Data Cloud / Admins / Architects / Consultants / Developers

Data Cloud One Now Generally Available: Connect Multiple Orgs With Clicks, Not Code

By Christine Marshall

Many Salesforce professionals have experienced the complexity and frustration of multiple Salesforce orgs! There are numerous use cases for having multiple Salesforce orgs, from company acquisitions to different Salesforce instances for various departments or regions. That said, having many orgs can mean duplication of efforts in customization and difficulties connecting the data to get that all-important Customer 360 visibility.  

If this sounds familiar, you’ll be excited to know that Data Cloud One is now generally available and offers a more efficient way to manage multiple orgs. In this article, we’ll explore what Data Cloud One is, what it does, its benefits, and how you can get started. 

What Is Data Cloud One?

Data Cloud One offers a more efficient integration architecture for using Data Cloud across multiple Salesforce orgs. Previously, each org required its own Data Cloud instance, meaning separate setups for integration, data streams, and identity resolution. 

With Data Cloud One, you can now have a single shared Data Cloud instance, allowing multiple orgs to access and share data bi-directionally. This streamlines data management and reduces the complexity of multi-org setups.

With Data Cloud One, you’ll have a central Data Cloud home org to act as your single source of truth, with other Salesforce orgs connected through a Data Cloud companion connection. 

A companion connection enables:

  • Access to Data Cloud Data: Access to Data Cloud metadata, objects, and records in shared spaces.
  • Access to Data Cloud Features: Access to some Data Cloud features such as calculated insights and Data Explorer. Plus, access to platform features powered by Data Cloud including Flows.

What data and metadata is available to your companion orgs is determined by data spaces. A data space is a partition within Data Cloud that you control, ensuring that you have full control over what information to share between your orgs. While easy connection and sharing are important, so is data security, and from my experience different departments and divisions get grouchy about all of their data being shared with the rest of the company.

So, what does this actually look like to your end user? The following images appear almost identical – not very exciting, right? But that’s exactly the point. 

In this first image, we see a contact Damien Wilson in our Data Cloud home org, some records related to him, and useful insights (right):

Using Data Cloud One, we can also view Damien Wilson in our companion org:

This second image shows the same information – but don’t forget, we’re in an entirely different org here! An org that previously may not have had visibility of this information. Using Data Cloud One, users in different orgs are able to share business-critical information – all set up using clicks, not code.

Data Cloud One Benefits

To understand why Data Cloud One is so important, let’s take a look at the benefits:

  • Connect multiple Salesforce orgs, create a single source of truth, and share data across orgs using clicks, not code.
  • Control what data is shared with companion orgs via data spaces.
  • Use Data Cloud-powered features across multiple Salesforce orgs.
  • Remove complicated processes or custom coding to share data across orgs, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

Data Cloud One Considerations

Before setting up Data Cloud One, you’ll want to consult your legal team to avoid data residency issues and ensure it fits your company’s growth plans. If each org needs complete control over its data, you may need separate Data Cloud instances. However, for centralized control and fewer data silos, connecting multiple orgs to one Data Cloud is the way to go.

When planning your Data Cloud One implementation, pay special attention to what data spaces are needed to avoid sharing too much or too little data.

Data Cloud One Pricing and Access

  • Data Cloud One is included within the existing Data Cloud SKU. Any usage drawn from companion orgs will consume credits directly from the home org.
  • You get three free companion connections, with additional connections available to purchase via add-on licenses. 
READ MORE: How Much Does Salesforce Data Cloud Cost? Overview of Editions and Add-Ons

Summary

Data Cloud One helps your business manage customer data from multiple Salesforce orgs – like those used by different departments or regions – and provides a single, unified view of each customer. Without it, you’d need complicated processes or custom coding to share data across orgs, which can be time-consuming and expensive.

With Data Cloud One, connected orgs can easily access shared customer data. Users in these companion orgs can view unified profiles, create custom flows, and use insights from the data – all without needing to build complicated solutions. This saves time and helps teams like sales and marketing work more efficiently by having all the customer information they need, no matter which org they’re in!

Resources

The Author

Christine Marshall

Christine is the Courses Director at Salesforce Ben. She is an 11x certified Salesforce MVP and leads the Bristol Admin User Group.

Comments:

    Ann
    October 17, 2024 10:23 am
    Thanks Christine Marshall for the overview! Is the Companion Connection based on API connection between orgs? How is the connection secured? Are there configuration options like using keys? Thanks!

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