Navigating Complex Waters: The Tale of Merging Salesforce Orgs from a Marketing Cloud Perspective

 In the ever-evolving world of digital marketing and customer relationship management, merging two Salesforce instances can be as challenging as it is critical. My journey as a Marketing Cloud consultant for an insurance company undertaking such a project revealed complexities that went beyond initial expectations. This article aims to share insights from this experience, providing a roadmap for professionals facing similar challenges.

Project Background The project started with a straightforward objective: merge two Salesforce orgs into one. While the Salesforce core team tackled the brunt of the development and migration work, our role in the Marketing Cloud team was more focused, yet pivotal in ensuring the seamless integration of marketing processes post-merge.

The Role of the Marketing Cloud Team Contrary to what one might expect, our work did not involve creating new journeys or automation in Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC). Instead, our primary task was to update the business unit connections to the newly merged Salesforce org after its migration. This seemingly simple task was crucial in maintaining the continuity of marketing operations.

Parallel Development and Testing in QAT and UAT Environments As the Salesforce team progressed with merging instances in the Quality Assurance Testing (QAT) and User Acceptance Testing (UAT) environments, we mirrored this process in SFMC. We replicated the existing SFMC journeys and automation in the corresponding QAT and UAT business units, integrating them with the merged Salesforce org. Rigorous testing was essential to ensure that the integration was flawless and that all processes functioned as expected.

Challenges with Data and Records Integration One significant oversight was in the handling of migrated data. The accounts and contacts transferred from one Salesforce instance to the merged org were treated as new entities in SFMC. This misalignment led to challenges in maintaining the continuity of customer interactions and history. Moreover, the old contact, account, and lead records from the Salesforce instance that was phased out consumed unnecessary storage in SFMC, leading to inefficiencies.

Navigating Connector Constraints A unique technical challenge we encountered was the transition from a multi-org to a single-org connector in SFMC. Despite the Salesforce orgs being consolidated into one, we couldn't revert to a single-org connector setup. This limitation required us to maintain a more complex multi-org connector configuration than initially planned.

Unexpected Complexities and Extended Timelines The project turned out to be far more complicated than initially scoped, extending a full year beyond our original timeline. The team faced numerous challenges, and the departure of key personnel added to the complexity. These unforeseen difficulties underscored the need for robust project management and contingency planning.

Best Practices and Recommendations Based on this experience, a few recommendations emerge for Marketing Cloud consultants in similar situations. Firstly, anticipate and plan for data integration challenges. Secondly, maintain open lines of communication with all teams involved, ensuring that changes in one area are reflected across the board. Lastly, be prepared for project scope changes and have a flexible approach to managing such shifts.

Conclusion This project was a profound learning experience, highlighting the importance of adaptability, thorough planning, and inter-team collaboration in complex Salesforce integration projects. As digital marketing landscapes continue to evolve, the ability to navigate such complexities with resilience and foresight becomes invaluable.