SAP and Salesforce Integration

Salesforce.com is a cloud-based customer relationship management (CRM) software solution for sales, service, marketing, analytics, and building customized application.

SAP stands for Systems, Applications, and Products in Data Processing that makes enterprise software to manage business operations and customer relations.

Integration of SAP with Salesforce can be achieved by adopting following methods.

1. SOAP API: This is the most popular API in use today. It handles large data loads and designed with large enterprise applications in mind.
2. Bulk API: This is asynchronous REST based services which are ideal for very large data sets.
3. REST API: This is for less bulky data and designed with mobile devices in mind.
4. By using middle ware technology as .NET such as SAP .NET connector like SAP connector 2.0 and SAP connector 3.0

In order to fully automate and optimize the business processes, companies need to integrate SAP with Salesforce within their organization. Some of the uses and benefits of integrating SAP with Salesforce are discussed below.

Efficient data management

When information of a new customer is entered into Salesforce, then at the same time this data is available for financials, performance management, and other business functions managed by SAP.

Better invoice creation

When organizations won the opportunities then due to sync SAP helps in easy creation of invoice for that particular won opportunity.

Effective time and errors management

Integration eliminates the need of dual data entry for cost and invoice generation of won leads, hence save time and money. It also results in fewer data redundancies and errors caused by manual data entry.

Fulfill orders in real time

When a new opportunity closes in Salesforce CRM, the associated order details automatically placed within the ERP system immediately and further it estimates cost. Hence it makes entire opportunity-to-order process optimized.

Accelerate cash flow

Integration makes easier to identify and notify any overdue accounts in order to collect what is due to your company. As a result it makes finance department to recognize revenue sooner by achieving its monthly financial close faster.

Quote correct price

Sales reps can go through real time pricing and product synchronization between SAP and Salesforce which makes them to view and forecast the effect of price impacting on profit margins. It helps to take actions more immediately to rectify the situation with new discounting rule if it affects profit margins adversely.

Maximize ROI

It leverages all the custom functionality that the company has built using the force.com platform and SAP ERP and make more efficient as a result by creating cloud based layer of agility around ERP environment.

Sales Cloud acts as catalyst for business growth.

Sales Cloud refers to the sales module in salesforce.com development. It includes leads, accounts, contacts, contracts, opportunities, products,  product development, price books, quotes, and campaigns and having features such as Web-to-lead to support online lead capture, with auto-response rules. It is designed to be a start-to-end setup for the entire sales process hence help to generate revenue.

Organizations are moving towards sales cloud to optimize their business, hence helps to boost overall ROI. Some of the advantages of Sales cloud which helps organizations to improve their performance are discussed below.

Automate email process

The platform has features to automate email marketing hence run email campaign very efficiently. Users can personalize emails, send and track them directly from the platform.

Ease of integration

It has capability to integrate with other software vendors like Microsoft Outlook so that further process can be efficiently done in sync manner.

Better leads and emails management

Salesforce Engage feature of sales cloud helps users with lead management and email marketing needs. It also integrates with Gmail which helps users to track and log all Gmail interactions, including clicks and opens.

Efficient leads management

It nurture leads until they are sales ready and automatically routed to the right reps at the right time and converts them into quality lead.

Easy files handling

It helps in easy drag and drops of multiple files and simultaneously uploads it into the Salesforce and maintains complete control over sharing settings, including who is viewing, editing and collaboration rights.

Better sales forecasting

It has a complete view of sales pipeline of business, so helps in taking actions whenever necessary and predicts how much amount of revenue will be generated through warm leads.

Salesforce Lightning Community

Salesforce Lightning is the collection of tools and technologies with a significant upgrade to the Salesforce platform. It includes modern user interfaces optimized for speed, drag-and-drop technologies for fast and easy app building, lightning component framework and set of standard components that allow you to build reusable components to customize the Lightning Experience.

Lightning Community is a part of Salesforce Lightning which helps customers to connect experts at a more personalized level giving them a rich experience at a lightning speed. The major benefits are as follows.

Suggested Articles and Answers

It provides a platform which helps organizations and individual to share their relevant questions, answers and articles related to technical or nontechnical whenever there is any relevant query.

Branding and Engagement

It provides the best suited place to build the brand either for your product or for your company by providing relevant information in the community and also extends the online customer experience. It also helps in creating a dynamic community by highlighting and rewarding the most active members.

Mobile Accessibility

You can access the community through the Salesforce1 mobile app or from any mobile browser so that you can deliver an effective mobile experience at any place and time.

Profile Accessibility

Organizations can now give a better structured community and have eye on different members. It provides greater control and more personalized experience.

Extra Ordinary Media Feed

Community members can have options to access various links, images and videos in any community feed, it’s more of a question and answer forum which helps find solutions easy.