Month: December 2023

Integrating SalesForce with AWS

On December 20, 2023

This guest post is presented by Gilad David Maayan is a technology writer who has worked with over 150 technology companies including SAP, Imperva, Samsung NEXT, NetApp and Check Point, producing technical and thought leadership content that elucidates technical solutions for developers and IT leadership. Today he heads Agile SEO, the leading marketing agency in the technology industry.

In today’s data-driven business environment, the integration of Salesforce with AWS allows organizations to improve customer relationship management and operational efficiency. This article explores benefits and capabilities that businesses can harness by integrating their Salesforce instance with AWS’s native services, such as Redshift, Lambda, and Amazon Connect, as well as third party services hosted on AWS, such as Tableau and MuleSoft.

How AWS Native Services Can Benefit SalesForce Users

Here are the key capabilities SalesForce users can derive from integrating their SalesForce instance with AWS.

Enhanced Data Storage and Querying

AWS offers a range of powerful data storage and querying services, including AWS database services like Amazon RDS, NoSQL options like Amazon DynamoDB, and Amazon Redshift.

When integrated with Salesforce, these services allow for efficient storage and querying of customer data. This can greatly improve the speed and accuracy of customer insights, enabling businesses to make more informed decisions and improve their customer relationships.

Furthermore, AWS’s advanced analytics services, such as Amazon QuickSight, can provide deep insights into customer behavior and trends. These insights can be used to drive strategic business decisions and improve overall business performance.

Amazon Redshift and Einstein Analytics

Amazon Redshift and Einstein Analytics are two powerful tools that can be leveraged when integrating Salesforce with AWS. Amazon Redshift is a fast, scalable data warehouse that makes it simple and cost-effective to analyze all your data using standard SQL and your existing Business Intelligence (BI) tools.

On the other hand, Einstein Analytics is Salesforce’s native analytics tool, providing AI-powered business intelligence. When used in conjunction with Amazon Redshift, businesses can leverage the high-speed analysis and data visualization capabilities of Einstein Analytics on the comprehensive data stored in Amazon Redshift.

Serverless Function Execution with AWS Lambda

AWS offers scalable, serverless function execution for complex operations, a feature that is particularly beneficial when integrated with Salesforce. With AWS Lambda, you can run your code without provisioning or managing servers.

When integrated with Salesforce, this serverless architecture allows for the execution of complex operations without the need to manage or scale servers. This can greatly simplify the management of complex operations, increase operational efficiency, and reduce costs.

Amazon Connect and Salesforce Service Cloud Voice

Amazon Connect is an easy-to-use omnichannel cloud contact center that helps businesses provide superior customer service at a lower cost. When integrated with Salesforce Service Cloud Voice, it brings together voice, digital channels, and CRM data in real-time.

This integration allows for a unified agent and manager experience within Salesforce, enabling businesses to deliver more personalized and effective customer service. It also provides valuable insights into customer interactions, which can be used to improve service quality and drive customer satisfaction.

Integrating SalesForce with Third-Party Services on AWS

Tableau on AWS

Another powerful AWS service that can be integrated with Salesforce is Tableau. Tableau is a powerful data visualization tool that can transform raw data into understandable and actionable insights. When hosted on AWS, Tableau can leverage the scalability, reliability, and security of the AWS cloud.

By integrating Tableau with Salesforce, businesses can visualize their Salesforce data in real-time, enabling them to make faster, data-driven decisions. This integration can also streamline data analysis and reporting processes, saving time, and improving overall business efficiency.

MuleSoft on AWS

MuleSoft, an integration platform for SOA, SaaS, and APIs, is a Salesforce company that provides a seamless way to connect applications, data, and devices. With MuleSoft on AWS, you have the power to unlock your data, integrate your systems, and innovate faster.

With MuleSoft, you can create a connected experience by integrating Salesforce with any system, application, or data source, whether on-premises or in the cloud. You can also expose data as APIs, making it readily accessible for your developers and partners. Moreover, MuleSoft’s Anypoint Platform simplifies the design, deployment, and management of APIs, delivering speed and agility to your business.

