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How to Integrate SAP with Salesforce

12 min Updated: 09.12.2024

Team Lead | Salesforce Architect

Integrating SAP and Salesforce can streamline operations and data flow, but often comes with challenges like data silos and redundant data entry. This guide by Routine Automation Team Lead and Salesforce Architect Alexandr Guzarevich outlines a structured approach to SAP-Salesforce integration, offering solutions to common business hurdles. Integration of these systems can be a game-changer for your strategy through greater efficiency and real-time visibility across platforms.

Why Do Businesses Need SAP Salesforce Integration?

Modern businesses often struggle with fragmented data, inefficient processes, and disconnected customer experiences due to multiple isolated systems. Integrating SAP, the backbone of many organizations’ operations, with Salesforce, a powerful CRM platform, can address these challenges head-on:

Data silos and lack of visibility: With data scattered across different systems, businesses lack a comprehensive view of their customers, operations, and financials, leading to uninformed decision-making and missed opportunities.

Centralized data hub: Integration consolidates customer data, financial records, inventory levels, and more into a single, reliable source accessible company wide.

Manual data entry and errors: Redundant data entry across separate SAP and Salesforce instances is time-consuming and error-prone, compromising data integrity and reliability.

Automated data synchronization: Real-time, automated data exchange between SAP and Salesforce eliminates manual efforts and ensures data consistency.

Disjointed business processes: Lack of integration between front-end customer-facing activities and back-end operations results in inefficient and disjointed processes, slowing operations and hampering customer service.

Streamlined processes: Connecting back-end operations in SAP with customer-facing activities in Salesforce enables process automation, such as order management, invoicing, and customer support.

Inconsistent customer experiences: Without a 360-degree view of customer interactions, orders, and financial data, businesses struggle to deliver personalized, responsive experiences that meet and exceed customer expectations.

360-degree customer view: With a unified view of customer interactions, orders, and financial data, sales and support teams can deliver personalized, responsive experiences.

With a well-executed SAP Salesforce integration strategy, businesses can transform their operations, gain a competitive edge, and drive growth by optimizing data utilization, process efficiency, and customer engagement. Partnering with an experienced team like ours can help you achieve this integration effortlessly, ensuring a smooth transition and immediate realization of the benefits it offers.

Check our case from our client in Logistics about synchronization from SAP to Salesforce to keep up-to-date information about the availability of goods.

The Challenge was that client operates Sales and Service Clouds to facilitate the activities of their sales and customer support departments. Complementing these cloud-based solutions, they rely on an on-premises SAP system to manage critical aspects of their operations, including warehouse inventory management and logistics oversight. Additionally, SAP plays a pivotal role in tracking inventory positions, ensuring efficient supply chain management. Furthermore, the client utilizes a distinct financial module within SAP for order placement and payment control, enhancing the overall efficiency of their financial processes.

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Read more about the solution implemented by the RA team and the results our client has gained:

Data synchronization from SAP to Salesforce to keep up-to-date information about the availability of goods

Know more

Benefits of the SAP Salesforce Integration

Integrating Salesforce with SAP can propel your business to new heights, unlocking a myriad of benefits that drive operational excellence, customer centricity, and sustainable growth:

Improved data quality: Seamless data sharing between the two systems enhances data accuracy and eliminates duplication within your business, ensuring a reliable foundation for informed decision-making.

Increased efficiency: By streamlining business processes, automating data entry, and reducing manual errors, integration significantly increases operational efficiency across your enterprise.

Enhanced visibility: With a comprehensive view of customer data spanning sales, marketing, customer service, and billing, your teams can make informed decisions and deliver exceptional customer experiences that set you apart.

Improved collaboration: Integration enables stronger collaboration among your sales, marketing, and customer service teams by providing real-time access to the same customer information, fostering cross-functional alignment and synergy.

Reduced costs: Automated data entry and minimized manual errors lead to cost savings for your business, while a more efficient sales process allows your sales representatives to focus on revenue-generating activities, optimizing resource allocation.

Increased revenue: By enhancing customer visibility and improving the overall customer experience, a well-executed SAP-Salesforce integration can directly contribute to increased revenue and drive sustainable growth for your organization.

By capitalizing on these benefits, your business can gain a significant competitive advantage, streamline operations, strengthen customer relationships, and unlock new growth opportunities. Partner with our experienced team to seamlessly navigate the integration process and realize value from day one.

