Table of Contents

ETL is an acronym for Extract, Transform and Load. It refers to a process of extracting data from one system and transforming it so that it can be loaded into another system. It is the process that lets businesses amass large amounts of data in data warehouses that they can use for business operations.

Reverse ETL is a term used when the data is pushed from the warehouse to the CRM. This process seems simple, but there are many pitfalls that can come up during this phase. Reverse ETL will allow you to overcome these obstacles and deliver clean data to your Salesforce CRM. Here are some pitfalls you can avoid so you can successfully push data to your CRM system.

1. Too Many Different Systems

Using reverse ETL, it is entirely possible to push data to your Salesforce CRM. With the right tools, you can automate the process almost entirely. However, it is easy to fall into the trap of having too many systems push data to the CRM. 

In some cases, there are too many systems sending data. In other cases, there are too many systems pushing data at one time. Regardless of the problem, the results are often the same. 

Pushing data to Salesforce can lead to conflicting updates coming from more than one source. For example, the first system can push data, and then a second program can overwrite it if it pushes the same data. 

The best way to fix this is to limit the number of systems that push data to Salesforce. Instead, have other systems pull data into a database using ETL. Then, have a reverse ETL tool pull all of the Salesforce data from a single database. This way, there is only one system pushing data to Salesforce so that there cannot be conflicting messages. 

2. Missing or Incorrect Field Names

There are two big problems that come up when trying to pull data from a database: missing field names and incorrect field names. When a program or a user makes a mistake, they can sometimes push data that is not valid. This can lead to errors being created on the Salesforce CRM system. Alternatively, if a field name is missing on the source system, it can cause problems for both systems during reverse ETL. 

This is simple enough given how many programs there are to handle this process. For example, Salesforce provides a tool called "Change Data Capture." This tool allows the user to make changes to your database and automatically create new fields. Moving forward, you do not need to worry about the fields that were created and whether they are correct. Instead, just input the data into your CRM system using this program and repeat this process for every record that needs to be changed.  

3. Missing or Incorrect Field Types

Field type can also cause problems when you are trying to pull data from a database. In some cases, different programs use different field types on your database. For example, some systems use system fields while others use Salesforce fields. The Salesforce documentation goes over these field types in detail. It is important that the field types match for the information to be pushed to the right fields.

4. Lack of Quality Data

The quality of the data can cause a lot of issues for your Salesforce CRM system. Data that is dirty or incorrect will be problematic for your sales team. They need to have access to clean and valid data in order to work effectively. If you are not careful, they may even get access to the wrong data. If this happens, the quality of their work will suffer. It is possible to avoid these problems if your data is of good quality in the first place. 

5. Missing an Update

The next issue that needs to be addressed is missing an update. When you are pulling data from another system, you need to make sure that the other system has updated its data in the database. If this does not happen, then your Salesforce CRM will have old data that is incorrect or missing.

The best way to avoid this is to schedule an update each night. This way, you are sure to ensure that your Salesforce CRM always has the most recent information.

6. Not Monitoring for Failures

Any time you pull data from another system, it is crucial to monitor any failure that may come up. If you do not, then your Salesforce CRM could be negatively affected. For example, some fields may not be created correctly on the database. This can cause errors that will break your Salesforce CRM system. 

You can utilize your ETL tools to highlight any warning signs that occur during the performance phase. If you are not paying attention, then problems will occur before you are aware of them. Therefore, it is important to monitor the entire transfer while you are pushing data to your Salesforce CRM system.

7. Unexpected Downtime

If unexpected downtime hits your database, then you may not be able to update Salesforce in the evening. This can cause errors in your CRM system. When this happens, it will make it difficult to manage your sales staff and could slow down their work. 

You can avoid these types of problems if you schedule downtime for updates. For example, schedule downtime in the evening when most people are not using the database. This way, when you update Salesforce in the morning, there will be less chance that anyone is affected by the downtime. With unexpected downtime, it is important to take immediate action. 

All of these problems can cause issues with your Salesforce CRM system. If you are not keeping up with the latest version, then these problems will arise. However, if you are diligent about this process, then you will be able to ensure that there are no nasty surprises for your team.

Get Help From Integrate.io

Pushing data to Salesforce can be complicated, even with new tools that are designed for reverse ETL. Don’t spend time struggling with the system and let your business fall behind the competition. Get help from Integrate.io to feed Salesforce the data you need to succeed. Schedule a 7-day trial to see how Integrate.io can change your business for the better.