Part 4: Configuring outbound Eloqua SFDC integration API calls

Aug 6, 2020

This is part four of the Eloqua SFDC native integration guide.  To begin this tutorial at the start please use this link.

Configuring Outbound External API Calls

These are the External Calls in a standard SFDC integration. Only three of these (Create Lead, Update Lead, Update Contact) need to be configured with the fields specified on the SFDC Integration Field Mapping spreadsheet.

  • Create Lead: This call is used to create a new lead in SFDC.
  • Update Lead: This call is used to update an existing lead in SFDC (based on SFDC LeadID).
  • Update Contact: This call is used to update an existing contact in SFDC (based on SFDC ContactID).
  • Associate Lead with Campaign: This call is used to associate campaign members (based on SFDC LeadID) with an SFDC Campaign, and also updates the status of the campaign response.
  • Associate Contact with Campaign: This call is used to associate campaign members (based on SFDC ContactID) with an SFDC Campaign, and also updates the status of the campaign response.

To Configure Outbound External API Calls:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Setup > Integration.
  2. Click the Outbound tab.
  3. From the Internal Events subtab on the left hand side, expand the Custom folder, then expand the Custom Contact Events folder.
Eloqua SFDC Custom Events
  1. Click on name of the event to be modified, starting with Create Lead. The Event Mapping window opens.
  2. Click the Edit icon. The External Call window opens.
  3. From the Options menu in the top right corner, select View Field Mapping.
  4. Refer to the corresponding tab on the SFDC Integration Field Mapping spreadsheet for the call you are working one. For all Y’s in the appropriate column, map the Eloqua fields to SFDC fields by using the drag and drop functionality to bring the associated Eloqua Fields from the right to the Field Expression on the side.
Eloqua SFDC Field Mapping

Note: Eloqua fields cannot be mapped to SFDC fields more than once.

TIP: For SFDC fields which need to be mapped from MULTIPLE Eloqua fields (such as the SFDC Street field, which maps to Address 1, Address 2, and Address 3), use the drop-down next to the Street field to add line breaks between each of Eloqua’s Address fields.

  1. Once all mapping is complete, click Save in the bottom right corner.
  2. There are additional details that should be reviewed and configured if needed. From the Field
    Mapping window, select Edit External Call from the Options menu in the top right.
Eloqua SFDC integration Edit External Call
  • a – Action: The action that will be performed and can include Create or Update.
  • b – Entity: The SFDC entity affected in this call.
  • c – Check Trigger Salesforce Default Assignment Rules only if the client is using lead assignment rules in SFDC. Typically leads are only assigned upon lead creation.
  • d – Check Trigger Salesforce Email Notification only if the client has specified they would like sales (lead owners) to receive SFDC generated email notifications upon assignment of a new lead.
  • e – External Call Return Value allows you to select which Eloqua field will be used to store the reference ID returned by SFDC. This only needs to be specified for the Create Lead External Call.
Eloqua SFDC Update External Call
  1. Click Save and Close when the settings have been configured.
  2. Continue mapping the fields and configuring advanced options for the Update Contact and Update Lead External Calls.

Testing External Calls

Each External Call customized in this integration (Create Lead, Update Lead, and Update Contact) should be tested
independent of Program Builder. Test results should be recorded and reviewed with the client as part of the useracceptance/
QA process.

The External Call Testing tool allows you to do a field-by-field audit of how fields are being populated and updated in
SFDC based on the SFDC Integration Field Mapping spreadsheet. This testing functionality executes in near real-time
which allows you to verify the results quickly.

Before testing the calls, create a new Eloqua contact to use for testing the ‘Create Lead’ call. After successfully creating a
new lead, modify the record in Eloqua before testing the ‘Update Lead’ call.

To Test Outbound External API Calls:

  1. Navigate to Settings > Setup > Integration.
  2. Click the Outbound Tab.
  3. Click the External Calls sub-tab.
  4. Expand the Send Data Folder, then expand the Contact and Lead folders. Locate the External Call you want to test.
  5. From the drop-down arrow next to the External call you want to test, select Test External Call. The External Call Testing window opens.
  6. In the External Call Parameters section, click Search to locate an Eloqua record for testing.
  7. Once locating the record, from the drop-down arrow next to the record, choose Select this record.
  8. Click Prepare for Test. This will show you the data in SFDC for that record before the test.
  9. Click Execute Test to complete the test.
  10. Verify the results on the screen – the values in the column Eloqua Data to be Sent to Salesforce should match those in the column Salesforce Data After Testing.
Eloqua SFDC Testing