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SAP and Salesforce Integration Challenges

While integrating SAP and Salesforce promises significant benefits, businesses may encounter several problems along the way. However, partnering with our experienced team can help you navigate these challenges seamlessly:

Complex integration process: Navigating the technical maze of SAP-Salesforce integration demands deep knowledge.

Our team’s mastery over SAP and Salesforce ensures a tailored, frictionless integration process.

Data synchronization issues: Keeping data consistent across platforms is a juggling act with high stakes.

We employ robust synchronization solutions that guarantee up-to-the-minute data accuracy.

Security and compliance concerns: The integration can expose you to new risks and regulatory requirements.

Our strict adherence to best practices and regulations provides a secure, compliant integration landscape.

Lack of skillsets: Integrating complex systems requires specialized knowledge that your team may lack.

Our experts are equipped with the necessary skills, to reduce the learning curve and speeding integration.

Cost implications: The integrated system can be complex, requiring ongoing support and potentially leading to higher operational costs.

We deliver cost-effective integration paths that minimize the need for additional investments.

By leveraging our expertise, you can overcome the challenges of SAP-Salesforce integration and unlock the full potential of this powerful technology synergy, driving operational excellence, customer satisfaction, and business growth.

Overcome integration challenges with our help!

Our expert team navigates complex integrations with ease, crafting solutions that boost efficiency and business growth.

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How to Integrate SAP with Salesforce: Steps for engineers & business analysts

Below we provide a systematic approach and concrete steps for planning, executing, and managing the integration process.

Step 1: Define objectives and scope

Clearly outline what you want to achieve with the integration, including which processes and data should be integrated. Our team is processing the Salesforce Assessment on this step to define your business goals.

Step 2: Choose the integration pattern

Select the best method for your needs:

File-based: Transfer data through CSV or similar files, using FTP or email, for systems with less frequent updates.

API-based: Utilize APIs for real-time, on-demand data transfer, ideal for immediate updates and small data volumes.

Event-based: Set up system events to trigger data synchronization, ensuring real-time updates for critical business actions.

Batch: Schedule regular, bulk data transfers, suitable for heavy data loads and where immediate updates are not critical.

Step 3: Choose the integration pattern

Identify which data fields in SAP correspond to fields in Salesforce. This step is crucial for ensuring data consistency and accuracy.

Step 4: Develop and test

Whether using custom development or a pre-built connector, development should follow best practices in software engineering, including version control and comprehensive testing.

Step 5: Implement security protocols

Ensure the integration adheres to all relevant security standards and regulations to protect sensitive data.

Step 6: Deploy and monitor

After thorough testing, deploy the integration in a controlled manner, monitoring closely for any issues.

How to Solve Troubleshooting Common Integration Issues

You should check integration logic, data payloads, and network performance for bottlenecks. Optimization often solves synchronization timing issues.

Analyze operational load caused by integration and adjust data exchange frequency/size to balance performance and functionality.

Conduct security audits and ensure encrypted data transfers and access controls. Stay updated on compliance requirements.

Review data mapping strategy and ensure accurate field mapping between systems. Custom formatting/transformation may be a requirement.

Check integration logs for errors. System updates, data structure changes, or network/security updates can disrupt integration flow.

Use scalable iPaaS solution, keep integration logic modular. Conduct regular reviews to align with evolving business needs.

Optimize data processing and implement queuing/asynchronous computing. Consider off-peak execution for specific processes.

Conclusion

Integrating SAP with Salesforce promises immense benefits but can present challenges along the way. With meticulous planning, proven solutions, and the guidance of our expert team, you can navigate these hurdles seamlessly and unlock strategic advantages.

Let’s embark on this transformative journey together, harnessing the power of seamless data flow, automated processes, and customer-centric operations. By turning integration challenges into opportunities, we can future-proof your business, enabling operational excellence and exceptional customer experiences.

With our expertise in SAP and Salesforce architecture, integration best practices, combined with your vision, this integration can become a catalyst for success. Embrace this opportunity, and together, we’ll unlock a future where integration drives efficiency, competitiveness, and growth.

Seamless operations await: integrate SAP & Salesforce today!

Break down silos, automate processes, and supercharge growth with our expert-led SAP-Salesforce integration solutions.

author

Team Lead | Salesforce Architect

Alexander Huzarevich