Is Your Salesforce Data Stuck? How Heroku Connect Can Help

Salesforce is a powerful platform that empowers businesses with its wide array of features and tools to manage their customer data effectively. However, one common challenge faced by Salesforce users is the issue of stuck data. This occurs when data fails to sync between Salesforce and other systems, leaving it in an inconsistent or incomplete state.

The negative impacts of this problem on business operations can range from delayed decision-making to inaccurate reporting and ultimately result in a loss of revenue and customer trust. So, what can be done to resolve this issue and ensure smooth data flow?

Explanation of Heroku Connect and its features that help solve this issue.

Heroku Connect is one of the effective solutions to resolve the issue of stuck Salesforce data. It is a data integration service that establishes a bi-directional data flow between Salesforce and databases within the Heroku platform. Heroku Connect not only ensures consistent data across systems but also enables businesses to build innovative applications that leverage Salesforce data.

One of the key features of Heroku Connect is its seamless data synchronization capability. It uses a robust polling mechanism to detect changes in Salesforce data and reflect them in the connected database, and vice versa. This effectively prevents data from getting ‘stuck’.

Another noteworthy feature is its support for both standard and custom Salesforce objects, enabling businesses to work with a wide range of data types and structures. Moreover, through the Heroku Connect dashboard, businesses can easily manage data mappings, monitor sync status, and troubleshoot issues, ensuring smooth data flow and enhancing operational efficiency.

Heroku Connect, with its ingenious solutions to data integration challenges, can help businesses maximize their utilization of Salesforce and unlock new possibilities for application development.

Benefits of using Heroku Connect, such as real-time data syncing and bi-directional data flow between Salesforce and Heroku apps.

Heroku Connect offers a range of benefits that go beyond just resolving the issue of stuck data. One of the significant advantages is its real-time data syncing capability. This means that any changes made in Salesforce or the connected database are reflected immediately, ensuring up-to-date and accurate information for decision-making.

Additionally, Heroku Connect allows for bi-directional data flow between Salesforce and

Step-by-step guide on how to set up Heroku Connect for your organization.

Setting up Heroku Connect for your organization is a straightforward process that can be completed in a few simple steps.

Step 1: Create a Heroku Account and Heroku Postgres Database

1. Heroku Account: If you don’t already have one, sign up for a free Heroku account on the Heroku website.

1. Create a new app/or use an existing one: In your Dashboard click “New -> Create new app”, then open it.
2. Heroku Postgres Database: In your Heroku Dashboard open your app, locate the “Resources” tab, and search for “Heroku Postgres.” Choose a plan that suits your needs (for production use, plan -4 or larger is recommended).

Step 2: Install Heroku Connect Add-on

1. Go to the Heroku Elements marketplace and find the “Heroku Connect” add-on.

1. Select the plane and click Submit Order Form
   

Step 3: Configure Data Mappings

1. Open Heroku Connect and authorize with Salesforce org you need to sync data.
   

1. Select the specific Salesforce objects and fields you want to synchronize.
   

1. Map these objects and fields that you need to store in Heroku Connect.

Step 4: Test the Data Sync

1. Go to Heroku Connect Explorer
   

1. Select the mapped object from the Mapping filter and “boom”, you will be able to see the records from Salesforce
2. Consider running a small test sync with a limited amount of data to identify any potential issues before full synchronization.
3. Heroku Connect will now keep your data continuously synchronized in real-time between Salesforce and your Heroku Postgres database.

Bonus Tips:

• Use a dedicated integration user with appropriate permissions in Salesforce for Heroku Connect access.
• Consider utilizing a logging add-on in your Heroku app to monitor sync activity and track potential errors.
• Refer to the official Heroku Connect documentation for detailed instructions and advanced configuration options.

Real-life examples of companies that have successfully utilized Heroku Connect to improve their salesforce data management.

Several companies have successfully implemented Heroku Connect and reaped its benefits in terms of improved Salesforce data management. Some notable examples include:

Case Study: Anyone Home

Anyone Home, a rental software company, transformed their game with Salesforce and Heroku. Ditching AWS, they leveraged Heroku Connect to seamlessly sync data with Salesforce, achieving real-time updates and performance boosts. This, coupled with Heroku’s Apache Kafka for external integrations, freed up engineers to focus on development, driving product evolution and propelling Anyone Home’s success. Read the full story here.

Case Study: Adim Adim

Adim Adim transformed Turkish fundraising by connecting runners, donors, and NGOs through a custom app built on Heroku. Their success hinged on Heroku Connect:

• Seamless data flow: Connected the customer-facing app to the Salesforce backend, allowing real-time updates and transparency.
• Simplified integrations: Made integrating third-party tools like Yuvarla payment gateway easy, boosting online donations from 5% to 70%.
• Centralized data: Provided a single source of truth for runners, donors, NGOs, and sponsors, improving efficiency and reporting.

A full, and really interesting story here.

Case Study: def method():

Rapid development:
Heroku’s streamlined platform expedites client app development, allowing Def Method to deliver value swiftly.

Simplified infrastructure

Def Method offloads infrastructure management to Heroku, freeing developers to focus on core application logic.

Scalability for growth
Heroku’s enterprise-grade capabilities assure clients can seamlessly scale their apps as their needs evolve.

Trust through transparency
Heroku’s intuitive interfaces and tools enable clear communication and collaboration between Def Method and clients.

Seamless data integration

Heroku Connect bridges the gap between client apps and Salesforce, facilitating real-time data synchronization and streamlining workflows. Read the full story.

There are plenty of real-world case studies here.

In conclusion, stuck Salesforce data can significantly hinder business operations and result in lost opportunities. However, with Heroku Connect’s robust features and benefits, businesses can overcome this challenge and achieve seamless data flow between Salesforce and other systems, unlocking new possibilities for application development and driving growth.

Tips for optimizing Heroku Connect for better performance and scalability.

1. Use custom indexing: To improve the performance of Heroku Connect, it is recommended to use custom indexing for Salesforce objects that have a large number of records. This will help in faster data retrieval and syncing.
2. Avoid unnecessary field mappings: While defining data mappings, make sure to only include necessary fields to avoid unnecessary data transfer and improve sync speeds.
3. Schedule data syncing during off-peak hours: If your organization has a high volume of data, it is advisable to schedule the sync process during off-peak hours to avoid any impacts on system performance.
4. Monitor and troubleshoot regularly: Keep an eye on the Heroku Connect dashboard for any errors or issues that may arise. Regularly monitoring and troubleshooting can help maintain smooth data flow and prevent any potential problems.
5. Utilize data filters: Heroku Connect offers the ability to filter data based on specific criteria, allowing for more efficient syncing of relevant records and reducing unnecessary data transfer.

Customer testimonials highlighting the effectiveness of Heroku Connect in solving their salesforce data issues.

1. Anyone Home: “Moving our app from AWS to Heroku and using Heroku Connect to sync with Salesforce has significantly improved performance. Now data flows in real time. It’s just magical. Mitch Moody, CTO, Anyone Home”.
2. Admi Adim: “Heroku Connect was our favorite feature – it was easy to implement, and data now flows seamlessly between our app and Salesforce on the backend.”
3. def method(): “The team used Heroku Connect to enable seamless data flows between the app and Salesforce in real-time. Implementing Heroku Connect was quick and painless, and the Def Method team could go back to focusing on building a great experience for users.”

Conclusion

In today’s fast-paced business world, having efficient and seamless data management is crucial for success. Salesforce is a powerful CRM tool that helps businesses manage their customer relationships and drive growth. However, without proper data integration and synchronization, it can become a roadblock to achieving the full potential of Salesforce.