What is Einstein Activity Capture in Salesforce?

Einstein Activity Capture (EAC) in Salesforce, a productivity-boosting tool designed to keep your email and calendar apps in sync with Salesforce, making life just a little bit easier for entrepreneurs like you. Imagine having a personal assistant that’s constantly on the ball, capturing valuable data from emails, calendar events, and contacts while you focus on building and nurturing relationships with your customers. This is what EAC is.

EAC is introduced as an alternative to Salesforce for Outlook, and it connects Salesforce to Gmail or Office 365 accounts. But, how does it work, and what benefits does it bring to the table? Grab a cup of coffee, and let’s dive into the world of Einstein Activity Capture together.

The Building Blocks of Einstein Activity Capture (EAC)

Emails

Einstein Activity Capture (EAC) truly shines when it comes to handling your email data. As soon as you send or receive an email, EAC steps in to automatically capture it and add it to the activity timeline of related Salesforce records, such as Accounts, Contacts, Contracts, Leads, Opportunities, and Quotes.

But EAC doesn’t stop there. It takes the data from these emails and sends it to Amazon Web Services (AWS), where it’s neatly categorized into Leads, Contracts, Accounts, Personal Accounts, and Opportunities. This rich email data is then used to create email insights and generate engagement data. Combining EAC with Salesforce Inbox or High-Velocity Sales further enhances the engagement statistics, providing you with a more comprehensive understanding of your email interactions.

Events

When it comes to keeping you organized, EAC’s got your back. By capturing user activity from Outlook, Google, and Microsoft accounts, EAC instantly adds the events to the timeline of associated Salesforce records. This way, you can effortlessly keep track of your events and appointments without the hassle of manually logging them in Salesforce.

As these events sync to Salesforce and become linked records, they transform into Salesforce records, which can be utilized for standard reporting and other Salesforce Platform features. This seamless synchronization of events with Salesforce records ensures that you stay on top of your schedule and never miss an important meeting or deadline.

Contacts

In business, your network is your net worth, and EAC understands this all too well. By syncing contacts from your Microsoft or Google accounts, EAC helps you manage and maintain your ever-growing network. As these contacts sync, they become Salesforce records, which can be easily accessed and managed within the platform.

But that’s not all. EAC goes the extra mile by using your contact data to produce email insights and suggest connections, helping you uncover potential leads, partnerships, and opportunities. This way, you can focus on nurturing relationships and growing your business while EAC takes care of the details. Just like with events, contacts are synced in the same manner as emails, ensuring that your network is always up-to-date and in sync with Salesforce.

Mastering the Mechanics of EAC

Customization Galore: Tailoring EAC to Your Needs

Einstein Activity Capture (EAC) is a versatile tool that can be configured to suit your unique business requirements. You can personalize EAC to handle emails, events, and contacts differently based on your preferences. For instance, if you decide to disable email events, Salesforce won’t send an email when you create or update an Opportunity record.

Additionally, you can specify which users receive email notifications based on the configuration to which they are assigned. This level of customization ensures that EAC works in harmony with your existing processes and workflows, optimizing efficiency while minimizing disruptions.

The Data Journey: From AWS to Salesforce

When you connect your Microsoft or Google accounts to Salesforce, the platform stores the data from your accounts in its Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure. While email data isn’t treated as a Salesforce record, you can still gain a complete picture of your activity data by using the Activity Metrics fields and Activities dashboard.

It’s important to note that since the data collected from emails isn’t sent directly to Salesforce, it cannot be used to create standard reports within the platform. However, once events or contacts are synced, the data is synchronized between Salesforce and the connected Microsoft or Google account. This ensures that your activity data is always up-to-date and accessible within Salesforce.

Syncing Made Simple: Microsoft and Google Integration

EAC excels at simplifying the process of synchronizing data between Salesforce and connected Microsoft or Google accounts. The tool automatically captures events and emails from your accounts and adds them to the activity timeline of related records in Salesforce. This eliminates the need for you to manually log activities in the platform, saving you time and effort.

Furthermore, EAC synchronizes events and contacts between Microsoft Outlook, Gmail, and Salesforce accounts, directly syncing and storing the data in the system. You can change the sync direction in Settings to ensure that the data flows in a way that aligns with your business needs. Once events and contacts are synced to Salesforce, they are converted into Salesforce records and can be used in the standard reports section, helping you gain valuable insights into your business activities.

Unleashing the Benefits of EAC

Time-Saving Automation

One of the most significant advantages of Einstein Activity Capture (EAC) is its automatic sync tool, which saves time, boosts efficiency, and conserves energy for the user. By eliminating the need for manual data entry and synchronization, EAC frees up your valuable time to focus on more critical aspects of your business, like nurturing leads and closing deals. In essence, EAC empowers you to work smarter, not harder, and drive business growth.

