Agentforce and the Data Gap Challenge: The Hidden Costs of Going DIY

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While Agentforce opens up unprecedented possibilities in Salesforce, missing data can limit workflows or lead to incorrect answers. This happens when Agentforce cannot retrieve relevant data stored in an external system, i. e. outside the Salesforce environment. If the AI agent hits such a data gap, it will make mistakes and deliver incorrect feedback, leading to confusion for users relying on Agentforce information.

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Exploring the Do-It-Yourself Approach for Filling Agentforce Data Gaps

When looking for ways to bridge such data gaps, another potential approach (besides those we have already discussed: using middleware or a unifying data layer) is a homegrown solution.  

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Types of Homegrown Salesforce Integrations

A DIY solution involves creating custom code to facilitate communication between Salesforce and external systems. Such an integration can be achieved using

• ‍Apex Callouts: Salesforce's proprietary language Apex allows for HTTP callouts to external REST or SOAP APIs, enabling real-time data exchange.  
• ‍JavaScript Remoting: Combining Visualforce pages with JavaScript to call Apex methods asynchronously, providing a dynamic user experience.
• ‍Platform Events: Utilizing Salesforce's event-driven architecture to publish and subscribe to events, facilitating near real-time integration between Salesforce and external systems.
• ‍Salesforce Flow: As another solution offered by Salesforce, one can use Flow to call the external system, for example an autolaunched Flow that has an action step to make an HTTP callout to the external system.  

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Why One Would Choose a Homegrown Approach

• Having full control over the integration allows for immediate modifications and optimizations without waiting for external vendors.
• For organizations with in-house development expertise, building custom integrations can reduce reliance on third-party middleware.
• Without the need for licensing additional software, costs may be limited to the allowance for calls, events, etc.

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The Hidden Challenges of DIY Salesforce Integrations

• ‍Development Complexity: Crafting robust integration requires a deep understanding of both Salesforce's architecture, the external systems’ architectures and data structures. This complexity can lead to longer development times and increased chances of errors.
• ‍Maintenance Burden: Custom code necessitates ongoing maintenance to adapt to updates in both Salesforce and the external systems, consuming valuable IT resources. Adapting to new requirements within the data flow itself is equally burdensome.
• ‍Security Risks: Improperly implemented integrations can expose vulnerabilities, leading to data breaches or compliance issues. Ensuring secure authentication, authorization, and data handling is paramount but can be tricky in custom solutions.
• ‍Scalability Challenges: As business needs evolve, custom integrations may require significant rework to scale, unlike some middleware designed for flexibility and scalability. High-volume data flow through custom solutions may degrade the performance of the Salesforce org.

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A Smarter, Simpler Solution: conemis Synapse

While custom integrations may seem tempting at first, they come with risks, implementation efforts, and long-term resource commitments. If you're looking for a faster, cost-effective, and reliable alternative, conemis Synapse is the answer.

conemis Synapse is the simple and effective way to fill in Agentforce data gaps in a flash. Based on your requirements, data access will be set up for you – tooling, connectors, mapping, data flow, and all necessary setup services included in one turnkey solution. No project required. conemis will take care of everything at a flat rate.

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