Slack on AWS

Slack, a business communication platform, is another Salesforce service that runs on AWS. It offers a myriad of features, such as channels, direct messaging, voice and video calls, file sharing, and integrations with other software. With Slack on AWS, organizations can improve team collaboration, streamline workflows, and ultimately enhance productivity.

By integrating Slack with Salesforce, you can automate routine tasks, get real-time updates on your Salesforce records, and even converse with Salesforce’s intelligent assistant, Einstein, directly in Slack. This integration not only helps in keeping your team informed but also saves valuable time, enabling your team to focus on what matters the most – serving your customers better.

Example Integration Flow: How to Setup Application Integration for Salesforce with Amazon Connect

Amazon Connect is a cloud-based contact center service offered by AWS, which can be integrated with Salesforce to deliver improved customer experience. Here’s a quick guide on how to set up application integration for Salesforce with Amazon Connect.

Set Up an Amazon Create Instance

The first step in integrating Salesforce with Amazon Connect is to create an Amazon Connect instance. Log into your AWS Management Console and navigate to the Amazon Connect service. Click on ‘Create an instance’ and follow the prompts.

You’ll need to provide a name for your instance and choose settings for data storage, telephony, and data streaming. You can also select optional settings such as contact flow logs, contact lens for Amazon Connect, and hours of operation. Once you’ve configured the settings, click on ‘Create’ to get your instance up and running.

Install the Amazon Connect CTI Adapter

The next step is to install the Amazon Connect CTI (Computer Telephony Integration) Adapter in your Salesforce organization. This adapter enables your Salesforce users to handle Amazon Connect voice and chat contacts directly in Salesforce.

To install the adapter, log into your Salesforce org and navigate to the AppExchange. Search for ‘Amazon Connect CTI Adapter’ and click on ‘Get It Now’. Follow the installation prompts and choose the users who should have access to the adapter. After the installation is complete, the Amazon Connect CTI Adapter will be available in your Salesforce org.

Configure your Salesforce Call Centre

The final step is to configure your Salesforce Call Centre to use the Amazon Connect CTI Adapter. In your Salesforce org, go to ‘App Manager’ and click on ‘New Connected App’. Provide a name for your app, enable OAuth settings, and add the necessary scopes.

Next, navigate to ‘Call Centers’ in Salesforce and click on ‘Import’. Choose the Amazon Connect CTI Adapter file and click on ‘Import’. You can then add users to your call center and assign them the necessary permissions. With this, your Salesforce Call Centre is all set to handle Amazon Connect contacts.

Conclusion

Tools such as Amazon Redshift, AWS Lambda, and Amazon Connect, when combined with Salesforce, empower businesses to operate more effectively and make data-driven decisions swiftly. Additionally, the integration with third-party services like Tableau, MuleSoft, and Slack on AWS further extends the functionality and efficiency of Salesforce. The process of setting up these integrations, as illustrated with the example of Amazon Connect, is straightforward, enabling businesses to quickly reap the benefits of the integration.

5 Tips for Managing Salesforce Cloud Costs

By Gilad David Maayan

On December 16, 2023

In Post

Understanding and effectively managing Salesforce cloud costs can significantly impact a company’s bottom line. Salesforce, as a leading CRM platform, offers diverse functionality that cater to diverse business needs. However, the more of this functionality a business uses, the higher the ongoing cost of the platform.

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From user licenses to API calls, from data storage to custom developments, each element plays a role in the overall expense structure. To make the most of Salesforce without overspending, businesses must be proactive in their approach to cost management, as part of a holistic cloud cost management strategy. This article delves into the details of Salesforce cloud costs and provides actionable strategies to keep these costs under control.

Factors Affecting Salesforce Cloud Costs

User Licenses

When it comes to Salesforce cloud costs, user licenses are one of the significant contributors. Salesforce offers different types of licenses, each with its own pricing. The more licenses you purchase, the higher your costs will be.

Note that some licenses offer more features and functionalities but come with a higher price tag. Pricing ranges from $25 / user / month for the Starter tier, all the way up to $500 / user / month for the Unlimited tier. Hence, you need to strike a balance between the number and type of licenses to manage your Salesforce costs effectively.

