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What: The Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection allows you to enrich BlueConic profiles with data and timeline events from Salesforce Marketing Cloud subscribers and vice versa using enhanced FTP. This connection supports scheduled batch import and export to and from multiple data extensions in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. You can push lists for triggered emails, configure segmentation or profile properties to send to the Salesforce Marketing Cloud as custom variables, and import Salesforce Marketing Cloud data and events about your users into BlueConic. You can also export data to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder to add a profile to a journey in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, and specify that users should be removed from a journey if their profile is no longer part of a BlueConic segment you specify. 

About BlueConic: The BlueConic customer data platform harnesses the data required to power the recognition of an individual at each interaction, and then synchronizes their intent across the marketing ecosystem. 

Why: Interact with your customers with relevancy on-site, and in their inbox! By exchanging Salesforce Marketing Cloud data with BlueConic, you can individualize their experience on-site or in-app. By using the unique behavioral data collection engine in BlueConic, you can enable a highly relevant email program for triggered emails and drip campaigns.

Using the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection

• Adding a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection
• Configuring a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection
• Importing data into BlueConic
• Exporting data to Salesforce Marketing Cloud
• Sending triggers to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder
• Running the Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection
• Privacy management

Adding a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection

1. Choose Connections in the navigation bar.
2. Click Add Connection.
3. A pop-up window appears. Select Show all. Enter “Salesforce Marketing Cloud” in the Search bar. Choose Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection.

   

   The Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection page opens. You can expand or collapse metadata fields (favorite, labels, and description) by clicking the gray chevron at the top of the page.
4. In the metadata section you can choose whether to get email notifications when the connection runs or fails to run.
5. Enter a name for the connection at the top of the page.

Learn more: Visit BlueConic University

See Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection in the BlueConic University.

Configuring a Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection

For authenticating the connection between BlueConic and Salesforce Marketing Cloud, you'll need the client ID and client secret, as well as enhanced FTP credentials, from Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

Gathering setup and authentication information in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

1. Retrieve your Salesforce Marketing Cloud client ID and client secret from your Salesforce Marketing cloud environment.
2. Open the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Dashboard. In the Settings menu, choose Administration.
3. In the Administration panel, choose Account > FTP Accounts.
4. In the FTP Accounts panel, make sure the Status is ‘Enabled’.

You can use this FTP account for both imports and exports.

Configuring the connection in BlueConic

In the Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection page, click Set up and run in the left-hand panel. 

1. In the Salesforce Marketing Cloud domain settings section, enter your subdomain, the API version you're using in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, as well as your client ID and client secret from Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   
2. Choose your Salesforce Marketing Cloud time zone in the dropdown menu.
   
   
3. Under Enhanced FTP settings, enter your user name and password for Salesforce Marketing Cloud. 
   
   Note: Make sure ‘Enhanced FTP‘ is enabled in your Salesforce Marketing Cloud environment. If not, contact your Salesforce Marketing Cloud team to have it enabled.
4. Select whether to use PGP encryption for transferring your data.
   
   To use PGP encryption, you need to provide a private key for importing data and a public key for exporting data.
5. Enter a passphrase if you used one to generate your PGP keys.
6. Enter the private key ID and/or public key ID if you are using automatic setup in the import or export goal.
   You can find these IDs in the link to your public or private key in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. 
   Note: Provide the numeric key ID, not the external key. You can find the Key ID in the URL when hovering over the link in the Key overview screen, or when opening the key details in a new tab.
7. Choose your Salesforce Marketing Cloud time zone in the dropdown menu.
   

How selecting PGP encryption affects the connection setup process

Note that when you enable PGP encryption, files will be encrypted securely, so you may notice several subtle changes to the connection setup process:

• Source preview files will not be available.
• Fields for the mappings will not be found.
• Bulk mapping will not be available.
• You cannot prefill mappings in the import and export goals.

If you prefer to use the bulk mapping feature or field selection feature, you can set up the import and export goals first using a file with identical fields that is not encrypted, before you enable PGP encryption, so mappings are found and filled more easily.

Data exchange shows the number of profiles that had data imported or exported via the connection.

Next you establish goals for the import or export.

Importing data into BlueConic

To set up an import goal for this connection, click the Add goal button in the left-hand panel of the connection page and select either Import profiles (to import data into BlueConic profiles) or Import groups (to import data into BlueConic groups). Use the configuration page that opens to set up your import.

Note: When importing data, BlueConic searches for files in the /Export folder on the Salesforce Marketing Cloud SFTP server. For this reason, the .CSV files you want to import via a connection import goal need to be present in the /Export folder.

