thing is clear that Salesforce is a perfect buddy for those organizations that are in dire need of integrating their system with Salesforce.
By going through the above-given things and remembering them before starting the Salesforce integration with your system, you are surely going to enhance your Salesforce integration services among your customers successfully.
