How to Connect 2 Salesforce Orgs: Best Practices and Use Cases

Are your company’s business processes way too complicated for just a single Salesforce organization?

Or do you want to split business processes, directions, or units in different Salesforce organizations?

Maybe your company is going through a merger and acquisition process when you need to work with an additional Salesforce organization, and you want to keep it separate?

When a company faces these kinds of challenges, it’s time to consider simultaneous usage of multiple Salesforce organizations, or Orgs for short.

• Best Practices and Use Cases for Integration Between Two Salesforce Orgs
  • Option #1: Salesforce Connect
  • Option #2: Salesforce to Salesforce
  • Option #3: REST and SOAP APIs
  • Option #4: Middleware Solutions
  • Option #5: Change Sets
• Obstacles to Beware During Salesforce Orgs Connection
• FAQs about Connecting 2 Salesforce Orgs
  • How do you choose the right tool for integrating two Salesforce orgs?
  • What are the benefits of connecting two Salesforce orgs?
  • How can data security be maintained during the integration of two Salesforce orgs?
  • What are the best practices for a successful Salesforce org integration?
• In Conclusion:

Best Practices and Use Cases for Integration Between Two Salesforce Orgs

For convenience, let’s imagine our 2 Salesforce orgs as below:

Managing two Salesforce organizations with the right tools can facilitate this process. Among the many available Salesforce tools for admins and developers, let’s take a look at the best practices in this field:

Option #1: Salesforce Connect

This native Salesforce tool allows you to connect two Salesforce Orgs and configure access to the Second Org data from the First Org. Access takes place in almost real-time, automatically, without storing data inside First Org. Setting up and administering the connection takes place inside the First Org.

Setting up Salesforce Connect, Step 1: Adding New External Data Source

Setting up Salesforce Connect, Step 2: Choose External Data Source Type

Use cases:

When a single company owns and manages both Salesforce organizations, and Data access can be configured without additional approvals from the other party. For example, a multinational corporation can unify customer data across regions, a healthcare network can share patient records, and a retail chain can synchronize inventory data, enhancing efficiency, data accuracy, and collaboration across business units.

Insight:

When integrating two Salesforce Orgs, it’s essential to consider the following issues and aspects:

• Data Synchronization: Determine how frequently and which data needs to be synchronized between the Salesforce Orgs.
• Security: Implement robust security measures to protect sensitive data during the integration process.
• Performance: Optimize the integration to ensure it doesn’t impact the performance of either Org.
• Error Handling: Develop mechanisms to handle potential errors and failures gracefully inside your Salesforce Org.

Option #2: Salesforce to Salesforce

Like Salesforce Connect, the native Salesforce to Salesforce tool allows you to connect 2 Salesforce Orgs and configure access to Second Org data from the First Org. But this method uses a different approach. Connection settings take place in both Orgs. Importantly, the settings of the Second Org determine exactly what information will be available in the First Org. According to the settings, data is shared from the Second Org and copied to the First Org. Changes of shared data are synchronized automatically. Additionally, settings are made in the Salesforce Classic Setup and have specific features. This method, like the one mentioned above, can be implemented by a Salesforce Administrator without the involvement of a Developer, which is more economically feasible for the company because the Salesforce admin salary is comparatively lower.

Setting up Salesforce to Salesforce Tool

Use cases:

Two partner companies want to share records between their Salesforce organizations for the purpose of collaboration, but each company retains full control over the amount of data that is shared.

Option #3: REST and SOAP APIs

REST and SOAP APIs can be used for building custom integrations between two Salesforce orgs. They allow for data exchange and process automation, making them suitable for complex or specific data and process requirements. Unlike the previous methods, this method is more difficult to implement and requires writing Apex code, but, accordingly, it has wider possibilities.

For example, creating an integration through REST API generally requires the following steps:

Use cases:

Complex, custom integrations, integrations with specific business requirements, or integrations performing specific business processes.

Option #4: Middleware Solutions

There is a wide spectrum of off-the-shelf middleware solutions on the market, which can be used to integrate two Salesforce organizations. For example:

• MuleSoft – a Salesforce company, provides a unified platform for connecting applications, data, and devices with API-led connectivity;
• Jitterbit – offers an AI-infused, low-code platform for integration, orchestration, and automation;
• Informatica – delivers comprehensive data management solutions, including data integration, quality, and governance;
• Talend – provides a scalable data management platform that combines data integration, quality, and governance in a single, low-code solution;
• Boomi – offers a cloud-based integration platform that connects applications, data, and processes;
• Gearset – specializes in Salesforce deployment and continuous integration, simplifying the release management process;
• Heroku Connect – part of the Salesforce ecosystem, synchronizes data between Salesforce and Heroku Postgres, enabling real-time data integration and consistency;

and others.