Configuring an import profile goal

1. Select the data extension(s) that contains the data you want to import. You can also use related data extensions to import extra information, such as event data or product information, up to 4 levels deep. 
   Note: See Setting up Salesforce Marketing Cloud data integrations with BlueConic for details on finding the correct file location external key.
   
   Connect related data extensions by linking the field containing identifiers. 
   
   Tip: When you are choosing which data extension to designate as the root data extension, choose the one containing customer or profile data first. Then, you can link it to additional data extensions, such as events or products, using the Connect (chain) icon.
2. Optional: Add a data processor to transform, filter, or manipulate your data during the import. 
   For example, you can use a processor to normalize email addresses, filter data fields, or transform data during the import, before it is matched and mapped to BlueConic properties. To add data processors to your BlueConic environment, contact your Customer Success Manager. Learn more about using data processors to filter or transform data imports.
3. Link your customer identifiers between Salesforce Marketing Cloud and BlueConic.
   Select a data field in Salesforce and a BlueConic profile property from the dropdown lists to link together your customer identifiers.
   
   Check the Allow creation of new BlueConic profiles box to create a new BlueConic profile if the data field doesn't match an existing BlueConic profile when the import runs. If the box isn't checked, only existing profiles are updated, and data that doesn't match BlueConic profiles are ignored.
4. Map the Salesforce Marketing Cloud fields you want to import into BlueConic.
   Select a data field from the drop-down list and select the BlueConic profile property it populates by entering a search term.
   
   You can choose to add all remaining Salesforce fields detected, and optionally add a prefix to the imported fields for the data extension. Select how to import the data from the drop-down list: set, set if empty, add the data field to the list of existing values, or sum a number with the existing values (if the data field is a number).
5. Optional: Import event data to the BlueConic Timeline. 
   Click Import data into BlueConic events to open a set of mappings from Salesforce Marketing Cloud to add event data into BlueConic Timeline events. Two types of event imports are available: (A) importing event data from Salesforce Marketing Cloud data extensions, and (B) importing email engagement events:
   (A) Use the selector in the Import data into BlueConic events button to select import from data extension to add event data from the data extension(s) you selected in Step 1 at the top of the goal and import them into Timeline events. 
   
   Match fields from Salesforce data to BlueConic event fields and profile properties. Start by clicking to select a Timeline event type, for example, the order event. The mapping expands to accommodate the event type's defined fields. You can map fields individually or choose to add all available mappings at once. 
   
   (B) Use the selector in the Import data into BlueConic events button to select import from data extension(s) to add Salesforce Marketing Cloud email engagement data to the profile timeline, including email delivered, email opened, or email clicked. 
   
   Complete the mapping fields to match data from Salesforce Marketing Cloud fields to BlueConic timeline events.
   
6. Set up an automation in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   Here you can choose to create an automation manually in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, or to have BlueConic create it automatically for you. To create the automation, BlueConic needs you to provide your Salesforce Marketing Cloud default file location external key (not a custom key name). You also have the option to use a relative location by enabling the checkbox and entering the relative folder path.
   
   For information on creating the automation manually, see Setting up Salesforce Marketing Cloud data integrations.
   Tip: You can elect to have BlueConic create the automation initially, save your changes, and then switch to manual setup to customize the automation inside Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
7. Click Save on the top right corner of the screen to save your import goal. A green arrow appears, going from the Salesforce Marketing Cloud icon to the BlueConic icon.
   You can run the connection now or set up a schedule. See Running the connection below. 

Setting up an import group goal

To import data into BlueConic groups, such as households, accounts, companies, etc., click Add goal > Import groups and follow the steps outlined in the goal (specified below).

Note: The Import groups option is available in the connection once you've set up at least one group in BlueConic.

1. Select a group type to import data to a BlueConic group.
   Use the dropdown to select the appropriate group type from your BlueConic tenant.
   
2. Select a Salesforce Marketing Cloud data extension to import data from.
   Use the Select data extension field to select the extension that contains the data you want to import.
3. Optional: Process your data before the import.
   Use the Select a data processor field to add processors to filter or transform your data before import. For instance, you can add processors to normalize names and addresses and cleanse email addresses. To learn more about data processors, review the article Using data processors with BlueConic connections. And to add data processors to your BlueConic environment, contact your Customer Success Manager.
4. Link identifiers between Salesforce Marketing Cloud and BlueConic groups.
   Data that has no matching identifier will be excluded from the import.
5. Map Salesforce Marketing Cloud fields to the corresponding BlueConic group properties.
   Here, you can configure which values should be mapped to which BlueConic group properties:
   • Add mapping: Select a specific Salesforce Marketing Cloud data field, and then select the corresponding BlueConic group property it should populate.
   • Bulk mapping: If there are many fields to be mapped, BlueConic detects these fields and offers the option to "Add all detected fields." This also allows you to set a merge rule for these fields simultaneously.
   • Add a prefix: Optionally, you can add a prefix to the BlueConic properties. If you set the prefix and then add an empty mapping, the right side automatically adds the prefix as well.
     
