Eloqua Service: Migrating from the native Salesforce Integration to the SFDC App
Support for the Eloqua Salesforce integration studio is ending
As of the 21st February 2021, Oracle is will stop support for the much loved or hated at times native Eloqua Salesforce integration commonly known as integration studio.
You may have also received an email that looks like this in your inbox on 28th February 2020.
- Stop
- Don’t stress
- Make yourself a tea or coffee
- Read the rest of my article so you can make an informed decision
Ok, hopefully you have a cup of tea or coffee in front of you… Let’s begin…
Eloqua Salesforce integration
A typical Eloqua Salesforce integration that does not use the new(ish) Eloqua Salesforce integration app looks something like this:
From Salesforce to Eloqua
The following objects are typically synchronised from Salesforce to Eloqua:
- Salesforce Contacts
- Salesforce Leads
- Salesforce Accounts
- Salesforce Opportunities
- Other Salesforce Objects (Custom Eloqua Salesforce integrations)
- Salesforce Campaigns
- Salesforce Campaign members
From Eloqua to Salesforce
Eloqua contact data is fed through Salesforce and either enriches or creates Salesforce leads (based on your sales methodology and Eloqua Salesforce integration setup) and updates Salesforce contacts.
Other data that gets sent through in custom integrations is:
- Eloqua marketing activities
- Eloqua campaigns
- Eloqua campaign members (set on CDO)
- Other Eloqua custom objects
- From Salesforce to Eloqua (Inbound)
- From Eloqua to Salesforce (Outbound)
The integration is built up of two parts:
- Internal events
- External calls
Internal events have function. For example Create Salesforce lead tells Eloqua to create a Salesforce a lead in Salesforce.
- Send data
- Retrieve data
Salesforce to Eloqua integration points are set up and mapped in the Autosynchs part of integration studio:
Oracle are going to stop support for your Eloqua Salesforce integration using integration studio because they want you to move all Eloqua customers over to using their Eloqua Salesforce integration app.
The new Eloqua Salesforce integration app can be found here: https://cloudmarketplace.oracle.com/marketplace/en_US/listing/52467877
After some initial set up to get Eloqua to talk to Salesforce you will need to set up your inbound and outbound integration points in their new interface that looks like this:
- Do nothing, Eloqua Salesforce integration studio will continue to work
- Migrate the Eloqua Salesforce integration yourself
- Use a third party to migrate your Eloqua Salesforce integration
To help you with your decision I will provide you the same matrix I provide when pitching on behalf of companies such as Deloitte or PwC.
I am going to add in several factors to help you with your decision:
- Technical expertize
- Deployment time
- Internal resource
- Cost
- Has the person/team migrating my Eloqua Salesforce integration ever built an integration, from scratch, including designing the data flow using integration studio?
- Has the person/team migrating my Eloqua Salesforce integration ever done the same using the Eloqua Salesforce integration app?
- Has the person/team migrating my Eloqua Salesforce integration ever done this migration
- How many times have they done these tasks?
If the answer is no to any of these you or a low number you should consider using a third party.
- Does the person/team migrating my Eloqua salesforce integration have a well-rehearsed process for migration?
- Do they have fixed stages?
- Do they have off the shelf test scripts that can be customized and released very quickly
- Do you have your existing Eloqua Salesforce integration properly documented?
- Do we have all the documentation needed by security to get the Eloqua Salesforce integration app signed off by our internal security teams?
- Do we have all the PowerPoints and other documents needed to get through a change board?
If the answer to this of these is no, you should consider using a third party.
- How many people do I need?
- Can I stand up a full internal team for up to week, possibly two?
- Do we actually have capacity to stand up a team?
- How much training will it take to get them up to speed for migration & testing?
- Do they have any other commitments?
- What if a key member has to leave the work due to sickness or personal matters?
- What happens if something goes wrong and the Eloqua Salesforce integration app migration takes longer?
If the answer to any of these is unknown, you should consider using a third party.
- What is the cost impact of using my own people when they could be doing other tasks?
- How much will this cost in terms of people to have them doing this migration?
If the answer to this is unknown or a high number, you should consider using a third party.
For those of you that are going to opt for a third party, I have developed an Eloqua Salesforce integration migration package that would be deployed using my agency Pl8ypus.
Your Eloqua Salesforce integration migration can happen either remotely or on-sit, or a combination, whichever is most cost effective and appropriate for you.
We will supply all staff required for the Eloqua Salesforce integration migration and upskill your key Eloqua team, alternately you can substitute some team members with your own staff.
Once you submit the interest form, your Eloqua Salesforce integration migration begins. The following steps will take place:
- Confirmation email sent with a meeting request
- Meeting to discuss specific requirements and migration stages
- You will get your login to our client portal with your quote in under an hour
- Detailed project plan delivered
- You will sign off the quote
- Verify or document your existing Eloqua Salesforce integration
- Develop & setup Eloqua Salesforce integration test scripts
- Security team sign off Eloqua Salesforce integration app
- Eloqua Salesforce integration stages loaded in project management tool
- Eloqua Salesforce integration migration sent to change board
- The Eloqua Salesforce integration is migrated
- Eloqua Salesforce integration testing is completed
- Any defects are resolved and retested
- Eloqua Salesforce integration testing signed off
- (These steps are repeated for each environment)
- Eloqua Salesforce integration is compete
- Sign-off & final document handover
It is worth noting that if you wish to think about updating or building new functionality on your integration we are flexible enough to help you at the beginning of the project.
For more information about this service please go to the Pl8ypus.com website and use the enquiry form.
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