These tools are designed to implement complex enterprise-level integration projects with a high need for scalability and flexibility, especially when such integrations involve other external systems or databases outside of Salesforce.

Technical implementation of such integrations is individual and depends on the chosen solution.

Use cases:

First of all, it is advisable to use such solutions when large and complex integrations are necessary, for which the methods listed above are not sufficient. For example, when integration takes place with the participation of third-party services or databases, or the need to change data in real-time, consolidate data from different services for the purpose of analytics.

Option #5: Change Sets

Change Sets, a native tool for integrating two Salesforce organizations, deserves special consideration. Unlike the previous tools, aimed at data exchange, Change Sets is a tool for exchanging metadata, i.e., settings and customizations of the Salesforce organization. It is a simple tool that allows you to conveniently transfer changes made in the First Org (Sandbox organization) to the Second Org (Product organization). It is a basic development tool that includes strict connection settings for the purpose of transferring changes, and a procedure for acceptance and testing of received changes before they are applied.

It should be noted that not all changes can be included in a Change Set: Components Available in Change Sets.

Illustration of the Change Set Exchange Process

Setup from Second Org (Production organization), where we should allow inbound Change Sets from Sandboxes based on this Production org:

Setting up Change Sets, Step 1: Find Sandbox in Deployment Settings

Setting up Change Sets, Step 2: Allowing Inbound Changes

Setup from First Org (Sandbox organization), where we can now create our first Change Set:

Setting up Change Sets, Step 3: Create a Change Set

Use cases:

This tool is designed for uncomplicated deployment tasks, and its convenience and ease of use facilitate simple tasks of configuration and customization of organizations. This allows you to create and test the necessary changes in a separate environment of Salesforce, connect Orgs for Change Set, and then conveniently deploy them to the working organization.

Obstacles to Beware During Salesforce Orgs Connection

When connecting two Salesforce organizations, several obstacles can arise, which may include, but not be limited to the following:

• Data synchronization issues, such as inconsistent data formats and duplicate records, can complicate integration.
• Security concerns, including data privacy and access control, must be meticulously managed to prevent unauthorized access.
• Differing customization and configuration settings between orgs can lead to conflicts and errors.
• Performance impacts, especially with large data volumes, can slow down operations.
• Ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements across different regions can add complexity.

Addressing these challenges proactively is crucial for a smooth and secure two Salesforce orgs connection. These issues could be prevented by involvement of relevant specialists through our Salesforce admin services.

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FAQs about Connecting 2 Salesforce Orgs

How do you choose the right tool for integrating two Salesforce orgs?

Choosing the right tool depends on factors such as the complexity of your integration needs, budget, existing technology stack, and specific features required, such as real-time data synchronization or ease of use.

What are the benefits of connecting two Salesforce orgs?

Connecting two Salesforce orgs can enhance data consistency, streamline business processes, improve collaboration across departments, and provide a unified view of customer data.

How can data security be maintained during the integration of two Salesforce orgs?

Data security can be maintained by implementing robust access controls, encryption, regular security audits, and adhering to Salesforce’s best practices for data protection.

What are the best practices for a successful Salesforce org integration?

Best practices include thorough planning, ensuring data quality, using reliable integration tools, conducting regular testing, and maintaining clear communication between teams involved in the integration process.

In Conclusion:

In this article, we have explored some of the best and most popular existing practices for how to integrate two Salesforce Orgs. Beyond the methods discussed, there are numerous other tools that can serve different types and processes of integration and data exchange between two Salesforce organizations. From full real-time integration to periodically sync data between two Salesforce Orgs. The selection, setting, and customization of the appropriate integration method should first and foremost start with a comprehensive assessment of the specific needs, features, and purpose of such integration, that can be facilitated by involving relevant specialists within Salesforce admin services. It should also not be forgotten that any integration requires careful planning around data management policies and a clear understanding of product licensing implications.

The post How to Connect 2 Salesforce Orgs: Best Practices and Use Cases first appeared on Salesforce Apps.