Navigating Account Field Updates in Marketo: An Insight into Change Data Value Activities

For Marketo users leveraging the native integration with Salesforce CRM, check this out regarding the intricacies of handling Account field updates. This blog post delves into the nuances of how these updates are reflected in the person's activity log and explores the implications for marketers.

The Challenge

When the Marketo platform is natively integrated with Salesforce CRM, updates to the Account field may or may not manifest as Change Data Value activities in the person's activity log. This behavior, recently confirmed by Marketo support as expected, introduces a notable inconsistency in logging these activities. While the updated field value for the Account field is visible in the Company Info tab of the person record, the absence of corresponding Change Data Value activities in the log poses a challenge for marketers.

Inconsistency in Logging

The discrepancy arises when Account field updates are not consistently logged as Change Data Value activities. This inconsistency complicates the use of the Data Value Changes trigger or Data Value Changed filter for synced Account fields in Marketo. People lacking the corresponding Change Data Value activity in Marketo may not qualify or run through campaign flow, even in the event of an Account field update.

Although I haven’t had a chance to test whether this is the case with the Marketo-MS Dynamics, I won’t be surprised if it is the same case there too.

Recommendation

In light of these findings, it is not recommended to create triggers or use Data Value Changed filters for any of the synced Account fields in Marketo. Marketers need to be aware that individuals without the corresponding Change Data Value activity in Marketo might not qualify for triggers, potentially leading to missed opportunities for engagement and targeted marketing efforts.

If any updates on the Account field require a Marketo campaign to run (i.e., you need the Change Data Value updates in Marketo w/o any exceptions) you can always create a workflow in Salesforce to update a synced field (similar to a mirror/auxiliary field) on the Contact object so the corresponding Change Data Value activity gets logged in Marketo.

Data Retention Policy Reminder

As a refresher, Marketo adheres to a 90-day Data Retention Policy for "Change Data Value" and other high-volume activities. This is crucial for understanding the longevity of data within the platform and should be considered and not overlooked while using/referencing these activities in campaigns/smart lists.

For more details on Marketo's Data Retention Policy, you can refer to Marketo's Knowledge Base.