Eloqua Blog · Architecture
Part 3. Eloqua Marketing Systems Architecture
Document the platforms, databases, integrations and data flows around Eloqua so your marketing systems architecture is clear before testing and release.
📅 First published: May 24, 2022
⏱ Reading time: 6 minutes • 👤 Author: Greg Staunton • 🎯 Focus: Eloqua integrations, marketing systems mapping, data flows
You need to always know what other systems your Eloqua instance is integrated into. If you do not, you are going to have a bad time. You need to fully document everything before testing and release. Your Eloqua Marketing Systems Architecture section is exactly where all this will go.
Greg Staunton
Could You Explain What Eloqua Is Connected To?
As businesses grow, they start to use more technology to capture, enhance, transform and send data in an ever-increasing number of integrations. Most companies know what platforms they use but many do not know the full infrastructure underneath them.
If your CEO asked you for a high level overview of what other platforms Eloqua connected to, could you provide it? Most marketing teams need a clear systems map before they can confidently test, release, migrate or troubleshoot Eloqua.
The Eloqua Marketing Systems Architecture section gives you one place to document the platforms, databases and data flows that surround your Eloqua instance.
Eloqua Marketing Systems Overview
By documenting your marketing systems architecture properly, your organization can:
- Have a 360 degree view of what Eloqua is integrated to
- Reduce time and cost during platform migration
- Identify gaps in potential underused marketing channels
- Understand the underpinning technology at a glance
How To Develop An Eloqua Marketing Systems Overview
The overview has been divided into four sections:
Section Background
A short explanation of why this section exists and what the reader should expect from it.
Platform Overview
A list of the platforms, databases and tools used by marketing or receiving marketing data.
Mapping Diagram
A high level visual map showing how systems connect to Eloqua and how data moves between them.
Integrations Table
A structured table that captures the data flow, purpose and remarks for each integration.
Section Background
The section background should briefly describe the purpose of the Eloqua Marketing Systems Architecture section. It does not need to be long. It simply gives the reader enough context to understand that this part of the architecture document explains the platforms, databases, integrations and data flows around Eloqua.
Platform Overview Columns
The Eloqua Marketing Systems Platform Overview is a list of every platform or database used by marketing, or sent data from marketing. It is built around five columns.
Name
The name column denotes the name of the platform. Enter the platform name in the respective row.
Symbol
The symbol is the platform logo. If a platform has no clear logo, use your own logo treatment with the platform name beneath it.
Type
The type column explains the platform function, such as CRM, webinar platform, chat platform or social media relationship management system.
Description
The description gives the reader enough information to understand the platform purpose.
Owner
The owner column identifies the platform owner, department or main contact responsible for that system.
Eloqua Marketing Systems Mapping Diagram
The mapping diagram is a top-level view of how your marketing systems connect and how data flows between them. It should make the wider technology landscape easy to understand without forcing the reader into every integration detail too early.
In the example below, XYZ Inc has bi-directional data flows between Eloqua and SFDC, Eloqua and its SRM platform, Eloqua and GoToWebinar, and Eloqua and LivePerson.
Eloqua sits at the centre of the diagram and sends data or information to various marketing channels. The diagram itself should stay high level. The detailed integration information belongs in the later sections of the Eloqua Architecture Document.
If you are documenting the CRM integration in more detail, the SFDC Eloqua dual integration article is a useful companion piece.
Eloqua Marketing Systems Integrations Table
The integrations table identifies whether two platforms are directly integrated or whether data is manually pushed between them. It also gives the reader a quick understanding of what the connection does.
The table is made up of four main columns:
- Integrated Platforms
- Data Flow
- Description
- Remarks
Integrated Platforms
List the platforms that are directly integrated. Keep this at overview level, then document the technical detail elsewhere.
Data Flow
State whether the flow is uni-directional or bi-directional, and whether it is automated, semi-automated or manual.
Description
Give a brief description of what the integration does and why it matters to the marketing process.
Remarks
Use remarks to point to the relevant subsection of the architecture document where the detailed integration information is maintained.
Data Flow Types
Automated
The technology automatically pulls or pushes data between platforms. A common example is contact data syncing between Eloqua and SFDC every half hour.
Semi-Automated
A manual step triggers or supports an automated process, such as exporting a segment to SFTP and then importing it into Eloqua.
Manual
The integration is handled fully by people, such as importing a tradeshow badge scanner list into Eloqua after an event.
Related Eloqua article
SFDC Eloqua Dual Integration
Once the high level systems map is in place, the CRM integration usually needs its own deeper documentation.
Read article