     
6. Set up an automation in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   Your Salesforce Marketing Cloud environment must contain a scheduled automation that puts your files at a location (via enhanced FTP) that BlueConic can retrieve. Select Automatic configuration to have this connection configure the automation and set it up for you, or select Manual configuration to set it up yourself in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   
7. Run the connection.
   Before running the connection through the Set up and run page, make sure to check the box for "Import group data into BlueConic" in the left panel and save your settings. A green arrow will appear at the top, going from the Salesforce Marketing Cloud icon to the BlueConic icon. For more details, review the section Running the Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection below.

Exporting data to Salesforce Marketing Cloud

Follow the steps below to set up an export goal (Export profiles or Export groups) from BlueConic to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.

Setting up manual vs automatic automations in Salesforce Marketing Cloud

When you configure a data export goal in this connection, you can choose to have BlueConic automatically create the automation, or you can configure it manually in Step 5. Salesforce Marketing Cloud offers four possible ways to handle new and existing data during a data exchange. BlueConic data exports use the 'add and update' scope in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. In step 5 below, you can select how Salesforce Marketing Cloud should import data from BlueConic. 

Note: See Setting up Salesforce Marketing Cloud data integrations with BlueConic for details on finding the correct file location external key.

Configuring an export profile goal

In BlueConic, click Add goal in the left-hand panel and select Export profiles. 

1. Select a BlueConic segment to export profile data from.
   
   You can choose to export all profiles even if they haven’t changed since the last export by checking the box. By default, BlueConic only exports profiles that have changed.
   In the top right-hand corner, the number of profiles available for the export appears. This number shows how many profiles meet the conditions for the selected segment (for example, they have an email address and gave required consent for an objective) and therefore are available for the export. BlueConic tries to export only the profiles that have changed since the last export. This number of profiles exported may be lower than the number displayed here. 
2. Link your customer identifiers between BlueConic and Salesforce Marketing Cloud to link data from one system to the other.
   
3. Map BlueConic profile data to a Salesforce Marketing Cloud data extension.
   Select an existing data extension or enter a new one to create a data extension in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. 
   
   

   Select a BlueConic profile property by entering a search term and enter the data field value it should populate. 
   Click the BlueConic icon to open a drop-down menu where you can choose among the types of information you want to export:

   • Profile property: The value of a specific profile property.
   • BlueConic profile identifier: The unique identifier for a profile.
   • Associated segments: All segments, or a selection of one or more specific segments that the profile is associated with.
   • Associated lifecycles: All lifecycles this profile is associated with. Learn more about BlueConic Lifecycles.
   • All viewed interactions: the names of all viewed BlueConic interactions (for the current page view) as the value, and names will be pipe-separated. 
   • Permission level: The permission level set in the profile.
   • Text value: Enter any static text.
4. Optional: Click the Export events button to export BlueConic Timeline events to a data extension in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. Select the BlueConic timeline event type and add individual data mappings. Use the Add mapping button to add additional Timeline event properties. You can add all detected event properties at once, or add them individually. 
   
   Optional: Use the second Add mapping button below to add profile properties along with these events, for example to add data to tie the events back to a particular customer profile. Clicking the BlueConic icon opens a dropdown menu where you can choose among the types of information you want to export, as in step 3.
   
   Optional: Select a time period for the events being exported.
   
5. Set up a data extract and data file automation in Salesforce Marketing Cloud for the exported data. You can choose to have BlueConic create this automatically or do it manually yourself.
   For the automatic configuration, enter the default file location external key (not a custom key name) from Salesforce Marketing Cloud. You also have the option to use a relative location by enabling the checkbox and entering the relative folder path.
   
   For the Update type, you can select how Salesforce Marketing Cloud should handle new and existing data imported from BlueConic. The default is add and update, and options include:
   Add only: Adds new subscribers but ignores and does not update data for existing subscribers.
   Add and update: Adds new subscribers and updates existing subscribers.
   Overwrite: Imports information from BlueConic and replaces all the existing data in Salesforce Marketing Cloud. (Note: This option deletes data for subscribers that are present in Salesforce Marketing Cloud but not included in the BlueConic data.)
   Update only: Updates any existing values, but does not enter any new values.
   See the Salesforce Marketing Cloud documentation for details on the  four ways Salesforce Marketing Cloud can handle new and existing data.
   To configure the automation manually, see Setting up Salesforce Marketing Cloud data integrations.
6. If this connection goal is used in a BlueConic Lifecycle stage, you can choose to have events in this goal count toward that Lifecycle stage's thresholds. Select which email send or click events should count toward the stage threshold.
   
