In Advension, we are experts in CRM and integrations. Since starting the company (and even before) we have scoped, built and maintained hundreds of integrations. While every project is different, the core of most of the projects we have done is similar: Integrating Data.

When businesses reach a certain level, they start integrating their CRM systems with other platforms. The immediate thought when starting an integration project is often centered around data integration. We agree that consolidating customer data from various sources is crucial.

However, focusing only on data overlooks the true potential of CRM integrations. The true power power of a CRM system is having a multifunctional platform that includes not only data but also process automation.

What is Process Automation

In the perfect world, the CRM system is sitting in the middle of the business and taking care of all processes. However the world is rarely perfect, and multiple platforms are often needed for running a smooth business – we support this: the right tool for the right job.

To make multiple systems work, obviously data integrations are important. However, whether you want to issue a refund from the webshop, start a marketing campaign or modify data in an old mainframe system, starting a process in X system can be a better way of achieving this than complicated data integrations. Luckily Salesforce is strong in all types of integrations and offers various ways of doing this.

RPA/Robot

Many of our banking clients and insurance are still using, by the current tech environment, old mainframe systems. These can be hard to integrate, since they often are on-premise and don’t offer APIs internally or open to other systems. For this Robots or RPA is often used to to interact with these systems. 

Salesforce recently added new features called Einstein Automate to make RPA work easier. MuleSoft RPA helps automate boring, repetitive tasks. There’s also Digital Process Automation, which lets you create workflows with minimal coding. These updates can help businesses run more smoothly, keep data accurate, and let employees focus on more important work, enhancing digital customer experiences and boosting productivity.

API

Salesforce is an API-first platform. This makes it very convenient to use the standard API connectors or build new ones on top. Being a flexible platform, Salesforce offers the possibilities to build custom API modules that can be used either in flows or Apex/LWC. This is great for building API triggers that can be reused in different business areas, no matter if you prefer Flows or Apex.

Standard connectors

Don’t reinvent the wheel. Salesforce has quite a few standard connectors and even more on the AppExchange or even middleware services like Zapier. Always check these before you start building your own custom applications.

Remember the callback 

Now you made a process integration triggering functionality in another application, but did it execute successfully? You don’t want to go check that system for a status, the whole point of this is not consulting multiple platforms. Always add a callback when integration processes to make sure everything went as expected, or if something didn’t take appropriate action!

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