Introduction
Salesforce is a backbone of most businesses which depends on it to run their most day to day operations. But using just Salesforce is not enough. With so many software , the sales stack of a sales agent is bound to get complicated. Even Salesforce offers a lot of custom products that can be integrated to make the experience of using it more pleasant. But, one of its offerings, the Einstein Activity for Outlook (EAC), has left many users frustrated and bewildered.
A lot of people who use Salesforce for their work also use Outlook for their email. However, the combination of Salesforce's EAC and Outlook hasn't worked well together so far.
In this blog, we will dive deep into why Einstein Activity for Outlook users is a mess and how Outlook users should avoid using it.
The Data Storage problem with Einstein Activity Capture
One of the primary issues surrounding EAC is its data storage mechanism. Unlike other Salesforce solutions that store data within the CRM platform itself. EAC opts for an alternative route by saving synchronised data on an Amazon Web Services (AWS) server. While this might seem practical at first glance, it raises several troubling questions.
Firstly, data stored on AWS has a shelf life; for standard plan it gets deleted after 6 months. This poses a significant problem for businesses that rely on historical data for decision-making. Losing access to critical information can disrupt the continuity of business operations.
Moreover, storing sensitive customer information on a third-party server is a security concern that one should not overlook.
Companies must ensure the utmost protection for their data, and relying on an external provider's infrastructure introduces unnecessary risks. It brings the question: why would any company allow their sensitive data to be stored in someone else's database?
API Accessibility Issue
Salesforce is celebrated for its robust ecosystem of APIs, enabling businesses to customize and integrate their CRM experience. Yet, the disjointed nature of EAC's data storage becomes even more clear when it comes to API accessibility.
Since EAC data resides on AWS and not within Salesforce, it cannot be accessed, updated, or deleted using Salesforce APIs. This limitation severely restricts the potential for automation, reporting, and data analysis that Salesforce offers. Companies invest heavily in Salesforce for its versatility and extensibility, but EAC hampers their ability to harness its full potential.
Delay in Syncing process
Syncing delays pose a significant challenge for Salesforce users who depend on Einstein Activity Capture. In essence, these delays represent the time gap between when an email or event occurs and when it is added to the corresponding Salesforce records. This waiting period can extend up to 24 hours, which can be particularly frustrating when urgent actions are needed to swiftly close a deal.
Salesforce for Outlook retirement
Another major blow to Salesforce users is the impending retirement of Salesforce for Outlook. It is scheduled for December 2027. This product has long been a trusted tool for users who rely on Microsoft Outlook for email and calendar management.
With its retirement, there will be no official Salesforce solution for Outlook users to sync their emails and activities with Salesforce.
This development creates a void that EAC appears ill-equipped to fill. As Salesforce for Outlook users prepare for its discontinuation, they are left wondering how they will continue to integrate their email with their CRM system
Conclusion
In conclusion, Einstein Activity for Outlook has left Salesforce users grappling with lots of issues that hinder productivity, data security, and integration capabilities. The decision to store synchronized data on an AWS server raises questions about data longevity and confidentiality. Moreover, the disconnect between EAC data and Salesforce APIs limits the potential for automation and data-driven decision-making.
With the retirement of Salesforce for Outlook looming, many users are concerned about the future of email integration within Salesforce. It is clear that EAC, as it currently stands, does not provide a satisfactory solution.
Why Mavlon is the perfect alternative of Einstein Activity Capture?
Mavlon covers every drawback of EAC.
It syncs your data (email, tasks, etc) to your own Salesforce account, without storing anything in external database.
It is completely secure as it uses Salesforce Rest API to sync data from Outlook to Salesforce. Hence no user's data is stored in our servers.
It offer realtime sync, which means as soon as you receive an email or create a task, it will sync it with relevant records in Salesforce. Hence customer faces no time lags.
Awesome customer support. One thing that we take pride in is that we treat customer support as a feature. Hence we often roll out new improvements based on customer requests.
All this makes Mavlon a great alternative for Einstein Activity Capture. Book demo now
Comments