   Learn more about Lifecycle stage thresholds.
7. Select the connection goal in the left panel, click Save on the top right corner, and you are ready to run the connection. 

Setting up an export group goal

If you want to export group data from BlueConic to Salesforce Marketing Cloud, click Add goal > Export groups and follow the steps outlined on the page (specified below).

1. Select a group type for your export.
   Use the dropdown to select the appropriate group type from your BlueConic tenant. By default, only groups that have changed since the last export will be sent to Salesforce Marketing Cloud. You can select the option to export all groups, including unchanged groups, with the checkbox.
   
2. Link identifiers between BlueConic groups and Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   Data that has no matching identifier will be excluded from the import.
3. Map the BlueConic data you want to export to Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   Here, you can map BlueConic group properties to corresponding fields in Salesforce Marketing Cloud, as well as select a specific data extension.
   
   
4. Set up a data extract and data file automation in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
   Your Salesforce Marketing Cloud environment must contain an import definition and file drop automation so Salesforce Marketing Cloud can write the data from BlueConic. Select Automatic configuration to have this connection configure the automation and set it up for you, or select Manual configuration to set it up yourself in Salesforce Marketing Cloud.
5. Run the connection.
   Once you save your settings, run the connection through the Set up and run page.

Sending triggers to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder

Based on changes in BlueConic profile properties, this connection can trigger customer journeys in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder. You can also export BlueConic profile data to Salesforce Marketing Cloud to create more personalized interactions in Journey Builder.

Configuring the trigger customer journeys goal for this connection

In BlueConic, click Add goal in the left-hand panel and select Trigger customer journeys. 

1. Select a segment of profiles for export to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder. Only the data from identifiable profiles in this segment will be exported.
   
2. Select at least one BlueConic profile property to use as a trigger that will initiate a customer journey in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder. This request is only sent for an individual profile whose profile property value has changed (and if applicable, that meets lifecycle, segment, and objective conditions). 
   
   Note: BlueConic will send a message to Journey Builder each time the profile property changes. However, Journey Builder observes your Contact Entry Mode setting, which dictates when a contact is eligible to enter a journey. See the Salesforce documentation for Contact Entry Mode.
3. Select your Salesforce Marketing Cloud customer journey and entry event to be triggered in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder. If you have multiple entry events within Journey Builder, select which entry event should be triggered by BlueConic.
   Note: In order for a journey to appear in this dropdown menu, it must be activated on the Salesforce Marketing Cloud side of the connection, and you need to tag it as 'BlueConic' in Journey Builder. See the Salesforce documentation for details on creating and applying tags to a journey. See the Deep Dive documentation for Troubleshooting this connection for additional tips.
   
4. Link BlueConic profiles to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder subscribers by linking the identifiers from both systems. If no matching subscriber is found in Journey Builder, the BlueConic profile will not be added to the customer journey.
   
5. Optional: Map BlueConic data to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder. In addition to triggering entry events, you can export BlueConic profile data to Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder fields.
6. Optional: Check the option to remove subscribers from the selected customer journey in Salesforce Marketing Cloud Journey Builder if the corresponding profile is no longer part of the selected BlueConic segment.
   Note: This will not happen in real time, but in batch runs. Check the scheduling options on the run history table of the set up and run page of this connection or choose the Run now option to initiate the removal.
   
7. Select the connection goal in the left panel, click Save on the top right corner, and you are ready to run the connection.

Running the Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection

Make sure you've added import and export goals before running the Salesforce Marketing Cloud (SFMC) connection.

Testing the connection

1. To test the connection, click Set up and Run under Authentication in the left-hand column.
2. Under Run history, click Run now.

Scheduling the connection

To run the connection on a schedule, follow these steps:

1. Click Set up and run in the left-hand column.
2. In the Run history section at the bottom of the Set up and run page, click the settings icon .
3. Schedule the connection to run by choosing options in the Schedule window.
4. Click OK.
5. Switch the Salesforce Marketing Cloud connection on. 
6. Save the connection.
   
   See Scheduling connections for more information.

Troubleshooting your Salesforce Marketing Cloud Connection

See the Salesforce Marketing Cloud Troubleshooting page for a deep dive on resolving connection issues (Help Center login required).

Privacy management

Connections can be added to Objectives, allowing for privacy and consent management of the information that is being picked up. A connection will only process the profiles of visitors who have consented to at least one of the objectives that the connection is linked to.