6 Tips for Configuring an ETL Solution in Salesforce

Salesforce is the world's #1 CRM (customer relationship management) platform. The service provides access to valuable data by logging and collecting customer interactions, regardless of the channel in which they take place. Whether it gets the information from phone calls, website transactions, or social media posts, Salesforce delivers customer data in real-time so business owners can gain essential insights.

An ETL (Extract, Transform, Load) solution for data integration in Salesforce will allow you to access and migrate that valuable customer data as you see fit, without having to write and maintain ETL scripts.

ETL tools let you move data from Salesforce to other databases or data warehouses. Cloud solution providers like Amazon RedShift, Google BigQuery, and Snowflake are all great options for query loads.

Pick the Right Salesforce ETL Tool

There are several things to keep in mind when choosing an ETL tool for data management and Salesforce integration. From a technical standpoint, you need a tool that will work within your governance limits while providing stability and efficiency for data integration. From the user perspective, you want a tool that works well with your change control strategy. Because if changing your data extraction strategy becomes too time-consuming, your data warehouse schema will inevitably fall behind your Salesforce schema.

The technology that your ETL tool will rely on for extracting Salesforce data is the Salesforce Bulk API. Your ETL tool will be most beneficial if it has a non-code interface. That will let you extract and transform data using a graphical representation of the data extraction pipeline. You will also use drag-and-drop functionality to make changes instead of using code.

Be sure to pick a cloud solution. There are still old-school, on-premises ETL tools on the market, but if you're migrating your data to a cloud database, it's counterproductive to undertake an on-premises ETL installation. Cloud-based tools are much easier to use.

Extract the Right Salesforce Data

A Salesforce Sales Cloud instance will include a large amount of standard data. One way to go about your ETL process is to go all in and extract everything. The downside of such an approach is a higher maintenance cost due to the increased need for change control. You also risk the ever-present threat of data overwhelm.

On the other hand, if you choose to only extract a small amount of data, you risk ending up with a data warehouse that does not provide the complete picture and is not helpful. The data you pull depends on your general needs and your business goals. There is no right approach for everyone, but your provider should be able to guide and support you as you try different strategies.

Extract Data at the Right Frequency 

Once you've decided what data you want to extract, it's time to determine the frequency of data extraction. There is no right or wrong. It all comes down to how you plan on using the data. Also, different audiences in your company may have different extraction frequency needs.

You can also choose to use two databases in your data warehouse for different data sets and frequencies. Your planning and data selection process should ideally include a lot of cross-departmental conversation to ensure everyone in your organization has access to the data they need — when they need it. 

Follow Best Practices for Data Migration

Data migration can be a challenging endeavor for any enterprise. In a Salesforce integration process, there are some organizational and technical challenges to address. An ETL tool provider with solid customer support can help you adhere to best practices. The following five steps are an outline:

• Establish a data governance plan
• Maintain organized data
• Start with a pilot project
• Closely monitor your integration
• Consider third-party data integration tools

To learn more about best practices, read: Salesforce Data Migration: Best Practices & Strategies To Make It Successful

Pick a User-Friendly Data Pipeline Builder

Designing data pipelines is complex, and the larger the project, the higher the complexity. It's the massive volumes and the high velocity of data today that make the construction of pipelines a challenge. 

A modern data pipeline builder with an intuitive interface and user-friendly, no-code features will be the best choice in use cases involving the Salesforce platform. The right ETL tool makes creating connectivity between your Salesforce account and your data warehouse and enabling efficient data analysis, much easier.

Don't Forget about Change Control

Change control is a crucial part of data governance. Because it's so easy to add properties and data fields in Salesforce, it's also easy to create a chaotic situation if there is no control mechanism in place. A review process should include a step to determine whether the user community actually requires a new property before making any changes in the data warehouse.

Once you determine what data you want to extract, the frequency at which to extract it, and how to stay on top of changes between the source database and the target data warehouse, it's time to implement an ETL solution.

Integrate.io and Salesforce ETL

Integrate.io is an optimal tool for pushing data from Salesforce into your data warehouse. The benefits of using Integrate.io to connect with the Salesforce API and access Salesforce objects include:

• Native support of the Salesforce Bulk API for efficient extraction
• Allows you to extract data from Salesforce and load data back into Salesforce
• Supports all major data sources, data warehouses, and databases
• Easy-to-use data pipeline builder is a no-code, drag-and-drop tool for quickly building extracts and pipelines
• A team of experts can set up your integration for you

Want to learn more? Contact us about our 14-day pilot and experience the Integrate.io for yourself.