Review Data Integration Options for Energy and Utility Providers
Learning Objectives
After completing this unit, you’ll be able to:
- Identify integration options available in Energy & Utilities Cloud for connecting diverse systems.
- Synchronize data effectively between Energy & Utilities Cloud and external platforms.
- Prepare a checklist of key tasks to complete before beginning integration.
- Evaluate real-world use cases to determine when and why to use specific integration tools.
Data Integration Options for Salesforce Energy & Utilities Cloud
When you’re trying to connect a bunch of old-school systems to a modern platform like Salesforce, it can feel like rewiring a power grid with spaghetti. Luckily, Salesforce gives you a number of options—each one with its strengths (and sometimes quirks). Let’s take a look.
Integration Method | Description | When to Use | Why it’s Great | Learn More |
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MuleSoft Anypoint Platform | A comprehensive integration and API management platform owned by Salesforce. | Connecting multiple legacy systems (e.g., Customer Information System, billing, outage, Advanced Metering Infrastructure). |
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External Objects + Salesforce Connect | Allows viewing external data in Salesforce without storing it. | Needing real-time views of external data (e.g., billing balances, meter reads). |
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Platform Events | A publish-subscribe model for event-driven architecture. | Notifying Salesforce of events in other systems (e.g., meter read spikes, service disruptions). |
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Scheduled ETL/ELT (Extract-Transform-Load) | Scheduled jobs that extract, transform, and load data into Salesforce. | When real-time updates aren’t necessary, for data warehousing or reporting purposes, preparing for cloud migration. |
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Custom APIs + Apex Integrations | Custom code-based integrations using Salesforce Apex and REST/SOAP APIs. | Requiring precise control over data movement, integrating with legacy systems with specific requirements. |
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With the right tools, even complex legacy systems become easier to manage.
Before You Begin
Before you plug in those shiny integration tools, there’s one critical step you can’t skip: prep work. Think of it like renovating an old house—you wouldn’t install smart appliances without first checking the wiring. The same goes for data. Cleaning it up, understanding where it lives, and making sure it’s structured for modern use sets you up for a smoother, smarter integration into Salesforce Energy & Utilities Cloud. Let’s dig into what this groundwork should look like.
Click each tab below to learn more about each prep work step.
Data Integration Use Cases
With the foundational data preparation complete and systems aligned for integration, you can now shift focus to how Salesforce Energy & Utilities Cloud enables these connections. Let’s explore specific integration capabilities and real-world use cases that demonstrate how Energy and Utilities Cloud supports critical business functions—ranging from billing and pricing to customer engagement and service delivery.
Click each tab below to learn more about integration use cases.
Next Steps
Next, you look at how to connect SAP Utilities with Salesforce Energy & Utilities Cloud. You learn how to map data between the two systems, what integration tools to use, and how to set up reliable, real-time connections. This ensures your data stays in sync and supports a more complete view of your customers and operations.