API Calls

Another factor affecting Salesforce cloud costs is API calls. Salesforce provides APIs to integrate with other systems and applications. However, each API call comes at a cost. The more API calls your business makes, the higher your costs will be.

By managing your API calls, you can control your Salesforce costs. You can identify and eliminate unnecessary API calls, optimize the usage of APIs, and align your API strategy with your business objectives.

Data Storage

Data storage is another factor that influences Salesforce cloud costs. Salesforce provides data storage for your records, files, and other data. However, the more data you store, the higher your costs will be.

By managing your data storage, you can reduce your Salesforce costs. You can identify and delete redundant or obsolete data, optimize your data management practices, and ensure that your data storage costs are in line with your business needs and budget.

Custom Development

The last factor affecting Salesforce cloud costs is custom development. Salesforce offers a highly customizable platform. You can develop custom apps, features, or integrations to meet your specific business needs. However, custom development comes with its costs.

By managing your custom development costs, you can control your Salesforce expenses. You can prioritize your development projects, leverage reusable components, and ensure that your custom development efforts are cost-effective and aligned with your business goals.

5 Tips for Managing Salesforce Cloud Costs

Let’s dive into five actionable tips that can help you manage your Salesforce cloud costs effectively.

Regularly Review User Licenses

Your Salesforce subscription is primarily based on the number of user licenses. It’s essential to regularly review and adjust these licenses to ensure you’re not paying for more than you need.

Each user license equates to a seat in your Salesforce organization. You pay for these seats whether they are occupied or not. If you have unused licenses, you’re essentially wasting money. Regularly reviewing your user licenses and deactivating unused or unnecessary ones is a simple yet effective way to manage your Salesforce costs.

Also evaluate the types of licenses used by your users. Make sure you’re using the right type of license for each user. Don’t pay for high-end licenses for users who only need basic features.

Optimize Data Storage

Data storage is another significant factor in Salesforce cost. Salesforce provides a certain amount of data storage per user license, and once you exceed this, you need to pay extra. Therefore, optimizing your data storage can help manage your Salesforce costs:

Ensure you’re only storing necessary data: Regularly review your data and delete or archive anything that’s not needed.
Use efficient data structures: Salesforce has various types of data storage, each with its own storage limit. By using the right type of storage for each piece of data, you can optimize your storage usage.
External storage solutions: If you have large amounts of data that don’t need to be on Salesforce, moving them to an external storage solution can significantly reduce your Salesforce data storage costs.

Monitor API Calls

Salesforce limits the number of API calls you can make in a 24-hour period, based on your user licenses. Exceeding these limits can lead to additional costs. Therefore, monitoring your API calls is an important part of cost management.

Understand your API usage: Identify which processes generate the most API calls and determine if they are necessary. You may find that some processes can be optimized or eliminated to reduce API calls.
Consider using batch processes: Batch processes allow multiple records to be processed in a single API call, reducing the total number of API calls.

Utilize Native Features Before Third-Party Integrations

Salesforce offers a wide range of native features that can meet most business needs. Before resorting to third-party integrations, which can add to your costs, consider if you can achieve your goals using Salesforce’s native features.

Using native features can also improve your overall Salesforce experience. Native features are designed to work seamlessly with Salesforce, ensuring optimal performance and user experience.

Implement Governance Policies

Lastly, consider implementing governance policies to manage your Salesforce costs. Governance policies can help ensure your Salesforce usage aligns with your business goals and budget.

A good governance policy should cover usage guidelines, user licenses management, data storage optimization, API usage, and third-party integrations. It should also include regular reviews and audits to ensure compliance.

Implementing a governance policy may seem like a daunting task, but it’s an investment that can yield significant returns in terms of cost management.

Salesforce is a powerful platform that can drive your business success. However, without prudent cost management, it can become a costly endeavor. By regularly reviewing your user licenses, optimizing your data storage, monitoring your API calls, utilizing native features, and implementing governance policies, you can unlock the power of cost management using Salesforce.