Einstein Analytics

Einstein Analytics breathes life into your data synced with Salesforce by offering you a rich, visual exploration of contacts, emails, events, and other account information. As you dive deeper into marketing, sales, and service insights, you’ll discover the patterns, trends, and opportunities that can shape your business’s future success.

Email Insights and Accounts

EAC doesn’t just synchronize emails with Salesforce—it unlocks the potential of every message. By delving into email interactions with contacts and assessing their impact, EAC empowers you to make smarter decisions about your communication strategies. In turn, you’ll build stronger relationships and stay in tune with your audience.

Sales Summary

EAC’s activity dashboard paints a vivid picture of your sales data, complete with easy-to-understand graphs and visualizations. As you take in this comprehensive snapshot of your business’s performance, you’ll quickly pinpoint areas of strength, weakness, and potential growth. With this invaluable knowledge, you can make data-driven decisions to refine your sales strategies and propel your business forward.

The Metrics

EAC is your trusted guide for navigating crucial performance metrics like the last activity date, last call date, and inactive days. As you keep an eye on these key performance indicators (KPIs), you’ll gain a deeper understanding of your team’s productivity and effectiveness. With EAC’s support, you can identify and address any challenges your team may face, paving the way to achieve your business goals.

Drawbacks and Limitations of EAC

Data Storage: AWS vs. Salesforce

While EAC offers numerous benefits, it’s essential to be aware of its limitations, particularly when it comes to data storage. Email data captured by EAC is sent to Amazon Web Services (AWS) servers, not directly to Salesforce. This means that while the data is securely stored, it isn’t treated as a Salesforce record and cannot be used to create standard reports within the platform. Depending on your reporting needs, this limitation may impact your ability to analyze and utilize your email data effectively.

Limited Customization: Standard EAC vs. Full-Featured EAC

Another drawback to consider is the limited customization available in the standard version of EAC. While EAC does offer some level of configurability, the standard version lacks many of the features and capabilities found in the full-featured, paid version of the tool. For instance, the standard version restricts the length of time that virtual records can be kept, and it may only display activity data from the past 90 days in the Activities Analytics Dashboard. To access more advanced features and customization options, you may need to purchase a paid EAC license.

License Requirements: Free vs. Paid EAC

Einstein Activity Capture offers a free version with limited features, which may be suitable for some businesses. However, to unlock the full potential of EAC and access all its features, a paid license is required. This can represent an additional expense for your business, so it’s important to weigh the costs and benefits associated with each EAC version to determine which one best meets your needs and budget.

When evaluating EAC as a solution for your business, it’s essential to consider both its advantages and drawbacks. While the tool offers numerous benefits in terms of time-saving automation, analytics, and insights, its limitations regarding data storage, customization, and licensing may impact your decision. By carefully assessing the tool’s features and limitations, you can make an informed choice and find the best solution for your business needs.

The Salesforce Administrators’ Perspective: Why Choose Einstein Activity Capture (EAC)?

User-Friendly Connectivity: Office 365 and Google Integration

From a Salesforce administrator’s point of view, one of the key reasons to choose EAC is its seamless connectivity with Office 365 and Google accounts. The tool is designed to be user-friendly, with a straightforward installation and setup process that doesn’t require extensive technical knowledge. By providing an easy way to integrate popular email and calendar services, EAC helps administrators keep their teams connected and synchronized with Salesforce, reducing manual work and increasing overall efficiency.

Data-Driven Activity Reporting

Another reason Salesforce administrators appreciate EAC is its data-driven activity reporting capabilities. By automatically capturing and syncing emails, events, and contacts, EAC generates actionable insights and reports that administrators can use to monitor team performance and identify opportunities for improvement. With EAC’s help, administrators can keep their finger on the pulse of their organization’s activities, ensuring that no valuable opportunities are missed.

Privacy Control: Safeguarding Your Data

EAC also prioritizes data privacy and security, which is essential for Salesforce administrators who need to protect their organization’s sensitive information. While email data is stored on AWS servers, EAC maintains strict privacy controls, ensuring that only authorized users can access the data. This commitment to data protection gives administrators peace of mind knowing that their organization’s information is secure and compliant with industry standards.

Conclusion

Einstein Activity Capture is a powerful tool that can elevate your business by automating critical processes, generating valuable insights, and simplifying Salesforce integration. While it’s important to consider the drawbacks and limitations of EAC, its benefits can have a significant impact on your organization’s efficiency and growth.

By understanding the building blocks of EAC, mastering its mechanics, and unleashing its benefits, you can harness the tool’s potential to drive business success. For Salesforce administrators, EAC’s user-friendly connectivity, data-driven reporting, and privacy control make it an attractive choice for managing your organization’s activities.

If you’re considering implementing EAC in your Salesforce environment, consult our Salesforce experts to discuss your specific needs and determine whether EAC is the right solution for your organization. With the right tools and strategy in place, you’ll be well on your way to elevating your business to new heights.